
I’ve Got Reach |

As always, I enjoy the magazine, and I'd have to say for all of the content, not just the adventures. In fact, I get around to reading the adventures last. Prison Mail, Monte Cook, Wil Wheaton, Downer, then the rest, in about that order.
So I'm reading Monte's always wise column regarding plot twists and I get to the sidebar describing the joy of pulling off a successful "Moment". My mind races with anticipation; how can I get my players to experience that feeling of sudden clarity? It always looks easy in print, but in practice, it is much more difficult. Case in point - the movies. In writing a movie, a writer has total control over its characters and what the characters learn during the course of the movie (or adventure). This is much more control than a DM has - although a DM can control the information being passed to PCs, he/she may have little control over what actions the players take. I would argue that the "Moment of Realization" that Monte describes is difficult to pull off, even in a more controlled environment such as a movie, that some have made a career out of pulling this stunt off only once.
M. Night Shyamalan's "Sixth Sense" does exactly this, but how many times has he done it since then? Another excellent “Moment” that jumps to mind is the antagonist and hero in George Lucas’ successful movie franchise. I'm not a movie expert, but I'd say pulling off a good moment is "easier said than done."
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a plot twist or two to insert into our campaign!