Re: [DL] Game planning...

[Jason Young <jason_d_young@yahoo.com>]

--- Derek Carmichael <dcarmichael@apple.com> wrote:
> 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.

These comments apply to all of my campaigns, not just Deadlands (okay,
there's only ever been a handful, but this is how they go).

I generally start with a published introductory scenario. I don't want to
work too hard before I can see if it's going to fly with the group. After
that, I mix my own stuff and published adventures together, usually using
my stuff to bridge the continuity or geographical gaps, or to build up the
party for something tougher in the future. I've never been too ambitious
with my own adventure writing, mostly because it takes so much effort and
there's a good body of published stuff (usually; it's certainly true for
Deadlands).

I generally don't know where I'm going beyond one or two adventures in the
future. Things don't go as planned, or I see an opportunity and change
course. I also listen to the players to see what they might be interested
in doing.

I create key NPC's before a session where I'll need them, but they are
usually just a sketch. Major NPC's I try to create in full, if I can do it
pretty quickly. That's part of writing the adventure, though, so doesn't
really count as a separate step.

I never wing an individual session, it always fits into the larger scheme,
and I know where I'm going to start things and roughly where they will
probably go each time we sit down. I generally run my games episodically,
rather than serially, for what that's worth. 

> 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 write adventures on my computer(s), make notes whenever they occur to me
on my PDA, and make liberal use of computer spreadsheets to compile
information. I also have a spiral notebook that I use during the game
session which I use to remind me later of key events, names I made up on
the spot, etc. I don't use electronics during the game at all, just for
the planning.

Jason

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