Their World is Your Sandbox-Part 1

 (Image from: Google Images: "Game Master")

Hello again everyone! (Told you I would post again...XD)

In this post I will be covering the most intensive; and possibly the most fun, role in any good R.P.G and that is of course the Game Master...(If you do not know what this is, check out my earlier post on January 13th. It'll set you up with the basics...)

Before we begin, let me just say that G.Ming is not for everyone...Some people don't respond well to having control over the fates of an entire world, let a lone over the fate of some of their best friends (characters) lives, but I assure you, those that can handle the pressure; and maybe even enjoy it a little, will do well.

In all seriousness though, G.Ming is hard work and takes time, patience, a good sense of humor. In the end though, what matters is that the game is constructed for the enjoyment of you and your friends. So, whatever you create, whatever world you take your friends to, and no matter what trouble you all get in, know that in the end it'll all make for a great story later....

So, let us get started then, shall we?

The job of a G.M covers a variety of roles, however I think I've found in my games that these are the ones you encounter the most:

1)System/Rules Arbitrator
2) Game Designer
3) Narrator/Story Teller
4)Writer
5)Actor

Not every G.M is great at all of these things, (For example, I am not the best narrator, or rules arbitrator, but I like the acting and creation roles of G.Ming...) but they all pop up during gaming. In the end though, it's YOUR game and you can gloss over the things you're less inclined in...

System/Rules Arbitration deals with anything that covers the System of your R.P.G. Everything from game rolls, skill checks, combat rules, and general number crunching.

For this part of G.Ming I can recommend a few things:

Read Your Core Book: Reading the book from cover to cover is the only way you can truly grasp the system...You don't HAVE to remember everything, (it sure helps!) but reading the book at least one time over can really help with getting comfortable with the over all system. Also, taking notes while reading the first time helps with finding rules later, as well as, writing down good ideas as they come to you.

Practice: Like anything, practicing the system helps dramatically. (Pardon the pun.) Personally, I find the best way to understand a system is to start at character creation, so, create a character for yourself! You'll learn quick how the system works with the character sheets; which is half of how the game works anyway, and it'll help when you work through character creation with your friends.

Take Notes: Write while you read. Like I said before, there is a lot of rules that make up a system in R.P.Gs, so sometimes writing them down helps when you need to look up a rule in a jam. (This doesn't mean you should write every rule you come across, but if it helps....) Also, sticky notes or book marks can help for quick references, especially when you're dealing with combat rules or convoluted events.

Rule Mediator: When a dispute comes up about gaming rules; particularly amongst more experienced role-players, you'll find that people argue about how a rule is decreed or what skill check should be used in a certain situation. At the end of the day, it is your job to see that the rule is set upon and is followed correctly, BUT this does not mean you always have to be a "by the book" kind of person. If a rule comes up and you don't know about it, make a note, skim over it if you can, and continue the game. If it can't be skimmed over, play through the situation with what you know, and then make a note to look up the rule later.

Remember, that it is always a good thing to keep the game moving forward and at the end of the day it is all about having a good time. So, don't let a single rule keep your characters waiting for the outcome of that epic combat on the rocking pirate ship in the middle of a stormy sea only to get bogged down in rules over how to tie a knot in a rope for the security lines. Have the character tie the knot and continue the game. The story is more important than the rules.

The next aspect of G.Ming (and definitely my favorite part of the role) has to be Game Designing. This is the process in which you get to create your world. Everything from the cities your players will be traveling to, to the people they encounter, to the perils that they face are all aspects of this role.

I will be going into a lot of tutorials on different methods of Game Design from creating maps, to building fully developed plots and N.P.Cs. (Non-player characters...More on that later...) But for now, (as this is an overview of the position) I can recommend a few things.

Grid Paper and Erasable Writing Tools: I LOVE grid paper for many reasons, primarily because each square can represent many things, usually a numerical movement block. Some games; like Wizards of the Coasts "Dungeons and Dragon's 4.0" for example, use a "foot"(ft) grid system in their games to represent space. This  means one square can easily be modified to represent 1ft or 100ft, and this system usually works in most R.P.G systems in terms of movement.

I usually draw more detailed maps/areas where my characters are going to be exploring/investigating on grid paper as it provides these wonderful squares for movement. In addition, creating buildings (displayed as rectangles/ other shapes on a grid sheet of paper) can be used to make grand scale aerial views of a large city or district, so I find this type of paper invaluable. (I'll be sure to give you all some examples in two weeks time.) 

The erasable writing tools like pencils and paper make the creating process easier, simply because it gives the freedom to change things on the fly. (However, they always seem to disappear on my game days when I lend them out to players...)

Other Sheets of Paper: Lined sheets of paper, blank sheets of paper, and any other types of paper are useful for an assortment of different jobs and tasks. I am an okay artist but I find I'd rather not waste good grid paper or lined paper for sketching out items, people, and scenes from my games, so I use blank paper to display key characters/items/scenes in detail. I usually use lined paper to write down my story-lines, plot graphs, G.M notes, and everything in between. The lines help keep my ideas organized and I find I have ample space to write everything I need on a few sheets of paper.

The Book: No matter what kind of R.P.G you are I can advise you to always have the book handy. Most R.P.G core texts have a G.Ming section in it to help you along your way to creating a solid story for your games and help you with everything from creating your first story, to maintaining interest/organizing your gaming group for sessions. This is an invaluable tool and I suggest when you are creating your first story/game, skim through some of it to get ideas and direction. The rest is really up to you and your imagination.

Dice: Sometimes you need a random number or maybe you're clever and made a random encounters chart for events in your game. (Something I will teach you folks to do later, for every system I know.) You'll need dice in order to get these numbers so definitely  keep them close.

Imaginative People: Bouncing ideas off of friends, family, and other like-minded individuals make creating an interesting and unique game almost every time. You've all heard of the old saying: "Two heads are better than one"? Well, it works in the case of game design too. More than once I've asked someone I knew was creative for some feedback on a storyline point or character encounter and I've always gotten a better idea from working with other people than I would on my own.

That being said, the BEST way to get ideas for your story and your plot is actually from the people playing in your games. The players are always getting first hand experience from your G.Ming style and so who better to ask for comments on the next big segment of your adventure? It will surprise you how much getting feedback helps from your players for creating new and exciting events and story lines.

For example: When I was running my game last Saturday night, (which is my regularly scheduled game night) I asked my players for feedback, on our "Comments, Questions, Queries, Critique" section of my games and I found I got some great receptions to most parts of my game butand got some very handy critique for a section that I dragged on about for far too long. This section they felt could have been glossed over and the story could have moved on more, and you know what? They were right. So, if you are ever in a jam, or need a direction for your story ASK YOUR PLAYERS! They know what they want to see better than you do (most days) and always help to improve your game.

Use Your Imagination: What I mean by this section is you must have some kind of imagination to help create your game setting/game for your characters to play in. This doesn't have to be a purely original or new plot/story/setting, however some of the games' overall flavour comes from you at the end of the day. So build up your imagination, draw  ideas and settings from real life places, 'google' some interesting pictures, read a fantasy novel, or your favorite books, or perhaps draw inspiration from a video game or movie. Whatever most inspires you to write a game, use it!

For those of you who have actually ran a few games, draw from your experiences there, or even re-use some characters as N.P.C's. Maybe even have some recurring characters from older games in a new game, or have some "cross over"characters from completely different settings/games appear as characters in your current game. You'd be surprised how much fun you can have with these "Dr.Who" like encounters and the giggles you and your party will have from some of these references.

For now, this is where I'll leave you folks off with Game Design. I'll make sure to blog more about the G.Ms role in R.P.G's next week in "Part 2" of the G.M series. I hope some of you found these tips helpful and I wish you happy travels in your adventures.

Keep 'em rollin',
Leighton

"So, your characters start in a lively village tavern..."

I name this post after possibly the MOST overused, stereotypical, (and admittedly) one of the best, starting scenes anyone has ever created..."The Tavern Encounter".

Usually, (but not always) this encounter is set at the very beginning of an R.P.G session and is a great way to introduce the characters to one another and get everyone used to the system. It is defiantly a trope that has been played out in every R.P.G nerds' life and usually provides a memorable, (if not original) experience to new players; and their characters, to the system.

The reason I open with this trope is because this first blog is the start of our own journey. This is the tavern with which I hope we begin our adventures together into the great realm of our imaginations, and hopefully which will fill your  R.P.G sessions with life, character, and enjoyment for years to come....

However, I am getting ahead of myself, and for now, I welcome you all to my shiny new blog. (Insert triumphant band music here...)

I assume that by clicking upon my humble book-lined blog you are here to learn a few things about R.P.G's or maybe even just to read a review I might have on an R.P.G you run frequently...Mind you for those of you who have simply wandered farther down the rabbit hole than has been intended, I assure you, I will not stain your fluffy white tail (too much) on your journey with me.

Yes my friends, this blog is as much my journey as your own and I hope we become great travel companions. So,  without further ado, let us sit by the warmth of the tavern fire as I regale you with a few trifling tales...

Firstly, I guess I'll go over some terms I use a lot; since this is kind of a Help Desk/Info center for the "Pen and Paper" R.P.Ger, and then I'll go over a few things you need to start a game...Savvy?

 

Common Terms and Definitions:

"#D#": This abbreviation is one which almost every R.P.G uses and which I use a lot so, I'll cover it first. The first "#" in front of the "D" is the amount of dice being rolled in a game. So, "2D" means: "Roll Two Dice". The final "#" represents the type of dice being rolled and there are a few of those, but I'll explain that later. Therefore, "D20" means a twenty sided die or "D10" means a  ten sided die.
Thus, when you roll "2D10" you are actually rolling two ten sided dice...Simple enough right?

 "R.P.G" : My bread and butter...This abbreviation (You're sensing the trend right?) stands for Role Playing Game. This means any game which sets you, as the "player", into a role for the duration of the time you are playing the game.

In most pen and paper R.P.Gs you create your own character using a set rule system (provided by very pretty, very expensive books) which helps you calculate the dice rolls you will be using in your interactions during the game play.

The R.P.G is run by someone called a "Game Master", "Dungeon Master", or "Story Teller", who acts as the narrator, plot creator, villain, ally, and general populace of the game you are playing in. (More on that later.) Usually an R.P.G has multiple players (around 4-5) and one Game Master. (However, I have run games with multiple Dungeon masters...again more on that later...)

"D.M", "S.T", "G.M": All of these abbreviations are used to refer to anyone who is actively "running" the R.P.G the "players" are participating in. From rules arbitrating, to game designing, to the creation of interesting enemies and allies "In Game", it all falls on the D.M (or S.T, or GM) to ultimately run the game...

"D.M" is a commonly used term often associated with the Wizards of the Coast game: "Dungeons and Dragons" (Adoringly called "D&D" by it's players and followers alike.), and means Dungeon Master.  However, some people (including myself) still use this term to cover the whole narrator role of the Game Master.

"S.T" is a less common term, which denotes the narrator like role of the Game Master, White Wolf's "World of Darkness" games uses this term for their R.P.G system. It stands for Story Teller.

Finally, a very common, widely used general term for someone who runs an R.P.G is a "G.M" or "Game Master". This term is fairly appropriate to use for most settings and games, since it denotes the role of the person running the game. They are the rules arbitrator, the narrator, the encounters, the setting and even the mediator between "players" in the game one is in. (This however does not mean that they RULE over the players but more on that later...)

"Player": Anyone who is actively participating in an R.P.G is considered a "Player". They are (usually, but not always) the protagonists of the story the G.M is creating, and work with the G.M to create fun, interesting, and epic stories. Player's role-play their characters using the rules of an R.P.G system usually, but not always, resolving incidents with dice rolls. (However good role-playing can 'over-ride' dice rolls entirely...More on that later...)

"System": This term refers to the rules systems which an R.P.G uses to judge actions, decisions, events, and anything that would cover the technical aspects of a game. For example, Wizards of the Coast's, "Dungeons and Dragon's 4.0" Uses a "D20 System" meaning the game relies heavily upon twenty sided die and a few others for most of it's major actions. Or Green Ronin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" uses a "D6 System" meaning it uses six sided die to determine major actions and outcomes. This doesn't mean the game uses ONLY those dice, but it means that many of the actions within the game rely on those dice. "D&D 4.0" for example uses a slew of gaming dice, where as"ASIF" uses only D6's, so before you pick up an R.P.G book read its "What You Need to Play" Section usually found in the Introduction section of any "Core" rule book.

"House Rules": This term includes any tweek or change in the R.P.G rule system which a G.M uses in their regular gaming sessions. For example: a G.M could alter combat rules to make an R.P.Gs fight scenes flow smoother, or they could consider dropping a "social" roll if the player acts out the scene really well. Anything, that a G.M arbitrates as  making the game easier for their party counts as a "House Rule"...New G.M's will eventually find what works for them and change rules to suit their games...however I'll eventually write about House Rules I use so more on that later....

"Skill Checks, Ability Checks, Tests etc": R.P.G's are governed by rules usually involving dice rolls. Anything which would involve a dice roll is called a "Check". (Usually combined with a characters Skills or Abilities as recorded on their "character sheet".) These "checks" test the player's characters in different situations, usually ones which have game altering consequences. (Such as attacking the goblin-king, or wooing the busty bar-maid, or convincing the court that your client is innocent...etc.)

"Character Sheets": A Players character is written out and recorded on a character sheet. (Ideally, however, pencil and lined paper work just fine too...) These sheets of paper are usually included as scan sheets at the back of most R.P.G books or as online PDFs which you can download and print from your printer. These sheets usually provide amble room, and designated slots for all your gaming needs from what kind of character your playing, to the resources they have, to the skills they excel in etc. Usually these are split up into a few (or all of these) categories such as: Skills, Abilities, Attributes, Merits, Spells, Talents, Items, Equipment, Weapons, Attacks, Health, Willpower, etc. Not all games share the same sheets or the same headings, but they all generally include a Skill section, and Ability section, and a Health section.

"Nerd/Nerdy": I use this term loosely to denote the activities of myself and my colleagues... (Just kidding...)This term is commonly used derogatorily toward a group of individuals who deviate from what is considered the status-quot through their unusual tastes and interests. Someone who is a "nerd" then could be someone who plays R.P.G's, since it is not generally associated with the "norm"...(This does not mean, however, that it is not a very widely liked and played hobby by a varied group of individuals who do not fit the nerd stereotype.) However, for me (and the people on "Big Bang Theory") it is a term which constantly pops-up in my vocabulary, and thus I'll use it here. I am a nerd and proud of it.

"Running": This term refers to the act of starting up, planning, and G.Ming a game. I found this term has stuck with me as I "run" more and more games. Players don't usually "run" a game, however they are "running in/with" a game.The person who creates the game/mediates/governs the game is "running the game". For me the term works and many of the people who play with me use this term often when they are thinking about playing through a new system or setting. Yes, you may borrow it if you are not already using it.^__^

"Core Books v.s Expansions": A Core R.P.G book is a basic rules text. It gives you all the rules you need to know in order to play the game. These include Players Handbooks and the Main Rule book. All the books I mentioned above are considered Core Books since they include all the gaming rules which you need to play in their core texts.

Expansion books add more detail or more flavour to your Core game. For example the R.P.G company (One of my favorite R.P.G companies) White Wolf has many expansion books which are as much a stand-alone text (with their own rules, settings, etc) as they are an expansion. (Such as: "Vampire: The Requiem", "Werewolf: The Forsaken", "Mage: The Awakening") However, since they all require the core text ("World of Darkness") for basic rules they are Expansion texts.

So, that's all the terms I can think of at this moment and I'll add more to this list as we move on from page to page and topic to topic...And now onto the things you need to start playing and R.P.G... (In my opinion...)

The Tool Box:

1) A very big imagination...These types of games thrive off of imagination and it will really add to the enjoyment of a game if you can visualize what is happening in game. It also helps you to plan out new ideas, settings, and characters if your running a game.

2) Good Friends. People you'd love to have coffee with and bounce ideas/settings off of. These kinds of people are invaluable to you as a G.M since they will (ideally) be the people playing in your games, and for players, it makes a game a lot better if your playing with people who you already know...(Makes getting to work with/off of other players in game a lot easier too...)

3) A Good Table/Game Space. The area you play in should be comfortable and inviting (in my opinion) and helps to create a general good feeling when everyone is sitting down to play a game for a few hours. (Snacks, food, and drink don't hurt either as long as your careful with the sheets and food...)

4) A Good Few Hours of Free Time. This is very important...there is nothing worse then a rushed or short session. Make sure when you are planning an R.P.G that you have ample time to play a decent game...Try to set you game to about a 2-4 hours which everyone can commit to, maybe a Weekend in the evenings, or whatever works. Even throw in a few smoking breaks (don't smoke children...), eating breaks, or socializing time for everyone...It really helps to relax the party and lets everyone have a little down time.

5) A Pen and Lots of Paper. Nuff said? Sometimes the best tools you could ask for are a blank sheet of paper, or grid paper. They help to create maps, draw out tools, equipment, traps, anything really...Mostly I find these are useful from creating visual representations of my cities, terrain, dungeons, items, and anything else that my words simply cannot describe. Also, it helps to make notes before games to refer to when you are running you game...It sucks when you forget that awesome name of that epic villain you just created and introduced to the characters and have to create a lame name on the spot, so my word on the matter...Pen and paper.

6) Pencils and Lots of Erasers. Usually character sheets have erasable stats like Health pools, Magic pools, etc, so erasing happens. Maps also change with character interactions so erasing something on a map could come in handy. Have at least one pencil for each player and an eraser for each player (or they can bring there own...whatever...) it helps everyone in the long run.

7) Dice, Rulebooks, Character Sheets, Etc. I know this is going to sound like advertising and marketing but you are going to need to get an R.P.G that you like and enjoy the sound of. Go to your nearest Hobby Store/ Nerd Store and ask about a few R.P.Gs. Find a setting which you enjoy and read the rules, stick with it, find out what kind of dice you need to play and print off character sheets, see if your friends want to play first or are interested in the setting and games that you are and get together...

 It's tough sometimes to start out (and I'll get to that in a bit as well...) but once you are starting your first game session, or are playing in your first game session, you'll find it's easier to try new games, new settings, and play with different rules. Once you try one thing, other games get easier. I would try researching a few games with different settings and genres...

Games I can recommend to start in would be: Wizards of the Coasts " Dungeons and Dragons 4.0", White Wolf's "World Of Darkness", Green Ronin's "Mutants and Masterminds 3.0", Wizards of the Coasts "Star Wars Role Playing Game Saga Edition", Paizo's "Pathfinder", and (last but not least) White Wolf's "Scion: Hero"...(I'll go into detail for all of these games later, but for now pick one, do some research and see what you would like to play.) 

8)The Right Mind Set. There is nothing worse than starting a what you think is going to be another fun game and finding out no one wants to play. Make sure that everyone is in the right mood to game for a few hours or you will find that your game turns sour quick. Ways to avoid this include eating, or socializing beforehand, or even getting feedback from everyone at the beginning and end of each session. You'd be surprised how many good ideas and things you all want and that is the whole point of a game after all isn't it? To have fun creating an adventure that is entirely yours.

9)A Good Sense of Humor. Listen we ALL have inside jokes in our daily lives...When you get creative people in a room, acting out sometimes insane, outlandish things, then of course you are going to get a few laughs. Have fun with those funny times! This is what R.P.G's are made to do, show a little bit of imagination and hilarity. Some people take there games too seriously and that is okay with them...BUT if your like me, you find that having "LOL moments" is an awesome thing. Try not to let a joke get in the way of your few hours of gaming though.

10) A Good Hobby Shop/Online community. In order to play, you'll definitely need to get some dice and books as mentioned above but the best place to get players, or to get involved in an R.P.G is to get involved with your local Hobby Shop or an Online Forum. (Children get permission from you parents please...) Getting a good community and gaming group behind you is possibly one of the best ways to enjoy yourself in this hobby/experience.

I recently volunteered at an R.P.G convention (Phantasm Peterborough) G.Ming a system I was comfortable with and you know what? The experience was awesome! I met some new people, got some new connections, and got to see some really interesting R.P.G swag and systems...

For some of you, this might not be what you want and that is cool, but if you are adventurous enough to try acting with your friends around a table with pencils, paper, character sheets, rolling dice in order to slay a dragon every Saturday night, wouldn't it be interesting to meet other people who do the same thing? Maybe you'll be introduced to some new systems? Maybe you'll get some shiny new dice? Maybe you'll meet a group of nice folks who live close and meet for a few games at the local hobby shop? What have you got to lose?

Bottom Line? Have FUN....Play a few games, have a few laughs, and slay a few trolls, or dragons, or try not to get your character killed, whatever most appeals to you...But most importantly, have fun at what your doing and enjoy the game! That's what these games were made for and that should be the most important rule of your game regardless of rules and systems. Have fun.

I hope whoever reads this enjoys my posts and looks forward to the next one...I'll do this as frequently as my schedule allows and hope that this helps a few people.

Keep  'em rollin',
Leighton