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Lord Karick
Seasoned
Joined: 25 Mar 2011
Posts: 350
Location: Landsberg, Germany
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 Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 4:10 pm Post subject: Looking for ideas to up the game / improve involvement |
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Hi guys, I'm still very much at the beginning of the learning curve re. GMing. I've got a mixed group of kids and grown ups that work well together but have less gaming experience than I do. Do you have any tips for helping players get into the spirit of gaming? I use music - particularly Pirates of the Carribean soundtracks at the moment as it's 50F.
I've been thinking of encouraging everyone (including myself) to describe what is happening as they roll the dice. I want to keep it FFF of course. Do any of you have simple ideas or tricks to increase the fun?
I'll be getting back to you on Sunday to let you know how it goes of course.
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Jordan Peacock
Legendary
Joined: 08 Sep 2007
Posts: 2306
Location: Orlando, Florida
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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Just for the sake of brainstorming:
Participation Benny Awards:
Establish "Benny Awards" for specific things you'd like to encourage (but "cap" them - i.e., you can only get the "Award" once per session - so it doesn't get out of hand).
For example:
Pirate Theme Benny
Each participant is encouraged to bring something that adds to the "pirate theme atmosphere." Maybe you bring a bag of "Pirate Booty" snacks (bagged popcorn brand) to share at the table. Or, maybe you draw a "treasure map" on "parchment" (yellow paper, or use some tea or coffee to stain the edges) and bring it to the table as a prop (and maybe the GM will use it for a future adventure). Or, you wear a pirate hat to the game. Just something to "get into the spirit" of the game, and even better if you share.
(This is just one per session, so we don't get into arguments about whether someone brings SEVERAL things, he should get a whole handful of Bennies.)
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Ronin84
Seasoned
Joined: 28 Jul 2007
Posts: 147
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| Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2012 9:42 pm Post subject: Re: Looking for ideas to up the game / improve involvement |
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| Lord Karick wrote: | Hi guys, I'm still very much at the beginning of the learning curve re. GMing. I've got a mixed group of kids and grown ups that work well together but have less gaming experience than I do. Do you have any tips for helping players get into the spirit of gaming? I use music - particularly Pirates of the Carribean soundtracks at the moment as it's 50F.
I've been thinking of encouraging everyone (including myself) to describe what is happening as they roll the dice. I want to keep it FFF of course. Do any of you have simple ideas or tricks to increase the fun?
I'll be getting back to you on Sunday to let you know how it goes of course. |
I am running two Pirates games right now. I have one for teenagers, six females by the way AND I run one with pre-teens, three 11 year old, two 12 year olds and one 8 year old.
I use the Solomon Kane and 50 Fathom Bennies, and everyone who can narrate something cool at the table about a scene or a solution to a problem can earn a bennie. At the last pre-teen session the eight year old narrated (with a little help) a previous date to the hide out of the bad baron and he remembered a detail from that which led to the hidden dungeon. Everyone loved the cut scene and now we have a new NPC contact for the group...and a father who does not exactly approve of his daughters friends. 
I guess my point is make them want to be involved in the story somehow. I have all four soundtracks and they are playing randomly in the background, I use a blue table cloth on the table while we play to keep the "sea" in mind. A long time ago I got that game where you could assemble the paper ships, those hang out on the table. My wife made bandanna's for some of the kids to wear...
Now they like the game so much they want me to do a Star Wars game using the Savage Rules...they are now converts!! |
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Lord Karick
Seasoned
Joined: 25 Mar 2011
Posts: 350
Location: Landsberg, Germany
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 1:04 am Post subject: Re: Looking for ideas to up the game / improve involvement |
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| Ronin84 wrote: | I use the Solomon Kane and 50 Fathom Bennies, and everyone who can narrate something cool at the table about a scene or a solution to a problem can earn a bennie. At the last pre-teen session the eight year old narrated (with a little help) a previous date to the hide out of the bad baron and he remembered a detail from that which led to the hidden dungeon. Everyone loved the cut scene and now we have a new NPC contact for the group...and a father who does not exactly approve of his daughters friends.
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We've been playing for around 2+ years now (though not so long with SW) and we've been amazed at our kids' ability to remember things. Last New Year we had the kids' headmistress from school over (we're good friends) and our daughter almost bored her to death with an excited blow by blow account of a previous adventure. The kids are our depository of knowledge if the others need to recall a detail from a previous adventure - not helped by the fact that we only play every other weekend in the winter at best.
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Zadmar
Heroic
Joined: 10 Nov 2010
Posts: 1382
Location: Munich
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 5:40 am Post subject: |
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| Lord Karick wrote: | | I've been thinking of encouraging everyone (including myself) to describe what is happening as they roll the dice. |
You might want to consider adapting the stunt system from Exalted, I reckon it would work really well in a pirate-themed campaign.
| Jordan Peacock wrote: | Pirate Theme Benny
Each participant is encouraged to bring something that adds to the "pirate theme atmosphere." |
Nice idea! On a vaguely related note, I also award my players 1 exp if they create a tri-fold for their character (or at least provide a picture for it). |
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Tavis
Veteran
Joined: 27 Aug 2007
Posts: 983
Location: Macclesfield UK
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Zadmar wrote: | | Lord Karick wrote: | | I've been thinking of encouraging everyone (including myself) to describe what is happening as they roll the dice. |
You might want to consider adapting the stunt system from Exalted, I reckon it would work really well in a pirate-themed campaign.
| Jordan Peacock wrote: | Pirate Theme Benny
Each participant is encouraged to bring something that adds to the "pirate theme atmosphere." |
Nice idea! On a vaguely related note, I also award my players 1 exp if they create a tri-fold for their character (or at least provide a picture for it). |
I give an XP for providing an appropriate miniature, and another one for painting it.
I use Adventure cards in my games (Jordan Peacock did some awesome PotSM ones that are on his site - which I don't have to hand at the moment and I use them in my 50F games) and award either an extra benny or an extra draw of an adventure card for doing some 'in character' record making between sessions.
My Rippers game started well with several players making diaries for their characters, but that kindof died off over time - the idea of bringing something physical and 'piratey' to the game in return for a reward sounds cool though!
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Crumbs
Novice
Joined: 22 Aug 2010
Posts: 67
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:47 pm Post subject: |
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I've given out extra xp (1-2) for character histories/backgrounds and when I pull events that tie into the game from them I give out a benny.
It works pretty well. Players develop a more personal attachment to their characters and they really love it when they get little side hooks that they helped create.
I also do the extra xp for a mini. Themed props will get a special colored benny that the players can keep from session to session until they use it plus a benny every time it gets used |
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Pariah74
Veteran
Joined: 16 Jun 2009
Posts: 934
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| Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 8:54 pm Post subject: Re: Looking for ideas to up the game / improve involvement |
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| Lord Karick wrote: | | I've been thinking of encouraging everyone (including myself) to describe what is happening as they roll the dice. |
You'd be surprised how well this works. After all the totals, and soaking are in and the mechanical result is determined say a few quick descriptive sentences about what happened.
You'll be amazed how soon they'll take over for you.
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"Games give you a chance to excel, and if you're playing in good company you don't even mind if you lose because you had the enjoyment of the company during the course of the game. "
~Gygax |
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