Week 7 : A game master's guide to RPG

"Let's try playing God" - a game master's guide to RPG

So here we are at my last publication about pen and paper RPGs. So I introduced you somehow to RPGs in general and also gave a few guidelines in case you would like to take part in an RPG as a player. Although I believe that it is better to start your experience with this kind of entertainment as a player, some people may want to try being a game master immediately.

Before I start I must underline that in my opinion the GM and players are equally responsible for the outcome of the meeting and both need to make an equal effort so that everybody has a really good time. And believe me, I had some best times in my life with my friends during our RPG sessions. That said, the truth is a GM has lots more of preparations to do.

A player needs only to prepare their character, maybe think over some elements and/or factors that are beyond that single hero, but still concern him (Does he have any family? Maybe he has a pet?). When a GM prepares for the session, he has to think over ALL the rest.

The GM has to come up with a good scenario for the adventure, not necessarily original, but interesting enough so that the players actually want to push through to the end. Some twists, even simple ones, are usually a must have. Again, you don't have to prove you are better than Stephen King, but players always enjoy surprises.

You must have something we can call a "main quest", so the main storyline of the adventure. Also, for every obstacle you put in front of the players (a battle, a riddle, an investigation, basically anything that stops the players from progressing) you must come up with at least one solution to which you try to guide the heroes. As I like to say it, don't expect the players to come up with a solution, if you didn't come up with any.

On the other hand you must always keep in mind that this is not a computer game. So the characters are free to go wherever they are, do whatever they want. There's no decision they cannot make, no action they cannot try to do. That's the whole idea of RPG: do whatever you feel like, be whoever you want to be. So you must be prepared, that players will surprise you. Believe me, they will. Sometimes it's really amazing how much differently people reason. It happened to me some many times that the answer that appeared obvious in my opinion was the last thing my players would think of. And that's how it is. Personally I find it also as an advantage for the GM, because you don't need to be afraid that your scenario will end prematurely: the players will most often take the longest possible path to their goal, simply because for them it will be the most obvious.

Now, if you decide to prepare a scenario based on a rulebook, such as the World of Darkness, obviously you must learn the concept of the fictional world and its rules. However this is also a perfect occasion to find some inspiration for your adventure, if you don't have a clear idea of the setting you would like to use. RPG rulebooks have very rich descriptions precisely for that reason: to give people ideas about the type of adventure they would like to prepare for their players.

Usually rulebooks contain also so called mechanics, which means the infamous dice rolling. I say 'infamous' because that's what created the association between RPG and nerdy kids rolling dice and talking about their +2 swords. I am not a fan of so called dice-rolling, not too often anyway. The mechanics for rulebooks such as the World of Darkness or Dungeons and Dragons actually require a lot of dice rolling and calculation to establish the outcome of a test.

Dice can be very helpful. You see, when playing these games it's the GM's responsibility to decide the outcome of the actions taken by the heroes. So, will the hero land a good punch? Will he make that jump? Will he spot that clue? However dice have the enormous inconvenience of taking the focus from actual role playing and immersion in your character to the numerical results. In most case I prefer to resolve "conflicts" through storytelling and my own intuition, in life there is always some randomness so I also use a dice from time to time. Also when using a dice the players can't blame you if they fail! :D

Finally, my last piece of advice: it's all about fun! If you want to be a successful GM find out what the players like, what settings would be most enjoyable for them and realize all that. The scenario has to be about the heroes, not about you. As I like to say, put them in the spotlight, give every hero a chance to prove their worth, give them his or her 5 minutes of glory. Every player wants their hero to be special and that's how it should be. Look out for timid players who will be to intimidated to take any action. Encourage them to do something, to take part in an adventure. In the end, RPGs are all about having fun.

Ok, that's enough. I really can talk (or write for that matter) a lot about this.

Questions!

1. Have you ever written stories for your own satisfaction? (Even short ones!) If yes, what about? Share!

2. If you could make your own movie and were given unlimited funds, what would the movie be about?