Friendship is Dragons
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Page 1210 - Unlucky Guess
Author Notes:
Newbiespud
20th Apr 2019, 6:00 AM
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I'm pretty sure that once again the group is derailing the plot before it even really begins. I suspect the Mane 6 were supposed to deal with the disappearing magic... but instead they've gone chasing a political coup (which didn't even exist until Dash invented it).
That there is the face of, "Whelp, there goes that folder full of adventure notes, best get to writing a new one before next week".
This is why I run by the seat of my pants. The Players can't derail a plotline that has no rails.
/smartguypointingtohead.jpg
That there is the face of, "Whelp, there goes that folder full of adventure notes, best get to writing a new one before next week".
This is why I run by the seat of my pants. The Players can't derail a plotline that has no rails.
/smartguypointingtohead.jpg
GM: Rarity-player, do you even want to play, or just discuss plot points like you've been reading my notes?
I haven't really been following along with story time, but if it hasn't been done already, I think this one calls for "Deer-in-the-headlights moments from the GM".
Bravo! Well done.
I'm going to be honest, I... am not enjoying this arc. I've been trying to give it a chance, hope it comes together, but this page ended up encapsulating so many problems with it. I can't get on board with the piecemeal 'here's what's happened with the characters you built' thing with GM dictating recent history instead of the players actually... playing it.
Which on that note - there hasn't really been any playing. Including this one, we've had nine pages of the GM talking. Ten if you count double-pages like this one as two. It's an all-time low for player action, the best they've been getting being quick one-off comments before back to the monologue. So, all previous scenes of the Student Six being single lines delivered by GM, the actual game session so far being GM talking about it... we're drowning in Tell, Don't Show and barely making any progress even so. I kind of wish this WAS the end of the arc, because things will actually be happening when the players get back to their main story.
I don't... like leaving negative comments. I try not to, usually. But I do really like this comic, current arc notwithstanding. So I'm putting out the problems I have with how this has been going in the hopes that history doesn't repeat. This one's been a slog, and even if it picks up from here on, that doesn't change that it's been a slog up 'til now. Still love the comic, but... I really can't wait for this arc to finish.
Which on that note - there hasn't really been any playing. Including this one, we've had nine pages of the GM talking. Ten if you count double-pages like this one as two. It's an all-time low for player action, the best they've been getting being quick one-off comments before back to the monologue. So, all previous scenes of the Student Six being single lines delivered by GM, the actual game session so far being GM talking about it... we're drowning in Tell, Don't Show and barely making any progress even so. I kind of wish this WAS the end of the arc, because things will actually be happening when the players get back to their main story.
I don't... like leaving negative comments. I try not to, usually. But I do really like this comic, current arc notwithstanding. So I'm putting out the problems I have with how this has been going in the hopes that history doesn't repeat. This one's been a slog, and even if it picks up from here on, that doesn't change that it's been a slog up 'til now. Still love the comic, but... I really can't wait for this arc to finish.
A lot of telling is inevitable when starting a new side campaign in the future. I'm not making a value judgement either way here, but a lot of DM exposition is a necessary consequence of the side campaign choice.
I have to agree. All this "telling" instead of "showing" just hurts to read. The GM could have strung together a series of events to make the field trip actually playable. Maybe start with Cloudsdale trip failing and them they have to wander in the forest until they find their way out (combination of 2-3 episodes right there worth of screen caps).
Rest assured there is an actual game session in here past all this setup, and I'll try to get to it a little faster.
@MarvelousTK, I understand that position, and I can see how it’s been a little slow. On the other had, I’m really appreciating an intermission from the DiscorDM story. I think it’s good for the group in-game, and for us as a community out of game. (Or at least for me, personally. I shouldn’t generalize)
And if it makes you feel better, I think your problem is about to be addressed. This feels to me like the logical start point. As @Borg said, a lot of exposition was kinda necessary, but now the players are up to speed on both their explicit and implicit goals, so they could be starting soon.
And if it makes you feel better, I think your problem is about to be addressed. This feels to me like the logical start point. As @Borg said, a lot of exposition was kinda necessary, but now the players are up to speed on both their explicit and implicit goals, so they could be starting soon.
However...
Please remember, Spud, that the great majority of your audience already knows the plot, since we saw the show, and probably read speculative fan fiction as well. What we come here for is your portrayal of RPG dynamics and D&D jokes/references/etc. The GM boxed text segments are the most similar to the original episode, and therefore the least original. I'm not saying they're completely unoriginal. The paraphrasing and condensed versions are pretty funny sometimes.
But I do agree with MarvelousTK and Digo that the players doing things is the best part.
Edit: I didn't realize you'd already answered this while I was typing. Sorry if it seems like I was piling on. :p
The way I read this comic, is the perspective of if I was at a table watching these players, rather than being in the game as a character.
I actually disagree. I think this arc has been a really nice, refreshing break and I've been enjoying it so far.
I really cannot disagree more. I am thoroughly enjoying seeing the glimpses of the scenes from the perspective of answering player questions about what is going on. It feels more like what actually happens at a game table, with players asking questions and getting explanations as the game situation is set up. I am very much not a fan of stories that just start in the middle of an unexplained action scene.
Action with no context is the least interesting kind of storytelling...especially action told in comic form, where the action is generally vague and slow.
Action with no context is the least interesting kind of storytelling...especially action told in comic form, where the action is generally vague and slow.
I agree that the story currently has a lot of events being told that might have been more fun to watch play out - these events did happen to the PCs after all. At the same time, it fits as a way to show the DM making up the campaign as they go along. Stuff they make up introduces questions, which need to be answered by making up more stuff, including stuff that happened to the PCs where applicable. Hopefully the DM will find firmer footing, though this latest blow to their plans leaves that somewhat unlikely for the immediate future.
The GM of this game is learning (and it’s been an ongoing process) that they don’t need to keep SECRETS in order to have FUN. Personally I think that this stemmed from insecurity, caused by the desire to be an “impressive” GM, and a feeling that the players wouldn’t enjoy the game without some kind of twist or reveal.
The kicker is that the players at a table are the characters in the story, yes, but they’re also, more importantly, the AUDIENCE, and like any savvy audience they figure things out well before people in a book or movie would.
The GM is already on firmer footing than before by virtue of not taking this instance of genre-savvy personally.
The kicker is that the players at a table are the characters in the story, yes, but they’re also, more importantly, the AUDIENCE, and like any savvy audience they figure things out well before people in a book or movie would.
The GM is already on firmer footing than before by virtue of not taking this instance of genre-savvy personally.
I know that isn't her, but the back of the pony we can see in the third panel looks like Chaos Princess Pinkie Pie.
Maybe its the overlooked mirror-pool clone (last seen in Manehatten, under a fedora.
And...wouldn't the clone be a little old to be a student?
I think the clone would more likely be too young. After all, she was 'born' during the Mirror Pool incident, wasn't she...?
This is what happens sometimes when you spend too much time with certain people.