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Forged in the dark : one large clock, or stacking small clocks ? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by Ziggurat@sh.itjust.works to c/rpg@ttrpg.network

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A very short question, for people used to Forge in the dark games.

To manage a situation evolving negatively or positively on the long term, do you use a large clock, or stack several one small ones with a concrete impact every time they fill?

let’s say the PC are asking questions they shouldn’t be asking about “the bad guys”. Would you say

3 times 4 tick clock : leading to “bad guys hear rumours about someone asking question”/Bad guys Finds out who asks the question/ Bad guys guards find the PC.

A 12 tick clock and continuously increasing the pressure on the PC as the clock is filling ?

The related question, is how do you handle the consequence of the clocks filling beside the : Enemy guard found you (or missing accomplished when it’s on the PC side). Just by role-playing, or would you change the PC position or is it as often in rpg “it depends” ?

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[–] brenticus@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

If the bad guy hears rumours about someone asking the question, does anything change?

When a clock fills in these contexts that should indicate that something needs to happen, and that something likely requires PC response. So if it isn't going to significantly impact the PCs until the third clock, it may as well be one big clock with stuff happening in the background as it fills. But if each clock has an impact and the PCs can do something to impact future clocks, stacking makes sense.

Regarding handling the consequence: it definitely depends. I'll sometimes use a clock if they're trying to overcome some major obstacle, so filling it means that they have less to deal with and that's probably going to be an RP exercise. But most of the time it's going to result in a change in position, or a need to resist something, or even a material change in their crew's territory that requires some response. In the example above, especially for such a large clock, I'd probably have the consequence be something like the bad guys invading their territory targeting the PC asking questions, which requires more than a mere change in position to resolve. That could involve a full-on heist to thwart.

[–] Ziggurat@sh.itjust.works 5 points 5 months ago

Thanks,

So, trying to have a Filled clock --> Something having immediate/clear consequences happens. And better having a bigger clock with more dramatic effect coming (Bad guys found you and launch a surprise attack) rather than blurry smaller clock (Bad guys heard rumours about you which would only present as a NPC saying do not aks too many questions) make sense said like that.