Yes?

Your reaction to a big unusual idea doesn’t define the base reality if the reaction isn’t based in truth.

Example

• P1. Hey Man, you look tired.

• P2. Last night I was sucked into my computer, like in the movie Tron, and I had to battle my way out.

• P1. That must have been scary! Good thing you’re such a good computer programmer.

I think this is an okay response, but it is confusing. It feels, on paper, like we are doing everything we are taught. We are agreeing that they got sucked into a computer. We are adding information by saying they are a good computer programmer, so of course they got out.

But I feel this leaves too many questions in the air. Like, is this normal? This type of response doesn’t tell us much about the base reality of the scene, insofar as, do computers typically do this in this world?

But I feel that because we are being nice improvisers, we yes and the words but not truthfully

A better third line would be.

• P1. You’ve been working too hard man. I watched you put in three 20 hour shifts last week. How about we leave early and go to happy hour?

It can feel like a denial to have a truthful reaction, but we haven’t shut down the idea by saying none of this is possible.

• P2. I can’t take a break. Razmadon is planning on breaking out and if I leave, he’ll escape.

The point is, P1. hasn’t denied and made it impossible that P2. is actually telling the truth, which still makes this idea playable, but it allows P1. to continue to live in a normal world and react truthfully. I think a healthy bit of skepticism is helpful as we are figuring out what is truth and what is unusual in a scene. Because that’s typically how we react in real life.