#22, 23, 24: Movies, A Structure for Plot

[ShannonA]

This week in TT&T I talk some more about plot. But I look at it from a different viewpoint this time: the viewpoint of Hollywood movies.


Hollywood films tend to follow a "W" plot structure, like that described by Kimberly in her article on plots: Act I ends on a low; Act II has a high in the middle and ends on a low; and Act III ends on a high (usually). Act I is usually 20-30 minutes long, Act II an hour or so, and Act III 20-30 minutes again. I'll get into what tends to be in these acts as I proceed through this article.


And, I use Star Wars as an example.

How can you not read this article at http://www.skotos.net/articles/ and offer your comments here?

Shannon

[murf]

Shannon,

I have some questions about scripting plots for online games. First, how much scripting is possible? As you pointed out in your latest TT&T article, players will almost always do something crazy to derail your plot. In table-top style gaming lately, I’ve abandoned plot descriptions in favor of what I’ve heard called “situations”. Instead of a sequence of events, I create a cast of characters with detailed motivations, introduce an inciting incident and then introduce the situation to my players. After that, I just let events roll out naturally, based on what I’ve determined would be reasonable reactions from the NPCs to the player’s actions. This works really well around the table because I can react quickly to what the players do. Is this too loose and undefined for online play? Does the need to keep the plot moving and to coordinate the actions of a team of virtual actors in NPC roles necessitate more detailed plotting?

Secondly, in the same article you mentioned, “you'd need to be sure that the story was fair to both the protagonist and the antagonist.” However, in my experience, player-vs-player conflict doesn’t wait for plot; it simmers and boils on a timeline dictated by player involvement and interest rather than central design and development. How important is maintaining that fairness in the game? Should those in charge of maintaining an online game intervene on behalf of underdog groups? You mention that failure should always be possible. Do you suggest maintaining some sort of “escape hatch” by which defeated groups can safely hide, regroup and return? (I suspect the catacombs of Castle Marach serve just this purpose.)

Brian

[ShannonA]

Originally posted by murf:
I have some questions about scripting plots for online games. First, how much scripting is possible? As you pointed out in your latest TT&T article, players will almost always do something crazy to derail your plot. In table-top style gaming lately, I’ve abandoned plot descriptions in favor of what I’ve heard called “situations”.

I think the question of whether you detail plots or offer situations is really a question of individual desire. In the tabletop arena, I generally plot out a fair amount of a script ... while at the same time another occasional gamemaster in my group just laid out situations. I think they both worked out well and had different advantages. Situations tend to be more dynamic while scripted stories tend to be more solid plots.

One of the best (though more cumbersome) methods that I've seen is an expansion of the standard method of plotting scripts. It was called the "nugget" system and put forth by Digest Group Publications, who used to publish licensed Traveller products. In the "nugget" system you'd have a bunch of episodes. Some episodes were "key episodes" which were required for the plot while others were optional episode. Each episode might lead to any of a number of other episodes. An individual might well not get to half of the episodes in a plot. It allowed for player free will while still provided for extensive plotting.

I kind of try and do the same thing, figuring out the ways that players are most likely to jump, giving their existing characters and motivations.

Is this too loose and undefined for online play?

No, but it has the potential to be much more host intensive, requiring more work from you in a live fashion.

Does the need to keep the plot moving and to coordinate the actions of a team of virtual actors in NPC roles necessitate more detailed plotting?

Possibly. If you've got a hoard of different people playing your NPCs, then you'll clearly need some better coordination. A few aeons ago I wrote about how difficult it was to coordinate between different StoryHosts even in a fairly small, constrained environment.

Secondly, in the same article you mentioned, “you'd need to be sure that the story was fair to both the protagonist and the antagonist.” ... How important is maintaining that fairness in the game? Should those in charge of maintaining an online game intervene on behalf of underdog groups?

I don't think you have to prop up a clear loser in a conflict (though you should consider whether doing so will make for more interesting stories in the long term). All I was suggesting is that you don't want to create a story which is implicitly unfair to one group.

For example, my plot was about the Duelists. The Winter Watch appear kind of in the background, doing their job. It would be really easy to make the Winter Watch losers in that plot. They're just doing their job, and they lose prestige and goodwill as a result, even though they had no good way of knowing the whole thing was a frame. You have to be careful of that sort of thing. In my case, I should either make sure that the Winter Watch has a fair opportunity to see that the whole thing is a frame or ensure that they don't lose prestige and goodwill when the Duelists are proven innocent.

You mention that failure should always be possible. Do you suggest maintaining some sort of “escape hatch” by which defeated groups can safely hide, regroup and return? (I suspect the catacombs of Castle Marach serve just this purpose.)

I think what you suggest is a good idea. If players, or a player group, lose, you want to make sure there's a way to keep them in the game. That's going to be the most fun for continuing stories.

What I was talking about, however, was really more what to do if your plot collapses entirely. If the Duelists just go along meekly with the frame, what happens? You have to be ready for the players to do the unexpected, totally derailing your plot, and still be able to pick up the pieces afterward.

Shannon