Defining scenarios can be a little tricky because the term encompasses a wide variety of games. For many people, this variety is one of the best things about scenarios! A scenario is a kind of in-person storytelling game. While some storytelling games are very general, scenarios are very specific. If the word “scenario” has you thinking of an outline or plot to a movie, novel, or stage play, then you’ve got the right idea. Similarly, where many storytelling games employ all sorts of game mechanics to tell many kinds of stories, scenarios make use of only a few focused techniques for the purpose of exploring a specific subject or theme. Further, the scenario is designed with the goal of creating an emotionally potent play experience whether it be happy, sad, scary, reflective, or otherwise. As a game designer, scenarios offer the greatest freedom to challenge assumptions about play in many exciting ways because nothing is implied about which techniques are used, or what kinds of subjects can be approached. And because scenarios are so focused, not only are no two exactly alike, but they are less time consuming to create; which means there are more and more new scenarios – and new scenario authors – each year. There is always new stuff to explore! Few features are universally true of all scenarios. Many scenarios make use of roleplaying as a means of creating fiction. Many scenarios are live-action or semi-live, in which players move about the play space in real time, or are played out in a sequence of scenes. Many scenarios allow play to flow from moment to moment with minimal interruption by game procedures. Many scenarios explore serious social issues or express lived experiences. But then again, some use other techniques to tell a story, some take place around a table or through some digital means, and some are very silly.
Similar Activities
Scenarios take elements and inspiration from many other kinds of games, media, and entertainment. Scenarios are like…
- Improv and Theater because players are usually portraying characters, but are different because there are game rules guiding player decisions and interactions.
- Film and Literature because they follow specific characters and stories – which often have a message and are quite moving – but are different because everyone is making up the details as they go.
- Escape Rooms because you are interacting with a play environment in real time with other players, but are different because the narrative is the primary focus of play, rather than a puzzle.
- Murder Mystery Dinner Theater because of the strong narrative premise and participant interaction, but are different because there is an emphasis on collaborative storytelling, rather than discovering one specific solution.
- Make Believe because participants are lost in their imagination and are playing pretend very loosely, but are different because there is a bit more structure and possibly some more serious subject matter.
- Story Games and RPGs because players are telling stories together and roleplaying characters, but are different because they are less complicated and typically have specific situations, themes, subjects, and play styles; nobody has to create a whole bunch of content before play.
- Freeform and Larp because play is live or semi-live and is highly sensory, but are different because they are transparent about what’s going on, take only a few hours to play, and because they explore subjects that are stated up front. It’s true that many freeform games and Nordic larps are also scenarios; there is a lot of overlap with these traditions! In fact, the term “scenario” was first used in Scandinavian gaming communities to describe focused roleplaying games and chamber larps. Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably.
Learn More about the Scenario Style
Lizzie Stark, primary author of the blog Leaving Mundania, has posted some very useful articles that introduce freeform, American freeform, larp, Nordic larp, and jeepform if you are interested in reading about these styles in greater detail.There are several events at which scenarios and similar games are played.