So we played our first maneuver last night ...

Burning Empires General Questions
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And I have a bunch of questions, most of them unrelated.

Scenes: issues about how scenes work, and how it all comes together came up. I sent this out in an e-mail today to my players:

I want to re-interate that scenes should be focused on a specific thing or outcome. If you’re trying to get a half dozen new developments out of a scene, I’d say you’re playing it wrong. Get that one core thing you need right now. Scenes are suppose to be a scarce commodity, and therefore this will make everyone use their scenes wisely.

I sent that out, because I felt that some people were trying to “stuff” their scenes with as much as they could get away with. I still feel there was one scene where a little too much happened.

We played them last night as if the player who was the focus of the scene was a mini-GM, and I would interject. As the GM, how much authority to do I have in another player’s scene? Can I dictate setting, character, color, etc., without calling for a conflict?

A PC was sent to secure a mining outpost with a company of soldiers. He stated that he secured the mining outpost, located a Vaylen base, a criminal ship, and captured a Vaylen sleeper. I’m going to retro-actively scale that back to capturing the Vaylen sleeper and securing a portion of the mining outpost (as that was the meat of the scene). I feel like that was a bit much, and left out lots of crucial setting detail.

And what about rolls? I noticed that building scenes get 3 rolls. Does that mean players get 3 rolls per maneuver (plus conflicts)? Or does that mean they get to dictate 3 rolls to build toward their conflicts, while I as GM can call for rolls whenever I need to? Do FoRKs and help dice count toward that limit?

As the GM, are my scenes tied directly to my Figures of Note? I have about a dozen NPCs in the mix (yes, seriously), and some are only tied to PCs, or are two or three steps removed (relationships of relationships). How do I make the connection to my FoNs to bring those minor characters in for their own scenes?

This is a pretty new way for our group to play, and I just want to get the little bugs ironed out.

Circles tests: last night a player decided he wanted to capture a possible Vaylen sleeper last night while securing a mine. How can players (GM included) bring in new NPCs? Does it always require a Circles test? Or are Circles tests only for contacts? Last night I required to make a Circles test for the scout who captured the sleeper. Now I feel I should have forced the sleeper (and given out the Enmity Clause!), because there was no way the player was going to succeed at the sleeper. But I’m not even sure that’s covered by Circles.

And if that’s the case, how do I handle NPCs as the GM? Do I need to make Circles tests everytime I bring in a new character?

Finally, I want to use the Wiki for my campaign notes. Is that OK? And if so, can post all my NPCs or just my FoNs?

Obviously, I’m still brimming with questions, but I’ll just leave it at that for now. Thanks in advance.

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Hi Steve,

I don’t have my book (or the pdf) in front of me, but let me see what I can do.

scenes
Building scenes consist of three rolls. Can be three separate situations or three rolls in service of one situation.

Color and interstitials serve ONE goal, one instance of narrative, one conversation, one moment of play.

GM’s Scenes
The GM only gets scenes for his FoNs. This is described in the boo. Additional NPCs may appear as help in his FoNs’ scenes or as opposition in the players’ scenes.

Say Yes or Roll the Dice
Now, in game don’t forget the rule that overarches the scene structure mechanics – Say Yes or Roll the Dice. If there’s no conflict, move on. But as soon as there is conflict you, as the GM, are supposed to call for tests – Circles, wises, Resources, skills or whatever.

This bleeds nicely into the scenes. If you feel like a player’s interstitial is asking too much, tell him. Tell him that he’s going to have use a builder to accomplish what he’s after. If he’s not willing to make the roll then go no further. Or if the interstitial explodes into an argument of a fight you can ask the player if he wants to use his conflict scene or in turn you can use one of your FoN’s conflicts or builders (for I Corner Him and Stab Him in the Face).

The scene structure is designed to commodify screen time. This creates tension and narrative pacing. While you’re never going to get everything you want, you don’t have to try to get everything done in one maneuver. Attack the story in bite-sized chunks. Focus on what’s important right now – accomplish your Belief goals one by one – and then move on.

Does that help?
-Luke

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OK. Means I didn’t play by the rules last night. I had color and interstitial scenes owned by minor NPCs.

OK, so calling for conflict doesn’t automatically mean jumping into Duel of Wits or Firefight? It can just be versus tests, correct?

And if I call for tests, does that count toward a player’s 3 building scene rolls? Or does every player make these GM-called tests in addition to any builiding scene or conflict rolls they make in a maneuver?

It was actually building scenes that players were trying to load up with lots of unrelated actions. They’d done their color and interstitial and then moved onto doing more color and interstitial and tangentially relating it to a roll.

Somewhat. What about Circles tests? Are Circles tests for bringing in new NPCs or are they for being in character’s Contacts? Say, for example, your player finds an enemy combatant and captures them. How is that handled using Circles tests?

Thanks so far.

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OK, so calling for conflict doesn’t automatically mean jumping into Duel of Wits or Firefight? It can just be versus tests, correct?

Sorry, mixing my BW and BE terms. Conflict in BE means DoW or FF, but I was referring to BW’s use of the term: a point in the story at which a player wants something for his character and the GM (or another player) wants something different. In BE terms, that’s a test.

And if I call for tests, does that count toward a player’s 3 building scene rolls? Or does every player make these GM-called tests in addition to any builiding scene or conflict rolls they make in a maneuver?

Hell yes it counts! It’s you the GM saying, “Sure, that sounds great but if you really want it, you’re going to have use one of your building scenes.” If they don’t want to use one or don’t have one, then there is no time or not opportunity to get that stuff done.

What about Circles tests? Are Circles tests for bringing in new NPCs or are they for being in character’s Contacts? Say, for example, your player finds an enemy combatant and captures them. How is that handled using Circles tests?

Any time a player wants to bring in an NPC who is not one of their relationships – an informant, a guard, a hulled Vaylen – he must make a Circles test. Circles tests are made during building scenes.

There is some leeway with this in color scenes – it’s acceptable to narrate in color people, but they’re just background. They can’t make any tests or provide any information.

So to get the Vaylen sleeper, your player would have had to have used a building scene to track him down. Circles tests or wises. He would have had to use Circles to get the Scout, too. (Unless he was an Anvil Lord, then gets the scout for free.)

-L

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I think I need to buy this game.