I'd generally try to introduce one unexpected thing (not necessarily in the sense of 'weird' or 'crucial' or 'shocking', but just in the sense of something unrelated to what the PCs are directly trying to do) every non-combat scene.  It could be an NPC with a particular quirk, another NPC getting involved that they don't know or didn't expect, some other event that intervenes with the matter at hand, some extra bit of information being casually revealed, something funny, etc. etc.

Quote from: RPGPundit;840886I'd generally try to introduce one unexpected thing (not necessarily in the sense of 'weird' or 'crucial' or 'shocking', but just in the sense of something unrelated to what the PCs are directly trying to do) every non-combat scene.  It could be an NPC with a particular quirk, another NPC getting involved that they don't know or didn't expect, some other event that intervenes with the matter at hand, some extra bit of information being casually revealed, something funny, etc. etc.

This is actually a very powerful narrative tool for character building. Something that contrasts the surface assumptions of an NPC that can convey things to the PC's without overtly saying it, just by implication. Noting something about the mannerisms or the appearance, or even the language of an NPC can convey subtle clues about the nature of that NPC or how that NPC does things - or might do things.

It can be as simple as seeing a falcon-hood hanging on a peg in an office, or on multiple visits, you might notice the same kind of wine. A flowers. Small-talk is always a good means to take the PC's off guard and reveal little clues too.

Quote from: tenbones;841008This is actually a very powerful narrative tool for character building. Something that contrasts the surface assumptions of an NPC that can convey things to the PC's without overtly saying it, just by implication. Noting something about the mannerisms or the appearance, or even the language of an NPC can convey subtle clues about the nature of that NPC or how that NPC does things - or might do things.

It can be as simple as seeing a falcon-hood hanging on a peg in an office, or on multiple visits, you might notice the same kind of wine. A flowers. Small-talk is always a good means to take the PC's off guard and reveal little clues too.

Yup. Of course, once in a while it's great to have something a lot less subtle than that too.

Thanks for the advice.

Here's my key notes:

Making Non-Combat Scenes Interesting
NPC's should have strong motivations and goals that show in scenes w/ PCs. Why is this NPC's even interacting with the PCs? What do they have to gain from it? Why are they helping them? Why are they not trying to USE the PC's for their own gain? What do they even think about the PCs?

"In order for an objective to be interesting, there needs to be an obstacle preventing you from accomplishing it." Ideally, multiple conflicting objectives and obstacles. "For example: You want to convince Michael to sell you the datachip. But first you're going to have to get him to admit he has it. Then you've got to convince him that there's another way to save his sister. And then you've got convince him that you're offering him something worth the risk.

Scenes must have a real chance of risk (something at stake) and failure.

Skill checks should involve risks, otherwise they just succeed.

Try to include one unexpected, unrelated thing in a scene, even if it is something random.

Sounds like a solid start. Honestly - if you take those basic principles to heart, you'll start riffing off them and it'll become second nature. Then you'll develop your own method and then it really starts spinning into interesting directions.

That's usually when you'll start getting more experimental.

Go for it!

Once piece of advice I got which I always forget to use is to have NPC's (or other things) interact with as many players as possible. Just because 1 player is very dominant doesn't mean NPC's won't try to interact with other PCs

Quote from: PencilBoy99;841955Once piece of advice I got which I always forget to use is to have NPC's (or other things) interact with as many players as possible. Just because 1 player is very dominant doesn't mean NPC's won't try to interact with other PCs

That's right! Other NPC's might offer other uses to the NPC. I've seen it happen countless times where a contact for one player often finds MORE in common with another PC. Or at the very least, they find mutual benefit.

As a GM you should be cultivating those possibilities as much as possible.

There's another consideration no one's yet mentioned.

How interested in roleplaying for the sake of roleplaying are your players?  How good an actor are you?

If your players aren't interested in interacting with your NPCs beyond goal-oriented how-much-does-the-alchemical-elixir-cost or tell-us-where-the-baron-is-being-held-or-we-kill-you, then yeah, those scenes are going to fall flat.

If your acting ability is about on a par with high school English students woodenly reading aloud through Shakespearean plays in class, then yeah, your players are going to be yawning.