Expanding an Idea: 2 for the price of 1
March 11, 2003 in Articles
As I shorted the GO clan an article last week so I thought I’d run a 2 for 1 deal this time around. This is going to be a longer article so feel free to rest up and get some coffee in the middle if you’d like. I’ll be here when you get back.
Mark gave us a nice idea for a mental workout in Exercise to help improve one of the most important GM skills – managing multiple events at the same time. This is a very important skill to develop if you want to keep your game world as realistic and alive as possible. In fact, if you haven’t read it yet I suggest you do so – it’s good stuff.
While Mark’s article is something that we can do outside of game to improve our skills, there are some things that we can do inside of game to work on them as well. I’m going to pick one idea I have found that works for me and we’ll see how things go.
We’ve all read articles on being better GMs and players. Heck, that’s basically all my articles are about. The problem with these hints, tips and tricks is when should we put them to use? New ideas are inspirational to us and we want to use them sooner rather than later. Should we break them out in the middle of our current campaign, or should we wait until we start a new game?
The main problem, as I see it, in trying out some new ideas is that sometimes they don’t fit in the current game. Lets say you’ve been GMing or playing in a D&D game and right now you’re in the middle of the campaign. The group is more than likely having fun or it wouldn’t have lasted this long so the issue here is that the campaign is set in it’s ways right now. Just because we read an article that gave us a great idea on how to use horror better doesn’t mean we should shoehorn that into our existing game.
No matter if it’s a new GM tool or a new way for the players to better develop their characters, anytime we try something new there will be some bumps in the road. Trying to run a conspiracy horror game when you’ve never done it before will create some challenges for the first couple of sessions. Suddenly deciding that you want to explore your barbarian’s horribly troubled childhood when you’ve never shown any interest in that for the past five months of gaming is also difficult, and may be disruptive to the game. Players and GM will need to adjust to anything that is too new and that can ruin your game.
What is “Too new?” My rule of thumb is that anything that would change the direction of your campaign (e.g. adding a big horror element to your sci-fi game that wasn’t there before) is too new. Also, if you can’t decide one way or the other, fail towards it being too new.
Well then, when should you try this new stuff? My advice is to try a one-shot game
Ah! The old one-shot game! I know a lot of folks aren’t fond of them, but they hold a special place in my heart. Why? Because that’s when I try out my new material. A number of years ago I wanted to run a super hero game so I set up a one shot. Found out I hated it, just wasn’t what I thought it would be. So I shelved the idea for another time – when/if I do it again I’ll take what I learned from the one-shot and see if I can improve it.
A one-shot was also where I first tried using an accent when I spoke as my character. I was nervous about doing it. Appart from the risk of being laughed at by the other players, my regular character was already established without an accent. The one-shot gave me the freedom to try something new. If it hadn’t worked, or it was more of a pain than fun, I would have shelve it and tried it another time.
If the one-shot turns out to be a great time, you might get to do it again. If you tried horror gaming and everyone had fun, ask your fellow gamers if they want to do it again. Do they want to try a campaign, or was the once in a while one-shot all they wanted out of it? If the answer is no, don’t throw the idea out. Just shelve it for later. Come back when you’ve had a chance to think it over some more.
Same goes for new player ideas. If you want to try out a new character type, or a new way of playing your character, one-shots are a great place to give it a go. If you find that it doesn’t work out, take what you learned from it and see if you can improve later on.
There are some things that we can put into play in an existing game right away. Sometimes the GM or player is actively looking for help with a particular issue, and putting that kind of info to use right away is fine. If you are looking for more info on Moon elves because you want to really get into the cultural part of your character, no reason not to try and get some of the things you pick up into play. Just be sure the things you are looking to add to the game fit. Best way to figure out if the things you want to use work is to talk to the GM and work it out.
On the GM side of the screen, let’s say you decide that you want to increase the tactical knowledge of your Orcs because the PCs have been walking all over them recently. To do that you will need some kind of trigger or cue for the players to know they are up against something different. Something as simple as a new tribal symbol or different physical descriptions (eye or skin color, size, language, etc) can all help cue the players in.
You see, if you simply amp up the Orc’s abilities the players will sense the change and want to know why. While you don’t need to tell them that you are doing it to even things out, or to correct a mistake you’ve made, you need to give them in game reasons. Without some kind of reason it’s not going to fly.
Well, now’s your chance to get a drink or a snack if you want one. I’m switching over from Exercise to Objectives.
All settled in again? Good. On to the next bit.
In Objectives Mark gave some interesting info on PCs working together in a party. Individual objectives are great, adding realism and are often the things that players use as their character’s motivation for doing something. One character might be on the adventure to right wrongs, another simply for the reward. As Mark points out, these objectives/motivations can be the subject of some internal party conflict. Let’s take the idea of PC conflict and talk about the connection between it and new players.
My theory is that most first time RPGers are not ready for a backstabbing, conflict filled game of political intrigue. It’s a very hard way to learn the ropes of RPGs if you have to watch your back even when your around the other PCs. It’s also very hard for new players not to take backstabbing and party conflict personally. New players, for the most part, haven’t really learned the separation of character and player yet.
(Note: When I say “PC conflict” I’m talking about PC vs. PC conflict.)
I’ve argued this with other gamers before, but I do believe that there are Beginner games, and Advanced games in the RPG hobby. For me the thing that separates the Beginner from Advanced game is the level of PC conflict that is accepted/promoted. Sure, some players will move along quickly, and may be more than happy to jump in the deep end right away, but I think this is something we need to seriously think about when recruiting and teaching new players.
I’m positive that not everyone will agree with my list, but here are some of the games I own and how I break them down:
Beginner
-D&D in all it’s incarnations
-Star Frontiers
-MERP
-GURPS if run in a traditional “D&D” like setting
-Call of Cthulhu
-Champions
Advanced
-White Wolf Games (Vampire, Wraith, Werewolf, Mage)
-Amber
-Sorcerer
-GURPS if using the Cabal setting or other conspiracy settings
-Delta Green Call of Cthulhu setting
(Remember: Beginner and Advanced do not deal with the complexity of the game rules or setting- strickly PC vs. PC conflict here.)
I’ve got other games, but I think the list above is enough to show you what games I’m thinking about when I say Beginner or Advanced. Sure, some of these Beginner games could be run with more conflict, placing it in the Advanced category (or vice versa), but I think the feel and presentation of certain games tells you basically how much conflict you can expect between your PCs.
If I’m running Tomb of Horrors for a group of AD&D players I don’t expect that there would be a lot of conflict between PCs. Sure, some of the PCs may have some arguments on treasure and tactics, some may be there for the treasure with others along simply for the chance of putting a demi lich out of commission, but for the most part players in this type of game work together for a common goal. AD&D is a game that designed for this kind of play.
Is Beginner better than Advanced? I think not. Fun is always my main concern with an RPG, so I’m not concerned about one being better than another. What I am concerned about it which game I would choose to use as the first game for a new player.
If the first time you sat down to learn to play a card game with friends they chose five card draw poker, and then proceeded to clean you out I’ll bet you’d not want to play with them again. I for one wouldn’t be too keen on any card games no matter what kind they were because I had a horrible time when I tried it. Same goes for PC conflict.
Feeling like your under attack by friends isn’t fun, and can lead to lost friendships and hurt feelings. In an RPG there is always going to be some level of PC conflict. But in a game like D&D that conflict isn’t normally the focus of the game. Sure it may add color and some fun memories of the adventure, but it’s not the focus. And for new players I don’t think it should be.
That’s enough out of me. Let me know what you think and I’ll see you in the forums!
