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Apocalypse World / Are separate story lines normal?
« on: January 03, 2013, 12:11:11 AM »
So, we're just getting rolling on my first AW game, and I'm noticing that so far, the majority of the action seems to involve one character at a time. For example, they're planning to mount an expedition to capture a rival hold's scout for questioning. The hardholder and chopper talk about it and the chopper's going to head out with his gang. So, one PC for that operation while the others do other stuff back at the hold, presumably.
Is this how games tend to go for others?
In some game systems, I know that I as GM would probably structure things so that the whole party would go or the players would just do it on their own. But I have the impression that that's not exactly the AW way (though I'm not sure I could explain exactly why). Another approach might be to pursue parallel stories in parallel. While the chopper is scout-hunting, maybe I switch the focus back and forth between the hunt and whatever's going on at the hold?
I'm also imagining that this will take a fair amount of screen time, so if I do nothing and let it play out then the others are going to be idle for the duration, which isn't fun. Maybe I should make such things run faster?
I hope you get the idea. I'm just curious how such things typically run in AW. Do the PCs all tend to stick together? Does the MC jump between stories? Something else?
Is this how games tend to go for others?
In some game systems, I know that I as GM would probably structure things so that the whole party would go or the players would just do it on their own. But I have the impression that that's not exactly the AW way (though I'm not sure I could explain exactly why). Another approach might be to pursue parallel stories in parallel. While the chopper is scout-hunting, maybe I switch the focus back and forth between the hunt and whatever's going on at the hold?
I'm also imagining that this will take a fair amount of screen time, so if I do nothing and let it play out then the others are going to be idle for the duration, which isn't fun. Maybe I should make such things run faster?
I hope you get the idea. I'm just curious how such things typically run in AW. Do the PCs all tend to stick together? Does the MC jump between stories? Something else?