Montages in RPGs

[Randomthoughts]

Do you use this technique? Do you like it?

I do. I found Skill Challenges from 4e D&D to work really well with the idea.

 

[uzirath]

I'm quite inspired by this idea. I've played around with variations on it before, but never as an opening sequence (like the amazing '70s TV idea from @RobShanti above) nor as a way to cover journeys. I've had characters provide vignettes about off-screen time. "What were each of you doing in town." That sort of thing.

I'm intrigued by the idea of alternating between describing a challenge and describing how your character overcomes it. I intend to try this soon.

 

[ART!]

Funny, we did some travelling last session, and instead of a montage we used your travel rules.

Link, please!

 

[uzirath]

Come across a combat that makes sense for the world but is trivial to defeat? 2 minute montage going around the table on how everyone was cool instead of breaking out dice and spending time.

I like this idea. I've used a variation, but only at the end of an extended melee where the conclusion had become clear. Usually, though, I have just narrated it myself. I love the idea of giving the players as much narrative control as possible. Allowing PCs to narrate through entire encounters could be fun and would help mitigate the "leveled" feeling of many game worlds. ("How come we never run into kobolds anymore?")

 

[Arilyn]

Montages are fun and have great versatility. Gets the creative juices flowing, and it's easy enough to let stuck or reluctant players pass.

 

[Blue]

I like this idea. I've used a variation, but only at the end of an extended melee where the conclusion had become clear. Usually, though, I have just narrated it myself. I love the idea of giving the players as much narrative control as possible. Allowing PCs to narrate through entire encounters could be fun and would help mitigate the "leveled" feeling of many game worlds. ("How come we never run into kobolds anymore?")

Absolutely. Plus gives each of them a second to "show off" something they think is cool about their character.

Another technique I've done is for travel montages I've had the first player introduce a complication that someone then chimes in how their character solved it and says the next complication, until finally that first player's character is solving the last complication. Gives a little bit of meat and thinking, but work out quick. I gave an example before start, so the players would know the magnitude of complication - "caught in an avalanche" is too much, but "avalanche wiped out the only bridge for miles" is fine.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

When I started my last campaign, I asked each player to come up with a montage to introduce their character. It was really awesome to see what everyone came up with. The one player even had a soundtrack to his - the Archer opening credits song.

 

[Blue]

When I started my last campaign, I asked each player to come up with a montage to introduce their character. It was really awesome to see what everyone came up with. The one player even had a soundtrack to his - the Archer opening credits song.

I am unabashedly stealing this.

 

[aco175]

I sometimes do this in cities where each player can tell the group what they are doing and some freestyle before they all end up at the inn. Sometimes I just narrate a montage of travel with a few scenes where I tell the story, but I think I will let the players next time.

I'm listening to 'outer space' right bopping along with the funk.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Go for it! I gave my players a week or two to come up with their montages. Not that part of me wasn't tempted to spring it on them right then and there at the session, but I think the results were better with some prep time.

I am unabashedly stealing this.