How to Play Improv Role-Pod Gaming.
What you need
- Players. One player will be the "Interviewer", The rest will be characters in the story.
- A Scenario. Use one of our suggested scenarios or the interviewer can make their own.
- An open mind and a space where you can focus on the story.
- Character sheet and pen. (optional)
Overview
Preparation
- The scenario should be selected and reviewed by the interviewer.
- Resources should be available if needed.. (Character sheets, scenario printed if desired).
- Locate a comfortable space to play.
Play
- Inform the Players of the Scenario selected and it's Pitch.
- Players create their characters. (only 4 facts and one is the name.)
- Interviewer starts the interview and introduces the characters.
- Interviewer asks questions to build the background, the plot, and the resolution of the story.
- Interviewer ends the interview.
More Interviewer guidance can be found here.
Safe word.
If you need to stop the story at any time for any reason, Say "Break Break Break" ("Break" three times) and everyone should stop and address the issue. This will let everyone know you are definitely not in character and are needing to address something. See "No, But" and "Safe Word" below for more information.
The few rules
Players are playing a character. Characters are made of a name, a declaration, and two motives. The character name can be anything appropriate to the story and game group tone. The declaration is a short word, words, or phrase that describes what the character is. "My character is a:" declaration. (profession, role, other identity).
The motivations are what brings the character to life. They are Seeks and Avoids. They are both also words or short phrases indicating what the character wants (seeks) and what they don't want (avoids).
As the interviewer asks questions, answer as the character would. Try to stay "in character". This will help the story grow naturally from your answers and interactions with other players who are also playing their characters and answering the interviewer questions.
Play up liking your "seeks" and not wanting to deal with your "avoids". Remember that everyone is also playing their characters, but when it's an appropriate time for your character to react, do so as they would.
Other Players/Characters will know your Characters name and Is A declaration. They won't necessarily know your seeks and avoids, but will likely figure them out through play. Remember that your characters work through the scenario together, so would likely already know this information. The interview is just "remembering" what happened though making it up.
The focus is to have fun. Sometimes craziness ensues and you may break character (especially laughing). While you should minimize the break, it’s more important to ignore the obvious out of character laughing that can happen.
You should strive to take whatever narrative is presented by the host and other characters and add to it to build the story. Those unexpected curveballs are what makes the exercise fun.
The goal is to keep the story moving and adding to it. If someone throws a thing at your character, try your best to roll with it. accept that it happened and add to it.
Bear in mind that It is possible for two characters to remember something differently. Or you can also play off your character obviously lying, but thinking they are being sly.
There are many guides about how to Improv on the internet.
The interviewer will guide the story along asking questions about what happened. They will give you things to react to and/or explain as well as ask things that require you to come up with what was actually happening.
Lines and Veils are in full effect. If the narrative turns to an area that you can’t just ignore or play through, say something.
If a player says something about “I’d rather not go into detail”, assume that we need to “fade to black”. It still happens, but we should not describe more detail on the action.
If a play says, “I’d rather not talk about that”, or “Let’s talk about something else”. Assume it’s a line and find a different direction to go.
If something is brought up that you can't deal with and the no, but lines above aren't enough to deflect from it, use the safe word (say "break" three times in a row) to let everyone know that you need to clarify what is wrong.
You should never feel unsafe. (playfully nervous or uncertain, sure. But not unsafe.)
If anyone says, “Break Break Break”, this is our safe word. Stop and the person who broke tells us if we need to strike a topic from the story or what we need to do to move forward. Can also be used for real life intrusions (emergency call, a short break needed, etc.).
It is very important to respect that while this is just a game, if a player isn't comfortable playing out or even alluding to a topic, you should not make them do so. This is why the No, But guidelines exist and the Safe Word is in effect.
Have fun by making sure everyone is having fun.