Quick Question about FATE

[Fri]

I have a quick question.

Say your players investigate/search some place/object that you didn't plan that they would investigate. And they roll something good. Good enough that they should find something, because in fact the object they investigate should be related to the plot. But you don't want them to find anything important yet about the thing, since it's supposed to be important later.

What should you give the player? Some unrelated fact about the object? A fate point? an advantage? an aspect? A hunch that the object would be important later?

Mind that this is specific to this system, where narrative is important. If it's in other games say DnD, I won't mind giving them the info now. But since Fate is supposedly a more narrative game, what should I give?

Thanks before.

[Grod_The_Giant]

The information? "Narrative game" doesn't mean "stuck to one story arc," it just means that the game operates by the rules of drama, rather than normal physics.

[Sith_Happens]

The information? "Narrative game" doesn't mean "stuck to one story arc," it just means that the game operates by the rules of drama, rather than normal physics.

This. Also keep in mind that, if the object really is going to be important later then it shouldn't hurt anything for the players to know what it does now. It just means that once they get to the part it's important for they can skip straight to using it.

[kyoryu]

The information? "Narrative game" doesn't mean "stuck to one story arc," it just means that the game operates by the rules of drama, rather than normal physics.

What he said.

Besides, if the object isn't relevant yet, then the information shouldn't be super-useful yet, either.

Also, don't aim your gun at things you aren't willing to shoot. In other words, if you really don't want something to be investigated, don't give the players access to it. Once you put something in play, it's in play.

[Earthwalker]

Erm I am going to agree with the others and say give them the information.

I am also going to present another option just to see what the Fate veterans think, it is after all my first day.

When they are investigating do you know what they are looking for ? Can you just ask them directly ok you are looking into X, what are you hoping to find.

If they roll well then tell them that they do indeed find what they were looking for and create an aspect on the scene, character or thing that they investigated. Something they can use later on when it becomes usful. As they have basically used investigate to create an advantage give them a free invoke on this aspect when it can be used.

e.g.

You look into the artifact you found. It turns out it is the mighty sword of Dobba. A powerful artifact used to power summoning rituals. Mostly likly used for demon summoning. You also note that it "Holds influence on the weak minded".

Also I think if they roll poorly they may still get the information that the mighty sword of Dooba can be used for summoning rituals. But as an added gift you can create an aspect on the character looking into the sword "Drawn to the power of the sword" no free invoke but I am sure this can be used against the character later :)

[Earthwalker]

Oh and one more thing.

I find when GMing FATE (I have just started so take what I say with a pinch of salt) if you cant think of a good and a bad outcome for a roll don't bother rolling.

So in this situation if you had no information to give them and no plans for if things went wrong maybe it was best not to roll. You can be honest about this with your players.

Last session I did "There isnt really anything else to find out about this, so not sure if you should roll"

Generally that can lead to a player saying, well I am mainly looking to see if.... (Then you get a good results, as it can create an advantage / aspect for later)

Also when I can't think of a bad result I usualy just say this and my players (usually not the one making the roll) can come up with something. If no one can think of a bad result just give them the information without a roll.

Its a different way for me to play but I love it as I usually never know the end of the story before I get there and the players seem to like coming up with stuff.

[kyoryu]

Yeah I'll often ask for exactly what they're looking for. That doesn't mean they'll get it.

But if you roll, you should give them something useful. If there's nothing you want to give them, just tell them they find nothing and move on. But I do recommend allowing a roll if there's *any* way that the action could make sense and drive things forward.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

So, two-part answer here.

The easy part: I don't worry about the players finding out information "too soon". I set up the situation, and let them find things as they find them. Sometimes, finding things sooner means they can get a jump on the baddies. Sometimes, it gets the attention of the baddies because they're poking around.

The second part: I only think you should give out information that would reasonably be present at the scene of the investigation. However, there's lots of ways you can give them a potential lead, if you think about the scene that they're searching. In an investigation scene, the answer they find should lead them forward in some way.

[Fri]

Thanks.

After some thinking, I realize you guys are right. But I'm interested at earthwalker's answer though. So I think I'm going to use something like that.

Basically, maybe I won't straight give them that critical information, but I'll ask them "what do you expect to get?"

And give them something in that line, or maybe even something better. When the artifact actually matter later, they will have an advantage (not speaking of the FATE term, advantage in general meaning).

[Sith_Happens]

You could also give them information now that will make it easier for them to get the important information later.

[Knaight]

It depends on whether the information is there. If they got an exceptional roll searching the wrong area, it's not that useful. They can be extremely sure that there's nothing useful there, but if the information isn't there to find they don't find it. If the information is there to find, then they do find it. Treat the skill system as if it's a pretty traditional one, which it fundamentally is (being lifted off a more traditional game).