Creating NPCs to populate my new solo game. Too much, or not enough? Since I'm the creator, should I spend such time detailing them, or let the dice come up with them as needed?
Way too much for all but the most important NPCs. While some might argue too much detail is better than too little, you may find yourself spending a lot more time writing up backgrounds and details for NPCs than actually playing. My personal recommendation would be to just add three to five bullet points for each NPC and fill in more details as they become relevant.
I agree with Sum Gai entirely. I would also add that doing it this way doesn't leave many mysteries. Maybe you could only try writing a brief (bullet points & sentence fragments brief) description of the important NPCs based on what your PC knows or believes. Then the rest could come out in play. You'd get playing faster, and you / your PC would always be wondering what secrets lay hidden beneath their actions.
When I have played WW games building NPC's, I found, was one of the most important aspects. I would usually shoot for 5 NPC's that are "movers" (not necessarily power level, but have some plot-based somethings happening). I ran them through UNE and BOLD, but I always kept trying to get them to cross tracks with one another.
I did think that leaving things open was a big deal. I wanted dominoes about to fall, not stories already told. It made for some great stories, and having NPC's with a lot of context from the start made for some in-depth consequences.
Way too much for all but the most important NPCs. While some might argue too much detail is better than too little, you may find yourself spending a lot more time writing up backgrounds and details for NPCs than actually playing. My personal recommendation would be to just add three to five bullet points for each NPC and fill in more details as they become relevant.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Sum Gai entirely. I would also add that doing it this way doesn't leave many mysteries. Maybe you could only try writing a brief (bullet points & sentence fragments brief) description of the important NPCs based on what your PC knows or believes. Then the rest could come out in play. You'd get playing faster, and you / your PC would always be wondering what secrets lay hidden beneath their actions.
ReplyDeleteWhen I have played WW games building NPC's, I found, was one of the most important aspects. I would usually shoot for 5 NPC's that are "movers" (not necessarily power level, but have some plot-based somethings happening). I ran them through UNE and BOLD, but I always kept trying to get them to cross tracks with one another.
ReplyDeleteI did think that leaving things open was a big deal. I wanted dominoes about to fall, not stories already told. It made for some great stories, and having NPC's with a lot of context from the start made for some in-depth consequences.