MC-less?

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MC-less?
« on: June 18, 2012, 04:25:05 AM »
I'm looking for a bit of advice.
You see, my players are extremely inventive and active. They're used to setting scenes, they know the rules of the game, they know the intent of the game, and they don't really need me, as MC, to be honest.
I was wondering if others had any experince running MonsterHearts sans MC? My idea was to borrow a page from Primetime Adventures and let players take turns setting scenes and let "out-of-scene" players handle the NPC's. I, myself, would play a character and npc's like the rest of them and simply act as rules arbitrator should that be needed (informed player, I believe the term is). I doubt it will be needed. My players are the sort who forget about xp, who find limitations fun, feel responsible for making things interesting, and will often back their opponent if they feel losing would be more fun (we usually play PtA).

Oh, by the way, they fired me as GM in Primetime Adventures. They said I was wasting my time playing bank, and would rather see me have fun as well.

Re: MC-less?
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2012, 07:28:53 AM »
The main role that the MC plays in Monsterhearts is to provide adversity and ask interesting questions when the PCs get stuck. We find it's generally edgier if there's an MC. Why? Because there's someone there at the table with a slightly different agenda, but whose interests are to serve as a kind of counter-player, NOT as an overlord.

But you're in Denmark, so there's little danger your PCs will take ruthless advantage of not having that adversity figure.

Also: read Emily, Jason and Ivan's article on GMless games in the States of Play book if you want some pointers about making roles explicit during MC-less play.

Re: MC-less?
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2012, 01:20:56 PM »
I personally think that the Principles are the strongest part of the design, and having someone who's explicit job is to cultivate those Principles is important. There are lots of games I'd experiment with doing MC-less, but this isn't one of them. That said, I wish you luck if you try it.

Important things to have players do, if there's no MC:
-pay attention to Agendas
-pay attention to Principles
-pay attention to each other's "Under Their Skin"
-make hard moves
-ask provocative questions constantly

Re: MC-less?
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2012, 10:54:47 PM »
Maybe you could divvy it up via shuffled index cards each session? Like, I get "blanket the world in darkness" and "make the monsters seem human" so that's what I'm doing when I'm framing scenes and portraying NPCs and such?