Category: Memes

Martin at Treasure Tables asked:

A simple question to which the answer will, I suspect, vary pretty widely: how did you learn to GM?

Over at Blog, Jvstin Style , we’re asked:

Today marks the 340th anniversary of the reincorporation of New Amsterdam by the English into the colony of New York. Its an important and momentous occasion, a turning point not only in the development of New York, but America in general. ((L.E. Modesitt Jr. Ghost books, as a divergence, have a Dutch-dominated New York and New England surviving British attempts at incorporation).

So, the handover of a valuable colony or country between rivals…and the people in the colony caught in the crossfire…

I liked the whole Maquis sub-plot for Star Trek, but that’s pretty much a done thing. Since I’m gearing up for Shadowrun, let’s see where inspiration leads me.

In Lunchtime Poll #31 Li asks:

I’ve said before that I tend to think of roleplaying as improv theater to a certain extent, and pacing is an important part of any production. To a certain extent, I think that if the timing is managed well, it’s invisible to the players. So, what are your thoughts on pacing?

Pacing, done well, is wonderful. Unfortunately, when I GM, I’m usually busy juggling other things and attempts at controlling it are often doomed. There’s a perfectly functional solution– make the players responsible for it. The “if you think it’s dramatic, join in”, is a good way to hook people and keep their interest even while off-screen. Sure, plausability can stretch, but if everyone’s excited, let plausibility break.

Li asks

What’s the last board, card, or roleplaying game you bought, and what do you think of it?

My last purchase was Power Grid, a board game by Rio Grande. We’ve played twice (only once through more than Phase 1) and messed up the victory conditions a little. It was a lot of fun– I think it will be one of the more played games for a while. Slick, competitive, but not excessively challenging. The two sided board looks like a great value, a good way to shake things up.

My most recent RPG purchase was a trio, but last night I read Primetime Adventures again. It looks solid and Actual Play has indicated it’s good for one shots as well as seasons, so I’ll be taking it up to the 4th of July gamefest Zack’s throwing.

Another interesting question from Li:

Do you consider the GM part of the group, and why or why not?

I do consider the GM part of the group, though Julie’s comment about the style of the game does seem to apply. On the one hand, Dad’s definately a member of the group– socially, he’s as much a hub as any other person– but he’s not facing the same challenges in the same way. His role is different, but he’s working with us to make a story for the characters, so he’s a member of the group.

Part of the “group status” also comes from the way we get together frequently outside of roleplaying, where he’s just another player to crush (in boardgames, for example). Also, we rotate GMing (Kev’s stint begins this week), so that keeps him from ossifying as different.

Li’s got a new Lunchtime Poll:

I dropped into the local gaming store the other day and heard a GM complaining to the long-suffering clerk that he had a player who just wouldn’t react to anything that happened in the game, up to and including major injury or plot twist. Another bystander suggested that perhaps the situation stemmed from the fact that the character was three hundred years old and simply had a chronic case of been-there/done that. This week’s Lunchtime Poll is going to assume that a) the disengagement is on the part of the player, not the character, and b) the GM is running a reasonably interesting game and fairly distributing the plot cookies. That said,

How to you re-engage the enthusiasm of a bored or jaded player?

The main trick is to hook the player by making the game about his desires– not the GM’s cool plots. Too many players make a complex character with an intricate backstory that’s never used. You come to resent making complex backgrounds.

I suggest making the next plot arc character centered (re-read those backgrounds, or ask questions to establish a background), then threaten the issues that are brought up. If the character talks up his loyalty, but also his love, make sure the two come into conflict. Making a choice about what’s important is essential for a character who is going to mature.

Alternately, if the problem is widespread (not just one player), run a short game [three or four sessions] in a different style to shake things up. Or have someone else GM for a bit– you’ll probably find parts of the system frustrating as a player that you’ll never think about as a GM.

A final solution would be to co-opt the player. Let him know that you’ve noticed that he’s not interested. If they’re a good roleplayer, you can either ask them to co-GM (roleplay NPCs, etc.), or let them in on the backstory (finally someone to confide in) and let them concentrate on the roleplay, rather than the mystery.