One of the most necessary and most hated aspects of scenario design is writing dialogue, especially periphery dialogue. After the 20th shopkeeper, it does become very hard to think of anything original.
So, how do you make interesting, realistic characters? I have a little method of my own.
- What is the character’s function in the scenario?
People who exist to advance the plot are usually not too difficult to write dialogue for, as they will normally be interesting anyway (unless the plot sucks). Shopkeepers are usually the hardest to do, so we’ll pick one of them. Let’s make this guy a blacksmith.
- What things have been happening lately?
Let’s say the town has been attacked by goblins a few times (yes, I know this is boring and generic, but it’ll do for an example).
- How has this affected the character personally?
It’s easy to say there’s a war and make the character voice his opinions of it, but after a while that gets old and repetitive and worst of all, difficult. Instead of that, think about how it could have affected this guy himself. Perhaps a friend or relative has been killed in the fighting? Perhaps he was going to be drafted into the army but escaped because he has a bad leg? With our goblin example, let’s say our blacksmith has stopped making ploughs and horseshoes and started making weapons because of demand.
- How does the character react to this?
Maybe he’s not happy, because he’s never been good at making weapons. Maybe he’s a swindler, and is charging more than they’re worth because he knows people need them. Maybe he hates those goblins and hopes that his weapons will kill as many of them as possible. Whatever his reaction is, it ought to come out in his dialogue.
No worries, you say. But what about my town Nowheresville, where (at first) nothing at all happens? What do I do when my blacksmith hasn’t got any goblins to worry about?
I would say, if you haven’t got any big events, make small events. Say his neighbor has a noisy visitor at his place, or his kids are doing badly at school, or his brother has just got married. These things happen in real life, and people think and talk about them. Adding them to your scenario adds a layer of depth and realism that all too many lack. Obviously, if something big happens these things are going to be driven from his mind, but in the absence of goblins (or sickness, or war, or whatever) it’s a good idea.
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