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Cut scenes in RPGs. Could they work?

If you’ve ever played a video game, you’ve more than likely viewed a cut scene. You’ve just rescued the damsel in distress and you get a scene playing out with you and her in the garden. Or you find a ransom note and, suddenly, you’re shown a scene of the actual kidnapping, giving the player a bit of insight into the bad guys. But would it work in an RPG? I think it can.

Of course, it has to be done right. Let’s say that you’re a GM and the PCs have settled in for the night. The GM decides to add a little drama, so he plays out a scene for the PCs of two people talking to one another, plotting the demise of the PCs. No hints are given as to whom these people are or when they plan to strike. It’s just enough to let the players know that someone is after them but not enough to really let them prepare for it. They’ll just be looking over their shoulders, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

On the other hand, if the GM does it wrong, they’re basically giving the players out-of-game information. If, in the example above, the GM went so far as to say when the enemies would strike, the players will probably use that to their advantage. Yes, it’s out-of-character knowledge, but that still wouldn’t stop most players I know of using it somehow.

Used properly, I can see “cut scenes” adding to the overall tension and drama of the campaign. I’m planning on running a Hollow Earth Expedition one-shot next weekend and, given the pulp nature of the game, I may try to incorporate this idea.

What do you think? Do you think it could be done effectively?

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5 Responses to “Cut scenes in RPGs. Could they work?”

Wyatt November 29th, 2008 at 4:25 PM

I’ve always used cutscenes in my games. I mostly play online, so I just write a big scene in italics and show the players. Sometimes it’ll even be super obvious – I don’t really care much about the metagaming aspect. I play 4e, it’s already pretty implicit. To make the game truly cinematic, I kick it up a notch.

In my comedy games I also use cutscenes to better effect. For example, I have players watch a cutscene, but they can’t hear/see anything (the narration is extremely vague and annoying) until they roll a Perception check, then they can see what it is depending on the result. It makes absolutely no sense, but that’s why I love it.

Wyatt´s last blog post..Video Killed The Radio Star (OSRIC Review)

reveal November 29th, 2008 at 4:58 PM

@Wyatt – Sounds fun.

I can see them working easily for online games, but I wonder how it would work for RL games.

Wyatt November 29th, 2008 at 5:21 PM

You could probably pass them around as a handout to the players. You keep gaming, but take it slow as they read over the cutscene. Those who don’t care, don’t have to – they can keep on getting breakfast for their character, or doing their level-up, or preparing their spellbook, or whatever activity.

Or if you’re high tech, maybe you could record it as an mp3 (audiocutscene!) and play it at the session.

Wyatt´s last blog post..Video Killed The Radio Star (OSRIC Review)