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I'm a Gamer, but Tell me the Story


Dragon Hill Dave #59561

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I love competing in this sport, but one of the things that I have loved about this game from the first is the chance to play out a little scenario as part of the shooting sequence. Whether it is playing out scenes from famous Westerns, recreating some historical events, or just plain engaging in fantasy, I like hearing the story that goes with my line. I have been to shoots where there is no real story to speak of, just a line to say, if that. They just aren't as much fun for me. At others, when there is a story with a connected line to say, sometimes those who are reading the stage tend to omit or play down the story and the line. To me hearing the story and getting to say the line really is one of the best parts of this sport and adds to my enjoyment. (I have been known to get so engrossed in delivering my line with feeling that I have forgotten the scenario)

 

I readily acknowledge that for many the shooting part is the most important, and they would just prefer to skip the preliminaries and get to shooting. And I am not asking for a 10 paragraph exposition--just a few sentences to set the scene. But when the people who work on the shoot go to the trouble to think up a story or replay a scene from a great Western, I would kinda like to hear it so it will make saying the line to get started more meaningful to me and maybe the rest of the posse. Next time that the scenario includes a little story, I encourage those who are reading the scenario to include a reading of the story that goes with the line for those in the posse who appreciate that part of "playing cowboy."

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I just finished writing the stories for Revenge of Montezuma. (I'm not smart enough to write the stages, Piedra Kid does that.) :lol:

But can I spin a weird yarn or two.

 

I've been on posses where the marshal just told us the start line and didn't even bother to read the accompanying story. Takes away from the event for me. But some folks don't like the foolishness I guess. They just want to send lead downrange.

 

Me? I like the foolishness. ;)

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Only been to one match to date but my feeling is that with out the story you might as well just put on a ball cap, go to the local gun range, and throw money down range. I like the story it adds value to the entertainment dollars spent that day.

 

Irish

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Some thoughts:

 

1. Can none of you create your own story?

 

2. If you are going to read a story, make it 60 seconds or less. There are so danged few orators that are entertaining (same for writers by the way) but I can handle anything for 60 seconds.

 

3. You might write the stories and have them available at sign-ups. By the third match, see how many people are still picking them up.

 

Bottom line, it is my fantasy boys, I am fully capable of leading a rich fantasy life without relying on someone else to provide it for me. Most people find other people's fantasies to be pretty danged silly.

 

Cheers,

BJT

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Well said Dragon Hill +1

 

TC

 

Agree wholeheartedly.

 

I am a card carrying gamer who loves to go fast and challenge the stage.

 

But for me I like to hear the little stories that go with it. As someone who writes stages occasionally I know that thinking of a short story that fits the stage can be difficult. Therefore I appreciate it when someone reads my stories (corny as they are) and I believe that the same courtesy should be extended to others who take the time to come up with a yarn.

 

After all last I checked we are playing a GAME and having every last bit of escape from reality is a good thing. If I wanted pure competitiveness I would shoot one of the other venues where competitors don't kid around with each other or share the fun like cowboys do.

 

Regards

 

:FlagAm:

 

Gateway Kid

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yep, I couldn't agree with you more DHD. Although, the part about being "so engrossed in delivering my line with feeling that I have forgotten the scenario". I can't feel you're pain on that one...see ya next Saturday my friend.

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UB,

 

I would read your stories but only if they are in verse!

 

They are seldom in verse but are always way short of 60 seconds. Even for slow readers.

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Well said Dave, and thank you.

 

Nothing amazes me more than having someone say “That line makes no sense at all.” After not having read the two or three sentence story.

 

Here’s you sign.

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Given a choice, I will go to the club that gives a short story to back up the start line for each stage over one that just tapes the starting line on the loading table or the starting position. That said sometimes it's easier to jsut start shooten' Ever tell the shooter they have to come up with thier own start line? You get some doosies, but it can be fun too and can really stump some people.

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Most "set ups" for a stage can be done in 3 sentences or less. Once in a while, it might take a little longer. (Like when Driftwood and I do the bank robbery scene from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)

 

If you run a match and write stages, you have to keep in mind what EVERYBODY likes and try to please most of them most of the time. So a couple of shut up and shoots, a couple with a little set up and a line, some running, some stand and deliver, etc.

 

I try and have a theme for each match as it makes the individual stages less cumbersome to get a set up established. Another option is to read a short paragraph of "set up" or explaining the theme right after the safety talk. That works for matches based in history that folks may not be familar with. I've done matches based on the Pig War and the Winchester Rebellion for examples. Once you have that established, a sentence or two and a line to say is all that is needed for the individual stage to make it fun for those that love the "acting" part of CAS and it's not too painful for those that want to get on with the shooting.

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The story helps set the mood for the stage and/or the match. I've written hundreds of stages and the story is most often the hardest part. I don't have to have it read to me before the stage but I will always read them myself and find the lack of a story to be less enjoyable. I prefer a couple of short paragraphs, easily read quickly but with enough detail to be recognizable as a movie part or a theme.

 

Doc(my two-bits)Nelson

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+1 to what Lou said. Use a little variety. Depending on the size of a shoot a three or four sentence story should be all that's needed to establish the stage context. If it gets longer you will get complaints. At EOT a few years ago they hired a well-known cowboy story teller to record stories for each stage. They drug on for minutes on end and people were about to start committing suicide. Even though the berm marshals were directed to play the recorded stories (since the Wild Bunch paid for them) some posses revolted and demanded to get on with shooting the stage. You have to play to your audience. A lot of people don't like saying lines let alone standing around while someone that can't read tries to tell the stage story.

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I just finished writing the stories for Revenge of Montezuma. (I'm not smart enough to write the stages, Piedra Kid does that.) :lol:

But can I spin a weird yarn or two.

 

I've been on posses where the marshal just told us the start line and didn't even bother to read the accompanying story. Takes away from the event for me. But some folks don't like the foolishness I guess. They just want to send lead downrange.

 

Me? I like the foolishness. ;)

The match titles begs for a few outhouse engagements.

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A lot of people don't like saying lines let alone standing around while someone that can't read tries to tell the stage story.

 

 

 

At times, it is a challenge to read someone else's story lines when they throw in their Hillbilly, back woods, intentional misspelled words/phrases to add "that" flavor to their story.

 

I have run across some of those that can not read without stuttering, stammering, backing up and going ahead with each sentence.

 

" Ready" is my favorite line to get the stage started. I am thankful that most of the TO's that start me go along with that.

 

Just an opinion, worth nothing,

 

Blastmaster

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The match titles begs for a few outhouse engagements.

 

 

And so there are. :lol:

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We're dressing up, carrying 110+ year old guns, and playing a fantasy shooting sport. Without the story, what's the point?

 

A short story always adds to the enjoyment. At annual matches, I've seen page-long stoies printed in the match booklet, where the shooter could read at his leisure, rather than at the stage itself. That seems to work well and doesn't slow down the posse.

 

Or are you going to shoot a bunch of defenseless targets that ain't never hurt nobody, just because you can?

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Given a choice, I will go to the club that gives a short story to back up the start line for each stage over one that just tapes the starting line on the loading table or the starting position. That said sometimes it's easier to jsut start shooten' Ever tell the shooter they have to come up with thier own start line? You get some doosies, but it can be fun too and can really stump some people.

I only remember one stage from the first SASS match I went to and that was the last stage where the 'story' put you at Custer's last stand and you are told that you only had the ammo in your guns to face the oncoming horde... and to make up your own line...

 

I quoted what W C Fields is said to have wanted on his tombstone... "On the Whole; I would rather be in Philadelphia" which was rather lame... but others in the posse had some doozies :lol:

 

The whole stage was full of laughter and a sense of fun that was the major hook to get me to go and buy the needed guns and take up the sport

 

Cheers

Windy

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We basically have two types of shooters in SASS I believe:

Folks that were involved in other shooting sports (and maybe still are) and

Folks perhaps that were not competitive shooters but always wanted to play cowboy.

 

Now generally, and you now how generalities are, it appears to me that the people who were attracted to the whole old west/silver screen mystique are much more into the stories and start lines than those who got involved in SASS primarily for the shooting competition. Just two different schools of thought and mindsets.

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Just to throw this in sometimes as a match director you don't really have a choice. Our club is a multi-discipline club and we have to be off the range and have the steel down on a schedule...we barely make it as is. You would be surprised how much more time it takes to read the story and have to act out things each time you start a stage X40 shooters.

 

We do it for our Annual match because we get the range all day and it’s a special match but for the monthlies we just say "cowboy" starting lines. IMO short easy starting lines makes it more cowboy and it speeds things up because with no line there is less structure and the confusion between the TO and the shooter, the questions like is there a line, the ad lib lines, etc are much more time consuming than having a short line. If the line is too long it's just as slow as no line because no one remembers it....unless you print it out and post it at the starting position.

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It depends on how long the story line is and who is reading it .

 

As for lines to start with .......they need to be on a big sign at the start line so feeble minds like mine can just read it after i have tried to memorize what the shooting sequences are .

 

left front back front right first gun .......,shotgun right side left side right side left side .......,rifle center left right left center right center left ,somethin like that fer 10......reload for mandatory bonus ........,last gun left front back front right.

 

TO says is the shooter ready ,shooter says what was the line?

 

The line......."The trains comin through town looks like boys......wunder if its gonna stop here today?.......well guess I best finish my coffee in case it does"

 

beeeeeeeep ..........pppp :lol:

 

Edit.......Oh and when a TO asks is the shooter ready and I answer shooter ready ......timer says STANBY and the timer beeps .....I know what that means ;)

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I like having a story, or a plot, for each stage, but I don't like each stage's story to flow throughout the match.

 

The Posse that starts on Stage 1 gets a good story line throughout, but every other Posse gets a mess. Stage stories don't have to be related to each other.

 

Generally speaking, the stories should be brief. My attention span doesn't cover an epic.....

 

Buena suerte,

eGG

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We basically have two types of shooters in SASS I believe:

Folks that were involved in other shooting sports (and maybe still are) and

Folks perhaps that were not competitive shooters but always wanted to play cowboy.

 

Now generally, and you now how generalities are, it appears to me that the people who were attracted to the whole old west/silver screen mystique are much more into the stories and start lines than those who got involved in SASS primarily for the shooting competition. Just two different schools of thought and mindsets.

 

 

You have outlined the two extremes,,, and then there is the melting pot of people with various degrees of both characteristics in between your extremes. :D

 

Just saying.....

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