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Message no. 1
From: casper@**********.org (Doug Glass)
Subject: New GM needs tips, rules, etc...
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 1996 20:23:36 -0600 (CST)
I know there have been posts about this in the past month or so but they
have kind of gotten off topic... So, I want to know if anyone has any
tips, advice, etc. that they think would improve a game. BTW, if anyone
is in Seattle and wants a group or HAS a group, email me.
Thanks.
-ColdSmoke


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Message no. 2
From: TopCat <topcat@******.net>
Subject: Re: New GM needs tips, rules, etc...
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 12:46:01 -0600
>I know there have been posts about this in the past month or so but they
>have kind of gotten off topic... So, I want to know if anyone has any
>tips, advice, etc. that they think would improve a game.

Play it fast and loose. Most of our runs are improvised and work themselves
to a close however the players decide to do so. This keeps people from
getting trapped in the "Now you go do this" format of premade runs. It
really sucks to be dragged from one thing to another without (or despite)
any real thought or work of your own. It is also more fun for the GM, who
gets to be more creative and doesn't have to worry about big points in the
run being spoiled due to the players thinking of something different.

Use dice as little as possible. If the guy has a cityspeak skill of 3 and
gets yapped at by some gangers, then he'll pretty much know what's going on.
If a character has a biotech of 6, he's going to know where a person's heart
is at. Simple little things like that don't need dice rolls. Using dice
less means that more gets done and more roleplaying occurs as it isn't
impeded by constant tests.

Get a solid grasp of your campaign setting and make sure that the players
know the important bits that they need to know about it. A couple pages of
background info printed up goes a long way.

There's tons of other tips, but I'm sure someone else will handle most of
that :)


------------------------------------------------------------
* Bob Ooton -- <topcat@******.net> *
* Golden Tiger Association -- Submission Fighting Team *
------------------------------------------------------------
* With the speed of a striking cobra he pulled his machine *
* pistol and jammed the muzzle against Mozart's nose. "I *
* put my gun on rock and roll, there nothing left of you *
* but ears, man." -- "Mozart in Mirrorshades" *
------------------------------------------------------------
Message no. 3
From: Marc A Renouf <jormung@*****.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: New GM needs tips, rules, etc...
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 1996 23:54:12 -0500 (EST)
On Sun, 17 Mar 1996, TopCat wrote:

> Get a solid grasp of your campaign setting and make sure that the players
> know the important bits that they need to know about it. A couple pages of
> background info printed up goes a long way.

I can't stress this one enough. You *really* need to have a
solid, well developed campaign world, preferably one with a consistent
history and political structure. With that out of the way, you have a
known context within which your game can function. You can adapt to new
situations quickly because you *know* intimately how things work in your
world. That way, if the players come up with some hair-brained scheme
that's totally whacked, you'll be more able to deal with it because
you'll know the context that it's occurring in.
This kind of familiarity also allows you to keep your campaign
world dynamic. You're less afraid to make these changes because you have
a good idea of how things work. Having a world that is stagnant where no
major world events or changes occurs can really get tiring. The only
thing worse than that is a world where the players seem to be the only
ones doing anything that make any changes in the world. You'd be
surprised how large-scale events that are totally out of the players'
control can spice up a campaign. They can get swept up in the events,
take sides, make choices, and get involoved. They may not have any
significant input into the overall scheme of things, but many times such
events can make for ewxcellent role-playing opportunities. As an
example of this, what would your players do during a revolution or
foreign invasion?
The only other advice I can give you is to talk to random people
about random things and read everything you can get your hands on. Find
out how the real world works and your campaign will be much more
consistent and believable.

Oh yeah, and because I haven't harped on it in ages, remember *all*
the modifiers in fire-fights. :)

Marc
Message no. 4
From: pbailey@***.ipswichcity.qld.gov.au (Peter Bailey)
Subject: Re: New GM needs tips, rules, etc...
Date: Mon, 18 Mar 96 15:13:58
Hi Doug,

> I know there have been posts about this in the past month or so but they
> have kind of gotten off topic... So, I want to know if anyone has any
> tips, advice, etc. that they think would improve a game. BTW, if anyone
> is in Seattle and wants a group or HAS a group, email me.

If your game is only just starting off, try just using the basic rules as
much as possible, and go for a low grade, low pay campaign. Make it gritty
and graphic with the characters trying to claw their way out of the barrens
in any way they can. A dribble of newyen here, a favour or two there. I
makes for fantastic role playing, and the guys think hard about expending
ammunition they can barely afford.

That's my thought anyhow.

--

Internet: pbailey@*****.ipswich.gil.com.au Fidonet: 3:640/281.3

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