Plot Unfolding Machine PDF V9 Release!

Dear Plot Unfolders and followers of the Machine,

Due to an upcoming presentation in a public event, where I hope to be showing some people the hobby around, some improvements to the Plot Unfolding Machine game rules was made. Although I had planned a few additional explanations and game example pages, time ran out, but the critical changes I wished to made have made it.

Revisited Game Setup,

Similar to how the app's Guided Setup looks like, PUM now prepares Plot Scope first, then Characters, finally Plot Nodes, should now be easier to grasp for newcomers

Game Loop Flowchart,

A diagram showing the basic core function of using Plot Beats and confirming them helps with understanding PUM

Plot sheets revisited,

Overall the concrete Plot Tracks like heroic and drama were removed, since they acted more as an example than for the purpose of actual play. Now the Plot Tracks focus on giving structure to your Plot Beats and are content-agnostic, they don't say anything about your game, which is more how I've seen over the years players use them.

• Standard -> 3-act structure has been shortened,
• Journey -> 5-act structure has been slightly shortened but still the longest,
• Story-focus -> with Random Prompts hitting the Plot Nodes, no random events,
• Scenes -> Run a Plot Beat each time you start a new scene. Plays in 10-scenes,
• Dungeon -> For Dungeons and Facilities, run a Plot Beat on each room you kick,
• Exploration -> A set of triplet Plot Beats for each sub-area your characters explore,
• Story-parts -> Loose narrative driven Plot Track to play very few Plot Beats in larger chunks of game,
• Improvised -> No Plot Tracks, No Plot Nodes, just pick up and play,
• Sandbox -> No Plot Tracks, but reference to Plot Nodes allows for open-ended games,
• Customized -> Random Prompts and Plot Tracks to be drawn and written by the player,

Empty Plot Node hits,

All empty slots now open up to Add new, choose, or reroll

Other minor changes,

Extended the section of playing prewritten adventures a slightly bit, the Cheat Sheet reviewed, the page numbers removed from the play sheets, and other rephrasing.

Enjoy, and stay in touch!

JeansenVaars