Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Gilean 12-16-06, 02:27 PM	Everyone roughly knows what is bad metagaming. I'm not particularly interested in that, right now. Let us talk about good metagaming instead. How can you, as players, improve the game by using metagame information? One technique is to slant character actions (http://www.burningvoid.com/rpg/2000/slant.php). That is, include other PCs when you can. Work as a party. Another method is to bring stuff the other people enjoy to game. If one of them is playing a racist dwarf (well), mention in character how much you enjoy elven wine (only if the group likes inter-party discussion or even mild conflicts). In combats, let the other characters shine. Play as a team. Support them. If you are fighting a golem use aid when playing a rogue; you wouldn't deal damage anyway, so better improve the fighter's odds (and allow power attacking). This may not always be metagaming, but that probably harms nobody. Give spotlight time to shy players by asking their characters about various matters. Stop if the player clearly dislikes it. What other useful tools/techniques/methods that employ metagame knowledge do you know and use when actually playing?
DyloniusFunk 12-16-06, 03:38 PM	Everyone roughly knows what is bad metagaming. I'm not particularly interested in that, right now. Let us talk about good metagaming instead. How can you, as players, improve the game by using metagame information? One technique is to slant character actions (http://www.burningvoid.com/rpg/2000/slant.php). That is, include other PCs when you can. Work as a party. Another method is to bring stuff the other people enjoy to game. If one of them is playing a racist dwarf (well), mention in character how much you enjoy elven wine (only if the group likes inter-party discussion or even mild conflicts). I wouldn't call that meta gaming unless you knew the characters racism before they mentioned it. If the dwarf had already made some remark about "those pointy eared cowardly tree huggers" and how he would like to see them all exterminated, then if you wanted to you could have your guy make some remark to him about it. But if you do it first then it is metagaming. In combats, let the other characters shine. Play as a team. Support them. If you are fighting a golem use aid when playing a rogue; you wouldn't deal damage anyway, so better improve the fighter's odds (and allow power attacking). This may not always be metagaming, but that probably harms nobody. Just because your sneak attack is not useable hardly means your useless for a golem fight. Use Tumble to move quick and attack, or keep a ranged weapon handy and invest in soem specialized arrows. Never assume you can't do damage just because your class ability is negated for a particular encounter Give spotlight time to shy players by asking their characters about various matters. Stop if the player clearly dislikes it. A good idea for any game yet i don't see how it has anything to do with metagaming. Unless your talking again about the racist character kind of setup. Like say your doing some IC chat while riding the lightning rail and despite having just meet you say to a racist character "So you hate elves i hear" Let me tell youa bout how i did something that could be seen as metagaming yet wasn't really all that bad. I was running an artificer in my first ever Ebberon game being run by my friend who owns my favorite LGS. We were running The Forgotten Forge adventure from the Ebberon CS book. So we get down to the sewers of Sharn and are at the doorway. In thus module you find a dead body in the city of Sharn that leads you to an official of one of the Dragonmarked houses, who sends you on a mission in the ancient goblin ruins that make up the foundation of the great city of Sharn. Anyway we get to thois doorway that has a symbol on it, the same symbol as on the journal. Well without any skill checks or anything i say to ym DM thatr i want tot ake the book and press it against the door. He has no problem and VIOLA! the door opens. Now i had no idea it would do that, since as i stated i made no skill rolls for knowledge, nor had anyone else, or if they had they had not shared thier knowledge. All i did was take into account the fact that one of Ebberons big selling points is that it's based around the old pump-noir style adventures, things more like Indiana Jones than Tolkien. So i took into accoiunt my knowledge of those tpyes of genre adventures and the kind of obstacles the heroes face in them and sued it in my attempts to solve the puzzel we were facing. Was it meta gaming? I suppose you cou8ld argue it was, useing my own player knowledge of the type of world ebberon was and the influences used in it's design.
Artector 12-16-06, 03:46 PM	Yup. DyloniusFunk, I did something similar during that adventure. I was playing a kalashatar soulknife and we got to the forge. I'd played through the adventure before, and read it afterwards so I knew about the hole in the roof. Just so we didn't sit there for an hour trying to figure out how to get inside I said "I'm looking EVERYWHERE. Top to bottom." Got on the roof and voila! This isn't the best sort of meta-gaming, I had prior knowledge, but I didn't want to waste time sitting there. In my gaming circle we encourage communication during combat. I will ask "Is (x) spell a good option?" if I'm not completely sure, it makes things run smoother and prevent mistakes. Most of our metagaming comes from not wanting to waste time. We searched some caves, and the DM was having trouble representing the cave system. So he jsut put down the map and we said where we were going. We had no idea what was going to be there, but we got there a *lot* faster.
pres_man 12-16-06, 05:59 PM	One example of "good" metagaming is when a new character is being introduced, either due to a new player or a character death. It is often best if everybody agrees not to make too big of a deal, "You seem trust worthy." That doesn't mean, no deal should be made, but players should have their PCs say things like, "Nah, we don't need another person, take a hike."
Loto_GoCeraf 12-16-06, 07:18 PM	"...Guys... I think I just failed my spot check..."
Salla 12-16-06, 09:18 PM	One example of "good" metagaming is when a new character is being introduced, either due to a new player or a character death. It is often best if everybody agrees not to make too big of a deal, "You seem trust worthy." That doesn't mean, no deal should be made, but players should have their PCs say things like, "Nah, we don't need another person, take a hike." We often say that PCs have the supernatural ability 'Detect PC'. :)
Artector 12-16-06, 09:19 PM	We often say that PCs have the supernatural ability 'Detect PC'. :) I'd think it'd be extraordinary... Gotta have it working in all scenarios.
Gilean 12-17-06, 03:51 AM	One example of "good" metagaming is when a new character is being introduced, either due to a new player or a character death. It is often best if everybody agrees not to make too big of a deal, "You seem trust worthy." That doesn't mean, no deal should be made, but players should have their PCs say things like, "Nah, we don't need another person, take a hike."Indeed, the famous PC glow. It is generally a good practice. DyloniusFunk, I'm really not interested in debating about what is and is not metagaming. My working definition is "uses information the character doesn't have to affect the actions of that character". As such, the racism thingy goes thusly: You want to heighten the enjoyment of that player. For that purpose, you make your character trigger that other player's character's racism. The other examples work with the same base principle. Artefactor, that's scene framing, or skipping straight to the action. Exactly the same thing as not playing all the characters' dreams and such.
BadCatMan 12-18-06, 04:08 AM	I'm currently in a game where we're trekking through the Underdark looking for creatures stealing some dwarven ore shipments. It's online, and its taken the whole year to get anywhere. The DM is slow, vague about events in the game, and an utter rules lawyer. And he turned out to be quite a jerk elsewhere, and got booted from games he was playing in. He was a reasonably competent DM, just really slow, frustrating and joyless. We play in an online club, so I'm not about to just leave and disrupt things, couldn't move my character elsewhere, and I'm quite patient. Finally, after a year of wandering back and forth and having absolutely no idea what's going and unable to find any clues (he claims there were clues, but I didn't see any), he finally lets me make a knowledge check to ID the monsters. He tells me they're Grell. Nothing more. I've never even heard of Grell before, and say so, and ask what my character knows about them. He says some stuff, none of which was of any use. So dreading another long period of aimless wandering, and generally frustrated with the whole thing, and kinda curious, I looked them up. I found that they're aberrations (I have FE: Aberration), have a paralysis attack (I'm duergar and immune), and like to pick off lone victims (a point in the DM's favor, he retconned every walk-out PC as a victim of the Grells). Perfect, I think, and have my character run off alone into the tunnels. I declared I was making myself bait. The Grell took the bait, and attacked. Finally, after a year of searching, we get somewhere. Now this was in keeping with my character's personality, and reasonable to expect given all the disappearing PCs. So I like to think I pushed the DM into making the game go somewhere. And it did, and we're nearly finished the damned adventure. (The Grell took off, but he let me track them.) It's metagaming, but good metagaming I think. My PC nearly died, mind you.
Warboss Morgrum 12-18-06, 04:30 AM	About the whole "metagame in the new PC" issue. I have a player who is the exact opposite. He harasses NPCs that join with the party for a few minutes, but he is a nightmare to deal with when a new PC joins. He (regardless of what he is playing) demands every scrap of info he can think of, still refuses to trust them, and whines that they are getting an equal share of the party loot. He claims to have no problems OOC, just every single character of his is apparently a selfish paranoid jerk. I want to choke him every time he starts talking. So, YES, please metagame in the new PC. Or the DM/PCs may want to choke you.
Gilean 12-18-06, 09:08 AM	So I like to think I pushed the DM into making the game go somewhere. And it did, and we're nearly finished the damned adventure. (The Grell took off, but he let me track them.) It's metagaming, but good metagaming I think.Yeah. I would have long quitted or had a long and comprehensive talk with the GM. I want to choke him every time he starts talking.Why don't people talk to other participants? Talk to your palyers, talk to your GM, talk to other players. Communicate. Give constructive and honest feedback. That's my hobby horse http://gamecraft.7.forumer.com/images/smiles/gamecraft/pony.gif
Anaxander 12-18-06, 11:05 AM	The entire role of the DM is good metagaming: he knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players and their characters and he tries to come up with encounters and challenges adapted to them.
AegisShade 12-18-06, 01:08 PM	We often say that PCs have the supernatural ability 'Detect PC'. :)I'd think it'd be extraordinary... Gotta have it working in all scenarios.I'd be far more amused if it was cancelled out in an antimagic field. "What the...who the heck is this guy and why has he been following us around for the last half year?"
Frodo34x 12-18-06, 05:57 PM	"...Guys... I think I just failed my spot check..." Ahh, toots. Is there any DnD situation that don't have perfect quotes for them?
Lady Maedhros 12-18-06, 10:25 PM	Newbie training! There's a lot to keep track of in this game. A lot. Even playing one of the simpler classes at the earlier levels, it's hard to remember what you can do, to have an idea of the sheer volume and breadth of options available to you. So, when the new face at the table is sitting there behind her character sheet as the DM runs her solo interlude with the orc guards, it's okay to say to her "remember that orcs don't function well in daylight, so if you back up a bit you'll have an easier fight." It's good to do that, in fact. True, your character isn't there, and so you shouldn't really have any input in what's happening - but her character would know that about orcs, even if she doesn't, and doing better in her encounters and feeling like the party is on her side will keep her coming back for sessions beyond this one. My first DM was terrible about that. Any time any one of us offered a suggestion to a less experienced player, even when it was something that player's character should know ("what spell did I memorize that would help right here when I have no idea what to do" was a big one), he'd get all pissy and huff "Metagaming!" Well, fine, maybe it was - but it was the good kind.
Gilean 12-19-06, 08:43 AM	Newbie training!Indeed. Good point, thanks. I have clearly been spoiled by simpler games.
Tyler Do'Urden 12-19-06, 01:26 PM	Here's an example of good metagaming. I've got seven attacks to roll with a pair of flaming weapons. If the DM just tells me flat out, "It's got fire resistance 10 so don't bother rolling the fire," that will save me some time, allowing me to get through my full attack more quickly and speeding along the tedium of the encounter so we can get to the flavoring. Similar time-saving pieces of knowledge include the monster's DR value (even if you don't reveal the bypassing type), alignment, and armor class. It's all a question of whether the players are mature enough to use the information correctly.
High Octane 12-19-06, 01:36 PM	Indeed. Good point, thanks. I have clearly been spoiled by simpler games. I think that she was saying that Metagaming is good FOR newbie training, but honestly I dont think thats metagaming since your characters WOULD know what spells are useful in the situation.
Gilean 12-20-06, 04:44 AM	I think that she was saying that Metagaming is good FOR newbie training, but honestly I dont think thats metagaming since your characters WOULD know what spells are useful in the situation.Agree with the bolded part, not interested in semantic debates.
Knight9910 12-20-06, 05:26 AM	I just want to share a story really quick. This was from the same group as the wizard who almost killed us all (see the Way to Annoy Your DM thread). Before I tell you this you should know our GM had a sort of homebrewed feat where you could reroll 3 dice rolls per mission. (Which was good because he demanded a roll for EVERYTHING. It was almost at the point of "Oh, you want to walk? Roll dexterity to see if you fall on your face.") Anyway, we were on boats and one of the characters goes off on his own for some reason. Well, we find him later and his boat is stuck in a whirlpool. We all spring into action. My character tries to throw him a rope. I fail. I use a reroll. I fail. I use all three of my rerolls and FINALLY get the rope to him. AND HE THROWS IT INTO THE WATER. It turned out that this was supposed to happen. The whirlpool was a weird teleport spell. That's fine but the whole time me and the other PCs were trying to save this guy from it he just sat there stonefaced. Apparently the character had been told not to say anything or something (I assume, I never asked) but okay. Would it be too much to ask for the PLAYER to just shoot me an IM (since this was an online RP) and say "Dude, don't waste your rerolls. This is supposed to happen."? So that would be my vote: Metagaming is okay when it helps teamwork and helping your allies maintain their resources.
Gilean 12-20-06, 08:32 AM	So that would be my vote: Metagaming is okay when it helps teamwork and helping your allies maintain their resources.I'd say that is generally true, but it is likely that there are some hardcore groups where it would be seen as "cheating".
LCD2YOU 12-20-06, 02:53 PM	"Good" Metagaming is when someone does something you agree with. "Bad" Metagaming is when someone does something you disagree with.
High Octane 12-20-06, 03:00 PM	"Good" Metagaming is when someone does something you agree with. "Bad" Metagaming is when someone does something you disagree with. WRONG! Good is when they do what I think is right. Bad is when I think it is wrong.
LCD2YOU 12-21-06, 08:41 AM	WRONG! Good is when they do what I think is right. Bad is when I think it is wrong.Yeah right. Obviously I don't agree with you so you must be a "Bad" Metagamer. See how simple this is? :D
High Octane 12-21-06, 08:42 AM	Yeah right. Obviously I don't agree with you so you must be a "Bad" Metagamer. See how simple this is? :D No that makes YOU a bad metagamer! And a doo-doo head!
LCD2YOU 12-21-06, 08:50 AM	No that makes YOU a bad metagamer! And a doo-doo head!No you are! That should take the wind out of your sails! Take that! See, everything revolves around me and since you think it revolves around you, obviously you are wrong because I'm right! Things I do are GOOD Metagaming. If you don't think so, obviously you are a BAD METAGAMER. ;) Don't make me double-dog dare you!
High Octane 12-21-06, 12:53 PM	No you are! That should take the wind out of your sails! Take that! See, everything revolves around me and since you think it revolves around you, obviously you are wrong because I'm right! Things I do are GOOD Metagaming. If you don't think so, obviously you are a BAD METAGAMER. ;) Don't make me double-dog dare you! I'm telling my mom! *runs off crying*
BW0222 12-21-06, 03:18 PM	Gilean, Interesting thread. Character Creation and Leveling * Don't pick classes, alignments, etc. which will likely cause problems with other party members. i.e. No CE rogue if you know there is a paladin in the party. * Don't pick backgrounds unsuitable to the setting. i.e. a sailor in a desert setting. * Don't pick character concepts which a designed to overshadow other PCs. Don't take track on your barbarian just to p-off the ranger. * Try picking roles which work with other party members. * Don't pick classes/concepts which you don't like playing. If you always like rushing forward and beating on things, don't be a rogue or wizard. * Don't pick concepts/traits which you honestly can't roleplay. Don't be a fast-talking rogue if you (as a person) can't think fast on your feet. * Don't pick annoying concepts. Practical jokers, insane people who eat bugs, etc. Most folks can't handle that. * Don't pick subjects/backgrounds which other players might be sensative to or not mature enough to handle. I.e. meta-game. Asks the DM, ask the players, and base your choices on their knowledge. Never Attack another PC Meta-game any reason possible to avoid attacking, messing up, going after, etc. another PC -- even if cornered into it. Every bone in your body might be saying your character would arrest/kill/beat-up the other PCs, but don't go there. This is followed by the rule not to create situations where others would be compelled to go after your PC. Don't steal from their friends, don't badmouth their family/race, etc. Helping other Out Especially new folks. From looking up their spells, reminding them of bonuses or abilities, etc. This may include the DM. Things like "9hp of damage, if it doesn't have DR?" when you suspect that the DM forgot DR on what you suspect is an imp. When Rules Knowledge Mirrors Reality Knowing that you can't jump a pit (because you know you can't make the DC), taking a 10 because you know it makes things go faster, etc. Not Using Slow-Down Tactics Not summoning more wolves when the combat is nearly over. Not wasting time figuring out ever plus when you roled a 2. etc. Not bothering to roll damage when you know you can't get past its DR. Penalizing Yourself for Low Rolls Giving the party wrong information when you get a three on knowledge check. Strongly suggesting that north is this way when you blow your survival check. etc. Saving Time Consuming Tasks to the End of the Session Don't go shopping in the middle of the module. Don't start crafting items when you suspect there will be an encounter shortly. Don't Intentionally Nerf Plot Hooks Don't avoid plot hooks just because you see them coming. If an elf walks into a bar and he is about to give you some quest... find a reason for your elf-hating dwarf to make a washroom trip rather than p-off the guy. Even helping players get on back on track if you suspect you know something is coming. Don't Keep Information to Yourself Even if your character is a loner, information broker, etc. don't mess over plot stuff and other PCs just because your PC wouldn't just tell some other party member something important.
Thubby 12-21-06, 04:10 PM	the best metagaming i can think is when someone is playing smart characters (over int-ed wizards and such). and usees the groups (the players) knowledge. while I might not be too good with his geometry and physics to figure out how to arc a shot (or a spell or god knows whatelse), the wizard would be. and so is the phd in the group, even if he is playing the fighter. or when solving puzzles. several times on more complex stuff the guy playing the 4 int barbarian, or the the 7 int fighter has figured it out, but they usualy say something like "but he *points to guy playing brain* would say that" and so they let him. not to say its always the case, but it helps wizards and psions get the "smart" thing going
Salla 12-21-06, 04:24 PM	Gilean, Interesting thread. Character Creation and Leveling * Don't pick classes, alignments, etc. which will likely cause problems with other party members. i.e. No CE rogue if you know there is a paladin in the party. * Don't pick backgrounds unsuitable to the setting. i.e. a sailor in a desert setting. * Don't pick character concepts which a designed to overshadow other PCs. Don't take track on your barbarian just to p-off the ranger. * Try picking roles which work with other party members. * Don't pick classes/concepts which you don't like playing. If you always like rushing forward and beating on things, don't be a rogue or wizard. * Don't pick concepts/traits which you honestly can't roleplay. Don't be a fast-talking rogue if you (as a person) can't think fast on your feet. * Don't pick annoying concepts. Practical jokers, insane people who eat bugs, etc. Most folks can't handle that. * Don't pick subjects/backgrounds which other players might be sensative to or not mature enough to handle. I.e. meta-game. Asks the DM, ask the players, and base your choices on their knowledge. Never Attack another PC Meta-game any reason possible to avoid attacking, messing up, going after, etc. another PC -- even if cornered into it. Every bone in your body might be saying your character would arrest/kill/beat-up the other PCs, but don't go there. This is followed by the rule not to create situations where others would be compelled to go after your PC. Don't steal from their friends, don't badmouth their family/race, etc. Helping other Out Especially new folks. From looking up their spells, reminding them of bonuses or abilities, etc. This may include the DM. Things like "9hp of damage, if it doesn't have DR?" when you suspect that the DM forgot DR on what you suspect is an imp. When Rules Knowledge Mirrors Reality Knowing that you can't jump a pit (because you know you can't make the DC), taking a 10 because you know it makes things go faster, etc. Not Using Slow-Down Tactics Not summoning more wolves when the combat is nearly over. Not wasting time figuring out ever plus when you roled a 2. etc. Not bothering to roll damage when you know you can't get past its DR. Penalizing Yourself for Low Rolls Giving the party wrong information when you get a three on knowledge check. Strongly suggesting that north is this way when you blow your survival check. etc. Saving Time Consuming Tasks to the End of the Session Don't go shopping in the middle of the module. Don't start crafting items when you suspect there will be an encounter shortly. Don't Intentionally Nerf Plot Hooks Don't avoid plot hooks just because you see them coming. If an elf walks into a bar and he is about to give you some quest... find a reason for your elf-hating dwarf to make a washroom trip rather than p-off the guy. Even helping players get on back on track if you suspect you know something is coming. Don't Keep Information to Yourself Even if your character is a loner, information broker, etc. don't mess over plot stuff and other PCs just because your PC wouldn't just tell some other party member something important. Consider this stolen. :)
pedro2112 12-21-06, 08:26 PM	BWO, Excellent post. However, there is one suggestion that I do not like: * Don't pick concepts/traits which you honestly can't roleplay. Don't be a fast-talking rogue if you (as a person) can't think fast on your feet. I think 3.5 is excellent in that it allows people to play characters that are completely different than how they are in real life. In the scenario above, the Player could put a lot of points into Charisma and a ton of skill points into diplomacy, bluff, sense motive, etc... the end result, you have a "fast-talking" rogue!
Tanivor 12-24-06, 06:14 PM	I wouldn't call that meta gaming unless you knew the characters before they mentioned it. If the dwarf had already made some remark about "those pointy eared cowardly tree huggers" and how he would like to see them all exterminated, then if you wanted to you could have your guy make some remark to him about it. But if you do it first then it is metagaming. Just because your sneak attack is not useable hardly means your useless for a golem fight. Use Tumble to move quick and attack, or keep a ranged weapon handy and invest in soem specialized arrows. Never assume you can't do damage just because your class ability is negated for a particular encounter A good idea for any game yet i don't see how it has anything to do with metagaming. Unless your talking again about the racist character kind of setup. Like say your doing some IC chat while riding the lightning rail and despite having just meet you say to a racist character "So you elves i hear" Let me tell youa bout how i did something that could be seen as metagaming yet wasn't really all that bad. I was running an artificer in my first ever Ebberon game being run by my friend who owns my favorite LGS. We were running The Forgotten Forge adventure from the Ebberon CS book. So we get down to the sewers of Sharn and are at the doorway. In thus module you find a body in the city of Sharn that leads you to an official of one of the Dragonmarked houses, who sends you on a mission in the ancient goblin ruins that make up the foundation of the great city of Sharn. Anyway we get to thois doorway that has a symbol on it, the same symbol as on the journal. Well without any skill checks or anything i say to ym DM thatr i want tot ake the book and press it against the door. He has no problem and VIOLA! the door opens. Now i had no idea it would do that, since as i stated i made no skill rolls for knowledge, nor had anyone else, or if they had they had not shared thier knowledge. All i did was take into account the fact that one of Ebberons big selling points is that it's based around the old pump-noir style adventures, things more like Indiana Jones than Tolkien. So i took into accoiunt my knowledge of those tpyes of genre adventures and the kind of obstacles the heroes face in them and sued it in my attempts to solve the puzzel we were facing. Was it meta gaming? I suppose you cou8ld argue it was, useing my own player knowledge of the type of world ebberon was and the influences used in it's design. Please, for the love of God(s), or the love of Evening Star, check your spelling first! This is bordering on unreadable, and is offensive to everyone present. Viola is a stringed instrument, tpyes are only good with chocolate sauce in the summer, puzzel is not a word, thier is a derivative of the Latin for three; ym DM thatr? More like (What the Frack). Please, accept the new Wizards Spellcheck software and use it! If you wish to contribute, do so in an intelligent fashion. I have long since accepted metagaming as a fact of life, and currently relish ways of getting around it: Enemies that can polymorph are the most fun.
Tanivor 12-24-06, 06:20 PM	Yup. DyloniusFunk, I did something similar during that adventure. I was playing a kalashatar soulknife and we got to the forge. I'd played through the adventure before, and read it afterwards so I knew about the hole in the roof. Just so we didn't sit there for an hour trying to figure out how to get inside I said "I'm looking EVERYWHERE. Top to bottom." Got on the roof and voila! This isn't the best sort of meta-gaming, I had prior knowledge, but I didn't want to waste time sitting there. In my gaming circle we encourage communication during combat. I will ask "Is (x) spell a good option?" if I'm not completely sure, it makes things run smoother and prevent mistakes. Most of our metagaming comes from not wanting to waste time. We searched some caves, and the DM was having trouble representing the cave system. So he jsut put down the map and we said where we were going. We had no idea what was going to be there, but we got there a *lot* faster. If I were your DM, I would have a) Been pretty annoyed, because it sounds like this was supposed to be an actual hunt requiring thinking and b) Made that a drop into a sphere of annihilation. :D :D :D :D
a_psh 12-24-06, 07:25 PM	I wouldn't call that meta gaming unless you knew the characters racism before they mentioned it. If the dwarf had already made some remark about "those pointy eared cowardly tree huggers" and how he would like to see them all exterminated, then if you wanted to you could have your guy make some remark to him about it. But if you do it first then it is metagaming.That's the whole idea, though! Your character doesn't know something. You do. You think it would be cool to explore that thing (e.g. make racism a theme in the scene). So you use purely out-of-character knowledge to make a seemingly random act mean something and contribute to the story by bringing that thing up. It's not different from a book or TV show. The characters are often making choices blindly, but the writers intentionally slant those actions to make them interesting and to make them mean something overall, and then blame things on serendipity and coincidence if need be. That's how you get a story rather than just a series of random events.