Consider a game scenario: You're a 1930's San Francisco gumshoe in a film noir-styled game. You meet a sexy, dubious damsel in distress, who dresses in red and looks at you with bedroom eyes while relaying a sad story that may or may not be true. She describes San Francisco as a "toy box masquerading as a city." Later in the game you meet her sister, who mentions that she likes cable cars, because "they're like toys for grownups." These two sisters think in similar ways. This helps convince us that they are at least friends, and it won't surprise us to learn they're sisters. This technique can also be used if the two sisters are present together in the same room. Let's say you're in a cinematic. SISTER #1: How do you like the city? You picked a good time to -- SISTER #2 (interrupting): The cable cars are a hoot -- SISTER #1: (interrupting) -- like riding around inside a big toy box. I know. Or, we could be a little more layered, by writing them so they have things in common, but also some disagreements. SISTER #1: How do you like the city? Spring here is so...springy -- SISTER #2 I'm not the one who gets depressed in winter. SISTER #1: It's a condition. SISTER #2: The cable cars -- SISTER #1: I know. Like riding around inside a big toy box. SISTER #2: (realizing) That dress -- It's mine. SISTER #1: We both know it looks better on me. Is there anyone who, reading the preceding, wouldn't think these two people are sisters or at least friends? That's because this example uses five NPC Toward NPC Character Chemistry Techniques:
I had mentioned there were five Chemistry Techniques at work here. The fifth, fighting, deserves a more in-depth look. |