Re: [DL] Game planning...

["Ben Rasmussen" <nyddoybdyle@hotmail.com>]

From: "Derek Carmichael" <dcarmichael@apple.com>
> I'm always interested to know how much planning people actually put into
> their games.

I tend to plot things out in my head alot, but do very little when it comes
to putting it on paper. I get lots of little 'scenes' and plot twists but I
never really elaborate on them.


> 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 tend to plot overall story arcs. I know where I"m headed over all, but
don't always know how I"m getting there. Individual sessions tend to get
created a day or sometimes minutes in advance.

I liken it to being a TV serries creator. I have a over reaching vision for
a season, but each episode gets writen a few days in advance by some other
guy. =)

I create next to no NPC's. They're almost always spur of the moment
creations, even when they're important to the campagin. Villians tend to get
stated up in rough sketch form and then at crunch time I put on the polish
for them. I'm a very context intense GM. It's my story oriented style.

My campaigns also tend to be free roaming afairs so there is little need for
a 'home base'. I get sucked up by the whole campaign world and can't bring
myself to be limited to one 'area'.

I do use published adventures. I love 'em, especially for a game like
Deadlands which has a rather unique style. I can easily get stuck in a
sceniro rut where I can't come up with a 'goal' with out it being corny or
overly cliche. The adventures are a godsend as they get me that first foot
hold. After that, all bets are off as the final product rarely resembles the
original. My current game (which I've been posting) is a good example.

> 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 like 3X5 cards. Used a crud load of them when I was playing D&D 3rd, not
so much for DL's. I tend to just run with a pile of dice and a little note
pad I use for keeping notes... okay, they're not really notes, more like
scratchings that even I can't decipher after the session is over.

I do tend to make up lots of 'cheet sheets' for play though. I've got about
4 different ones for DL's. Mainly a combat breakdown list and another with a
list of the 2nd printing rule changes (I have first ed books) along with all
the nifty optional rules I've found or writen.

For this session, I just got a new laptop. I'm going to try and do a few
things with it and see if it helps or hinders.

> 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.

All my campaigns have evaporated. People either quit showing up do to other
commitments (man that makes me sound like a horrid GM) or interest just
wains. I've got a few players who can't keep the same PC for more then 2
sessions, so I"ve never run a whole 'Campaign'. I"m lucky to get through a
whole adventure. =)


--
"Going to war over religion is like fighting over who has the better
imaginary friend."  - - Richard Jeni