The_Gneech said:Sometimes I use 'em, sometimes I don't; it depends mostly on the game in question. They are great for giving NPCs (and particularly villains) personality. Since villains and PCs tend to cancel each other out when they make direct contact (or at least, they try to), the only way the players will know that Lord Nastypants has a tender spot for his beloved terrier (for instance) is if they get a chance to see him petting the pooch.
Yup... such is what I mainly strive for when I use cut-scenes... those rare occasions anyways, since I usually forget that I wanted to do a particular cut-scene (the ones I use are for mood setting or fleshing out the versimlitude of the world, so if they're missed, no particular loss happens).
The_Gneech said:The key thing, I've found, is not to force the players' hand via use of cutscenes. It's one thing to have frost giants cause an avalanche on the party's head ... it's another to say, "You charge the frost giants and are quickly defeated and captured..."
Well, a good cut-scene, in my opinion, should never involve the PCs, with the possible exception of having a third party observing them.