The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

Encyclopedia search

Topics
an ending that makes things better again

See: Resolution or devolution

Topics

There are two ways that the central conflict is wrapped up by the end of a story. Either the issue is resolved, making things better again, or it devolves into disaster. You can picture these concepts as a house on fire. Resolution happens if the fire department puts out the fire and the house is saved. If the house burns down, despite the fire department’s efforts, that’s devolution. Stories that end in resolution are “happy endings” which many spects prefer, but devolution can also be satisfying if spects have learned something along the way.

Topics

There are a multitude of ways to respond to an offer. Here’s an overview of some of the most common.

Topics
a surprising disclosure of new, important information

Discoveries bring an element of surprise to stories. The princess turns out to be his sister. The villain is revealed to be the hero’s father. Disclosure of important information is called a reveal.

Topics
activating the spect with a need and a tool

The reverse scalpel is a way to get spects to do something without instructing them. It involves three components.

Topics
change happens on the third repetition

Repetition be useful, but when something repeats over and over and over and over and over again, it becomes an obstacle to progression. This is where the rule of three can help keep things moving forward.

Exercises

Players play a scene in which they first say what they’re going to do, then they do it.

Topics
getting a spect to hand you an object without telling them to do so

In medical dramas, there’s a classic scene in which a surgeon is about to operate. He holds out his hand, says “Scalpel,” and a nurse gives him a scalpel. This same approach can be used to get spects physically activated. It’s called, appropriately enough, the scalpel.

© 2024 Interactive PlayLab
Subscribe for encyclopedia updates

Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance