As Game Masters, one of our most essential storytelling tools is novelty – the quality that keeps players engaged and fascinated by the narrative unfolding at the table. Novelty is what transforms routine gameplay into memorable adventures, giving life to characters, settings, and scenarios in ways that feel fresh and exciting. Yet, novelty is a fleeting resource. Its allure fades with time spent, and the GM must carefully manage its use.

Understanding how to use novelty effectively is key to crafting stories that captivate. By exploring the nature of novelty and its practical applications in roleplaying games, we can ensure that our stories remain compelling from session to session.

The Role of Novelty in RPG Storytelling

What Is Novelty?

Novelty is the degree to which something feels fresh and unique to the audience. In roleplaying games, the players themselves act as the audience, experiencing and responding to the story as it unfolds. Novelty can arise from unexpected twists, unusual characters, or inventive world-building. However, novelty is not simply about strangeness. For something to be truly novel, it must balance the familiar with the new.

The contrast between the known and the new is what makes novelty resonate. A fantastical creature, for instance, feels more novel when encountered in a mundane or otherwise relatable setting. This interplay between the familiar and the unexpected engages players, providing a “familiar surprise” that intrigues without overwhelming. The perfect balance of novelty and familiarity ensures players remain intrigued without feeling overwhelmed.

One of the most effective ways to enhance novelty is by fleshing out new concepts with vivid details. A novel creature or setting becomes memorable when it feels integrated into the world, offering players a mix of the unexpected and the relatable.

This principle connects to the MAYA Principle, or “Most Advanced Yet Acceptable,” introduced by industrial designer Raymond Loewy. According to this idea, humans are naturally drawn to things that are fresh yet approachable, as we crave novelty but also need familiarity to feel grounded. For GMs, the challenge lies in introducing new elements that align with the players’ expectations while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible within the game world. Novelty thrives at this intersection of new and recognizable, enhancing the storytelling experience.

Novelty is most impactful at the start of a scenario, capturing the players’ attention and laying the groundwork for deeper engagement. It paves the way for attachment, the emotional investment players form in story elements such as their player characters and likable NPCs. At the same time, it fosters tension, a sense of uncertain concern for the fate of those elements players care about.

Challenges of Novelty and the Importance of Pacing

Novelty’s fleeting nature means that its impact diminishes as players become accustomed to new elements. This makes the art of pacing – knowing when to transition from one scene to the next and thus controlling the speed of the narrative – vital for maintaining engagement.

Pacing revolves around the agenda of each scene. The agenda represents the scene’s purpose, often framed as a question to be answered. A scene’s novelty – whether it lies in the elements, the situation and/or the agenda itself – must remain fresh enough until the agenda is answered. If the novelty wears off before that point, players may lose interest, diminishing the scene’s impact.

The more generic the elements in a scene, the situation, or the agenda itself, the shorter the sense of novelty will last for the players. In such cases, the GM should resolve the scene’s agenda more quickly and transition to a new scene where fresh novelty can take center stage. By maintaining this balance, GMs can sustain player engagement and ensure the story flows naturally from one compelling moment to the next.

Guiding the Story Through Novelty

Novelty shines brightest when introduced thoughtfully, balanced with familiarity, and used to establish the emotional and narrative foundation of a scenario or even a whole campaign world.

This post was inspired by a 2023 blog post by Chris Winkle on the blog Mythcreants.