Episode 601 – leveraging PC backgrounds

* (0:29) A listener, James, gets us talking about integrating player-character backstories into your game. It starts with the players giving you something to work with.

* (3:01) Sitting for too long on too much information, or mining the backstory abusively.

* (7:43) Finding the possible connections between backstories.

* (11:08) Let’s do it live! Dan sets up a D&D game with Wayne as his player. Building story by eliminating coincidences and undefined areas.

* (19:22) Wayne sets up a Skies of Glass game with Brodeur as his player. Remembering that NPCs have their own lives that still go on, even when the PC isn’t around.

* (30:02) What’s the “therefore” there for? Continuing thoughts that seemed otherwise complete.

* (31:42) Integrating character backgrounds into a story that’s already written. Even the most fleshed-out plot still has gaps that can be filled with player-made content.

* (37:59) Too little, too much, or no background at all.

* (42:35) Punting Mary’s insight, because it deserves its own episode.

* (44:32) Paying attention to backgrounds for what should be important in your game, because it’s important to that player.

Hosts: Brodeur, Dan, Mary, Wayne