Hi, welcome to Narrative Control. This episode is on Living City, a technique of giving conrol of NPCs to the players and allowing them to bring more life to your world as well as turn the story in the directions they are exited about.
Hosts: Sean Nittner and Justin Evans
Liner Notes
[0:38] Introduction – Living City
[0:40] Source – John Wick’s Play Dirty
[1:28] Justin answers “What is Living City?”
[3:00] How it’s done. John Wick’s example: NPCs given to player.
[4:39] Pitfalls with antagonistic or knowledgeable NPCs?
[5:30] Disseminating information through the players.
[6:00] Sean’s use of a similar techniques in his Mage: The Awakening game.
[8:30] NPC Information: Name, Nature, Aspects and Motivation
[9:47] Bread Crumbs. How changing information on the cards can throw players off balance.
[11:15] The technique gives players who would normally be out of scene a chance to play.
[11:29] How to make up NPCs on the fly: Sins and Virtues cards.
[11:47] Show Notes vs. Schnotes battle returns
[12:23] Back to Sins and Virtues…
[14:55] Why would you create a Living City? New plots, granting players narrative control, more believable NPCs.
[17:50] Some of the most interesting interactions happen between players are taking the roles of NPC.
[18:08] More emotional involvement between PC and NPC vs. PC and PC?
[19:45] Pitfalls. Too much information shared? NPCs not coming to life? GMs gets left out? GM needs to be more prepared.
[21:58] Burning Dresden City Creation. Entire group creates locatoins and personalities.
[23:25] How to contact Narrative Control
Wicked Dead Brewing Company
Shnotes siting – Beware!
Sinister Game
Dresden Files RPG
Download: NC_Episode_002.mp3
