This post about first acts continues a discussion of dramatic structure in games. The introductory post in this series is called I, II, III.

In my last post, I targeted my discussion of division into acts pretty specifically to the orbit of acts around a dramatic question. That is, that the first act asks one, the second act answers it, and the third act riffs on it at a greater level of magnitude.

But while working on this post and thinking it through over the course of a couple of different drafts, it’s become clear how problematic it is to cling too tenaciously to the specifics of dramatic structure as it’s done in other media.

That said, relating a three-act structure to the asking/answering/re-mixing of a dramatic question is hella useful in RPGs, both traditional or computer-based. Among games, they’re most like traditional stories. But frankly, it’s only so worthwhile for me to continue bloviating about it, because it’s an obvious point, and because Matt Colville already commented the lion’s share of what needs to be said on the subject.

// Continue reading, about first acts in board and card games…

Maybe you’ve heard of the Mission District stencil storytelling endeavor already. I hope so, as it’s a great little interactive-fiction object d’art. The short version: the stencil craze in San Francisco’s mission district is evolving, like so many other art forms, from fixed to sequential subject matter. That is, it’s evolving into a storytelling medium. As you, the reader, navigate around the Mission, you happen upon these story fragments stenciled onto the sidewalk. As you read them, one after another, a story unfolds. Depending on what order you read them, you end up with a somewhat different tale than that guy standing across from you, who got to this fragment from a different direction. Good stuff.

As you’re wrapping up your holiday weeks and slowly returning to work, I offer you a couple of related links to soak in and enjoy. First, read Russ Pitts’ great article on the subject, called “Night Bandits of Graffiti,” at its native home over at The Escapist magazine. Then, go and peruse fragments of the tale in this Flickr gallery.

“Weeks pass. Afternoon after afternoon, they stroll in the park, drinking in each other’s stories.”

I’ve been reading David Mamet’s book about the film industry, Bambi vs. Godzilla. In it, at one point, Mamet asserts:

Now, in psychoanalysis, there is no such thing as accident, no such thing as coincidence or mere happenstance. Neither is there in dramaturgy.

Although he’s no demigod, Mamet is also no idiot, especially when it comes to drama. His point is relatively obvious: No piece of fact exposed to the audience of a drama should be irrelevant. All signs must point to the story; elements that fall “off the spine” are a meaningless diversion that distract the viewer* from (a) the emotional connection to the protagonist that the writer is trying to establish, and (b) the sense of absorption in the story that the writer is trying to maintain.

// Continue reading…

On consoles, I play a lot more demos than I do full games. This is due mostly to the likes of Xbox magazine and the many free demos available on the likes of Xbox Live — but what makes a good video game demo is a mile away from what makes a good tabletop game demo.

Whenever I can, I pretend not to know anything (I don’t) and sit down to play in hobby-game demos at conventions. I want to see the show. I like to be sold to. When I ask the guy at Best Buy, “Sell me this TV,” I don’t want him to ring it up; I want the sales pitch. I want to see the show.

What the two kinds of demos have in common is me.

// See how game demos can be good… or bad

This is the start of something. This something began with “Storytelling Games as a Creative Medium,” an essay that first appeared in Second Person: Roleplaying and Story in Games and Playable Media. (If I had it to do again, I’d change that title.) Here at Gameplaywright, I’m writing my way towards a more refined way at looking at — and describing! — what we’re talking about when we talk about story games.

Click on any of the images at right to enlarge them. We’ll explore them further in future posts.What is it that we’re doing at the game table when we play? How are we doing it? How can we do it better? How can we teach new Game Masters (GMs) how to make great game experiences, and why is that important?

Here at the site, I’m going to be riffing on these questions, exploring GM tricks and techniques, and looking for ways to critically describe what we’re doing in play. I want to discuss these themes, ask questions, and get your feedback. Through that, I hope we can all hone our craft and make these games more attractive to new players.

Also, I’m hoping you can tell me how I’m doing it wrong while I tell the ludologists how they’re doing it wrong.¹

// Read More