Thats good, but how do you decide how much information they have? also how do you come up with information on the fly about irrelevant stuff if the players ask a question that is neither anticipated or relevant?
Remember...
1. You, the GM, know everything.
2. You, as the NPC, know only as much as the GM wants the PCs to learn at the time of interaction.
3. NPCs are tools thru which the GM controls and guides the flow of the scenario/storyline.
unanticipated questions? assuming the question is relevant but coming at the wrong time...refer to above...
non relevent questions? the answer is to be just as irrelevant. (ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.)
if you get lost, call time out, ask what the question has to do with what's currently happening "in-game". sometimes players think outside the game (metegame) thereby bringing in unanticipated/irrelevant questions.
(sorry if I babbled)
-what are the NPC's motivations for doing their job?
-how much information would the NPC need to do that job?
-would their motivations make them likely to gather more information than they "need"?
-are they truly malicious or just "doing a job"? (this speaks to their tenacity, to their willingness to keep fighting if they're injured or they realise they're outmatched)
-last but most importantly: do you as GM want to use the NPC to deliver information to the players? (this one is dangerous because it can feel like spoon-feeding, but it can also be very useful if players are feeling frustrated)
Personally, I like to assign my NPCs (a) a set of motivations (and reasons for them), and (b) an amount of knowledge they should have. Then, I let all those NPCs loose in a set space and allow the players to enter the space an intervene. It's a less narrative model and my hope is that it provides the players with a variety of ways to insert themselves into the "plot" of the game and really make it their story.
Ask yourself:
-what are the NPC's motivations for doing their job?
-how much information would the NPC need to do that job?
-would their motivations make them likely to gather more information than they "need"?
-are they truly malicious or just "doing a job"? (this speaks to their tenacity, to their willingness to keep fighting if they're injured or they realise they're outmatched)
-last but most importantly: do you as GM want to use the NPC to deliver information to the players? (this one is dangerous because it can feel like spoon-feeding, but it can also be very useful if players are feeling frustrated)
Personally, I like to assign my NPCs (a) a set of motivations (and reasons for them), and (b) an amount of knowledge they should have. Then, I let all those NPCs loose in a set space and allow the players to enter the space an intervene. It's a less narrative model and my hope is that it provides the players with a variety of ways to insert themselves into the "plot" of the game and really make it their story.
That is precisely the way I think things should be done.
Thats good, but how do you decide how much information they have? also how do you come up with information on the fly about irrelevant stuff if the players ask a question that is neither anticipated or relevant?
Ideally you should have the key NPCs prepared before an adventure in which case you should already have an idea of that character's role and knowledge.
However, for random NPC that are bound to pop up at a moments notice (even you didn't know the hotdog vendor existed in your game world before you added "Crazy Luigi's Italian 'Dogs" to your description of the park where the PCs are supposed to met with Agent Red!) your best bet is to take a minute timeout to note down in your game notes a few particulars.
I recommend the following format:
* Name and role
* Apperance and defining characteristics
* PC interaction notes
Let's say the PCs pick up on the hotdog vendor in your descrition and head over to ask him a few questions. They buy a hotdog and use Gather Information to learn that Agent Red is something of a regular customer, but he hasn't shown up these two last days (Dr. Mania had him kidnapped yesterday, as per your main adventure notes). One of the PCs decides to get a "refund" on the hotdog he bought. You decide that Luigi is a Tough ordinary 1/Charismatic ordinary 1 and use the standard NPC stats for the pupose of resisting the PCs Sleight of Hand check, which is successful.
"Crazy" Luigi Carmone, hot dog vendor in Blackwood Park
5 ft. 10, thick-set, black hair, brown eyes, fake exagerrated italian accent, straw hat.
* Agent Red -> regular customer
* Tough 1/Charismatic 1
* PC Johnny Temple steals hotdog
After the game you can decide wether you want to keep the NPC as a recurring character or not, and the notes you took help you maintain some consistency.
-DF
Thats good, but how do you decide how much information they have? also how do you come up with information on the fly about irrelevant stuff if the players ask a question that is neither anticipated or relevant?
Base them on characters you know, from TV, film, books, comics, and then give them a different name or nation of origin (basically, toss on an accent). Disguise the character but use the personality. Give that a try. Then, once you're good at that, you can start mixing and matching qualities and coming up with things that are slightly different.
Take a brief time-out and come up with something (rolling on the big table on p. 272 might give you some inspiration).
-DF
-DF
Random NPCs should add atmosphere and the occasional detour, but it's no crime telling the players that they are going off-track.
-DF