RE: [DL] running horror scenarios (OT)

[Lisa Kenison <lisa.kenison@asu.edu>]

>Oh, sure, the system is simple.  But what I meant, perhaps, was that CoC
>is difficult to run WELL.  I hear more stories from Call of Cthulhu
>players who hate the game because their GM killed them within fifteen
>minutes of the game (either because he was a poor GM, or because he
>didn't grasp the concept of "horror" as not meaning "splatterpunk").

I don't think anyone here actually played in any of my games, but I don't
run them like you described.  Especially in a demo situation where you want
people to have fun.  Dying in the first 15 minutes is never fun and I have
experienced that a lot, mainly when playing in RPGA events.  No offense to
anyone here, but they leave much to be desired in my opinion.  I tend to run
a more heroic slant in that the characters have a chance.  Granted many
characters died over the course of last weekend, but I also averaged 12-15
people per game.  Sometimes they just rolled bad and there was nothing to be
done to change that. But, I think the important thing is that they had fun,
told their friends, bought the rules and then came back to play in other
scenarios I ran over the weekend.  Several players that joined my games were
hesitant at first for exactly the reasons you mentioned above, but I talked
them into playing and I think they saw that it is not the game that is like
that so much as it is the GM.  I found using my laptop with sound waves and
color pictures intensified and perhaps brought home the horror aspect better
than I have been able to in the past without it (and it adds a whole new
level to geekiness on my part in gaming).

>Some people are really good at Call of Cthulhu because they can run both
>a mystery and a horror game, which are the two most difficult genres to
>GM (imho).  After all, horror requires you to produce a specific
>emotional reaction from your Players, and mystery requires obsessive
>partitioning of information.  Tough stuff.

I guess I never thought about it too much like that, but I think you are
correct.  I haven't had any complaints so far.  I think I have always been
drawn to the horror genre in all it's manifestations, so perhaps that is why
I don't find it difficult. I am more challenged running Deadlands to be
honest, as I am not much of a rules lawyer and have to look stuff up that I
know I will need to know all the time.

>So consider yourself gifted if you can run Call of Cthulhu well. 
>Personally, I'm better at the Deadlands style of horror, because I can
>always fall back onto the western genre if I screw something up.

I agree that the two styles are somewhat different, but I really enjoy the
story aspect and so both Deadlands and CoC appeal to me in that aspect.
Deadlands is always fun for me simply with the mechanics of the game (chips,
cards) and I enjoy making my handouts and props for CoC in the same vein.  I
like to think that I run a good game so thanks!  :).  I do think CoC is more
forgiving though if you "screw something up" than Deadlands in my opinion
and I find that winging it in CoC is far easier for me than in Deadlands.
But that might be simply because I have run/played CoC far longer than I
have Deadlands and I haven't run any Deadlands for awhile.

>Call of Cthulhu manuals and adventures will not make you a fan of the
>genre.  Playing Call of Cthulhu under a good GM, or reading Mythos
>related fiction, or just plain being a horror fanatic will make you a
>frequent buyer.
<snip>
>But hardly any Call of Cthulhu fan became a fan because he saw a manual in
the store, picked it up, and started playing

Okay, I see your point now.  I think you are right.  I like to think that I
converted a whole new set of fans though with their positive experiences in
my games (as well as my friend Frank's) during Origins and Gencon.  I see
what you mean though. I think it was playing in a game at local cons so long
ago that converted me and now that I like it so much I buy it.  But I
wouldn't buy it if I hadn't played.

>Deadlands (and other games) have a better marketable value because they
>have flashier artwork, a larger independent genre source (movies,
>television shows, etc.), and is easier to run.  Or, rather, harder to
>run badly.

I bought the Deadlands stuff after I played in a great pick up game in the
middle of the night at origins a long time ago, right after it came out
(maybe it was gencon...I am old now so it all blurs together at this point).
But it made  me a fan and I had to get it to try it on my group back home.
I personally find it harder to run from a mechanics point of view, not a
story one (I think Ashley mentioned that part in her follow up post that I
didn't copy here).  I "world settings" have never been challenging for me,
but that might have something to do with the fact I am a nerd girl and my
degree in history sort of helps out and with living in AZ, I have had a lot
of exposure to the "western" thing...

Sorry if this is too off topic for everyone...I just was curious and I don't
get a lot of opportunity to discuss the game from the "running it" point of
view...

thanks,
lisa