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Message no. 1
From: Shane Courtrille <hardware@*******.DATANET.AB.CA>
Subject: Mood
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 01:15:39 +0000
What do the different GMs out there to create a 'mood'? Music? Props?


*and on a side note.. has anyone seen the new (well.. semi-new) NIN
video.. The Perfect Drug.. very vampirish I thought*
Shane Courtrille - hardware@*******.ab.ca
HTTP://www.datanet.ab.ca/users/hardware
Message no. 2
From: Brett Borger <bxb121@***.EDU>
Subject: Re: Mood
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 12:18:38 -0500
>What do the different GMs out there to create a 'mood'? Music? Props?

Lighting. My favorite is a circular table with a spotlight style overhead
lamp illuminating the center of the table, but not much else. Sadly, this
makes it difficult to check character sheets. But it makes the other
players voices, and shadowed facial features only.

I've also done back lit, where I was in a chair with one light (pole lamp)
on behind me, facing the players (I kept them from going blind by blocking
the direct light). I think this had more effect for me than for them though.

I've tried Music, but haven't found anything that is sufficiently
non-intrusive, and still long enough to not require me flipping the tape,
swapping CD, etc.

Most of the time I focus on the NPC's. I suck at accents, but I try and
change how oI speak, and my facial expressions and posture. If I can get
the player to have a screaming fight with the NPC, but still be able to chat
in a nice way with "me", I've succeeded.

-=SwiftOne=-
Message no. 3
From: Dust <rogan@*******.BERGEN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Mood
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 09:23:38 -0500
On Tue, 28 Jan 1997, Brett Borger wrote:

> >What do the different GMs out there to create a 'mood'? Music? Props?
>
> Lighting. My favorite is a circular table with a spotlight style overhead
> lamp illuminating the center of the table, but not much else. Sadly, this
> makes it difficult to check character sheets. But it makes the other
> players voices, and shadowed facial features only.
>
That's pretty cool.

> I've also done back lit, where I was in a chair with one light (pole lamp)
> on behind me, facing the players (I kept them from going blind by blocking
> the direct light). I think this had more effect for me than for them though.
>
> I've tried Music, but haven't found anything that is sufficiently
> non-intrusive, and still long enough to not require me flipping the tape,
> swapping CD, etc.
>

I put on whatever my players like to listen to.

> Most of the time I focus on the NPC's. I suck at accents, but I try and
> change how oI speak, and my facial expressions and posture. If I can get
> the player to have a screaming fight with the NPC, but still be able to chat
> in a nice way with "me", I've succeeded.
>

Same here. I basically focus on the NPC's too.


Dust
Message no. 4
From: James Paulsen <lowfyr@***********.COM>
Subject: Re: Mood
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 11:37:33 -0600
I have a couple of things I do as a GM. First I love props, particularly when useable on
the computer,
unfortunately my programing skills don't get much past crude Visual Basic so I don't do
much there.

Lighting is critical to me as well. I use party bulbs(I stick to red and blue for a
night-time feel)but it
does get hard on the eyes. My players are willing to make the sacrifice though--they seem
to love it.

As far as music, after much trial and error, I have decided that lyrics get in the way. I
tend to use movie
sound tracks. One of the best is the ST from Heat (the Deniro, Paccino movie) and for
suspense I go more
towards the Aliens ST. Can't beat a movie sound track. They're subtle and in the
background, but they work
their way under the players' skin with them even being aware of it.

Jim
Message no. 5
From: L Canthros <lobo1@****.COM>
Subject: Re: Mood
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 18:02:46 EST
On Tue, 28 Jan 1997 01:15:39 +0000 Shane Courtrille
<hardware@*******.DATANET.AB.CA> writes:
>What do the different GMs out there to create a 'mood'? Music? Props?

I'd use props, but my games are usually pretty impromptu. I'd use props,
but I've only had a few chances so far and didn't have them on hand at
the time. As for music, I'm afraid I don't have any first-person advice
there. I've heard that techno is good for the mood in SR, but I don't
listen to much new music at all.

Canthros
--
If any man wishes peace, canthros1@***.com
let him prepare for war. lobo1@****.com
--Roman proverb
http://members.aol.com/canthros1/
Message no. 6
From: Lady Jestyr <jestyr@*******.DIALIX.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: Mood
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 11:25:37 +1100
> As far as music, after much trial and error, I have decided that lyrics get in the
way. I tend to use movie
> sound tracks. One of the best is the ST from Heat (the Deniro, Paccino movie) and for
suspense I go more
> towards the Aliens ST. Can't beat a movie sound track. They're subtle and in the
background, but they work
> their way under the players' skin with them even being aware of it.

Try a) the Braveheart soundtrack for some nice melodies
b) the Mechwarrior II CD-ROM, which has a lot of music on it for use in
stereos, and is wonderfully atmospheric.

Lady Jestyr

-----------------------------------------------
A titanic intellect in a world full of icebergs
-----------------------------------------------
Elle Holmes jestyr@*******.dialix.com.au
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/1503/
-----------------------------------------------
Message no. 7
From: Gurth <gurth@******.NL>
Subject: Re: Mood
Date: Wed, 29 Jan 1997 13:36:27 +0100
Brett Borger said on 12:18/28 Jan 97...

> I've tried Music, but haven't found anything that is sufficiently
> non-intrusive, and still long enough to not require me flipping the tape,
> swapping CD, etc.

The only mood music I've seen that worked was in our Star Wars game last
Sunday, when my brother put on a tape with the music from The Empire
Strikes Back. Apart from that little bit, I don't think my music
collection is large enough (or of the right type) to be used as "mood
music." I tend to just put on a CD and turn the volume down to almost
nothing, so it's background only; I don't want to have to shout over it...

--
Gurth@******.nl - http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/index.html
Past Perfect Tense
-> NERPS Project Leader & Unofficial Shadowrun Guru <-
-> The Plastic Warriors Page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~gurth/plastic.html <-

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