Some settings work really well for roleplaying. Others have elements that make it difficult to run a campaign. That doesn’t mean you should never use them, but you need to be aware of the problems and plan ahead. Let’s look at six of the most common … read more »
Everyone has to start somewhere, even GMs and even if that start is very embarrassing. This week, Sarah joins us to talk about the very first campaigns we ran, or at least the first campaigns we’ll admit to running. All of us learned important lessons … read more »
Do you like dice? Do you like science fiction? Then what could be better than mixing them together? This week, our hosts talk about science fiction roleplaying games, which turn out to be a little thinner on the ground than their fantasy counterparts. Listen for … read more »
You have your gaming group assembled, your basic materials at hand, and you’re ready to start gaming. As a GM and a storyteller, you might feel like jumping straight into the plot lines that will define your campaign, but it’s best to ease into that. … read more »
Creating a large, year-long campaign is an ambitious project to undertake. When done well, the payoff is spectacular, and everyone involved will talk about it for years. However, it definitely requires a lot of planning. If you’re not careful, you can spend more time planning your masterpiece than playing it! But … read more »
Many GMs are familiar with the struggle of writing a one-shot adventure. Unlike a long running campaign, you will not have multiple sessions to develop elements that make successful roleplaying adventures: immersive settings, meaningful characters, and strong player motivations. To get your players invested in … read more »
Oren, Mike, and Chris discuss how to do post-apocalyptic roleplaying games, how not to do them, and how really not to do them. They talk about cultural influences on post-apocalyptic settings, player expectations, and how game masters should prepare for running this kind of campaign. Read more »
I’ve spoken before about how to go about running a game where the PCs never stray too far from home, and now it’s time to talk about the exact opposite. This is the sort of game where the PCs bounce all over the map, perhaps … read more »
The idea of a campaign that takes place almost entirely in one area is a strange one to many game masters. A stationary story presents a list of new demands on the GM, but it also creates new opportunities. It allows the players to really … read more »
The first choice I make when I start a new campaign is which type of world to set it in. Setting a campaign in an open-ended world fills it with mystery and rumors about what lies over the next ridge. It’s ripe for unbound exploration. Building a … read more »
