Is Critical Role Scripted?

[@ItsDeffoScott]

I'm actually the show script writer, the season finale where an oiled up Danny DeVito bursts out of the table wielding a rubber sword and shield shouting, 'It's me! Hobo Swaggins!' is really going to round out the whole adventure and exceed audience expectations.

[@ljmiller96]

Are you talking about Harmon Quest?

[@EpicEmpires-pb7zv]

@@RS3isRealscape What ItsDeffoChris didn't tell you is I was his coffee boy and I came up with the Danny Devito idea. He should be naked but he was too much of a wuss to write it in that way. He left out the nuclear explosion and the resulting zombie horde too. The Walking Fallout would have been a hit bigger than The Game Of Thrones.

[@shawnallenlott]

​@RS3isRealscape Oh gosh I really hope so 🥹🤞🏻

[@moes80]

I love how your "click bait" title actuality led to a dungeon crafting video rather than internet drama. Very sneaky sneaky of you!

[@theGhoulman]

Gotta game that algorithm. ;p

[@AyarARJ]

Depends on the algorithm. I watch about 20% of PDM vids I used to following the "I want to make a point...for 4 weeks" nonsense. I have better things to do than guessing whether the vid is about something of interest to me or not.

[@chapman3713]

He laid the trap and I blundered into it.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you. ;)

[@darrylhodgson8764]

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 I believe that is called "good advertising"!?! Appreciate your work to make our games easy and fun.

[@ricebrown1]

To quote a Disney employee when a child was asking if a baobab tree was real, the guide simply answered "It is really there."

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

lol

[@THELUBINTHEMORNING]

This video asks the wrong question. There may be no scripted lines, but it's still an orchestrated performance, just like any other reality TV show. These kinds of performances give the contestants (or in this case the paid actors) expectations in advance with room to improv. Even if they weren't coordinating their efforts as a TV cast, any GM worth their salt knows to say things like "I'm loosing control of this game" to instill a sense of agency in the players, or in this case, the audience. Matt knows the camera is what counts, he's selling the idea that it's candid because he's a successful actor in his own right. Just as Saturday morning cartoons of the 90s were made to sell action figures, this show is made to sell Critical Role products.

[@johnholttum7573]

LMAO. I have a robot butterfly in a jar in my office. When my patients (kids) come in they always ask if it's real. And I always say "It's really there."

[@haresay1568]

I think it generally comes down to the WWE Vs Backyard wrestling experience. Matt knows how to arrange situations and GM to never have a moment where the campaign really grinds to a halt. The crew probably all talk and know what story beats their characters are going through and who wants to lean on what. My real point to say "It's probably fake and pre-planned." Is that they don't usually show their dice-rolls. In later campaigns they made their dice boxes smaller, easier to see into. But they also put a LOT of clutter between them and the camera in places that would seem slightly... odd to place things As well as the fact that it is nearly impossible to see what they rolled anyway with out god vision on giant TVs.. I'm not disputing that they are rolling the dice. But I wouldn't be surprised if the actors were told to Fudge numbers occasionally for certain pivotal scenes.

[@plus1creator]

I drove for Kilimanjaro Safaris on my Disney internship; I *loved* getting to be goofy like that.

[@BobWorldBuilder]

Great video, Professor!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you kindly.

[@yobgodababua1862]

Easy Sanity Check: Compare the crew when reading the sponsor crap, which IS scripted, to when they're playing.

[@irontemplar6222]

Im sorry but what mate? They intentionally play those bits up for laughs... how would that tell you anything?

[@yobgodababua1862]

@@irontemplar6222 The point is that it's pretty obvious when they are being teleprompted. Pay attention to their eyes and speech patterns.

[@irontemplar6222]

@yobgodababua1862 ...except they wouldn't need a teleprompter for it to be scripted. Also you do realize that he has those lines memorized for the adds half the time. He even revealed on several occasions the papers he was reading from were blank! If you honestly think them reading an add is a reflection of their acting ability. I have some farmland in the Atlantic Ocean to sell you

[@seangreen6456]

You hit the nail on the head. They are professionals working together to make a show for an audience. As professionals they are aware of what will work for an audience and try to make choices that will entertain. Being skilled and playing with purpose are not the same as being fake.

[@DungeonsforDecades]

Correct. It's far more scripted than any natural, organic, correctly-run OSR game. They are professional actors engaged in a money-making enterprise. Some few surprises? Sure. But as open as natural games? Nope. This is mostly planned. Smart people don't mess with their own income stream. That said, it's meant to SEEM organic and unpredictable.

[@stevecarter8810]

Much less so than, e.g. dimension 20. I also think that a lot of it is just that as a group of actors in anime and video games, they have a common inform language when it comes to story beats, what is cool, and when to leave space for dramatic moments. Like Jax musicians can call the tune and the key and produce something original, the cr players are recognising the offered beats and working together to bring it about

[@johnclikeman5041]

@@DungeonsforDecades But OSR isn't the "correct" way to play the game. It's a single style which some people like and some people don't. Critical Role never pretended that they were running an OSR game, and neither do most D&D players. Critical Role is absolutely more scripted than an OSR hexcrawl, but it's not more scripted than an average 5e group running an adventure from a module. They have a general idea of what overarching story they are getting into, (e.g. "dragons are attacking and we're going to fight them," or, "there's a huge conspiracy involving the moons and we're going to solve it,") and the players buy in to trying to tell the story together. That doesn't make the game "unnatural." It doesn't even make it dissimilar from many, many campaigns that happen in private. It just represents the choice to prioritize telling a story over preserving the absolute freedom of the players to do whatever they want at all times. Even if you believe Critical Role made this choice for cynical reasons, other groups do it with no ulterior motives (and if you can believe that groups that don't get paid actually find this more fun, then I'm not sure why it can't be true of Critical Role as well).

[@scandalousdeity]

@@DungeonsforDecades That was pretty much my thoughts on the subject. Speaking as someone who's fallen off the CR wagon years ago, do I think that CR is "scripted"? Yes, sort of. "Scripted", in the sense that CR has cultivated a particular audience. And they want to keep that audience. So they will create PCs, NPCs, and storylines/themes that will appeal to that audience. That wasn't necessarily the case with Vox Machina, because that was created/developed as their own home game well before it was ever a business for them. But everything since...yeah. I think it was developed with their audience in mind instead of purely player driven. Do they know everything Matt is going to do to them, so they have their reactions planned out? No, it's not that level of scripted. But I can certainly see them getting together during and prior to Session 0, going over their character with Matt (and possibly the rest of the gang), and discussing the character arc they want to go on. Moreso planned than just telling Matt "here's my character and backstory", and Matt coming up with something completely on his own for his own sadistic glee. ;-)

[@connorlohse4097]

Don’t mind me I’m just tickling the algorithm

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for your support.

[@connorlohse4097]

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 you owe me, big time. I demand a .000000009 royalty on this video.

[@Xplora213]

@@connorlohse4097careful, he’ll send it to you less the obvious admin fee to process it and it will cost you money 😂

[@BegravelseinBrussels]

At one point in campaign 2, he mentioned having several maps built for use depending on where the heroes encountered a particular fight. At another point, he called for a break while he went to build a battle map (I think the group decided to go T-Rex hunting?) neither of these things scream "scripted" in the sense that people who complain about critical role seem to think. However, I don't se nearly as many of them as youtubers youtubing about this topic seem to see. Maybe I don't spend enough time in the comment section...

[@TroySpace]

Remember when the gang went to the dock to rescue some dude, then wound up stealing the ship. Matt basically went, "there goes all my planning for the next six or so weeks, that's fine..." Also there was the time Travis rebelled against his patron, crippling his character for a while and putting him and the party on an eldritch god's sh*t list. Also his fake accent was revealed but that was intentional (to the audience - not the other players). Travis can play a long game.

[@Dragonmacher]

I think to many people on the internet immediatly jump onto the "scripted" wagon. So many people look at these shows in the worst possible light without any reason. Just because some shows have shown to be scripted in the end, doesn't mean every single show is fully scripted.

[@jayvir6]

Matt got visibly flustered when their group sidestepped an entire ship combat encounter as well. Torn up the several sheets he made up for naval combat.

[@TroySpace]

@@jayvir6 haha, yes I remember that! And the players looked like they were thinking, "oops, but ok whatever..."

[@grondhero]

@@jayvir6 I remember that. Matt was using Critical Role to playtest ship combat and Sam essentially used a spell to sink the ship.

[@PatrickSamphire]

Speaking as a professional writer, it would be a hundred times more difficult to script this convincingly than to let the players improvise to a situation. Scripting, learning, and performing four hours of content each week would be an absurd undertaking and it wouldn't come off like this. Yes, a lot of work has clearly been done on the characters and where their stories are likely to lead them, but that's an entirely different thing.

[@krisdavis3888]

Totally agree, Mercer puts a lot of work into crafting every detail of his world but he doesn't rely on the players to follow a set path that has been rehearsed or planned out beforehand.

[@DrFranklynAnderson]

I’m reminded of Who’s Line is it Anyway. It’s near-impossible for us laypeople to imagine that stuff like the songs on random topics weren’t planned out ahead of time, but apparently they were.

[@Greatfang1319]

I write my adventures for my players like an old dnd module. I then update the notes as the players progress and include likely scenarios or choices that they might make. Then, on game night, I write down what I would like to see or get to and improve as necessary. So really the adventure is for me to script out, then descript for the players so it makes it more fun and loose. It takes stress off of me since I know beforehand how much we'll play that night, opens the sandbox up for the players since they won't be railroaded and it cuts down the notes I need to take with me since I'll have most of it memorized. Kinda like a debate team that comes in and doesn't look at any notes since their prepared and practiced that they don't need to check their notes

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing!

[@GontltsufOgrpwr]

Greatfang, that’s a good policy

[@BigFunger]

Excellent video! I love it when experienced dungeon masters pull back the curtain and show the actual tools that they use, warts and all. Those notebooks are a work of art.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you kindly. You can check them out on Patreon.

[@kevinfelton689]

Holy crap! I think I'd rather have the professor's notebook than the module.

[@kvici]

it needs to be crowdfunded and distributed to GMs for greater good.

[@btshire]

Agreed!

[@ronin7997]

Professor's notes puts many published modules to shame. Very impressive!

[@davedujour1]

Planning is very different than scripting. CR isn't scripted, but there's definitely planning going on, not just from Matt but the players (sometimes) plan in between sessions about what they are hoping to do.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing!

[@pedro4205]

Unless they are master class actors, you can see the confusions and reactions. They have some ideas but the players aren't just acting on a script. But most of then are actors and can really convincing on their acting of the character, and i think that makes it feel more scripted.

[@BainesMkII]

"Scripting" becomes an issue if players are planning *with* Matt, beyond what you'd reasonably expect for a "real" game and what is necessary for show production. That kind of planning turns Critical Role into just another "reality TV" product, a deliberately engineered fiction trying to pass itself off as "real". Which wouldn't itself necessarily be bad, except for the "trying to pass itself off as" part.

[@Mannahnin]

And a certain degree of between- session planning is just what engaged players do. Obviously if you're trying to entertain an audience you have even more incentive to be engaged and to look for ways for your character to have a cool dramatic arc, but that's still something I see in regular home games.

[@lawrencebarber8583]

They plan the same way every dnd group does. There isn’t anything disingenuous going on here.

[@NocturnalPeacock]

Brave of you to do the video without your vest of protection +1 ! Just kidding, awesome video like always Professor! Also, really love how you prepare your adventures! That is also exactly how I made my one- to three page adventures

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

It's at the cleaners!

[@NocturnalPeacock]

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 Famous last words , Professor, famous last words...

[@theGhoulman]

gotta say, I'm jealous of his notes for a dungeon too. Mine are... different? ;p

[@dwainedwards615]

Man i need to get better at taking notes. Its one of the areas ive fallen behind as a gm

[@artaweunderhill4480]

You get a like and comment for mentioning Tanis half-elven from Dragons of Autum Twilight. One does still remember these stories with fondnesss. I do like your handwritten adventure notes. These do look to me more like a work of art, with all the details and time you put into. I am guilty of stopping your vid from time to time to just look at these beautiful pages you made. Thanks for shareing.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for watching. It means a lot.

[@YoriTheHuman]

Good GM tips and great video, Professor! I normally make my sessions with no prep and full improv, most of the narrative is sometimes generated by my random event tables. During the session, everything I dispose of is one to three key locations, clear objectives and a time limit. Also, I always keep in mind the "less exposition, more demolition" philosophy when constructing the scenes with my players. Also, the one and only Deathbringer should totally be part of the Bells Hells campaign series. Best character for me indeed.

[@jackmorrison5272]

As always you give me stuff to think about. I have been gamemastering for 35 years but its great to have an experienced gm give you his viewpoint and sometimes challenge your ideas. I don't always reach the same conclusion as you, but my games have definitely improved because giving some thought to your ideas.

[@tripfoward]

Great video. I particularly like how you segued the video into, essentially, a separate video on DM advice

[@scottturner3831]

Critical role is 100% fake. The cast isn't even real people. They are computer generated.

[@marcclement6597]

Shhh! you're not supposed to know

[@iam0rion1]

They were AI generated all along.

[@tzviizaksonas8572]

I heard they are operated by birds operated by the CIA

[@negatron313]

Oh I just thought they were like the rest of Hollywood, paid actors

[@retrostoryteller]

I would believe that

[@mikegould6590]

How do I plan? I develop encounters, NPCs, perhaps new monsters or magic items, then improv from there. I might set up **some** encounters, but for the most part, I react to the players...who react to me. Maps are either pre made or improvised. The trick is to watch the players and know their intent. Once you figure out that, making things up on the fly is easy. It's a better balancing method than 5Es concept of CR, that's for sure.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Ulfhamr-v7u]

I know i heard taliesan say that orion got the mirror idea from him. It was in a conversation that taliesan had with matt out of session and he had ultimately scrapped the idea. Orien was trying to implement the idea and they knew it but were trying to maintain kayfabe. Everyone was getting fed up with oriens attempts to manipulate the game and travis' frustration came out in that moment.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing!

[@APL314159265]

As a former streamer, I was both GM and player in several online games, the players will sometimes discuss a dramatic plan when they know of an upcoming event, "You do this and I will do that when this situation arises.". Players will also talk with the GM in advance to set up something they want to do. At most I would call it influenced improvisation. Players, myself included, will try to preplan certain remarks, quips, and actions that will develop their characters in the direction you wish. My streaming was with Mann Shorts (www.youtube.com/@MannShorts)

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing!

[@christianobrien2649]

This has been my theory on how they operate as well. Players communicating with eachother and the DM between sessions about what they hope to get out of game play.

[@kalendraf]

Thanks for the video! It had some useful tips like only preparing what's necessary and staying one step ahead of the players. Also thanks for showing the kitchen drawer organizer for holding miniatures. That's an interesting idea, but the lack of a cover seems to make that a bit less ideal for transport. For organizing and transporting minis, I usually use flat plastic tackle boxes with moveable dividers such as the Plano Stowaway series, but there are other cheaper brands available too. When I used to use more metal miniatures, I also added felt or foam to the bottom and sides, but that doesn't seem to be as necessary for plastic figures.

[@28mmRPG]

Session -1, the Brainstorm: Co-create a setting WITH your players to set up the "knowns" while you secretly figure out the "unknowns". The players then figure out what their characters are going to be. Set the tone with your players, we often ask ourselves what movie are we trying to get close to? Director style? We are not making a movie, but we are taking the tone of it. Then I prep out what my NPC's are doing, their plans, and how it will change the world if they succeed. Thats it. (NPC's include monsters and organizations). I have a few locations "realized" out, I usually don't have places to grind-out levels, as our players tend to prefer locations with a smaller handful of interesting rooms or sections. Of course our players are proactive, so they control their pace, but I (as GM) will insert the occasional "push" from organizations/NPC's that make sense (as a result of cause/effect) or makes the characters ask questions on the motives of these NPC's. The players drive their own story, and I run with what the players are doing.

[@normative]

Maybe this is just semantics, but I wouldn’t call most of the sort of preparation you’re talking about “scripting.” There’s a difference between a set designer and a playwright. I might have extensively prepared maps and locations and NPC profiles with notes on psychology and motivation, but no real idea how the story will play out past the initial quest assignment and some potential combat encounters, assuming the players don’t find a clever way to circumvent it.

[@JayBee-x2g]

That is a great analogy, and I get the feeling Mercer gets a lot of satisfaction from his worldbuilding in an OCD sort of way almost, but with a group of players that size he also has to be prepared for anything.

[@isaacb4229]

Great video! I like the subtle nose tweak of anyone complaining about click bait videos and not enough dungeon craft. That was both subtle and hilarious. I really like what you have to say here, and I will try to take something away from it. I tend to fall into the "DM who over-prepares" trap, but try to remain open to my group of chaos gremlins doing something unexpected. What I try to do in preparing (to varying degrees of success) is something I picked from another internet-famous dungeon master, and friend of Critical Role, Mark "Sherlock" Hulmes of "High Rollers." He talks about the "iceberg approach." Basically, what the players can see of the objectives, the story, even the setting, is the top of the iceberg, and *that* part needs to be very well defined. There might well be a lot more to it, but until it's time for them to interact with it, that material can remain fairly rough and nebulous. This way I can be very specific about what's happening in the next session, but also be filling in bits and pieces of where things are going, or what's happening with NPCs, or new setting details (homebrew world), either as part of my narrative or in response to something my players have done, without being worried about it being very detailed right then and there. Again, to varying degrees of success. Last thing - you've talked about Critical Role a couple of times here. It might be interesting to get your take on High Rollers (who fairly recently kicked off their second campaign), Dimension 20, or any of the other actual plays in the six-degrees-of-Matt-Mercer cosmology.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

I have been a fan of Mulligan And Emily since College Humor. I think he is FANTASTIC and I try to emulate his energy. Which requires Red Bull before the game session.

[@TheWoodlandFellowship]

I've watched Critical Role for years now. (And I've been a long-term fan of yours, too, Professor!) I think you nailed it on the head: planning is not the same as prescribing conclusions. It's painfully evident when CR are doing something scripted, such as ad reads or transitioning topics on 4-Sided Dive. The game is clearly not. Some elements, such as guest players, inherently require some amount of planning. I have noticed that a majority of those who think CR games are scripted are also those who detest heavy improvisation in RPGs. One does not cause the other, but I think there's at least a strong correlation. Truly, I don't think any less of anyone for how they want to play their games, but I think it really comes down to each viewer's/player's philosophy of RPG gaming as to whether they enjoy Critical Role.

[@rongriffis]

I love the way you organize and note your sessions. I am sadly not nearly so organized, but you are a great inspiration.

[@NiagaraThistle]

I love all videos by Dungeon Craft. Great vid as usual

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Glad you like them!

[@BlaueEnte_]

When someone condescendingly says any actual play show is scripted, it makes me wonder if they've ever DM'd before. I am no actor, but my friends and I enjoy narratively fulfilling games with dynamic encounters and complex character arcs. We have no script, but we do make our expectations clear to each other. Player - "My character has a magical birthmark that has been the source of prejudice against them their whole life. I want to tell a story with this character about how they overcome that." Me - "Okay, are you wanting to reconcile with your agressors? Do you want to embrace or reject this part of yourself?" Player - "Reconciliation is less important to me, but if there's an opportunity I'd be happy to explore that. My character will definitely reject that part of themselves, but I'm hoping to organically overcome that during play." Me - "Cool! See you next week." Is that a script? I dont think so. If Matt and the rest of CR do any of that, their improv and acting chops can take care of the rest.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing!

[@HeavyTopspin]

I believe "some" things are scripted, but no more than in a "discuss things with the DM before the session" way. For instance, Scanlan leaving the party in C1 and Mollymauk's death in C2 really did feel to me like they had been planned out in advance - by the players of those characters letting Matt know their intentions before the session. Mainly because I really got the feeling that Sam wanted to try something beyond horny bard, and Taliesin realized he'd chosen a character that wasn't going to be all that fun to play and figured a tragic demise would do more for the other players and the story than a simple departure. But especially when they would have guest players, you could TELL from how things often got clunky and bogged down, especially when the guests weren't professional actors.

[@SpaghettiWst]

When people say scripted, they don't mean GM planning.

[@pacodance29]

yeah, have a note written down is technically a scribed piece of work, but unless you read that note verbatim, it's not a script.

[@AdamK1095]

I think the notes/index cards of plot points (be they story or dungeon) are really important when you are basically improving this game.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks

[@Stray_GM]

I never got all the hate for CR. It's not for me, but its impact has been undeniable. No telling how many people joined the hobby because of it. And if it is scripted: so what? It brings people joy week after week.

[@TheGreatDudist]

GREAT video, Professor. This actually excites me for you, because whether you intended to or not, I think you've figured out how to tick the algorithm while ALSO making the videos that you want to. I'd recommend continuing to do videos like this until you've massively grown your viewership. As in: "Clickbaiting" the TRENDING buzz-topics (Hasbro, WoTC, Critical Role, etc.), ESPECIALLY Critical Role. And then use it as a segway into a DUNGEON CRAFT video. As you did here, take what Matt Mercer does and segway into what YOU like to do concerning topics: Terrain, exposition, world-building, etc.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Lol. It's not easy. The next thumbnail was creates with Baron DeRopp of Dungeon Masterpiece. I have to call in ringers to figure out my thumbnails!

[@seanferguson-th6ny]

Love seeing the simple but "artisanal" scenario notebook! I agree that simpler is better and with a few random tables or scenarios built in as quick-draw options is a great way to keep the narrative going without having to pause too much or stop the session because you haven't prepared something.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Totally agree!

[@GIJoeFactotum]

Okay you’ve done some great videos in the past, but I think this is one of your best. I’d like to see more like this, maybe going into a little more detail of various things touched on. Here’s why this video was so good: Instead of talking about the need to do cool things when running a game, or talking about problems when running a game, you did something that I like to call taking off the top of my head so you can see inside. I was a middle school teacher for many years, and one of the things I would do after describing our class objective is that I would tell the students “now I’m going to take off the top of my head so you can see inside.” I would then show the students some of my thought process, or even various thought processes to reaching the objective, how I might organize my data table, what things I think are important to focus on, or even how to map out my plans or organize drawings. This is what you did that I thought was so beneficial. We saw exactly what tables you create, exactly how you organize possible events, and what information you think is important to focus on. You didn’t merely talk about it, you specifically showed us your real-world examples. This gives us much more information than just discussing it. We see it and can then make judgements on what we like, what we would add, or what we would do differently. The important thing is we had a tangible example to get us started in the process. For example of random charts I like the idea of using 2D6 charts so I have a nice bell curve of probability so I can have more common encounter and more rare encounters. It also allows me to list encounter as more dangerous (numbers like 2,3,&4), and more benign or possibly beneficial encounters (numbers like 10, 11, & 12). Thanks for the video it was very, VERY helpful. 👍👍

[@jakynth]

Great video! Love all the content, Professor.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for your support.

[@mammonclarke]

Regardless of the click bait title, this is another informative, educational, and inspiring video from the Professor. Thank you for continuing to enhance all our games. Any DM who uses minis in a home game really needs to watch the recent DM screen video and the ultimate dungeon terrian videos. The first time I watched the dungeon terrian video I wasn't that impressed, which only shows my lack of comprehension. The.ultimate DM screen video helped me pull my head out of my well, umm, deep dark dungeon and see the full potential, cost saving and numerous uses for the Professor's ultimate dingeon terrian. Attempting to build gigantic doungeons is difficult due to space, cost, time and so many other challenges but with the Professor's method a DM can focus on other aspects without needing a huge amount of space. The only thing in this video that erks me is the fact the Professor uses premade wizkid doors after I spent hiurs following his instructions for making them myself. I will say his directions were excellent, and they came out great. Plus, it was fun. Anyway thanks for another video filled with useful positive content for any DM and not another let's bash Hasbro, WOTC and D&D video.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks. Yeah. That was lazy. But I also had spare doors laying around so...

[@andrewtomlinson5237]

The issue over whether CR is "scripted" isn't whether there is a module/GM notes. It's about how much of those notes is known by the players in advance of going on air. The players are obviously aware of the need to share the spotlight, and keep things on track. That's NOT a bad thing. My players are old enough to udnerstand how to share and understand that if they roll with the adventure I have planned, they'll probably get more from it than if they decide to go off book. And there are plenty of times that I let them loose with no specific quest, and they have time to kill. I imagine that the situation that occured the other week was less from Matt and more from the player. I've had players come to me and say, "I don;t want to play this character any more... I'm really just not into them any more and really want to play an XYZ instead, do you fancy killing them off?" At which I always say "Are you sure? No are you absolutely SURE??" and if they say "Yes, then I'll give tehm the same sort of opportunity that the player in CR got" It's never been "Scripted" but certain players having more information tha n others about what might happen is a GOOD thing... If... IF!!!! you have good players.

[@elbruces]

The thing is, Sam did exactly that - negotiate with the DM that he couldn't see playing his character - in campaign 1 when Scanlan left the party and Taryon Darrington showed up in his place. There are less extreme ways to handle that than to kill them. On the other hand, Bertrand Bell being assassinated at the start of C3 was clearly a pre-established agreement between Travis and Matt, so they've done that too. But in neither case were they concerned with "tricking" the audience somehow.

[@andrewtomlinson5237]

@@elbruces "Tricking" implies malicious deceit. "Surprising" is a better word. It's no different to a scripted TV drama where people get invested in a character and that character is killed off. People feel like its a personal attack rather than an artistic decision by the people making the show.

[@SamuBrownYT]

Well we now know that Matt was completely caught off guard and did not plan to do that. So that proof of scripting it out the window

[@travisbaggett2813]

I love all Dungeon Craft videos! Especially when they build up the community at large. And when they give great tips for when I finally run a homebrew game!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Go for it!

[@LB_adventurer]

The cast are professional improv artists and experienced actors. So they are naturally good at playing off of one another due to all their years of experience. Not to mention that like any tight knit friend group they know each other's predictable patterns and so it makes it easier for them like any "old friend group." That is it, that's the secret to everything that "feels" like it was planned. Friends just know each other and this group of professionals are good at their jobs so they can make the most of that.

[@nicholasrova3698]

It's probably more scripted than a typical, normal DnD session with friends around a table because it's an internet show with high production values and a lot of money behind it, but it's probably not as scripted as an actual TV show. They are actors, so they probably know how to act, improvise, and play up to the cameras, but that doesn't mean its a completely scripted thing.

[@mostlyghostey]

The amount of time Sam Reigle has personally taken the show of the rails should prove it’s not scripted.

[@gustaafargoan]

Or, that it is scripted.

[@matsinilsson9578]

I feel Sam does like shenanigans but that certain decisions are actually scripted but played out to make it appear 'more real'. Like D&D ever can be real. Still kind of BS if you ask me. A little fake.

[@SamuBrownYT]

​@@matsinilsson9578 whag decisions do you consider scritpted. Im always interested to see people use as their proof.

[@billthecanuck]

@6:13 would love to see an entire book like this with various encounters / areas broken down in 1-2 pages with stuff scaling up to mid/high level.. great inspiration just from the couple pages you showed here...

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

It's all on Patreon.

[@MrCSeiberlin]

Your notebook is insane;-) Wish I had the time and patience to do something like that. Considering that each page is basically maybe an hours of entertainment that only lives in memory of it's participants afterwards I can imagine these being passed down like family heirlooms as one of 'grandpa's crazy hobbies';-)

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

My English teacher's notebook looks the same. One day, in common planning, one of my colleagues took it and flipped through the pages. Then she looked up and calmly said, "You're quite mad you know."

[@TimeKitt]

I often ask my players to prepare a 5 minute monologue from their character each session. It's very nice to have something to call on while I stall for time, and I tie part of their per session exp to it (half stays in the normal methods per game, half is various aspects of participation common to all games I run). Plus I write myself some box text, even pre-record if I know I'll need full concentration for setup. But I also individually ask my players if there is scenes they want, and try to plan on hitting certain plot points even if there's no solid plan for how to get there. This lets them have those crucial character arc events a little more firmly. At the end of a session I have my players tell me what they want to do for next session, lock in hex map travel, location they want to go, person they want to interrogate, or mission in general. I also spend a decent amount of time begging my players to tell me the point of their teetering tower of rulings and mousetraps before it reaches an hour in just to be vetoed.

[@Hjerrick]

Fantastic video, I’m especially inspired by the style of your GM notes. You’ve made me very impatient to get back to DMing once my exams are over

[@BlakesPipes]

I love Deathbringer , we should give him his own channel!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Shhh this will go right to his head!

[@GregMcNeish]

Deathbringer doesn't need to be GIVEN a channel. If he decides he wants one, he'll TAKE it.

[@BlakesPipes]

@@GregMcNeish I believe your right!

[@Turtlpwr]

By the gods, yes

[@user-jt1js5mr3f]

Those who scream that it’s scripted, simply don’t realize how well a close knit group of improvisers are at creating. My improv group was fantastic and often had moments of, “how the hell did that work so well?” Some doubted us, but we were college students and had no time to write scripts 😆 Critical Role is a heightened example of good communication and intentional thought. Have you ever wished your players responded faster with their character sheet? Or when you ask a background question? This is just an example of players that are always thinking about those questions, considering motive, and keeping goals in mind. If every table had players that invested, maybe it wouldn’t seem so special.

[@samdoorley6101]

Great video as always PDM. That scenario notebook of yours looks awesome. Love the doodles.

[@CeruleanRex]

Your GM Notebook is a thing of beauty. This from a veteran graphic designer who loves hand done work and excellent information design. *chef's kiss*

[@TvorCrl]

Love seeing your notes. Very well organized and clean.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks!

[@FluffyTheGryphon]

There are so many episodes where you can tell Matt's about had it with the player's shenanigans and as a DM myself, you can tell that's not acting. That's real lip-biting frustration.

[@aWinrarIsU]

What a great video! A little ways back I gave my group a one-off after wrapping up our last campaign and now it's just kept going, growing into a larger and larger story after several months. Because I never really had any plan for this I've also been staying only a session ahead of my players and it feels right to me, but I wasn't sure if I was too lazy with my writing to keep it that way. Also, that notebook is amazing. Cudos for taking the time to create that, I'm currently using legendKeeper for all my campaign notes, etc.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for sharing!

[@zombiehampster1397]

I like the way you set up your notebook, nicely done.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Glad you like it!

[@gcvrsa]

People who have never been involved in Drama really don't have the perspective to understand how improvisation theatre really works. The second I saw the poll, I knew where this was going, and I agree.

[@robertbengel2689]

Honestly one of my favorite episodes, thanks again Professor DM! I prep for a game by having all the potential scenes laid out. If the PCs could get to X, I wanna make sure I have the monster stats or the clues to meet them there.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for watching!

[@graveyardshift2100]

I've attempted to listen to multiple live plays by different groups, and let me tell ya, acting skill goes a long way for improving the viewer experience. Critical Role; professional actors clearly trained in improv. Group of nerdy friends who were doing rp videos for their OCs before this, not nearly as good as CR but still entertaining. Grognards who's idea of rp is barely more than describing characters actions....i couldn't finish a single session. And yeah, i agree that a lot of people seriously calling CR scripted just don't realize how good these people are at acting.

[@scott4092]

Good question at the end, what and how do we prepare? Myself I tend to just work on what captures my fancy at the time. My players are based in the City of Greyhawk, but one day I decided to detail a nearby dairy farm because the players expressed interest in investigating it. (Long story heh.) So I created the family and the hired hands and even the animals in case the players can speak with animals. Every cow has a name! It was fun. And of course I literally script certain things that are bound to come up, NPC responses to certain questions, etc.

[@zebwilliams8945]

People forget that they're extremely trained voice actors/actors. Not only have they been playing with eachother for a decade+ they're also well trained improv. I'm sure there's a tiny bit more information divulged than usual in certain situations, but barely.

[@kich8672]

People grossly underestimate how difficult it is to actually hold a secret. If Critical Role was fully scripted, in the sense that the players and DM are all aware of whats going on and they're just acting for dramatic effect, this would come out quickly. There's simply too many people involved in the company and the production. I also think it's fairly obvious, given how much C3 has meandered aimlessly for long periods of time. Are there sections that Matt scripts, such as character descriptions / location descriptions? Definitely. You should do that as a DM to help you. But there's simply no way there's any organized effort by the group to tell a hand-crafted story for their show, like you said, no one is sending them details about the upcoming session--again, these are things that would get exposed quickly given the size of the organization. The effort involved in fully scripting Critical Role would be higher than just doing the exact same thing unscripted. So why would they?

[@roberthobson5005]

Watched this episode probably three times and finally decided to "print screen" on the notebook. Keep it coming, sir.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you. Please pass it on!

[@BolofromAvlis]

great video as always. I never miss one of your vids, Professor!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

THANK YOU.

[@Telmach]

It would be a little weird if they didn't have some sort of guidance or agreements behind the scene. Not so much a script, just best practices to follow. After all, it is a show first and a game second. They need the story to move along, characters need to get their highlights, and there is only so far that the improv can be tolerated.

[@thatblastedsamophlange]

Most of Critical Role are theatre kids too, and as I can attest to, they can be a bit.. dramatic in all things. Sure, they are playing it up a bit, but there's enough talking over one another, and sheer.. ludicrous ideas that makes it to me, feel unscripted. Now, I certainly feel that many of the scenarios Matt writes have a more televised flair, but no more so than a few GM's I've known that have enough time and money to make some ridiculous encounters (and I'm talking both miniature and the actual adventure equally). The way you have it laid out, with the barest bone : Get that from there, before this is a quite good script - everything else can really be improv.

[@pedro4205]

They are payed players and DM, and have all the time to dedicate to it and the monetary motivation to do the best. But it doesn't mean it is scripted. Just that they can do it in a level that it is very hard to achieve by other means

[@vincejester7558]

@@pedro4205 It feels fake. it feels like product. It's not the game the way any body in the real world plays it. Its more lke the 1990s D&D cartoon than anything I've ever played.

[@sarahcb3142]

​@@vincejester7558 It is a product but it isn't fake. I agree as I don't like how less like traditional D&D CR has become to the point I've actually stopped watching the show, but it doesn't mean it's "fake." It certainly is more DM has decided the dramatic scenes ahead of time and players have also set up ideas for their characters sort of feel but they're still reacting in the moment and improvising lines.

[@vincejester7558]

@@sarahcb3142 It FEELS fake. it FEELS like theater kids putting on a "show". it FEELS like the drama is more important than the game.

[@sarahcb3142]

@@vincejester7558 I agree with you on that last part especially. It's definitely become a performance over actual game play. Which I guess is fine to some as I do like drama in my game but if it's the only focus then it can get overproduced.

[@SuperHellfist]

As a DM i have an outline, which is much like what he does, I also have random charts and fallbacks in case they go somewhere I had not predicted. I do use a flow chart and find that it works very well to help keep track of where they are and where they may go. I like sandbox setups and present things and let the players wander around and find and discover things and choose to do this or that. Also, I do not scale for level on any adventures so it is up to the players to decide that maybe not going after the dragon at level 1 and possibly going to the goblin bandet caves first.

[@chaosmeisters6781]

I am in awe of your notes, So much detail on these pages without waste. I could never muster the drive and energy to be this prepped. It is amazing.

[@Megatron4Life23]

This channel is by far the most informative on how to level up your Dungeon Master skills!!! Love this channel!!!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you kindly!

[@NicRuff-zm2xs]

I just want to throw this out there, Professor DM, your doodles of art in your notebook are really good! That tower is extremely well done.. impressive.

[@badgerburns521]

Hi Prof I was watching this vide and at around the 2 minute mark you mentioned access to your GM's notbook. I hightailed it over to patreon and couldn't find that detail. Now if you would please bear in mind that I am autistic and where there is a glut of info I often miss the details. Cant see the trees for the forest kind of thing. Which tier is it please or what phrase doe the patreon use that I should look for.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

All tiers. If you sign up for Discord, find Cal. He will help you. But you can also DM me. I always answer DMs on Saturdays. Thanks for your support.

[@drewkent4053]

I have tried all of your DM advice, but distilling down to two pages. Has been the most transformative for me.

[@kotor610]

That fill in the blank section is really helpful, helps distill down objectives.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thank you. That will be in Deathbringer TTRPG.

[@JeddHampton]

This is fantastic content like all of Dungeoncraft's work.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

Thanks for your support.

[@Dhyfis]

I prepare about one session ahead. I find some monsters that I want to use. I create some npcs that I want to use (some details, one or two personality traits) and use that to make a scenario and I make some battle maps. I then assign monsters to these battlemaps. As for urgency, as you wait people are being slain works as does if you wait too long someone else will get it themselves (particularly a rival group, usually have one of these designed to mirror some of the pc traits and values). It helps that my players are always on the same page of wanting to get things one. As for hiding plans from the DM, that just baffles me. If you want to make something work and tell me what the goal is, I can help and make sure that I don't accidentally undermine it just because I don't know what you were going for.

[@anibalclericot1173]

This video is pure gold and I want to steal your notebook, sir!

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

You should! Many of its pages are on my Patreon.

[@travisskane5459]

Right? That notebook looks laid out better than many published adventures I've seen. I often have trouble reading my own handwriting and here Prof DM is free-handing works of art!

[@matsinilsson9578]

The first point to make is kind of discussing "what is okay" when it comes to scripting events in live show D&D. Are emotions really okay/genuine to script in D&D? "Hey guys, FCG will commit suicide in this episode AND moreover we need to make it extremely emotional and we will all be crying on command. The viewers will eat this up". Will this affect the group's credibility?

[@matsinilsson9578]

Best impromptu, but scribed, point in this entire feed.

[@SamuBrownYT]

Wasnt scripted. Its been explained. Those are real tears for their friend with cancer

[@matsinilsson9578]

@@SamuBrownYT Ya, now you come back and say this Sam. Either way: FCGs death was scripted, which means I was originally correct (mic drop 🎤). CR scripts many plot twists and this one was so apparent (to me - not to you) because Sam was going in for treatment.

[@SamuBrownYT]

@@matsinilsson9578 I'm saying it's not because Sam and Matt (and the rest of the crew) actually discussed this on 4 sided dive. So pick that mic back up. I'm not just saying a random theory. It was not scripted. Your feelings on the matter do not match the facts presented. Re watch the clip. Matt asks Sam like 3 times if he knows what it means for his character if he does that. He was not expecting it. He's making 100% sure Sam understands because he, Matt, was caught off guard. The cast start to cry because they are not stupid and do realize Sam is going to blow up FCG and that it might have been their last time playing with him for the season because he needed to relearn how to talk. Look at Tal. He's not even paying attention to anything else after he 1st realizes. The BH were rolling shit in that fight and the BBEG was rolling good. Matt crit so many times and only Orym had any good rolls. Matt did not plan a party kill or an FCG death. Sam saw the opportunity and took it. What Matt did plan (and did not tell Sam, so don't confuse that with scripting either), was for a solar flare AFTER the fight to knock him unconscious. Not death. Not planned between Sam and Matt. The answers you seek are out there. You don't have to run on wild theories when the people in question have already answered it.

[@matsinilsson9578]

@@SamuBrownYT Hypothetically say it was not and I feel bad saying this: It felt poorly scripted. Like really. Out of place (like scripted 2-3 days before), unnecessary and not truly as deep/emotive as THAT character death should be/could have been. Not sure what that means but it was just way off. Wish you lots of great gaming. Thanks for your explanations!

[@phantomx2003]

I love your notebook. The mix of text with the layout of your adventure is so appealing to look at. Lol. I don't even play D&D but somehow landed watching critical role and now this. Great vid!

[@zombiesnivy]

Some great take aways for if i ever DM for my friends! Might have to binge your vids if i ever do 😅

[@thomasace2547]

I find that likely with the pressures of being their own studio with multiple staff CR & MM need to focus on being an entertainment show S3 of CR really felt different in comparison from S2 & even S1 Almost as if it is likely that sessions are dry run

[@elbruces]

Great way to approach it. I feel like people who complain that it's scripted don't really understand D&D, or scripted content for that matter (imagine memorizing 4 hours worth of dialogue every week!) Educating them is a great way to respond.

[@Mannahnin]

I love this combination of DM advice and Industry commentary used to illustrate it. :)

[@DominicBlais]

Awesome video! I’m a DM of 20x years and find these advises really helpfull… Keeps em coming!

[@AvenueStudios]

Prof your GM notebook is a gorgeous thing to behold haha! I've run and played in many live stream and podcast games and you definitely approach it in a very different way than a home game. I love doing it but it is not exactly the same as you know youre doing it for the audience more than yourself!

[@sarahcb3142]

You don't need to plan out the entire world but sometimes your ADHD special interest kicks in and whoops 30 pages later you've built a world. 🙃 Now although I do end up prepping and building way too much and my players only scratch the surface of it, I'm also willing to throw much of it out the window if something the players initiate is more interesting. I know most people would hate this but for me i enjoy the creative world building exercise and I can always move my ideas around if I really like them. As long as I put a threat in front of them and have a ticking doom bomb to keep it moving I'm cool with getting rid of 80% of my NPCs, puzzles and dramatic moments.

[@DiveTrainerDan]

I subscribe to the professor DM thought these days. I plan the big event for the session and how they can get there all on facing pages and things go really smoothly.

[@katjordan3733]

I always enjoy these 'how I prep' videos. I'm not as organized as yet, but I'm working toward having a streamlined system like yours. I've learned a lot from you, Professor. Gonna use a UDT for Wave Echo Cave this month. It will be the first time I break it out for an entire dungeon. Best wishes!

[@ravencraft3074]

I write a 1 page outline shared up with a 1 page outline for each player to have a personalized arc. This gives me quite a bit of a main plot line to follow and side quests that still keep us at least in the same ballpark.

[@jonhunt1419]

They have production meetings outlining in general what's going to be covered to keep the game moving on schedule (x amount of episodes per season, etc). They also bring up ideas to each other to remain entertaining to an audience.

[@MrRex977]

I really enjoy this video and my favorite part is when U show your notebook. :) Looks simple, but detailed & usable in the same time, I simply love that! It was very cool to hear the "work smarter, not harder" and the "don't plan too far" advices too. Keep up the good work and HAVE FUN, my good sir! Greetings from Hungary :)

[@TartanArmy2K]

That notebook is incredibly organised and inspiring. Great video. The Professor does it again.

[@Turtlpwr]

8:47 I created a custom gpt for my campaign and copied chapter text into it to give me summaries to fast track planning and omg does it help

[@dennismoon6693]

I can believe that the one-shots, especially the live shows, have at least a broad-brushstroke outline - they have to plan on filling out how long they want the show to last, and still not run over. But for the main campaign, sure, Matt has to plan a bit and try to anticipate what curveballs the rest of the group will throw him. I imagine some of the rest of the cast has some sense of where they want to go, at least in terms of their characters' backstories. But I doubt that there's any major level of coordination.

[@KermodeBear]

I am a fan of well-crafted boxed text. Something succinct. The minimum to set the stage, giving lots of room for your table to add your own flavor.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

THIS

[@jasongraham3873]

Always get the best advice and insight from The Professor!

[@memeslich]

The real critical role was the friends we made along the way.

[@DUNGEONCRAFT1]

That made me laugh out loud for real.

[@karlbolt7159]

Thanks Professor! Similar to your notes, I prepare 5e games writing pages resembling first generation modules - call out boxes paired with abbreviated stat blocks and space to record damage and treasure. So long as I’m not flipping through three or more books, I look good, like Andy Reid coaching a game.

[@Ian_Butterworth]

I love all of the professor's Dungeon Craft videos. I hope we get to see a new campaign soon.

[@redknight808]

I award XP for player-suggested short- and medium-term personal goals. These help me build scenes to shine the spotlight on individual PCs and inspire me to show new aspects of my setting. I also provide a number of local events related to the team's motivations. I write up the local politics/factions, brief scenes, and related NPCs. I do so with the understanding that some or almost none of my 4-8 hours/of work will see the light of day. I also loosely track events they avoided and participated in so that they have a sense of a living world. They hear news about things. People die or return in new scenes. Time passes. I'm running a futuristic campaign with niether a setting baked into the rule system nor a preexisting IP. And it's not postapalyptic like the 'Stars Without Number' RPG that allows me to rando-roll on tables. (Which, admittedly, are very good.) My setting is long-established, sprawling, and complex. So, for me, the "town over the hill" must be known. So too the governments, alien empires, available products, classes of starships, levels of technology, and on and on -- so many Google Sheet docs... All that to say, some of your advice feels fantasy-centric and not as applicable to other genres. Which is fine, but not as helpful to my table.