The RPG a Day Blog 2016 Day 17

I gave serious thought to the main question for Day 17--the fictional character that might fit well in my most current group--but in this case I can't think of anything clever or insightful. It would be a good chance to game with Judge Dredd or Batman--or better yet to bring Sailor Mercury or Lara Croft to life--Does Ric Flair count as fictional or real? In any case not much to say here, so I'm going alternate today.

What are good ways for the group to support the host on game night?

Here are some things that can help the host--and everybody else by extension--that should be self-evident but for some reason or another are not always.

* Bring All Play Materials: Just like work or school. Bring all of your stuff and don't assume that the host has a bunch of extras for you to play with. Everybody forgets things from time to time, but at least you should have dice, pencil and character sheet.

*Update your character before the session: Unless it's session zero and you have no clue what you are doing, you should do all the maintenance on your character at home. Even if it is a new campaign you should try to have a general idea of the setting for the game and the type of character that you want to play.

*Help new players when you can: I'm assuming the 'host' is the GM. That's not always true. I have to run games at the host's venue because I live far away from everyone else and there is a baby in my house. In any case the GM has a lot to do already. If you have never run a game, give it a shot and you'll see. You can help the GM out whether he is hosting or not by helping new players. If you know the game well, then sit with a newbie and help him/her. It will make the session go much more smoothly. 

*Chip in for food or bring snacks: If food is being ordered then chip in--if nothing else bring some drinks which almost anybody can afford. If you really are short--let somebody know in private. I've never heard of any group shaming someone who can't afford to buy in, but if they start to assume you are a moocher it might bring some tension to the group.

*Be on your best behavior/know your surroundings: Some places are better for loud, boisterous gaming than others. If non-player wives, babies--or parents for you youngsters--are living with the host, then you had better be quiet or expect to find a different venue. If you are playing in a coffee shop or non-gaming specific bookstore don't act in a way that gets you kicked out.

*Clean up: Finish the session with enough time to clean up. If you are running long then be prepared to stay late. Don't leave any kind of a mess--especially if the mentioned above wives and/or parents are around--even if the host protests and says it's okay. Trust me, on the long term you had better keep it clean.

*Be responsible for your material: Keep an eye on all of your paraphernalia. The stuff isn't cheap. A lot of people are very protective of their stuff. Be sure you keep track of everything that belongs to you. If your stuff comes up missing; it often leads to resentment. Make sure you have everything before you leave the session. Who knows what may accidently get thrown away, vacuumed up or eaten in a household full of wives, moms, babies, and pets that don't know any better.

That's my story for today--We're better than half-way through, and I haven't missed one yet.

Yeah, she wouldn't want to play at the likes of my table anyway...plus, even if she did the wife wouldn't allow it.

The RPG a Day 2016 Blog Day 16

August 16: What historical character would you like in your group? For what game?

I'm sure that there will be a deluge of answers from people clamoring to play with Hitler, but I'm going to buck the trend and choose someone nice. His name Fred Rogers from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I'm not the first person to notice this and I have nothing to do with the little meme below, but I think Mr. Rogers would kick ass running any game. First, he had the coolest set pieces: minis  that could be played with at the table and even better the full size props for LARPing. He was always clear and patient making sure that everyone knew what was going on. He gave plenty of opportunity for player input. He had several story props that would come out from time to time and Picture Picture and the Trolley would give visual and audio clues respectively alerting the players to the beginning and ending of each session. Mr. McFeely was always dropping off more stuff for Rogers--I assume it was all from Amazon and Kickstarters that he backed--so that things stayed fresh at his table. He even had girls playing. Admittedly, things went gonzo really quick with purple pandas, the bizarre relationship between Henrietta Pussycat and X the owl, and Lady Elaine Fairchilde always freaked me out, but you can just tell that he'd run the gaming table like a boss.

The RPG a Day 2016 Blog Day 15

August 15: What types or source of inspiration do you turn to most often for RPGs?

It's music. Whenever I'm playing online I've got all sorts of different music streaming from YouTube in the background. I usually pick from the genres that I like 80's music, electronic music, J-pop, older country music and older music from Western movies, there's a group called Post Modern Jukebox that I like a lot, and Genki Rockets--even when it doesn't match the genre that I'm playing. I think the closest thing to what's going on in my head would be the old Grand Theft Auto,  Bioshock or Fallout videogame commercials or maybe the old movie 'Christine'. I hear a song and it helps me to get into a game. When I'm coming up with a live table game scenario that I want to run or creating a character that I want to play as I'll have the music going on in the background, it seems to make me focused and helps me to pass time during  the more chore-like aspects of the hobby. Oddly, I don't play music when I'm running. I'm not sure if it would enhance the game for anyone but myself as everyone likes different genres of music, and it always seems to become one more piece of cumbersome paraphernalia to keep track of.  A short one today, but that's the way it is.

RPG a Day 2016 Blog Day 14

August 14: Who would be on your dream team of people you used to game with?

Fourteen days in a row...not quite half-way there, but nearly. I'll really be tested in the last week when I go back to work. Today's question is interesting, but it's another one of those wherein we'll be dropping names that none of you 12-16 folks reading my posts know...but most of them can be found on FB or YouTube lest you think I made them all up. Imma pretend that I'm a player in this thing I have four all*stars with me and a DM running the show. 

First, what do I bring to the table? As a player I'm a good listener. I usually don't say much, but I'll throw in a joke or two when appropriate, and I keep old fashioned notes about what's going on in the party. I'm no 'rules lawyer' or 'power gamer' but I have a fairly good grasp of the rules and I try to help out when I can. I'm the type who doesn't care so much if my character dies or does the smart thing as long as he/she acts the way that I think that they would. 

Next, at the DM's chair I'll throw out a shocker and say, John Sun. He was a Roll 20 DM. During the D&D NXT playtest days he built a Ravenloft scenario from the ground up that was excellent. I have yet to play a finer online game. He was in the medical field either working or as a student. I forget which but after the Ravenloft campaign he moved on due to the career if I remember correctly. I wish that I could have played more games with him. The sessions are still up on YouTube if you have the time and need something to put you to sleep, but I had a lot of fun playing as the elf ranger: Sylinn Blackleaf. 

https://youtu.be/xr1cMrJj_dM

One of my players will come from that same group believe it or not. I might be wrong, but I think his screen name was David, if you are foolish enough to actually watch the videos, you'll see who I'm talking about. He played his character to the hilt and was one of the "good" rules lawyers. I think you always need one of those in the group. It saves time looking up rules and it helps to smooth out any arguments that might arise. I'm oldskool so the DM's word is the final decision, but when a player is saying '..yeah, but...' with his reasons, it's awesome to have a guy with a good grasp of the rules to push the argument one way or the other. 

Next player will be an emotional choice for me as it is my own little brother, Shelton Markham. I started playing with him be it with He-Man or GI Joe. Our first RPG proper was D&D back when the D&D cartoons were on, but we were really too young to understand how to play. Eventually we played Choose Your Own Adventures, and Fighting Fantasy books that gave us a better grasp on what we were doing. Marvel Superheroes was our first successful campaign. We also made up our own wrestling game using the M.U.S.C.L.E. toys--the little pink guys--and lastly played the HeroQuest board game. He grew out of such things, but back in the day he was creative and funny like his big brother. I don't think he would have the time or patience for it today, but maybe someday we'll play again. 

Third player on the list I've talked about before he's my current DM, Jeremy. He runs the main campaign for my current group, but he's a player when I run things. He's very cleaver and comes up with original ideas to solve the problems that the group is having. This is a pretty good group with several that should probably make the list, but I give Jeremy the nod because he presses the limits/thinks outside of the box in what the character might do with the powers at his disposal. 

Finally, I have to give my old DM Lem Eubanks a spot at the table. He's the one who has influenced me the most in how I play. If we lived in the same area--or if he embraced Roll 20 like I keep telling him to--we would still be playing to this day. When last I played with him...possibly 15 years ago or more at this point--WoW! Answering RPG a Day Questions make me feel old!--he was still on top of his game. 

And that's my all-star team. If we really could do this I think it would be something. I'd like to see how my oldskool table top guys, current table top guys and recent online guys interacted with one another, but that's as much a fantasy as the games we play. 

The RPG a Day Blog 2016 Day 13

August 13: What makes a successful campaign?

This is a doozy. In my thirty or so years of gaming, I can probably count completed campaigns on one hand. It's happened to me with several groups both at the live table and online. We play many episodes that build and build. Our characters continue to grow and we get used to them, but then something happens. I'll list some of the things that have stopped our campaigns: players moving, players getting married, players having a new baby,players having a long term illness, player's loved one with a long term illness, player's loved one passing, player passing--that's a campaign killer for sure--, having a new edition come out, having a new game system come out, general boredom with campaign or current characters, the odd TPK that nobody wants to come back from (although technically that did complete the campaign), work/school schedules changing, longer than expected hiatuses (holidays and vacations), and another biggie--inconsistent players.

I've come to the realization--at least for me and my groups--that as long as everybody is having a good time in the process that it really doesn't matter if we 'complete' a campaign with a beginning, middle and end. I look at my games as multiple one-shots. I do try to keep a consistent plot that connects everything, but if we end before that plot is completed, it really doesn't hurt anything. I seem to be dodging so I'll make a quick list for a successful campaign:

1. Consistent Players--most of the ups and downs of real life that I mentioned can be weathered with enough planning and compromise. Sometimes that compromise is leaving the campaign, but that's better than being flaky. Keep the communication open at all times, and don't even start up if you know that your schedule will constantly conflict with game times. Most groups are okay with having a one-shot pallet cleanser from time to time if you just ask. Getting to play once a month is better than not playing.

2.Game System/Game Setting--The best campaigns are the ones where both the players and the DM/GM are in agreement on which game that they want to play. If the players hate westerns or if the DM is clueless about running 13th Age it may not be the best system/setting to play. Again, I'm a fan of the one-shot/multi-shot pallet cleanser. It's fun to play new systems/settings as a break from the main campaign. RPGs aren't exclusively D&D or Medieval Fantasy y'know...give the new ones and old ones a chance. Just make sure the main campaign is a system/setting that everyone will enjoy playing. A good 'session zero' is essential.

3.Venue--Like the best sessions question from earlier. There must be a good place to play with little distractions. If you want to play, then be there in body and spirit to play. If you want to come over and watch movies and eat, then that's good too, but let's all agree for it. In as much as we can we should try to play through each session so that the story can move forward. If you are in an online campaign try to have a good connection if at all possible, and treat everyone as if you were at a live table. I've found the flakiest players online--of course some of those guys are no nothing high school kids, so I'll let it slide. If it comes between playing with us or going out on a date...take the date...but at least give a notice :) 

4.Management--Usually a DM job, but not always. This is a wide net that encompasses all of the items I listed  above and below. Known hiatuses should be taken into consideration. I play primarily with fellow teachers and college students. We know when winter/spring/summer breaks and holidays are coming, so we plan our games accordingly. When the break ends, the DM needs to start reigning the players back in too. I hate hiatuses from the game...I'm fine with long hiatuses from work. If there are true problem players--like that total racist dude we encountered--then DM really has to step up and address that problem one way or another. Usually, the quicker the better. If fatigue is setting in then the DM may want to delegate authority or let one of the other players run a session or two--yeah, my pallet cleanser again. DM is like the quarterback of the campaign...right or wrong he's the man...and traditionally you are playing at his house with his stuff anyway. As adult players behavior is usually a non-issue, we don't have enough time to act like assclowns, and we've been around long enough to know not to get kicked out of a group because there aren't that many groups around.

5.Fun--Just to repeat the most important factor is that everybody--including the DM--has fun. Personally, if the players aren't having fun in my campaign I like to know. Nobody wants to sit around bored. Sometimes a setting or a campaign just doesn't click the way you thought. Sometimes a preset module becomes a slog and you have to end things prematurely or find some other way to freshen things up. There is nothing wrong with that in the least. For the most part even the youngest players these days have only so long that they can play. We've made the choice to play with each other so we had better make it the best time that we can. Make it fun and keep it light.

The RPG a Day Blog 2016 Day 12

August 12: What game is your group most likely to play next? Why?

My current group is made up of a lot of teachers, the husband of one teacher and a couple of off and on college kids who play with us when they can. As such we are now on hiatus for summer break. A summer break that is quickly falling into its death throws. This time next week the air will be filled with the sounds of wailing and gnashing of teeth as our final week of vacation will come to an end. On the plus side, we should be back into the gaming swing of things that same week. 

We kind of rotate DM/GM duties in this group. The main GM is my friend Jeremy he'll usually run the bulk of the time, but when he's getting worn out or lacking in material--I usually take over. We both are currently somewhat running D&D 5th--he's doing an Underdark campaign while I'm running The Curse of Strahd. We both ran intros to our newest campaigns late this Spring trying to anticipate who would be back for the new year. We know that we are losing one player for sure and that one of the group got married, so there's no telling how strict the wife is going to be. Either she'll reign him in to staying home everyday or maybe he'll be able to pull her to hang with us. That means that although we were being careful--there's still going to be some fallout. Which leads to today's question...

There are two games that I'm going to try to run this year, both of which I hope will further differentiate my campaign from my partner's. First, since we are going into the Halloween season and since we've already played the campaign intro I'll be sticking with the Ravenloft  setting and Curse of Strahd, but with a twist. I've decided to run the campaign using Dungeon Crawl Classics rules. I got turned on to this system over the summer and have read a great deal of the book. I especially like their magic system. Converting monsters to DCC looks like it will be fairly easy and I've already found a conversion system for the 'funky dice'. Don't let the size and the initial look of complexity about the system fool you. Once you get to reading you should find that the tables and the like are mostly for flavor. The core game mechanics are very simple--maybe not D&D5 simple, but certainly not Pathfinder complex either. Honestly, depending on how the guys play, there is more than enough material in Curse of Strahd to last the whole school year, but if we get tired of playing or if we get a TPK and the guys want something different, from my end that something different will be The 7th Sea. I backed the Kickstarter for this one and it looks great. My hard copy text arrived this very day and all of us backers have had access to the PDF version for quite some time. I ran the playtest version of the rules a while back with a few of the guys and they all liked it. Again, playing this system will give the guys a different set of mechanics to work with and in turn (hopefully) keep our 5E play fresh.

I recommend that everyone take the time to play different systems--old and new--whenever they can. They make for good palette cleansers between campaigns or a good one shot anytime. You may find a system or a game mechanic that you like and you can incorporate it in your regular games.

           

     

The RPG a Day Blog 2016 Day 11

August 11: Which gamer that you have played with has most affected the way that you play?

I would almost take a look at the alternate questions for this one. It's not that I don't have an answer, but I assume that naming names won't be all that interesting to people who don't even know the friend that you are talking about. My good friend Lemuel Eubanks--he's also real and on Facebook--has consistently run games from elementary school up to this very day. He was the DM of my main group from about '92 to '01~'02ish. In '92 I would have been 18 years old and a fresh high school grad.

I would tell you of the glorious times of those years. We would play AD&D, World of Darkness (old versions), RIFTs, Deadlands, various titles from Palladium and others. On top of that we also had a Blood Bowl league, Warhammer Fantasy and 40k, and video game tourneys and anything else that we could get our hands on to play or read. WCW and WWE were appointment television during this time. I once had over a dozen of the guys (and a couple of girls?!) watching PPVs in the bedroom of my parent's mobile home. I developed an unhealthy obsession with the Sailor Moon anime--ah, sweet Sailor Mercury the best of the sailor scouts--This didn't even count the partying or the fact that a lot of the guys were also playing in bands--not me I'm not musically inclined. Most of us kept regular jobs too...when I think back on those times like I'm doing now, I realize that we were a lot more productive than I gave us credit for. Things started to "fall apart" as they often do because we got older. I didn't want to be single for the rest of my life, so I started being proactive in terms of looking for a wife and...for better or for worse...that just won't happen if you are spending all of your free time at the gaming table. Maybe it's getting better for some of you young single gamers nowadays, but it wasn't going so great fifteen years back. The upshot is that I pretty well missed all of third edition D&D while I was on hiatus, but I did manage to gain the wife that I wanted, so I have no regrets there. I've since had a great renaissance--some details of which have already been blogged about earlier-- and I play more consistently each week than we ever did in our prime.  

Enough of that...back to talking about my once and (hopefully) future DM, Lem. Nowadays there are many innovations and refinements to playing that those of you who are not oldskool won't appreciate. The games often took an adversarial tone between the DM and the players. Some still run this style today, but most have concepts like 'fail forward' or 'player narrative' and 'encounter balance' that just didn't typically fly back in the day. Lem was doing that sort of thing before it was cool. He literally let us get away with just about anything that we wanted to try and yet the narratives ran fairly smoothly. Most of the time the other players and I were--unintentionally--wrecking the game.

I remember a time when we were hired by an NPC fighter and his halfling friend to explore some old ruins...as soon as we got down in the dungeon...My PC crushed the halfling's head with his warhammer...the rest of the party then killed the NPC fighter...we were far too chaotic. We searched around on our own and found a necromancer sitting at his desk. He wouldn't look at us and never attacked. He pretty much just told us to bugger off. We couldn't attack him either and had no idea what to do...this taught us all a lesson. It isn't that you need to be "railroaded" as PCs, but if you want a story to make sense, you should go along with the DM on logical things. It makes it more fun for everybody. He was also the type of DM that would let individuals go off on tangents...he never killed a character who didn't deserve it, but that's not to say it never happened. All of the guys remember an 'Orange' D20 that Lem had. It was a killer of many PCs across many different game systems. He had kept it for years and it's a part of our group lore. He finally lost it during a recent move, and we think of it as the one ring...biding its time in the shadows somewhere waiting for the perfect time to show up again. I hope to play with him and the guys and get the band back together someday, orange D20 or no.

  I had to post this comic from a couple of years ago. Not that there's anything wrong with Pathfinder, but it isn't The Old Testament. Play a real oldskool game and Pathfinder becomes more like Scientology.