Post by Lulu Chaos on Apr 17, 2007 0:11:44 GMT -5
NPC:
In simple terms, an NPC is a Non-Player Character.Which is any character (human or otherwise) in a role-playing game that is not controlled by someone playing the game. Instead it is controlled by the Story Teller, and is there to help move the storyline along.
The story teller or equivalent (the person running the game) will generally act/speak the parts of all NPCs. These NPCs can range anywhere from an innkeeper the players talk to in order to rent a room to the mysterious woman who follows your party along for her own unknown reasons only to backstab you right when you were starting to trust her. It's up to the ST.
NPCs vary greatly in importance—from the NPC innkeeper seen once by the player characters, to the NPC arch-nemesis that comes back time and again for an entire game (Story line). Many minor NPCs are invented on the spot as needed—doing this well is in fact one of the hallmarks of a good ST.
Story Tellers should remember that just as a player character has hopes, dreams, and goals, so does every NPC, and ignoring such elements tends to lead to 'cardboard-cutout' personalities that are boring and/or over-simplified----and also makes it less interesting for the PC's to interact with them.
Players can use NPCs to help the other players get to know their character better. Usually used during the introduction part of the board, when they first come in --and usually leaves once they feel that their character has accomplished good grounds on the board. A good minor role NPC can be used to show how the characters personality is, before meeting other characters on the board. It just helps lay ground to who that character is, where they came from, and where they are going.
Also, if need be the PC can bring in an NPC is things are beginning to look dead on the board. Just so that they might be able to move things along a bit, but keep in mind to not over do this because you are only a PC on the board and not the ST/GM.
Sometimes the ST/GM will use a small NPC which can be spoken for by you the PC (i.e. the bell boy carrying your bags, the taxi driver.. ect.) Which can help get your character places or help you along. Unless, the ST/GM says not to puppet any NPCs on the board; this is completely fine to do with very small role NPCs.
In simple terms, an NPC is a Non-Player Character.Which is any character (human or otherwise) in a role-playing game that is not controlled by someone playing the game. Instead it is controlled by the Story Teller, and is there to help move the storyline along.
The story teller or equivalent (the person running the game) will generally act/speak the parts of all NPCs. These NPCs can range anywhere from an innkeeper the players talk to in order to rent a room to the mysterious woman who follows your party along for her own unknown reasons only to backstab you right when you were starting to trust her. It's up to the ST.
NPCs vary greatly in importance—from the NPC innkeeper seen once by the player characters, to the NPC arch-nemesis that comes back time and again for an entire game (Story line). Many minor NPCs are invented on the spot as needed—doing this well is in fact one of the hallmarks of a good ST.
Story Tellers should remember that just as a player character has hopes, dreams, and goals, so does every NPC, and ignoring such elements tends to lead to 'cardboard-cutout' personalities that are boring and/or over-simplified----and also makes it less interesting for the PC's to interact with them.
Players can use NPCs to help the other players get to know their character better. Usually used during the introduction part of the board, when they first come in --and usually leaves once they feel that their character has accomplished good grounds on the board. A good minor role NPC can be used to show how the characters personality is, before meeting other characters on the board. It just helps lay ground to who that character is, where they came from, and where they are going.
Also, if need be the PC can bring in an NPC is things are beginning to look dead on the board. Just so that they might be able to move things along a bit, but keep in mind to not over do this because you are only a PC on the board and not the ST/GM.
Sometimes the ST/GM will use a small NPC which can be spoken for by you the PC (i.e. the bell boy carrying your bags, the taxi driver.. ect.) Which can help get your character places or help you along. Unless, the ST/GM says not to puppet any NPCs on the board; this is completely fine to do with very small role NPCs.