Character arcs (storylines in which a player character develops and changes over time) are difficult to coordinate in a tabletop RPG. The very nature of the game, influenced by dice rolls and an entire group of players, makes it difficult to build stories for characters with a beginning, middle, and end. Typically, these kinds of stories need to be planned out and carefully designed in order to have a satisfying resolution. That's why I often resort to a little bit of collaborative scripting for certain events in my most character-driven campaigns.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for letting the story of a campaign develop naturally as you play. But sometimes the real key moments in a character's journey need to be included by design in order to be truly satisfying. If you are the kind of player or game-runner who values the story-telling aspect of gaming, you will benefit from this technique.
Keep in mind that any scripted moment is based on guidelines, not exact details. A scripted event is an important character moment or campaign event that will almost certainly occur at some point in your campaign. It doesn't mean that you need a literal script, just a general outline of when, where, and how something happens.
If it involves another player, you will need to collaborate with them seperately so they know what to expect. If you describe a scenario to the player ahead of time, then you can basically let them play out their actions and decisions in advance to help you both decide the direction the story is going to go from there.
Keep in mind that your game might go in surprising directions, so don't make any plans ahead of time that are too specific. My planned events might be as generalized as an old villain revealing himself to the party, or the rebels' secret weapon malfunctioning just when things seem the most dire.
If there are other players who aren't directly involved in this event, you probably want to keep it under wraps. It's usually more fun to be surprised by events as they unfold. Remember, if you and a player know about something you have planned, it will still be a nice surprise for everyone who doesn't. Don't be discouraged from collaborating with players in order to make certain moments play out in a very memorable way. You might even have a different scene arranged secretly between yourself and each player at the table! If there is more than one player involved, consider letting them hash out the details of the scene together before finalizing how it will play out. This is a safe way to handle potential problems like inter-party character conflict. You can have the players determine ahead of time how they will resolve their differences rather than risk an hour-long derailment during the game.
An example of these scripted character scenes would be something like a redemptive arc for a character. Here's a scene in the Disney animated feature Treasure Planet in which Long John Silver is forced to choose between saving his surrogate son and comrade Jim Hawkins or seizing the treasure he has spent his whole life pursuing. A moment like this is special, and might not have the same impact if it isn't planned out a bit. These are some things you can do to let the player character have their shining moment of glory.
So if you were running this scene as part of a campaign with your friends, you would want to do some preparation for it. First, you plan out that at some point, this treasure trove will activate a self-destruct. Maybe it's when a player triggers a trap, maybe it's when they start to leave with some treasure. Maybe a traitorous pirate NPC trips the alarm just to screw the party over and get more treasure for themselves. In any case, now you have the stage set up for Silver's ultimate choice.
Next you get into contact with the people playing Silver and Jim, letting them know about the concept. If they like it, you get an idea of how the scene is going to play out from them. Let's say Silver's player had previously expressed interest in having a redemptive moment at some point in the game. Now you've given them the opportunity to make the moment big and climactic. By providing advanced warning, they also have the opportunity to think out their words and deeds before the scene even happens. And Jim's player is secure in the knowledge that you aren't playing dice with his fate, but are setting up a new part of these two players' shared story.
Other situations you might set up include allowing a player to heroically sacrifice his or her character if they want to end that character's story in that manner. Or you might want to have the players be a part of a major battle that you have already set into motion within the game's fiction. These are all parts of your game that will happen because you aim to make them happen. You might even have some specific lines of dialogue or blurbs of narration to read when they occur, or use props and visual aids to make the moment more striking.
Working out little scenarios like this can be a very satisfying way enhance the storytelling and character development in your campaign. Remember that this technique is not recommended for frequent use. The game shouldn't be restricted by scripting and overly planning. Try not to make any plans like this until your game has been running for a while, when you have a firm grasp on the direction of the story and the character motivations. And as always, listen to your players and make sure they are happy and in agreement with the choices in these scenes if they affect their own character.
Happy ventures!
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