Getting ready to DM my first game

[RO-Red]

A little background: Currently deployed in Afghanistan and we received some D&D 3.5 books in a care package. First off, whoever sent it is bloody brilliant. I've had some experience playing D&D and decided to put the books to use. Nobody else here has ever played, so I've been stuck filling the role of the DM. So I'm sure this has been asked before, but if anyone has any tips for me, especially in dealing with complete newcomers to the game, I'd be really appreciative. I figured I'm going to start by sticking to a prepared adventure and try to keep the rules from getting in the way of the action as much as possible. I'd like to start working on preparing my own material, but it's a little daunting because admittedly, it's been almost 10 years since I've played and I was never an expert or anything.

[Kalmageddon]

3.5 can be incredibly heavy on a newcomer, so my advice would be to not be afraid of simplifying things and not bothering with the minutiae of the rules, just get a sense of how things work, what you need to roll in various situations and possibily stick to more mundane classes, basically I advise against using Druid, Wizard, Sorcerer and Cleric. Magic users can be fun, but remembering what each spell does is something that is easier for veterans, a new player might get frustrated at looking them up constantly.
As for a first adventure, keep things simple and not too serious.

That's what I can think of off the top of my head right now, at least. :smallsmile:

[Droningbass]

While your tactics for preparation will always depend on the players and their dynamics, I might have a few tips to help (especially if they are all new or inexperienced players).

-In the beginning of your adventures, consider giving the players several options for activities rather than just saying "what do you do?".
For example: Your adventuring party enters a new town, seeing an inn, several shops, a temple to Pelor, and a town square milling with people and several guards watching the bustle. Do you: Approach a guard to ask about the town? Enter the [insert shop type here] shop to do some shopping? Head to the inn to get a meal and a room? or Head to the temple of Pelor for some healing?
Eventually, the party will have plenty of ideas of what they want to do, but in the first couple sessions all of the options can be overwhelming! After the party gets the hang of this sort of thing, let them choose their own path (it should only take a couple sessions before they take the reigns).

-I've always found that its important to make sure that each player can confidently explain all of their character's special abilities/powers/feats/skills/spells/etc. to the Dungeon Master from the very beginning of the game. This helps them realize when these character options would be most beneficial and usable in combat or roleplaying. It might seem tedious at first, but for the first 3-4 game sessions I really encourage players to be able to explain to the DM and the party what their character can do and how they do it. This helps solidify the options in everyone's mind, and reminds new players about all of the options they might have forgotten since the last session.

-Don't be afraid to let your party take an adventure in new directions, even in modules! Some of the best games that I've played in were a result of the party going on an adventure tangent due to some player goals. Be ready to throw together a quick plot or some random encounters (whether they be new NPCs to interact with or monsters to encounter on the new journey) if the party doesn't seem to follow the logical course of action in an adventure module.

Well, it might have been a little bit rambly, but that's what I've got. I hope it helps! Have fun with the new campaign!

[RO-Red]

Both are excellent suggestions, and I plan on taking all of it to consideration. Right now I'm finishing spicing up a free module I found online so if they veer off the script, which I'm sure they will at some point, I'll have some ideas on where they end up. And if everything goes smoothly, I'm working on motivations that might take them down those other avenues anyways, because I'm pretty stoked about them.

What's funny is that as a result of spicing up this one adventure, an outline for an entire campaign is starting to form. It's pretty exciting. I always thought I'd just want to be a PC but I could get used to DMing.