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View Full Version : Time saving Dming tips? Please?



D20ragon
2014-02-14, 04:06 PM
Sooo. As evidenced by the sig, I find myself running 20 (or so) pbp games.
I've managed it thus far, but I'd appreciate some assistance. Advice, anything! Anyone?
please help meeeee.....!

Ailowynn
2014-02-14, 04:18 PM
What system(s) are you running? What generally takes the longest prep-wise with your games?

Usually, encounters take a while to plan. One thing that I've seen people do is to create a big ol' file of encounters (fairly specific, but still mutable); then, just drag and drop. Same goes with NPCs. But I don't know if this is something that would work; usually, you start the file before you start the game. At any rate, you could recycle stats and encounters from games of the same system.

Gavran
2014-02-14, 04:30 PM
Well the best advice in this case is, I think, "be less crazy." :P

But you're being crazy in a cool way, and I've been wanting to grow a bit as more than a player so... you running any 4E games? Maybe I could help build (maaaaybe run) encounters or something. Not that 4E encounters are particularly hard to build, but it'd still save some time...

Mrc.
2014-02-14, 04:35 PM
Personally, I find that encounters run a lot quicker if you can encourage the PCs to speed up their actions. Monsters generally don't take too long because you control them all so you know roughly what each does and how they work together. Try giving a lenient time limit on PC actions, and if they don't mind then ask them not to stack AoE spells because those take a while to deal with.

How much of those 20 campaigns are separate? As in, how many different worlds? How many players in each? Any players in more than one group? Knowing the answer to these would help us give you advice, but if any bookkeeping needs doing and you have someone you trust they could help out. That's all I can think of off the top of my head, sorry.

Brookshw
2014-02-14, 04:44 PM
20 o.O ...... 20???? I guess the first piece is know your limits.

Moving on, reuse content. Use premade maps (check WoTC) or mythweaver dungeon generator. Use online monster advancers. Cheat. No really, cheat. It's time intensive to sit there templating, advancing, adding class levels. Don't be afraid to just hand wave thing (though be aware of the groups abilities, were talking about a reasonable level of hand waving, not "now the party is doomed and useless" levels).

Steal, steal plots from movies, books, whatever.

Challenge players to help with some world building. "okay gang, next week were going to be dealing with some nobles. I'll make up most of them but I'd appreciate it if you could each send me q brief write up of who one of the nobles are and there two closest advisors".

Huh, cheat, steal, pass the buck. Funny advise now that I look at it. Oh well (and again, online generators!)

BWR
2014-02-14, 04:44 PM
20 games? :smalleek:
Cut down on them. That's all I can say. The amount of time you save from various tips and tricks and cheats for prep is minimal compared to the amount of stuff you have to do to run a game, like actually running it.

Dawgmoah
2014-02-14, 04:51 PM
Moving on, reuse content. Use premade maps (check WoTC) or mythweaver dungeon generator. Use online monster advancers. Cheat. No really, cheat. It's time intensive to sit there templating, advancing, adding class levels. Don't be afraid to just hand wave thing (though be aware of the groups abilities, were talking about a reasonable level of hand waving, not "now the party is doomed and useless" levels).

Steal, steal plots from movies, books, whatever.

Challenge players to help with some world building. "okay gang, next week were going to be dealing with some nobles. I'll make up most of them but I'd appreciate it if you could each send me q brief write up of who one of the nobles are and there two closest advisors".

Huh, cheat, steal, pass the buck. Funny advise now that I look at it. Oh well (and again, online generators!)


Excellent advice. You can create/use one map and write several different scenarios for it. I've got several decades of old adventures stacked up and, once updated to 3.5 rules, I re-use them often. Multiple playing groups, as long as their are no players in both groups, means you can re-use without re-writing.

And let the players help write the story. Let their actions dictate what the campaign throws at them. Killed a bad guy a few games ago? Word get out? His friends and/or family may be coming for whoever put their buddy down.

Hyde
2014-02-15, 12:09 AM
I once spent an entire game of about six encounters reusing and reinterpreting a relatively simple hand-drawn map.

It was-
A Castle gate with moat and drawbridge
A Stables, with a cavern den for the BBG's pet polar bears
Two different Throne rooms.
A high tower perch and catwalk, with adjoining terraces for archers
A whale.

Perseus
2014-02-15, 09:02 AM
Cut down on them. It isn't fair to yourself or to the players when you are running yourself ragged on purpose.

If I was a player in one of the games and found out about this I would call you out on it and then drop out. If you can't be bothered to focus your energy (and it seems like you are having troubles) then I wouldn't put the time or energy to play.

D20ragon
2014-02-15, 09:52 AM
No. I am not looking to bail on any of these games. Perhaps it is the right thing to do, but I have far to much time and energy invested in these games, and I will not abandon my players. Sorry.

Perseus
2014-02-15, 09:58 AM
No. I am not looking to bail on any of these games. Perhaps it is the right thing to do, but I have far to much time and energy invested in these games, and I will not abandon my players. Sorry.

It isn't abandoning them or failing or anything like that.

You have already admitted you need help dealing with the work load. By stopping some of the games you will be able to handle the games.

Find someone else to run them or if that will help your conscious but as things are going you aren't being that respectful to your players.

You remind me of managers that just has to do everything and won't admit they have to much on their plate AND do something about it... They just want to put a bandaid on the problem instead of actually setting the broken leg.

Do what you must but I feel horrible for your players.

D20ragon
2014-02-15, 10:08 AM
No, my problem is my players are doing fine, but it's overtaxing me to keep the games running well. I take breaks, and notify my players when I need to take 5, but I'd just appreciate a bit of help. I know my limits, and only take games I'm sure I can run them.
For example, a great deal of my games are freeform. I can just throw down a scenario, and let my players react, then react to their reactions.
For my more rules heavy games, I sometimes have a Co-Dm.