Starting Play ************* Once play begins, the GM will describe the situation the characters are in. This may include some background information the characters would know, a physical description of the environment, or other details about what is going on. If relevant, the GM may sketch details of the environment on paper or a whiteboard, or she may use miniatures or placeholders to illustrate the situation. Players may ask questions and describe how their characters act and respond to the circumstances. How long this takes will depend on the situation, and the GM will use her best judgement to draw events to their logical conclusion. Scenes ============================ When the GM describes a situation and the players describe what they do, that is a **scene**. This is a very flexible idea. Sometimes a scene is something very strictly defined, with an start, middle and end. Sometimes it’s just a loose sketch for play to occur within. Just as with characters, the building blocks of a scene are aspects. They are the true and interesting things about the scene, and as with characters, they are simple but powerful. There is no need to lay out every detail of a scene, only the ones that really matter. It is expected that the GM and players will colorfully extrapolate details from the general idea. What's in a Scene? ------------------ If there is ever a question about the scene, such as who is where, or some detail about the geography, this can be resolved in a few different ways. First, the player may simply ask the GM, who will answer to the best of her ability. Second, if it makes a lot of sense, the player may just proceed as if something is true. If the GM has not mentioned the windows of a room, you can still describe your character going over to the window. If you're in an old castle and want to grab a sword off the wall, then there's probably a sword on the wall. If it makes sense (and if it's cool) then just go with it, and the GM will raise a flag if this is a problem. Lastly, if the matter is uncertain, the GM may ask that the player spend a Fate point for the matter in question to be true. This is most appropriate when the detail is not unreasonable, but is also a bit of a stretch. However things are resolved, remember that when in doubt, the aspects on the scene should provide helpful guidance in answering any questions. Implicit and Explicit Scenes ----------------------------- In many situations, the scene is **implicit**. The GM has described the situation to the players and prompted them for their response. There's not a lot of need to go into detail, since the focus is on the specific action. An implicit scene relies on everyone’s understanding of what’s going on, and allows for a lot of leeway in interpretation and improvisation. In contrast, in an **explicit** scene, things are described in some detail, and the aspects in play on the scene are explicitly articulated. This usually happens because many things are happening (and it's easier to keep track of them if they're written down) or because the things that are happening are particularly important. . Implicit scenes are used when the location is either changing frequently, or is mostly providing color. Explicit scenes can be thought of as sets in a movie - they’re places where a lot of stuff is going to happen. The distinction can be fluid - if the characters are having a conversation on the dining car of a train, that is probably an implicit scene. But if the waiters pull out submachine guns and a firefight breaks out, then it will probably transition to an explicit scene. Scene Composition ----------------- For example, if an implicit scene is taking place in a dark warehouse, then it probably has the aspects Dark and Warehouse. Everyone knows what dark means, and warehouse probably suggests that there are rows of boxes, maybe some scaffolding overhead. You can explore the details as you go. In an explicit scene, the GM takes the time to write down all of these aspects, and there are some rules related to what it may cost her to add certain things. In an implicit scene, they go without saying - the aspects will come up if they seem relevant. The aspects on a scene matter a great deal because they help determine how hard or easy it is to do things. Hitting a target might not be hard on its own, but if it’s Dark and Foggy then it’s probably going to be harder. Uncertainty and Action ====================== Resolution ========== Reading the Dice ---------------- The process of reading the dice is pretty straightforward, just tally them up. For example: .. image:: assets/sampleroll.png