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Old 06-16-2015, 11:33 AM   #15
evileeyore
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: 100 hurricane swamp
Default Re: GM Secrecy and Metagaming

I'm not one to 'hide' much. But I also don't go out of my way to ell them, or even reveal everything if they ask.

If they ask specific questions their characters should know the answers to (ie stats for common foes) I'll give it to them. If it's something they could know based on specialized skills (stats for uncommon or rare foes) they get a roll. If it's something they couldn't know, they get a "Nope" (which is damned rare).

As for plots and such, they generally know the early overarching plot line going in, for example in my currently running Kingmaker campaign:

They knew their mission would be to survey an area for future settlement and clear trade routes going through it. They also knew they'd have to deal with the bandits in the area and negotiate with indigenous residents (how so ever they chose). They also know that as they finish this mission they'll encounter some serious mission creep in the "And now you're to build a city, and then a 'kingdom', and stuff".

They don't know all the other stuff going on in the background or the final chapters. And they know me well enough to know that even if they went and read the Pathfinder Adventure Path I'm stealing the plot line from, they still wouldn't get those answers, because they've changed.

They also know that there are things that will happen or mysteries uncovered or plots or such that will never get answered. Mostly because I never bothered to have an answer, just an occurrence, a side plot, or a one-shot event to spice things up or have fun, and think some mysteries are best when unsolved.

As time goes on I'll give hints and clues ingame to show them where the plots are going, or if it looks like they aren't noticing, flat out tell them. This way we stay 'on the same page', I'm not expecting them to go one way when they decide to the other, and they aren't expecting one type of campaign that goes a different direction.
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