ext_110472 ([identity profile] brianrogers.livejournal.com) wrote in [personal profile] subplotkudzu 2011-04-01 11:16 am (UTC)

Lisa beat me too it. It's easy enough to build an Asset for "protect the Earth" as both a die provider on environmentally related rolls and a plot point generator whenever you do something foolishly in character to save the planet. Those plot points are later used to fuel the abilities that let you protect the planet. But those abstractions aren't the point of the game - the focus is on stressing the relationships between the characters to see how those relationships grow and change.

The relationship web isn't all character creation, and even during character creation there are a LOT of Extras and Features (made during character creation Features are the important Extras, essentially the major NPCs, and they have relationships with two or more Leads that function the same way as the relationships between the leads). The relationship web displayed for season 9 in the book is insanely complicated, including strong relationships with dead characters whose influence still lingers.

Once character creation is over you can spend plot points in play to force a relationship with any new Feature or Extra the GM introduces, so the cast can sprawl pretty quickly if the players keep deciding that your NPCs are cool and they want to see more of them. If someone pops out of the background I expect your players will forge relationships pretty quickly.

Plus, the strengths and nature of relationships change during play. I haven't actually run it yet, but based on the book I'd be really surprised if at least one relationship per Lead didn't change strength or nature each session. The game is meant to mirror a soap opera and their ability to go on endlessly with the character relationships constantly changing, and it looks like it would work.

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