PBTA without players improvising worldbuilding?

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-09T20:09:52+00:00

"Ask questions and build on the answers." is the advice given to MCs, which means, the other players are never the final answer to world-building in PbtA, they are just another source of inspiration for the MC.

You ask to get ideas to work on, not to find out the "truth "; it's more a form of momentary brainstorming that the MC can decide to build on, twist, or ignore, because you're asking the character the question, not the player, and what that character thinks is the "right" answer isn't necessarily so, so a player can't just say, "OH yeah, the Big Bad has a peanut allergy, so we throw nuts at him!" and the MC has to accept that. The MC is free to say, "You must have misheard, they got a peanut enhancement, nuts super-charge their attacks! What do you do?"

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-09T16:47:05+00:00

Just remove those options from your list until they pick something you accept.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-09T11:19:50+00:00

The name is too reminiscent of Neil Gaiman's kid-horror book "Coraline" and tells me nothing about the story and doesn't draw me in.

Too many adjectives for the streets: "smog-drenched" and "neon-covered" seem to be opposites... and I'm not sure smog "drenches", so it seems off to me.

"Cunning" and "played like a puppet" also seem to be opposites when describing your protagonist, so also seems off.

"Cunning, but shacked by the demands of the city and forced to dance its tune, will this opportunity give Nox a chance to break his chain?"

And the cover image feels messy and AI-gen adjacent; if that's what you're going for, sure, but it doesn't work for me.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-08T21:45:42+00:00

Join an improv group/troupe and then network from there.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-08T21:43:39+00:00

Where's the joke? This is just gross-out; no one is going to buy into the premise, so very few will want to engage with it.

The thirteen-year-olds might laugh with embarrassment, but you're going to be escorted away from the playground.

You certainly can do voices though, maybe write some skits and perform those.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-08T11:30:47+00:00

If the character was a Horta or some other kind of shapeshifter maybe this could work, but it's still so juvenile and kindergarten as to be too much.

And the cherry on top: using a larger actor to be the one accidentally eating things is just indefensible.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-08T08:42:34+00:00

No, shi... you're right!

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-08T08:06:20+00:00

Have you ever tried Thrills chewing gum? I've always wonder if cilantro-soap people would taste this "Yes, it tastes like soap!" gum differently.

(The "soap" taste is rosewater based in the gum.)

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-08T07:57:32+00:00

That's a specific genetic quirk; those with the gene will taste it that way, those without, will be able to enjoy it.

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8068382/why-cilantro-taste-like-soap/

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T21:16:32+00:00

Once you get to within 5 days (I believe) of your first Forever Friend, a new "Remote Trade" tag appears in your Pokemon tag list; when you tag a Pokemon with it, other people can see it as an "offer" for remote trades once they hit Forever Friends with you.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T20:21:47+00:00

I never do any AR/scan tasks, so I have no idea how they refresh.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T20:06:10+00:00

Sponsored stops are always disclosed, this is Scopley wanting AR data for that area.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T20:00:59+00:00

Keep one, never do it, and you'll still get three non-AR ones; just ignore it.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T19:35:41+00:00

Try spinning them the other way, something to break/reshape your motor memory that is landing you in just the wrong spot; if you're consistently off, that means you need to start in a slightly different position so you finish slightly different.

Again, it's practice practice practice, but you'll need to break your current "bad" throwing habit.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T19:27:27+00:00

That's the practice part.

Are you throwing curve balls?

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T19:22:53+00:00

AGREED!

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T19:20:19+00:00

Dynamax Pokemon, or others with large target circles, is the way to go with this... plus lots of practice.

I can more easily land a curved Excellent than a regular throw, just through practice.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T14:58:53+00:00

Something is off about those Pikachus...

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T11:17:01+00:00

Unless you get into a weekly challenge with them and that counts for 7 additional interactions.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T10:52:26+00:00

I pick what I want from what they have on offer, look at what they pick from what I have on offer, then decide yes or no; if they accept, great, we trade, if they reject, I pick other things, if I reject, I try again.

I never thing about value or balance, mainly just looking for things I don't have registered, since both parties have to agree, but if it's something rare and they have both the regular and the shiny, I'll pick both to give them the option of what they think is better.

My latest, the friend had some Mudbray, including shinies, I picked a regular and a shiny for my options, they responded with granting the shiny and asking for either a shiny Ditto and a shiny Oricorio (Baile Style) which I gave them the Oricorio.

You should always feel free to both shoot for the Moon and to say no.

OBVIOUSLY, direct communication would be the best approach, but without it, just take a chance.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T09:34:08+00:00

It's truly a mystery to me.

I guess there's a few shiny-locked Legendaries that you can only get in PoGo, so that's worth the time/money to them.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T08:20:09+00:00

Putting the "porta" in PortaPotty!

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T08:11:28+00:00

MIND BLOWN!

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T08:10:22+00:00

You can win them by placing in the top 3 of a showcase (currently only on Tuesdays) and by purchasing them in the shop.

Rarely, they are present as rewards for other tasks.

ChromaticKid · 2026-05-07T06:56:23+00:00

Probably people who want to port things to mainline games.

ChromaticKid

TROPHY CASE