Let's talk about a valuable lesson game masters can take from The Force Awakens and 2009's Star Trek, both directed by J.J. Abrams. Maybe you've heard of them.
Those movies often polarize fans of the respective franchises, but game masters can take some lessons from how Abrams mixes character development into intense action scenes. The technique results in deeper characters without slowing the pace of the films, and I've found that attempting something similar in the games I run often enhances them by making the big moments feel as satisfying as the payoff in a well-crafted blockbuster.
Remember that scene from The Force Awakens where Finn and Rey run for cover as a TIE Fighter strafes the Jakku village? That's a prime example of what I'm talking about. Throughout the frenetic action scene, Finn repeatedly attempts to take Rey's hand, either as a means of protecting her or leading her to safety, but Rey protests each time. The exchange tells us something about both characters, even as explosions and blaster bolts detonate around them.
Something similar happens in Star Trek during the opening sequence. George Kirk shares a heartbreaking moment with his wife as they debate what to name their newborn son, even as George Kirk fights a hopeless space battle to hold off the time-displaced Narada to buy time for his crewmates to abandon ship. Both sequences give us a feel for the characters while simultaneously dazzling us with big-budget action and special effects.
Making an effort to replicate that in a tabletop rpg creates deeper PCs while also keeping the plot moving forward. Reflecting on my own games, I've noticed a tendency to partition action and character development into separate tracks. In the worst cases, I've intentionally injected character scenes into sessions just to pad them out and fill time. That's not always a bad decision, but it runs the risk of derailing the pace of a session by introducing scenes that feel like dead ends. So nowadays I try to hardwire opportunities for character moments directly into the most exciting and consequential scenes.
The simplest, most direct means of accomplishing this to ask the players to reflect on the big moments of a campaign through the eyes of their characters in real time. When a particularly fantastic or dramatic moment unfolds, ask the players what their characters think of this new development. Have the characters encountered something like this before? If a player responds in a way that creates interesting new layers for their character, consider granting an in-game reward such as an inspiration point or a bump in initiative.
Game masters can tie action sequences directly to the backgrounds of the characters. Raise the stakes by putting beloved NPCs or familiars in danger. Introduce magic items or tomes of lore with connections to a character's family or hometown, then give the players a moment to reflect when they finally get their hands on those precious artifacts or lose them forever. When characters have a personal stake in the action, the result of the scene naturally will provide opportunities for character growth.
Character development doesn't have to disappear when initiative is rolled, as recent entries in the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises demonstrate. If you've seen neither of the films mentioned here and have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sorry this column missed the mark for you. But something tells me that won't be a widespread phenomenon around these parts.
contributed by Fred Love
Those movies often polarize fans of the respective franchises, but game masters can take some lessons from how Abrams mixes character development into intense action scenes. The technique results in deeper characters without slowing the pace of the films, and I've found that attempting something similar in the games I run often enhances them by making the big moments feel as satisfying as the payoff in a well-crafted blockbuster.
Remember that scene from The Force Awakens where Finn and Rey run for cover as a TIE Fighter strafes the Jakku village? That's a prime example of what I'm talking about. Throughout the frenetic action scene, Finn repeatedly attempts to take Rey's hand, either as a means of protecting her or leading her to safety, but Rey protests each time. The exchange tells us something about both characters, even as explosions and blaster bolts detonate around them.
Something similar happens in Star Trek during the opening sequence. George Kirk shares a heartbreaking moment with his wife as they debate what to name their newborn son, even as George Kirk fights a hopeless space battle to hold off the time-displaced Narada to buy time for his crewmates to abandon ship. Both sequences give us a feel for the characters while simultaneously dazzling us with big-budget action and special effects.
Making an effort to replicate that in a tabletop rpg creates deeper PCs while also keeping the plot moving forward. Reflecting on my own games, I've noticed a tendency to partition action and character development into separate tracks. In the worst cases, I've intentionally injected character scenes into sessions just to pad them out and fill time. That's not always a bad decision, but it runs the risk of derailing the pace of a session by introducing scenes that feel like dead ends. So nowadays I try to hardwire opportunities for character moments directly into the most exciting and consequential scenes.
The simplest, most direct means of accomplishing this to ask the players to reflect on the big moments of a campaign through the eyes of their characters in real time. When a particularly fantastic or dramatic moment unfolds, ask the players what their characters think of this new development. Have the characters encountered something like this before? If a player responds in a way that creates interesting new layers for their character, consider granting an in-game reward such as an inspiration point or a bump in initiative.
Game masters can tie action sequences directly to the backgrounds of the characters. Raise the stakes by putting beloved NPCs or familiars in danger. Introduce magic items or tomes of lore with connections to a character's family or hometown, then give the players a moment to reflect when they finally get their hands on those precious artifacts or lose them forever. When characters have a personal stake in the action, the result of the scene naturally will provide opportunities for character growth.
Character development doesn't have to disappear when initiative is rolled, as recent entries in the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises demonstrate. If you've seen neither of the films mentioned here and have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sorry this column missed the mark for you. But something tells me that won't be a widespread phenomenon around these parts.
contributed by Fred Love
