What motivates me to take the role requires the most prep work, actually study the rules like one would a high school text book before a quiz, and just over all requires more work? By my nature I am a pretty lazy person, which the frequency that I remember to update my blog will attest to. DMing is one of the things that snaps me out of that really bad habit. I genuinely love crafting a story that I can see people enjoy. It is the joys of writing mixed with instant gratification. At least more instant in compared to trying to write a book. Seeing them enjoying what I make is really uplifting.
I started planning this campaign a few months ago. I had a few goals in mind for this run.
1: Something different.
- With this group I have primarily run the same campaign for five years. It was very political for a DnD game. There was combat less then half of the sessions. Until much later in it gods and religion in general did not have any influence in the world, much less my story. There was relatively little magic. I wanted something different and fresh this time around. I had a wonderful cast of NPCs that were interesting, entertaining, and great; but the PCs have been interacting with the same set of them for 4 plus years.
I felt that it was time for a change. My current game is, as I have planned it, going to have completely different focuses. Less political maneuvering and rubbing elbows with royalty, more mystery and horror.
2: Have a strong mix between railroad plots and open sandbox.
- Time for a little side trip into DMing 101. This seems to be one of the hardest things to balance in role playing games. Games that have a specific plot where the DM refuses to let anyone change is referred to as a "railroad." They get on one track and do not allow changes in direction. This is effectively the DM telling a story with the characters have no meaningful input. On the opposite end of the spectrum there is the open environment, a "sandbox" to play in.. Where the characters do what ever they want in a world that is only superficially guided by a DM, no direction, no real purpose. Personally I feel that straying to far in either direction is a mistake. Both are removing the best part of role playing games, the interaction.
The DM is more than a story teller (each and every player in fact, is a story teller), he is a director. He should control each and every part of the story, and instead guide the story in a way to make sure everyone is having fun. Things getting boring? Time for a some action! Player feeling left out? Put in something that their character would be particularly good at solving. Things getting too predictable? Add some twist or new plot element. Players stuck with indecision? Either drop them a hint or force them to make a quick decision with some new danger. Everyone having a good time working out whats in front of them? Sit back and do not interfer!
I know what I want in general to happen in my game, and will take steps to guide the players there naturally.
ehem.... back on track now...
3: Take advantage of having a co-DM
-This will be the first time I will have a co DM, she does have her own character, who is built more like a glorified NPC than an actual character. She knows what is going on with the plot and any time a player has to go into the other room to talk about things that the rest of the party shouldn't know, one of us can do that, while the other continues the current action.
4: Controlling the tone
-This has to do with what I touched upon into my brief trip into DMing 101: The DM is the director. I want a certain tone for this game. Dark without being grim: more along the lines of "creepy." The characters should often feel unsettled about whats going on around them. Not a constant state of fear, nor avoiding any humor. The "template" I wanted to follow was Full Metal Alchemist. The tone was dark over all, but allowed for moments of humor and hope. It was a very good mix in my opinion that kept the show interesting and dramatic.
5: A set, contained story.
-After playing one game on and off for several years, this time I want to tell one specific story that will have a beginning, middle and end.
6: Don't plan the end, but plan the part right before.
-I would say I have very little of the plot preplanned. Just a chunk near the end. It is my goal to get the players there. It is very open ended and won't take too much work to, and doesn't plan for their actual reaction to what I have planned (if I did, then they don't really get a choice in what happens and thus: rail road.) Having this near end game in mind right at the beginning, I can lay down the ground work early.
7: Start them right in the story.
- Screw starting them in a tavern, they started off being introduced to the last member of the party to join the team, and being told what their mission was? How did they meet up and start adventuring together (especially since one of them is playing a potato farmer?) Maybe there will be a flashback to cover that.
That is enough rambling for now, later on I'll go into specifics during the game itself.
