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Games and Gaming: An NPC r-map for Amber

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      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 21st 2007
     # 1
    Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

    This is the r-map for the Amber game I'm getting ready to run. It's set at around the time of Random's return to Amber after the Patternfall War.

    I'm using this as a "web of trust" sort of diagram... the white arrows are strong trust, the dark ones strong distrust or even enmity. Where there are no arrows, the relationship is not notable. This allows me to track information flows, as one NPC talks to another.
    •  
      CommentAuthorAndy
    • CommentTimeMar 21st 2007
     # 2
    Dude, that gives me an awesome idea. Thanks!

    -Andy
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 21st 2007 edited
     # 3
    BTW I'm posting this not for comment on content (I have reasons for setting up the relationships the way I have) but more on notation and methodology.

    BOLD names are likely to be found in or near Amber.
    ITALIC names are likely NOT found in Amber.
  4.  # 4
    Fred, just curious, what software are you using?
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 21st 2007
     # 5
    This was done in Visio.
  6.  # 6
    Pretty awesome. I would have posted a joke version saying "hates" on every single arrow, but this is neat. I always find this sort of thing helpful when making NPCs come to life.

    Why does Flora have no relationships at all? Surely some people should at least have a "ditz" arrow pointing towards her? (Except Merlin, who might have "Purse Full Of Grenades?")

    Also, remember to track disinformation flows as well. Fiona might "let slip" something that Random believes is true, but it's not until he tells Benedict about it (who talks to Corwin, who talks to Bleys) that finds out it's not. And by then...

    --Colin
  7.  # 7
    Good use of the wide arrows to get both ends of the relationship.

    -Rob D.
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      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 21st 2007
     # 8
    Colin:
    Thank you.

    Flora has relationships with the others, but they aren't particularly trusting or particularly distrusting relationships; their relationships with her are guarded. She'd never be the first one folks would think to tell something to, but she wouldn't be the last, either, and they wouldn't say something just to hurt her. "Live and let live" relationships got left out. There were too goddamn many of them.

    The dark arrows are definitely there for disinformation purposes as well. Most of the time, you wouldn't lie to someone you trust, except perhaps in the Fiona->Julian case.

    (In this campaign, Fiona has been banished from Amber for her part in the Redhead Conspiracy; Julian has offered her sanctuary in Arden just to piss off Random)
    •  
      CommentAuthorMikeRM
    • CommentTimeMar 21st 2007
     # 9
    Vax, is it deliberate that it resembles the Kabbalistic Tree of Life?
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 22nd 2007
     # 10
    OMFG.

    No.

    But...
  11.  # 11
    For those unfamiliar:



    Random (in terms of position) is apparently Keter, the Crown, though with the number of connections he has, he's more like Tiferet. :) How amusing.
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 23rd 2007
     # 12
    Thing is... I could rearrange things just slightly and he'd totally be right there on Tiferet.

    I studied the Tree of Life a little in my twenties. If I wanted to go whole-hog on this... I mean, nine princes, right?

    I could probably even arrange for Brand to be in the Daath position.
  13.  # 13
    That is awesome... ;)
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      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 23rd 2007
     # 14
    I think I like it as a twisted, fouled-up, mutated ToL than as a nice clean pristine one...

    I wonder if there's a "family" associated with Ygg?
  15.  # 15
    (I should amend my post - not only is the uncanny resemblance awesome, but the intimation that you could start with the Sephirot (or the world tree, etc) and make an r-map pre-laden with metaphoric values as situation generator has some appeal...)
    •  
      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 23rd 2007
     # 16
    Wasn't there a thread a long time ago about using mystical graphics as game elements?
  17.  # 17
    There might have been - I do remember one, by Shreyas, about using mystical elements in something like a conflict web, but i don't think that one was mapping one to one...

    (but on reflection, a direct mapping is proabably too stifling...)
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      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 23rd 2007
     # 18
    After we've played a bit I'll update this and start showing where the PC's start falling out.
    • CommentAuthorYokiboy
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2007
     # 19
    Posted By: VaxalonThis was done in Visio.


    Which version of Visio are you using?
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      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 25th 2007
     # 20
    Uhh.... the most recent but one.
    • CommentAuthorefindel
    • CommentTimeMar 26th 2007
     # 21
    Dude. I totally want to play your Amber game at Camp Nerdly. You must bring it.

    YOU MUST BRING IT.

    Uhh... pardon me, I'll go take my meds now...
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      CommentAuthorVaxalon
    • CommentTimeMar 26th 2007
     # 22
    Okay, I'll bring it... but I have no idea when I'll run it. Maybe I'll skip the hike for it.

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