Splatbook*

Flow of play

The GM establishes the situation: where you are, what time it is, who's there, what's going on. They describe the environment, add details, and portray NPCs. They ask questions about what you're doing or what's on your mind.

As a player, you ask questions to clarify and understand the situation. You answer the GM's questions. You offer up details or ideas of your own. Maybe you all act out a bit of dialogue.

Once the situation is established, the GM says something to provoke action and/or increase tension. Then they ask, "What do you do?"

If you…

  • ... need more information, ask for it.
  • ... trigger a player move, follow the move's procedures.
  • ... do anything else, the GM says what happens.

If you ignore an established danger, or you trigger a move and roll a 6 or less, the GM says what bad thing happens.

The process then repeats. The GM reestablishes the situation, gives it a nudge, and asks, "What do you do?"

When the current situation ends, the GM frames the next one. If they're unsure what situation should come next, they'll ask you and your fellow players questions until it becomes clear.

The flow of play is conversational. There are no formal turns, not even during fights. The GM is responsible for moving the spotlight around, addressing one PC at a time and ensuring that you each have a chance to talk and act. But it's okay to interject, make suggestions, or jump in and say what you're doing before the GM asks. Just be polite and respectful and share the spotlight with your fellow players.

The conversation and the game will shift naturally between scenes and loose play. Scenes happen in a specific place at a specific time, with players speaking in their PC's voices and saying what they're doing moment-by-moment. Loose play is zoomed out, less specific, taking place over time and space. When you explore the clearing where Pryder went missing, looking for clues and discussing what you've found, that's a scene. When you spend the rest of the day following his trail through the woods—discussing how long you want to keep going and what you're each doing to get on each other's nerves—that's loose play.