Sunday 19 April 2015

The trials of GMing - Part 4

The end is near


So I'm writing the final session of my game. I have a really good idea of how it will start and I'm really excited about the way it will wrap up, it's the in between parts that I'm struggling with. 

I was given the suggestion that you give the PCs 3 clues and that should lead them where you want them to go – which I am trying to do. I definitely don't want to  railroad them as much this time as I did last time where I was practically telling them “You have to go this way” by the end (especially as I have one PC who is a loose cannon who just wants to survive - entirely reasonable of course but sometimes you need the player to go down the secret passage!). Unfortunately, so far what I've written amounts to an information dump from NPCs and I want to do it better than that.

But dammit these are things that the PCs absolutely need to know.

I've tried getting the NPCs to give half the information and leave clues for the other half. I will just have to stay calm and keep my mouth shut if they go the wrong way and hope that they turn round eventually. I just don't want them to get bored.


This is really difficult!

4 comments:

  1. More about GMing. I promise that once this is over I'll write about something else. Any suggestions?

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  2. Although one crafts a sort of crime scene story in our locations, it is the PCs players' who determine how and which clues they will investigate, and in which order. Many (most) of the hard work we put into these locations will never be more than notes of curiosity to players, and we are there at eh other end of the table laughing at how little they 'get it', or are perhaps frustrated at the same. Sit back and watch the video game they are playing that you designed. Your bit is to answer questions, describe the place and stuff, and to rule on die results -- being the computer that is impartially running your programme as they poke it.

    Most of all, have fun and smile, also laughing, as it makes Players nervous. :D

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    Replies
    1. Thanks that helps a lot! I will remember to keep laughing :-)

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  3. Looking forward to your next installment. :)

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