Using lore skills to build a world
 

By lore skills I mean not only Hidden Lore, but Literature, History, Law, Savoir-Faire, etc.

The idea is this - instead of preparing a massive information dump for the players at the beginning of a campaign (which is my usual method), allow them to participate in the building of the world using lore skills. A successful roll against e.g., History, allows the player to make up a historical fact about the world. How significant a fact depends on the Margin of Success. No such fact can contradict an already established fact... but if the player can come up with a good explanation for why there is only a seeming contradiction, the GM should let it pass. The GM should also make sure that the suggestion fits the tone of the campaign - in a game of Cosmic Horror, a chibithulu would be out of place.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

Interesting idea. I would apply Impulse Points to this just as I do for certain Bards, spirits, and those knowing certain powerful narrative or coincidental type magic. Since the skills may not be Wildcards (normally how I do it) apply the rules from GURPS Power-Ups: Impulse Buys and purchase a pool to draw upon.
Its similar in some ways to coincidental magic from Mage the Ascension.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

That sounds like a way to discourage players from using the system, or only using the system when it will benefit them as opposed to just contributing to game play and setting building.

Personally, I've always let players toss in new facts about the setting. It's a lot less world building I have to do and it dramatically increases their enjoyment if they like world building. If I wanted to apply a cost to it, I'd probably use Serendipity as a base, and it would only apply to facts that actually benefit that player's PC. Not much point in slapping a cost on that player who only ever chips in facts about the local cuisine because his PC is a gourmand - unless that leads directly to a clue about the current mystery, or the cannibal cook who can get them into the ghoul cult's initiation ceremony undetected, or some such.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

Using Serendipity as an example Impulse Buys would let that count as 2 points towards a change per session. I dont think thats a bad deal myself.

As for minor stuff? Sure,I think most Improv GMs dont just allow but practically rely n player agency to flesh out the world. I was thinking the Op was talking about more substantive aspects than odd bits of fluff and background detail that dont necessarily help the characters.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

I like the idea but reversing it, rewarding the player(s) with points for building up the world in a way that doesn't necessarily help them. I recently gave a player two points for explaining to the party what ruins they were exploring inside this huge canyon that they all loved.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

This is one feature I've always really liked about the FATE system--this sort of player generated world-building is assumed and built into the mechanics, with the very nice side-effect that the Mr. Exposition character suddenly becomes fun to play.

I'd support this whole-heartedly. As for charging character points, I'd save that for things that seriously benefit the PCs.

For the most part, I like the idea of letting so-called "lore skills" function as a reality-altering superpower (within reason and adjusted somewhat the the margin of success) because otherwise the player of a knowledgeable character generally only gets to role them in order for the GM to explain the results--which isn't very much fun.

TL/DR: I've always wanted to play Wesley Wyndam-Price, and this would make that much more rewarding.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

Yeah, this is stuff I want the players to actively be helping me with. maybe cap the number of point they can get that way.


And I'm not even sure I want to make them do a skill roll.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

I'd suggest going both ways- awarding and spending lore points.

Have a pre-session round where players suggest different bits of world-building and you award points for them.You could have other players vote to accept each piece or you could give them a veto. You could award a flat amount or give a sliding scale. You could have a limit of 5-10 lore points per player.

Then during the game, they can spend lore points for their own benefit, much as Serendipity works.

And I'd keep lore points as a separate currency than CP. I feel that players are much less likely to spend CP for in-game bonuses if they're also saving them for character advancement.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

I wouldn't even worry about players rolling the skills, to be honest. Large portions of my Ranoc muskets-and-magery setting were based on ideas pitched by players, and a few sections almost wholly written by them (though with my meager editing fixing stuff like plurals, tenses, and in one or two places phrasing). I've always rewarded players with XP for adding in little details to the world.

Save the Impulse Buys solution for when it matters right then and there to the plot.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

I've been doing this for a while for Area Knowledge (I believe Culture20 suggested it here) and haven't had a problem. If the GM hasn't determined the thing the player wants to know, ask him what he wishes were true, make a skill roll, and the better the roll the closer it is to his proposed ideal. Yeah, it requires some GM flexibility, but realistically making this stuff up on the fly does too, and is much harder.

Mostly I wouldn't charge points for defining something that doesn't clash with anything I already planned. For something major that doesn't immediately benefit you, I'd tend to agree that would give you points if anything. Point costs are for altering something predetermined. I'm not going to charge you 3 points for a major story modifier Impulse Buy if you go to the trouble of completely designing a new village for me. If you want it to be located just over the next hill here in the middle of the Forest of Doom, that's different.

Re: Using lore skills to build a world
 

Yep, if it helps the GM probably no points, if it helps the player I lean more towards the Player Guidance section of Impulse Buys. Not for adding simple fluff but its a great book for Narrative Magic.