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Vknight
2013-12-02, 11:09 AM
For anyone and everyone. Got advice too give? A slight miss that could come up in any system and/or story? A way to work with your players/Game-master about some topic? How too handle various forms of gaming, advice for each type? Universal or basic story ideas such as the pickpocket, with setting specific examples(up to the poster)

Well that is what this topic is all about.

Vknight on the Pro's and Con's of various session setups
Live Group
Pro's

In the room with you
Dim Lights means something
Various things to help with interruptions
Can make sure everyone is paying attention
A Table/Board
Actual people interacting with you
You probably get snacks or food
Easier to judge whose not paying attention to get them involved


Con's

Actual people
Have to meet somewhere/sometime
You have to acquire pants before a session
A fight happens then you may have to deal with that person later
If people are late that sucks even more so then other game types

Skype/Other Call Based
Pro's

Actual People, but you don't need to be in the same state
Can use various online gaming programs
Can do secondary stuff when Gm needs to focus on someone else without seeming to be that guy
Easier to walk away if you have sudden guests etc.
Still vocal like live game and can be semi-visual; with maps and/or webcams depending on the individual


Con's

Having a fight less likely to have real life consequences
Harder to repair damages from said fights
Die rollers if worried about cheating/lies
Harder to notice if someone is losing interest
Still will have a meeting time, with the place being your computer


Instant Message/Play By Post
Pro's

Less investment
No need for headset
No need for place and no need for time with play by post type
Easiest too find and join


Con's

Slower pace
Less investment
Harder to be invested in/tell when people need a break or are losing said investment
Long delays waiting on a person
Harder too keep a schedule
Most likely too fall through
Some people are not writers and want too roleplay not write dialogues


V-Knights The Revised 16 Things to know about the game.
Now called
-So I Want to Run/Play in this Type of Game; Here's what I'm hoping
or
-Vknight's Bad With Witty Names/Didn't wait too see how many parts it ended up being...
The Four Colours are based off of the idea from the Wild Talents 2nd edition Core Rulebook, which is a superhero game. But they can be applied too other genres and systems. The Colours are rated 1 to 5.


Game's Genre. Be it Super-hero, Fantasy, Wushu/Action Movie, Anime, Horror, Science Fiction, Modern etc. What when you look at the interest would it be most often called, and other genre ideas that make up this game
Colour Number(#1): Red, How much can a character, change history/the world. Redness rated at 1 means characters can't really change anything its not one person who becomes the organizations face but the momentum of the groups belief. Well Red 5 is the exact opposite with the idea being a single person means the difference between World War 5 starts in 1997 and it starting in 2086 if at all. The Lower red the more its the peoples power and the higher Red the more its the invidiuals power
Colour Number(#2): Gold, is the idea of intertia. To put it simply high Gold means a group/societies view and general status quo always remains the same you are this so you do that no wiggle room. The lower gold gets the more players and non-players break that and the greater representation on differing views towards characters opens up
Colour NUmber(#3): Blue, or as some people could describe it the fantastical elements. Lower Blue goes the more grounded and realistic a setting. The Higher Blue grows the more it becomes High Fantasy/Space Opera/Marvel or DC
Colour Number(#4): Black, or the morality police. Black one is their is no good and evil except what the law makes/being osctraciezed. Black 5 is the opposite, do the immediate good thing is always the good thing, good is right everything is black and white your good or evil no neutral; Good guys don't kill and bad guys kick puppies for fun
Power Level/Point Buy/Power Points/Level/XP/EXP; Or how strong I want the characters too be at the games start
Game System I want too use for this game and house rules too be attached too it
Where/When/How I want too play the game
Setting; If the game comes with one am I going too use it/do I want the Game-master to use it
What style of game I want too play and/or run. Be it spies, or merchants, or soldiers and how/why are we doing it.
Are we going more episodic, over-arching, or a mixture for the campaigns sessions
What am I ok with happening too my character, and/or other peoples characters. Am I ok with him/her dying, being tortured. This need not be role-played but what is the players stance on this issue if any



The Sandbox Method
-The sandbox method is simple straightforward setup for beginning a campaign and other similar workings(such as a setting outline)
-Each part of the Sandbox method can take 1 too 4 hours. The group sits down and talks doing a part. The Players do the homework and provide what they want the Gm mainly listens and uses that only really saying when he or she feels strongly against or for something and/or if asked for their opinion.
-Sandbox works best for creating custom settings not for using existing ones
-The Sandbox method does involve homework for the players during the creation process
-The Player Homework given as example is minimum up to Gamemaster the true amount. The Homework given with a part is too be done for that part. So complete the homework in the Part 1 section before Part 1 too use it during Part 1
-Between each part of a Sandbox their should be a 1 hour respite minimum. If you start Part 1 and finish but have 8 hours left maybe spend 1 hour of respite/play video games then do 1 to 3 hours or Homework all really up too the group

Part #0
-What Genre of game are we playing? If this has not already been decided. Is this going to be a Superhero game, a Fantasy game and what not?

Part #1
-The Colours of that each player would want from the setting/game
-General tone of the setting is a player does not want too use colours or wants to be more in depth
-What do you not want too see
-What do you want too see in this type of universe/game/setting
-Discuss problems and advantages of the genre players have had and how each player will be coming at the game
-The Power Level of the characters/setting
Player Homework: Write down and figure out your own stance

Part #2
-The actual setting. Be it City Creation from Dresden Files or the Forgotten Realms Books
-The Big Thing(Universe or Planet or Nation or City)
-The Things Making up the Big Thing(Planets, or Nations, Cities, or Districts)
-The Little Extra-Flavor Parts(Nations, Cities, or Districts)
-What is the big thing that makes up the setting. Then what makes up said setting's big thing what are the things the players want too see in the game(Chinatown, Italy, Mars what have you)
Player Homework: Think up, write down, and prep what you want to see in the game/setting

Part #3
-The Settings history, can be general, or down to the minute
-The factions, backgrounds tensions, threats, and themes
-General continuation of 2 on things too appear within the setting and also the more fantastical elements
Player Homework: What way do you want the cops too treat you. Want the town guard complaining when you use the Shout or firing off a volley of arrows

Part #4
-Each player describes one of the Character Concepts/Ideas. The Character appearance, general what they have for their background, supporting npc's, skills etc.
-The characters boundaries, the players boundaries with that character
-Questions the other players have about the character just described
-We then move on too another player who then talks about one of their concepts as above.
-Repeat until each player/character concept has been done

-Starting with the first player too present have all the other players say the character concept they like the most
-The why's and why not
-Have the player say which concept they liked the most.
-Should/Could the two be mixed? The player shouldn't just go with the idea they really love when everyone else hates it, they are giving a I feel this way opinion on the matter of characters before a decision. Don't get overly attached too one idea
-You can have more then 3 Ideas(Limit it too 4 or 5 though), also the ideas cannot all be the same gender
Player Homework: 3 Character Ideas. Change this too 4 when dealing with a group of 6 players. Each Character idea should be distinct and different, no Martial Artist, then a Swordmaster, then a Ninja as they are all similar

Part #5
-Game System is decided by the GM based on all the information compiled from earlier parts to best accommodate earlier work
-Players work together too make characters using the system
-Finish Character Creation and your done!
Player Homework: Be prepared up until this point the players should have done no numbers except height, weight and age. Nor should the Gm have been going we are doing this system. It should be a surprise and the group should work together during Character Creation