| Storytelling Tips Material and concept copywrighted by Belladonna. The following is a list describing tools of the trade for storytellers and room hosts for New York by Night (and any Vampire: the Masquerade supplement). All of these are good advice when endeavoring to create a good story and gaming environment. Make use of the scene: light and sound. This one may seem fairly simple, but proper use of both of these elements can have an enormous impact. It may not be a hindrance to play a game of personal horror in a well lit room with little scene description, but it is far easier to play in a room where the ambience and shading are detailed. If the scene is taking place in a club, change the music to suit the scene. If it's taking place in a classic art gallery, change the music again. Dispel the myth of perfect trust. It seems it is quite popular for all the player's characters to trust one another - not unnatural, since the players are likely friends and DO trust one another. The characters, however, should be a whole different story. It's up to the storyteller to sew the seeds of distrust among the players' characters. Begin the scene by giving each of them different information via IM that would stand out especially or personally intrigue them. Give them reasons to think the other players' characters may not be the tried and true friends they took them to be. Discourage them from revealing things about their character in an out of character fashion. All the players ever learn about the other characters should be learned during the game. An expansion of this don't ask - don't tell style of gaming is handling NPCs. Maybe this Ventrue neonate is along in the Toolworks because of order from the Prince, instructed to monitor the other characters and keep his mission a secret. Maybe one of the NPCs are just in the wrong place at the wrong time - mistaken for someone who is supposed (or believed) to be meeting the other characters and sucked in to the story. The other players need not know this either. Let them wonder why every NPC is there and what they are truly trying to accomplish. Pass notes in class. Be sure to occassionally IM any person in the scene should the play require suspense. It never hurts to stage an incident and have information, unbenknownst to the other players, be distributed to a singular person (this information is not to the player, it is to the character, and it is abstract). Perhaps they would share it, perhaps they wouldn't. Once, I received a note that said: "Read this note, then please look at [another player] as if it has something to do with them. Then abruptly act as if nothing happened." I did as instructed, and I knew it was nothing. The other player, however, found the already tense scene become that much more tense. Not all the notes passed were red herrings, either. A character who was a medium would occasionally be spoken to by nearby spirits. A Tremere would occasionally receive information from a childe by way of 'Communicate with Kindred Sire'. A Ventrue was called by way of Presence to attend the Prince immediately. Of course, we never knew that as other players - all we knew is that one of the characters suddenly looked a bit more worried, or was distracted for a moment and then abruptly left. Sometimes you may ask another player to make a Perception + Alertness rolls in advance, and when the right time came you could be passed notes about what is noticed. While passing notes is a simple gesture, it pads the feeling of suspense for the players considerably. Dangle the carrot. The World of Darkness is rife with temptation, and there's no crime in custom tailoring some of those temptations to suit the characters. Ask for a list from each player that details their character's short term goals, current obsessions, then work these elements into the story. The result will be a story and setting that becomes much more personal to the characters - and the players - involved. Never let them see you sweat. The game is about fun for all involved, but in the end you're where the buck stops. You are the last word and authority. If your players begin to run amuck, don't be afraid to introduce random and deadly elements to put them back on track. If they begin to run over you with their interpretation of the rules, don't be afraid to put your foot down. In the event that the players wander too far off the beaten path, don't hesitate to feed them fluff for as long as it takes for them to realize they're not getting anywhere. If they go farther out of bounds than either you or the story had accounted for, don't feel bad about ignoring it temporarily to think. An equal an opposite reaction. Don't rely on one, main event to keep your scene interesting. The world has plots aplenty, and yours should too. Don't be afraid NPC anyone and everyone around the actions of the other characters... actually, that is a rule, any character is allowed to speak and have a conversation with any NPC. This is your part. Perhaps this NPC has plans of their own for the characters that have nothing to do with the driving force of the tale. Allowing the players to become entangled in subplots can make the game much more interesting for everyone if handled correctly. Thanks for all the fish. A red herring can be a beautiful thing, and is often the first tool of a devious political machine. Feed your players misinformation, and sometimes outright lies about the scene based on First Impressions. Part of the fun will be trying to figure out what's true and what isn't. Beware how many false leads you let them follow, however - repetitive failure is as much a disappointment as repetitive success. Don't fear the reaper. Make sure your players do, though. Don't decide beforehand that the characters won't die on this little adventure, and never let them think that their characters will live no matter what they do. Final death is one of the largest motivations and concerns for many Kindred, and the characters shouldn't be allowed to discard that concern out of hand. Never forget your roots. No matter how hard you work on a scene and depiction, how much research you do, or how much time you put into it, never forget that your story isn't more important than your players. Many a game master has made the mistake of writing a story that would have made a better novella, then becoming upset with the players when they 'destroyed his creation'. The players don't enjoy it much either, and they are often left feeling like there was never really a game for them to play. Remember that you are HOSTING this scene for your players, and that they should come first when it comes to altering the scene.
|
