Narrative conventions

[Anders]

Do you consciously use narrative conventions (for lack of a better word), like a three-act structure, or the Hero's Journey in your games? Or does that smack too much of the GM as a director and writer, and the players as actors under his command?

[RyanW]

I am a bit of a writer, so I frequently have them in mind when coming up with scenarios, but I don't force or expect them to happen the way I have them in mind at the table. To me, a three-act structure just seems an intuitive way to put together a plot.

[whswhs]

I don't often use narrative conventions as conventions. However, things that fit narrative conventions often emerge spontaneously in games that I run, and when I analyze my games, I often do so in terms of literary categories.

[LemmingLord]

I use three act conventions within each adventure and also with each adventure çounting as an act in a three act campaign. Works well.

[ak_aramis]

I don't normally use the 3 nor 5 act models, but I do try to use the overall pattern of "Problem, {progress, twist, resolve twist}*{multiple repeats}, confronting the primary problem, resolving the primary problem, fallout & denouement."

I do tend to use the hero's journey, since it works quite well for games with character growth at noticeable speeds.

[TheRedArmy]

Without really planning it that way, my moderate-length Pathfinder campaign will likely end up following a three-act structure (as it's not done yet).

Act One: Introduce places, people, and other important things.
Act Two: Make the PCs get whipped. They flee and hopefully feel some sense of obligation (if no one figures out the plot in time, they'll be partly responsible for the Bad Guys™ having such a major victory).
Act Three: PCs and other Good™ characters work together and fight back, with the PCs taking center stage and (hopefully) winning in the end.

One thing I have intentionally tried to do is introduce a character known as a foil. A foil is a minor character that is used to bring a certain characteristic(s) of a major character out into the limelight. I've done this for two reasons - So I (as the GM) get a good idea of PC personalities (we don't do traditional back-stories), and so each character gets a little "special role-playing time" dedicated to them. I use a foil maybe once every 2 or 3 sessions. Not great, but its the best I can do. We move a snail's pace anyway, so it's not a big deal.