The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

When developing characters, conceptual ideas often show up first. For example, defining a character as “easily impressed” gives a general idea of what the character is like, but it doesn’t give you something to do. Turn general concepts into things that can be said or done.

Because of that – You can turn general concepts into playable actions with a “because of that” statement.

“I’m easily impressed. Because of that, my jaw drops and my hands go up in little fists.”

Trigger and response – You can also find playable actions by identifying triggers and responses that recur in your character’s life. Frame it as, “When this happens, I do this.”

“When people ask about my family, I change the subject.”

Make sure that the playable actions are things that you do, not things that you avoid. Not doing something leaves you doing nothing. If you have an action that is something not done, identify what your character does instead.

“I don’t use social pleasantries. Instead, I am brutally honest, regardless of the consequences.”

You only need four or five playable actions for a character. Find ones that can be used in a variety of situations. These aren’t the only things you’ll say or do. When you do one playable action, it often inspires another.

To transform character concepts into tangible reality, turn the concepts into playable actions.