Troupe system
Encyclopedia
A Troupe system is a way of playing role-playing game
s which spreads the game master's responsibilities among each of the players. The term was coined in Ars Magica
. It is also known as collaborative role-playing, a term used by other games with a similar mechanism.
, one person typically acts as the gamemaster
(known as Story Guide or SG in Ars Magica), and largely controls what happens in the game-world, what non-player character
s do, and how the world at large reacts to the actions of player character
s. However, in "Troupe" style play there is a presumption that different players will be SG at different times, when the game strays into their area of responsibility. There are multiple SG's who apportion various parts of the game-world and have more-or-less full control within their domain. One player may be the SG for a particular noble (the Duke of Burgundy, for example) and any adventures (stories) played in the Duchy of Burgundy or where the Duke is the antagonist
. Another may control all the faeries
in the campaign, and most or all faerie-focused stories. Most often, one player will be the "alpha
" SG and coordinate overall interactions and continuity between these "beta
" SG's and their various spheres of play.
In addition, players may create a set of characters for use in different contexts. A second assumption carried across most of the editions of the game is that the 'primary' characters who study and utilize the magical arts will gather together in relatively small groups called "Covenants", which may also refer to the structures in which said characters reside and research. Such an environment, very similar to an isolated outpost of mundane humanity, requires a support staff to fulfill the various mundane responsibilities that the mages pass over in favor of their magical studies: cooking, cleaning, farming, physical security and so on. The individual members of this staff are referred to as 'grogs' and collectively as a 'turb of grogs', and constitute a second context of characters which the players may generate and utilize within the game. Ultimately, this allows the players to incorporate mundane mortals engaged in historically-accurate mundane occupations into the 'high fantasy' setting of the game without sacrificing either the fantastic or historical elements.
, he identifies four roles normally performed by a GM: Chairperson (responsible for the order and focus of the players), Referee (responsible for arbitrating the game), Game Engine (responsible for interpreting what's happening in the game based on player requests and dice rolls), and Director (responsible for the story and the setting of the game). In a collaborative role-playing game each of these roles may be assigned to a different player, or may be shared among several players. There is therefore a continuum between the (mostly theoretical) Millington model of spreading responsibility out to multiple people at the same time and the Ars Magica model of having one SG at a time.
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s which spreads the game master's responsibilities among each of the players. The term was coined in Ars Magica
Ars Magica
Ars Magica is a role-playing game set in Mythic Europe, a quasi-historical version of Europe around AD 1200 with added fantastical elements. The game revolves around wizards and their allies...
. It is also known as collaborative role-playing, a term used by other games with a similar mechanism.
Gameplay
In a "traditional" role-playing gameRole-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, one person typically acts as the gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
(known as Story Guide or SG in Ars Magica), and largely controls what happens in the game-world, what non-player character
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
s do, and how the world at large reacts to the actions of player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s. However, in "Troupe" style play there is a presumption that different players will be SG at different times, when the game strays into their area of responsibility. There are multiple SG's who apportion various parts of the game-world and have more-or-less full control within their domain. One player may be the SG for a particular noble (the Duke of Burgundy, for example) and any adventures (stories) played in the Duchy of Burgundy or where the Duke is the antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
. Another may control all the faeries
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
in the campaign, and most or all faerie-focused stories. Most often, one player will be the "alpha
Alpha (letter)
Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 1. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Aleph...
" SG and coordinate overall interactions and continuity between these "beta
Beta (letter)
Beta is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. In Ancient Greek, beta represented the voiced bilabial plosive . In Modern Greek, it represents the voiced labiodental fricative ....
" SG's and their various spheres of play.
In addition, players may create a set of characters for use in different contexts. A second assumption carried across most of the editions of the game is that the 'primary' characters who study and utilize the magical arts will gather together in relatively small groups called "Covenants", which may also refer to the structures in which said characters reside and research. Such an environment, very similar to an isolated outpost of mundane humanity, requires a support staff to fulfill the various mundane responsibilities that the mages pass over in favor of their magical studies: cooking, cleaning, farming, physical security and so on. The individual members of this staff are referred to as 'grogs' and collectively as a 'turb of grogs', and constitute a second context of characters which the players may generate and utilize within the game. Ultimately, this allows the players to incorporate mundane mortals engaged in historically-accurate mundane occupations into the 'high fantasy' setting of the game without sacrificing either the fantastic or historical elements.
The "Millington model"
In one model, attributed to Ian MillingtonIan Millington
Ian Millington is a British developer and author of books and courses about game development. He is a specialist in artificial intelligence, decision support and game physics engine development...
, he identifies four roles normally performed by a GM: Chairperson (responsible for the order and focus of the players), Referee (responsible for arbitrating the game), Game Engine (responsible for interpreting what's happening in the game based on player requests and dice rolls), and Director (responsible for the story and the setting of the game). In a collaborative role-playing game each of these roles may be assigned to a different player, or may be shared among several players. There is therefore a continuum between the (mostly theoretical) Millington model of spreading responsibility out to multiple people at the same time and the Ars Magica model of having one SG at a time.