RPG Campaigns Need Characters, not Story

RPGPundit · November 18, 2021, 07:00:14 AM

If you want your campaign world to be real, you need to have real characters and focus on them, not on 'stories'.

Wrath of God · November 18, 2021, 09:16:45 AM

Thankfully those are not mutually exclusive options.

HappyDaze · November 18, 2021, 10:29:54 AM

I'm looking forward to listening to this one, but I hope the content is more about game design/writing & GMing and less about political commentary.

Greentongue · November 18, 2021, 01:46:38 PM

Good advice unless you want to be "An Author" and just allow players to cameo your "Story".

Jam The MF · November 18, 2021, 04:15:53 PM

"It's all about the story, man!!!"

Just kidding. We all know that it's really all about their super duper characters, and their cool super powers!!! They don't want to be challenged, they just want to romp and stomp their way through your campaign sessions.

Wrath of God · November 18, 2021, 04:53:44 PM

Well D&D since edition 3,5 is in many ways superhero wuxia fantasy (though weak in cinematic value) so this is sort of expected assumption of many players

What next - we gonna condemn people playing contemporary superhero fantasy that they want to romp and stomp, and not play highly deadly survival wargame with TPK every 10 sessions

RPGPundit · November 18, 2021, 07:03:55 PM

Quote from: Jam The MF on November 18, 2021, 04:15:53 PM
"It's all about the story, man!!!"

Just kidding. We all know that it's really all about their super duper characters, and their cool super powers!!! They don't want to be challenged, they just want to romp and stomp their way through your campaign sessions.

The PCs are not the "Characters" I'm talking about here.

GeekyBugle · November 18, 2021, 07:36:05 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit on November 18, 2021, 07:03:55 PM
Quote from: Jam The MF on November 18, 2021, 04:15:53 PM
"It's all about the story, man!!!"

Just kidding. We all know that it's really all about their super duper characters, and their cool super powers!!! They don't want to be challenged, they just want to romp and stomp their way through your campaign sessions.

The PCs are not the "Characters" I'm talking about here.

Yep, the campaign needs lots and lots of NPCs with their own motivations, timelines, etc. It's what makes the world feel real.

You choose not to go to investigate the mystery in the forest of Eridon, well turns out it was kinda importnt, now a portal to another plabe has been open and the world is being overrun by entities from that plane.

The owner of the tavern is being really helpful, but why? You hardly know him, what are his motivations? Turns out he's helping the slavers and he's "helping" you in order to distract you and make you go away from the town cuz he'sw expecting a ship filled with slaves.

rytrasmi · November 19, 2021, 09:26:03 AM

Quote from: Greentongue on November 18, 2021, 01:46:38 PM
Good advice unless you want to be "An Author" and just allow players to cameo your "Story".

Ug, so you played in that campaign too, eh?

On topic, I agree that story shouldn't be plotted in advance. However, the world ticks on. Eg. A rival party works wonders to get the PCs moving. Duke Shineyshoes needs the ghouls cleared out of the royal gardens in time for the fox tossing tournament, so maybe the bizarro party does it if the PCs dither.

Klytus · November 19, 2021, 09:52:31 AM

This was a good video, Pundit. You should do one or more follow up videos where you flesh out how to make NPCs and the world feel alive.

Shawn Driscoll · November 20, 2021, 09:03:08 AM

Quote from: RPGPundit on November 18, 2021, 07:00:14 AM
If you want your campaign world to be real, you need to have real characters and focus on them, not on 'stories'.

Exactly. NPCs should be character-driven. As well as the Player Characters. Otherwise, what are you doing? Playing Mother, May I?

RPGPundit · November 20, 2021, 09:23:44 AM

Quote from: kreegan on November 19, 2021, 09:52:31 AM
This was a good video, Pundit. You should do one or more follow up videos where you flesh out how to make NPCs and the world feel alive.

I'll consider that!

Svenhelgrim · November 22, 2021, 06:07:19 AM

Quote from: rytrasmi on November 19, 2021, 09:26:03 AM
On topic, I agree that story shouldn't be plotted in advance. However, the world ticks on. Eg. A rival party works wonders to get the PCs moving. Duke Shineyshoes needs the ghouls cleared out of the royal gardens in time for the fox tossing tournament, so maybe the bizarro party does it if the PCs dither.

I like this.

If the other NPC party fails in the task (which the DM can determine with a roll), the ghouls have turned the other party into ghouls and now there is a ghoul infestation at hand...

RPGPundit · November 23, 2021, 03:55:45 AM

Yes. That's a how a world organically develops into its own living direction.