How to Improvise a Story/Game?

Where are we?

  • Give your public basic Atmosphere:
    • Colors & Light
    • Temperature & Climate
    • other Quirks
  • As well as the place’s Structure:
    • Materials
    • Props & Furniture
    • The Object you came for
  • You can do so before or after the 1st action scene/Conflit.
  • It’s all about your Rhythm.
  • Pick a location you Love or Hate, for a stronger emotional reaction.
  • Think about your public.
  • How will the Location make them React?

Start with 4 Locations:

  • We are in a Temple
  • Atmosphere
    • The orange, coppery walls reminds us the time we passed in the southern towns of Alatea
    • The soft chatters of the guide pulls us deeper into the temple
    • The statues of Galatea enhance the warmth of this
  • Structure
    • The walls are damaged, but not spoiled
    • The retain their original refinement
    • The care the builders put into its creation is still visible
  • We move into the Guide’s Office
  • Atmosphere
    • The anthracite surfaces contrasts with the vivid, animated paintings
    • She invites us to sit on this simple, yet comfortable armchair
    • The air is cool, the pace is slow
  • Structure
    • Her office is clean & cleared out of any distractions
    • Nothing here is unrelated to Art
  • We visit the Museum dedicated to Galatea
  • Atmosphere
    • The soil & ceilings are light grey
    • The walls are made of soft blue
    • Where ever it is the paintings, the frescoes, or the statues all shapes complement each other
  • Structure
    • The building seems to be made of a sturdy mater
    • But we can’t identify it
  • We finally get to the Victim’s House
  • Atmosphere
    • The Victim’s lover is waiting
    • She is sitting in a large armchair, fitting for 2 people
    • “This was our recliner”
    • Is she aware of us?
  • Structure
    • The rest of the house is dark & empty
    • The door was open…

The Threat/Menace

  • Who’s the Enemy?
  • Is there an Enemy?
  • What danger does this Environment shelter?
  • What will we do?
  • Chase & Flee?
    • Are we chasing the menace?
    • Are chased by the menace?
    • Should we Flee?
    • Where?
  • Fight?
    • How can we Strike back?
    • What weapons do we possess?

4 Threats:

  • We are in a Temple
  • Enemy/Danger/Environment
    • Night is coming
    • A group of raider has been spotted by the temple this week
    • 2 guards are missing
    • They only come at night
  • Chase & Flee
    • Staying here would not be reasonable
  • Fight back
    • We are not only Art enthusiast
    • We are trained, equipped & capable of riposting
  • We move into the Guide’s Office
  • Enemy/Danger/Environment
    • We spent the last week with her
    • She leans on her desk to hide her face
    • She decides to tell us more about the incident
  • Chase & Flee
    • We could leave her there with this situation
  • Fight back
    • Or ask her for more information
  • We visit the Museum dedicated to Galatea
  • Enemy/Danger/Environment
    • There’s a Corpse held by the statues
    • The killer stands by, watching
    • She’s estimating carefully if the body is well disposed
  • Chase & Flee
    • She sees us, Screams & flees
    • Run after the killer
  • Fight back
    • This is may lead us to an embuscade
    • Will we be able to fight back?
  • We finally get to the Victim’s House
  • Enemy/Danger/Environment
    • Victim’s lover’s mania
    • Laughter coming from the living room
  • Chase & Flee
    • Someone points a gun at our back
    • Disarm then & Run away
    • Abandon the Victim’s lover
    • Take her with us
  • Fight back
    • Protect the Victim’s lover
    • Attack the assailant
    • Interrogate them

Why are we here?

  • What Resources does the location shelter?
  • Are we here to Discover, to Visit?
  • What type of Fight/Dissension/Conflict are we about to meet?
  • Temple
    • We love Art
    • A passion we discovered recently by visiting Alatea
  • Office
    • We spend some time with this guide
    • Now she offered us some additional Insights
  • Museum
    • The Museum has been restricted to the public recently
    • This is a unique opportunity to admire Galatean’s Pantheon quietly & to our heart’s content
  • Victim’s House
    • We lend a hand to our new friend
    • We visit the house of 1 of the main contributor of the museum

Adapt & Engage

Everything is happening in Synergy.
You are creating a living world.
It may try to escape you.
Don’t let it go its own way.
Enjoy the rush, enjoy the ride.

  • Exaggeration is the key to provoke reactions.
  • Contrast will create Engament.
  • Interest can be met in the form of opposition.
  • This opposition is an opportunity to experiment more unusual ideas.
  • Tap into the Collective Imaginary Library.
  • Shapes, colors, Forms & all other tools.
  • Use Iconography & Symbolism to provoke reactions.
  • Use common situation to evoke familiarity.
  • Prepare your Archetypes of Characters, Environments & Stories.
    • Consult then regularly to create diversity & contrast
  • Balance your story after your first draft.
  • Balance it as you go.
  • Give every Character care & attention.
    • talk with them
  • Give every Environments a purpose.
  • Scenes & Chapters should chain fluidly.
    • There may be plot holes

Test your Story/Game with your Team

  • Don’t leave them time to look for inconsistency now.
  • If they are distracted, pause.
  • If they are comfortable, give then more information.
  • The public needs to be absorbed by the story.

Give your team a set of 10 Rules to Start:

  • Everything has a Purpose
  • Your Team is United
  • Living beings strive to Grow
  • Sun brings Hope
  • Hunger Gathers us
  • Play with Fire
  • Run through Seas & Skies
  • Temperance soothes the Mind
  • Ponder through Time
  • Follow the Footprints of the Survivors

Ask Your Team about:

  • Locations
    • How do they imagined it?
    • Can they draw it?
    • Can they compose a piece of music to define it?
  • Threats
    • Do they feel pressured?
    • Are they excited?
    • Do they feel depressed?
  • Characters
    • How do they picture her?
    • Can they represent her?
    • Can they compose a theme for her?
  • Scenes
    • How is the Consistency?
    • How were the Transitions between each location?
  • Environments
    • Would they rest here?
    • Would they fight here?
    • Would it bore them?
  • Listen to them.
  • They’ll have a lot of improvement ideas.
  • They’ll have terrible ideas as well.
    • Improve them together
  • This is a shared story.
  • Ask them for 10+ global rules for your story/Game.
  • Change yours, adapt yours.
  • Engage them.
  • 4 People will always come to better Story/Game Mechanics than 1.


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