Re: [DL] Game planning...

["Bob Fletcher" <bobfletch@erols.com>]

> I'm always interested to know how much planning people actually put into
> their games.

    I never really thought about it, but it would be interesting to hear how
others organize their games.

> For example:  Do you outline the overall campaign events?  Do you detail
the
> overall campaign?  Do you just wing it as you go?  Do you create lots of
> NPC's?  Do you detail a "home base"?  Are most sessions created on the
spot?
> Do you use only published adventures? Etc.

    I generally write the adventure out, come up with short descriptions of
the NPC's, explaining their motivations and whatnot.  I write up what the
posse will find out and then what's really going on.  Last of all, I create
an outline of the important events.  I used to write it all down in great
detail, but I quickly discovered how the average player can shoot your
carefully crafted plans all to hell. ;-)

> I'm just curious.  (Also if you do these types of things, sharing the
> method: three ring binder, database [that would be me, the geeky one!
;-)],
> note cards, whatever would also be appreciated.)

    I used to keep everything in spiral notebooks, with handouts and maps
kept in a three-ring binder, but I recently bought a laptop and have been
transformed into an uber-geek. ;-)  Now all of my adventures are on the
computer, and I just take it with me to the games.

> BTW: How have folks ended campaigns?  In all the years I've been gaming,
> I've never been involved in a campaign that "wrapped up".  They mostly
just
> evaporated.

    That's the same thing I've experienced.  We've had occasions where
either myself or the other Marshal in my group just got burnt out on the
game we were running.  Luckily, our group is understanding, so it wasn't a
big deal to start something new.