Cutscenes

Sequences of storytelling where players cannot act. Cutscenes are used when games cannot progress the entire game story through actions and events and need to give longer descriptions and explanations to players. These scenes are usually located between sections of gameplay that differ significantly, either because of change of location or type of activities required, or located right before a challenge to make players aware of the challenge.

Examples

Early examples of games using Cutscenes include Pac-Man, which only used it for comical animations, and Donkey Kong, which used it forward a simple storyline. Later games such as Maniac Mansion used them more extensively to unfold narratives and the Dragon's Lair series paradoxically introduce interactivity into Cutscenes through the use of Quick Time Events. With the possibility of full motion video, games such Myst series and the Wing Commander series started to use human actors to portray the game characters and this has been continued in the Command & Conquer series.

Cutscenes are often include in Computer-Based Roleplaying Games, e.g. the Mass Effect series and The Witcher. While players can interrupt the Cutscenes that game masters provide in Tabletop Roleplaying Games such as Call of Cthulhu or Vampire: The Masquerade, this does not affect the game state since it only updates as the game master wishes.

Using the pattern

The primary reason for using Cutscenes are to convey information to players that they should not be able to miss, so designing Cutscenes need to first and foremost make the presentation clearly describe this information and after that consider when it should be given to the players. The most common use of Cutscenes are Narration Structures but specific cases when they can be used regardless of how they progress Narration Structures are transitions between Levels (the original use), depicting Quick Travel and some forms of Quick Returns.

Dedicated Game Facilitators Avatars Open Destiny Non-Player Characters Characters Enemies Freedom of Choice Torchlight Extra-Game Consequences MacGuffins

Game Masters

One part of making the information in Cutscenes difficult to miss is to not allow players to do anything else while they are taking place; this is most easily done by removing players ability to do actions (i.e. force them to do No-Ops).

To fully control the presentation of Cutscenes, they need to be designed in games with Dedicated Game Facilitators. However, the Cut Scenes do not have to be fully predetermined: having sets of Cut Scenes allows scenes to be chosen due to the current game state; using the game engine to run the Cut Scenes allows minor variations such as the positions of game elements; and using Game Masters allows Cut Scenes to be fully modulated with the game state and players.

Common places for Cut Scenes are in conjunction with Boss Monsters, Traces, and Surprises. The scenes can be used to show the presence of the two first, possible as Disruption of Focused Attention events, while the last can be fully instantiated by Cut Scenes. Cut Scenes are also commonly used to explain movement between Levels and give Game State Overview of new Levels or other game events.

Cut Scenes do not have to be video segments; Game Masters or players in Self-Facilitated Games can create the same kind of effects through Storytelling that is not interrupted.

Quick Time Events are a specific form of Cutscenes that requires player input to show successful versions rather than unwanted ones. While this is somewhat of a paradox, these events very rarely have more than one 'correct' way of performing them, making them mainly a question of providing the right (and known in advance) input and timing that input precisely.

An alternative to Cutscenes are Scripted Sequences, which allows players to affect the game state but not the part scripted.

Narrative Aspects

As mentioned above, one of the main reasons for using Cutscenes is to unfold Narration Structures.

Consequences

Cutscenes stop gameplay, and game time for Real-Time Games, and thereby are a form of Game Pauses which gives players Downtime. They are a form of Predetermined Story Structures, and one of the most controlled ways of Storytelling to present Narration Structures and Alternative Realities to players. As events that control the game state completely, Cutscenes are Ultra-Powerful Events which may cause Disruption of Focused Attention for players. Since it may be difficult to time the suitability of when to enforce global Downtime in Multiplayer Games, it is easier to time Cutscenes to the events in the game in Single-Player Games unless Game Masters are used.

When Cutscenes involve players or other agents, they are examples of Enforced Agent Behavior. They also enforce players to perform No-Ops while they are taking place (even if their Avatars or Characters are performing actions) - and this is true even if the Cutscenes do not involve the players.

Given that Cutscenes takes away players' agency the pattern is difficult to combine with given them an Exaggerated Perception of Influence. However, Cutscenes may give Strategic Knowledge about how to meet future challenges, e.g. through Achilles' Heels, and may thereby function as Goal Indicators and give players' a Determinable Chance to Succeed - all which gives rise to Stimulated Planning.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Alternative Realities, Determinable Chance to Succeed, Disruption of Focused Attention, Downtime, Enforced Agent Behavior, Game Pauses, Goal Indicators, Narration Structures, No-Ops, Predetermined Story Structures, Stimulated Planning, Storytelling, Strategic Knowledge, Ultra-Powerful Events

Can Modulate

Achilles' Heels, Quick Returns, Quick Travel, Real-Time Games

Can Be Instantiated By

Game Masters, Quick Time Events

Can Be Modulated By

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Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Exaggerated Perception of Influence

History

An updated version of the pattern Cut Scenes that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design.