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

Real-Time Games Dedicated Game Facilitators Exaggerated Perception of Influence Avatars Open Destiny Quick Returns Levels Non-Player Characters Characters Stimulated Planning Enemies Freedom of Choice Torchlight Quick Travel Enforced Agent Behavior Extra-Game Consequences Single-Player Games Game Masters MacGuffins Storytelling

Game Masters

To fully control the presentation of Cut Scenes, 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

Ultra Powerful Events

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

Consequences

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

Player's Illusion of Influence is of course difficult to maintain during Cut Scenes, and they may affect the overall impression of influence as well. However, Cut Scenes may give Strategic Knowledge about how to meet future challenges and may thereby function as Goal Indicators and increase players' Perceived Chance to Succeed, and give rise to Stimulated Planning.

History

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