Hi guys. I've asked the Order 66 lads this but I would like your thoughts on it.

CUTSCENES!

Star Wars (and almost all epic movies of note) are rife with scenes from the BBEGs perspective, that the heros have no knowledge of.

I wish to implement one tomorrow night at the close of Beyond the Rim. My party has a lightsaber wielding force sensitive who will no doubt slice and dice some stormtroopers as they escape, and I want to do a little post credits scene involving the Imperial clean up operation getting a visit from an Inquisitor, who is very interested in the unique way that some of the stormies died.

So how do you manage this, giving player foreshadowing but not character knowledge? This system is not just cooperative storrytelling but cooperative epic space opera screenwriting, there should be moments of dread and insight as to what the Empire is doing beyond that of which the PCs have witnessed.

I've been thinking about this as it is appropriate for my campaign. I will watch this thread closely, since I am not sure how to do this.

I use "cutaways" occasionally. I usually write a summary of the previous session, touching upon story and character highlights, and will sometimes include one, maybe two cutaways appropriately spaced within the summary's chronology from the opposition's POV.

I also write headlines for "top" news stories, and I sometimes include plot hooks that reveal a few more behind-the-scenes details. If the players let them pass by without engaging in those hooks it's still a good way to show them the galaxy continues spinning without their involvement. They once had a chance to get in on the ground floor of a new technology, passed on the hook, and later discovered a minor rival had taken up with it.

I also pull old dreads forward in time from previous campaigns and story arcs.

I sometimes write a short script, make one copy for each "actor," then hand them out with their role highlighted. Having the players read them out loud gets them involves so that I'm not just reading at them. I usually read the scene setting, then let them take the roles of the NPCs. Keep it short, like 2 pages max. You don't need to give secrets away, just give them some foreshadowing of the villain and the events outside their direct experience.

I've used it in Deadlands to demonstrate just how despicable a particular outlaw was, thieving from a family of starving homesteaders, then murdering their son. It also gave them a sense of familiarity when they found the same farm, only now it's populated by zombies. Well, Faminites, which are similar, but maybe even scarier. Dang, I should run Deadlands again...

I also used it in 50 Fathoms, at the beginning of the campaign, to introduce the Sea Hags. I felt it necessary to try to evoke Macbeth's three witches, so I did my best to imitate Shakespearean verse.

Try to keep the cuts scenes short and impactful. Show the type of fear the BBEG inspires in his own troops. Remember that since the players are not involved in the scene you should try to avoid doing a monologue where you end up talking to yourself while your players start looking for the take out menu.

I do mine via between session facebook messages or email.

I do mine via between session facebook messages or email.

Thats what I decided to do as it was a "After credits scene.(and it was 1:30am when we wrapped up)

For completness here is the post in Question:

As the sky still rained down debris from the destroyed Imperial cruiser, the cleanup investigation at scrapheap point had already begun. What was left of the local garrison were picking through the blasted debris pulling out mangled and crushed bodies, far outnumbering the few survivors.

In one of the medical troop transports, a lone trooper sat in the corner, battered and bloodied with his helmet off, gazed out at nothing, rocking back and forth whilst the Officer and tech specialists gazed around the operating table. Pieces of severed armour were strewn across the surface, char marks clear on the edges and the smell of ozone and cauterised flesh drifting from the contents within.

"Have you seen wounds like this before coreman?" The Lieutenant asked.

"No sir, but a specialist has been called in who apparently has?"

"On who's authority?" The officer balked

An ominous voice droned from the hatchway behind him "That would be Lord Vader's"

Turning, the Lieutenant saw a black hooded figure, with stylized black armour Embossed with the Imperial Seal. He moved into the room and closed the hatchway behind.

"This investigation is now under the auspices of the Inquisition. All your data regarding this incident shall bs transfered and purged. Immediately" the figure emphasized the last word with a gesture to the tech, who quickly turned petrified and set to work at the nearby terminal

"Is this the witness, Lieutenant?" The officer nodded, suddenly feeling cold and afriad.

The man walked and knelt infront of the trooper. "Did you see what caused this?"

The soldier nodded

"Was it one of these?" A black cylinder was drawn from beneath black robes

The soldier nodded again.

"Unfortunate" the cylinder snapped to life, producing a glowing red blade of hissing light.

The screams from within the transport were lost on the howling winds outside

Hiya Funk Fu, good question!

I've been using Cut Scenes in my Star Wars games ever I first ran a session in the old WEG books! They're a great tool for increasing tension an managing the players expectations. too! The goal isn't to keep out of game knowledge from the players, but instead allow that out of game knowledge to increase the tension and suspense of the adventure. In any given adventure, I'll typically have an "Opening Cut-Scene" between 2 and 3 Cut-scenes mid adventure, and a final "Cut-Away" at the end, to close the adventure.

Opening Cut-Scene: This scene is set up to introduce the characters to the current adventure, and begin the game 'in media res' which is a term that means "in the middle of action." Most Star Wars movies begin with something already happening - and the way I convey this setup in game is to write a scene in which the players all have a part in a script, and read their lines as I describe the action. This is incredibly useful for delivering the PCs to the adventure without any unexpected deviations, allowing the opening sessions to establish the course of the adventure without it feeling like you're on rails. You deliver the PCs to the doorstep of the first encounter, give them context of how and why they ended up there, and then set the stage for the encounter in a single neat package.

Mid-Adventure Cut Scenes: Most of my adventures follow a three act play concept, and then the campaign is a series of these adventures. I generally will add a Cut-Scene for each of theses acts which fill one of three duties: a) it reorients the players to the story if they get off-course, b) it sets up the arrival of a new plot element or villian, or c) it adds urgency to a situation or updates them to a new mechanic their characters would not otherwise have knowledge of. In the first case, players tend to run sideways with plot sometimes, fixating on minute details and ridiculous shopping sprees. A lot of times, they loose track of the story being run and need something to reorient them to the task at hand. A cut-scene in the form of a montage or showing the enemy movement in a specific area can be used to get them to focus on the next step of the adventure, or resolve side actions that might slow the story in a quick and easy format. The second use, and usually the most common, is to introduce new story elements to the adventure, such as the arrival of a new villain or macguffin. I most commonly use it to heighten the tension of the players by showcasing some dubious ability, malevolent evil of the BBEG, or provide foreshadowing of something they will need to do in relation to the resolution of the plot - a clue on what they will need to do to beat the boss for example. It can also be used (as it is in the example below) to subvert expectations and provide a false fear that later turns into a reveal. Finally, it can be used to push the players in a manner they wouldn't normally expect. For instance, if the game is designed around a time table, but the PCs have no reason to assume that, a Cut-Scene showing the BBEG set up a self-destruct sequence will inform the players that you (as GM) have added a time element to the game, yet it does so in a way to maintain the immersion in the story.

Final Cut-Away: This is the parting scene that wraps up the story and clearly transitions to the handing out of rewards. It simultaneously allows you to conclude the story arc, set up the next adventure, or resolve any ambiguous endings that may have occurred during play. Think of it like the mid-credits scenes in movies - teasing the return of the villain, or introducing a new character that will appear in the next chapter. These are simple ways to announce that the adventure has concluded and allow for a clean transition to the next "in media res" opening.

A good example of this comes in the WEG module "Otherspace II:Invasion" which I converted to FFG's system. It has all the good bits described above. The opening crawl has the GM describe the rebel vessel in hyperspace, and set up the PC's having a conversation as they approach the point to jump back to realspace. The PCs have a conversation wherein they talk about their destination as being an Alliance SafeWorld that has missed their communications check in with Alliance HQ. One of the PCs is placed in the position as not knowing what a SafeWorld is, allowing another PC through the script to explain it to the PCs in game. It is also established that one of the PCs has family on the world. Finally, the ship drops into realspace and finds an Alliance cargo hauler running right at them, the pilot frantic and demanding they get out of his way or he'll blast them. This sets up the first encounter wherein they can find out something is definitely going wrong on the world below.

The first Cutscene comes in the form of a force-vision, or empathic bond. The PC with family sees through their kin's eyes that they are bound in darkness, struggling and full of fear. They hear their family member speak to themselves, begging for the PC to hurry. This sets up not only the urgency to get planetside and resolve what is going on, but also the idea that in order to be successful, there are people trapped and the PCs must rescue the civilians. The second Cut Scene introduces the BBEG, and frames him in the darkness, with a silhouette describing a form not unlike Darth Vader. A rasping, booming baritone reinforces the idea. He speaks of his plan proceeding as he has foreseen before cutting to a group of rebels still free hiding in the depths of the base. A leader figure bolsters their hopes as they bemoan the dire situation. This Cut Scene both introduces the villian, who appears to be Darth Vader himself, and also informs the PCs there are allies in the adventure if they can find them. The next Cut-Scene shows the villains, now revealed to be the insectoid Charon, as readying for a full scale assault, letting the PCs know that they are entering the final battle, and serving as a transition for the Acts.

The Final Cut-Away shows the PCs being thanked by the crew of the base, and wishing them a fond farewell before ending in the final credits and closing theme, signalling the end of the adventure and the successful completion.

"A squad of stormtroopers secure the site, as Imperial Technicians investigate the wreckage. More than a few of the techs stop and puzzle over the clean cuts on several of the bodies, and some of the surrounding terrain. The sound of a shuttle on approach pulls their attention skyward, the noise increasing as a second shuttle joins the first. Both land several meters away, and begin to deploy squads of black-suited troopers...and one lone individual whos features are hidden in a hooded cloak. The black-clad troopers fan out and quickly hustle the technicians and their brethren into a single area, disarming each one, while the cloaked man...woman?...slowly walks the site, pausing at several of the slashed bodies. He...she?...kneels to investigate the wounds at each one before slowly returning to the main group. One of the black troopers strides to the individual, stopping and snapping off a crisp salute.

'Is this all?', the individual asks, voice hidden by a distortion device.

'Yes, sir,' the trooper replies. 'All squads and technicians accounted for. Is this a Black Op?'

The individual turns and surveys the site, then speaks. 'It is. Sterilize the site.'

The black trooper nods and turns to the assembled group, leveling his weapon at the shocked technicians and troopers. The other black clad troopers do the same, each aiming at their hapless prisoners. The individual turns back to the site, lowering her hood and surveying the area as technicians in black uniforms deploy from the shuttle....the black armored stormtroopers opening fire..."