The topics for days 8 & 9 are very closely related and perfect as a combined catch up post:
Day 8: What is a good game to play for a session of 2hrs or less?
My short answer would be with another question, Is there one? I think from my end of things running a 2hr or less has to be done with players who at least have some concept of what RPGs are and preferrably with prebuilt characters. I played an online session of 13th Age--a fantasy based RPG that needs more love--in which the characters were provided and we were able to clock in at just over two hours. I normally run three hour sessions--slightly more if the players want a complete one-shot story--no matter which system I am using. I think three hours with a little pre-start mingling and postgame cool down/recap is the sweet spot.
Two hours is really tough. I have never run or particpated in the game--although I really want to--but my answer based on reading the PDF is the game Dread. It is a game wherein players fill out a sheet of simple questions to build their characters. The setting/genre is horror. All decisions are resolved using a Jenga set--you want to climb a shaky building? Your teenaged computer nerd may need to make three pulls whereas the athletic cheerleader could do it in one or two--if the tower falls...one of the players is dead--usually whoever is pulling. I dont think the game is in print these days, but the PDF is easy to get.
Day 9: What is a good game to play for just ten sessions?
Another tough question for which I will give an ambiguous answer. For any new system that the group is willing to try, ten play sessions is a nice even number. It would give most players time to see if they really like the game or not and it would give time in most systems for the characters to grow. It could be thought of as an introductory chapter in what could become a longer campaign. The story should be self-contained, but with hooks and whatnot so that you could continue if you wanted to. This would work for any game, and wrapping up a story with just ten chapters feels like an accomplishment rather than building all of these awesome characters dealing with intricate storylines, but likely ending before completion.
#RPGaDay2017
Day 8: What is a good game to play for a session of 2hrs or less?
My short answer would be with another question, Is there one? I think from my end of things running a 2hr or less has to be done with players who at least have some concept of what RPGs are and preferrably with prebuilt characters. I played an online session of 13th Age--a fantasy based RPG that needs more love--in which the characters were provided and we were able to clock in at just over two hours. I normally run three hour sessions--slightly more if the players want a complete one-shot story--no matter which system I am using. I think three hours with a little pre-start mingling and postgame cool down/recap is the sweet spot.
Two hours is really tough. I have never run or particpated in the game--although I really want to--but my answer based on reading the PDF is the game Dread. It is a game wherein players fill out a sheet of simple questions to build their characters. The setting/genre is horror. All decisions are resolved using a Jenga set--you want to climb a shaky building? Your teenaged computer nerd may need to make three pulls whereas the athletic cheerleader could do it in one or two--if the tower falls...one of the players is dead--usually whoever is pulling. I dont think the game is in print these days, but the PDF is easy to get.
Day 9: What is a good game to play for just ten sessions?
Another tough question for which I will give an ambiguous answer. For any new system that the group is willing to try, ten play sessions is a nice even number. It would give most players time to see if they really like the game or not and it would give time in most systems for the characters to grow. It could be thought of as an introductory chapter in what could become a longer campaign. The story should be self-contained, but with hooks and whatnot so that you could continue if you wanted to. This would work for any game, and wrapping up a story with just ten chapters feels like an accomplishment rather than building all of these awesome characters dealing with intricate storylines, but likely ending before completion.
#RPGaDay2017
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