GMing adventures at the POH 2012

[The Dark Elf]

I would like to GM three adventures at POH 2012.

However, I do not think that I will have enough time to prepare three adventures by then (as well as all the other writing I am doing atm).

Q. Is GMing one adventure three times a bit of a cop out? It would be PFRPG and new material if that makes any difference.

[Prysus]

Greetings and Salutations. Carmen Bellaire ran the same Robotech adventure multiple times a day last year. I didn't hear anyone say that was a cop out.

Besides, every time you run it there should be different players taking different actions and that'll help shape the adventure in different ways. I'm fairly sure it won't end up being the same game twice.

Though if you want a way to help keep it a bit different, you may also want to try to create a few extra pregenerated characters. This way there is also a variety in the types of characters available. The way a mercenary, thief, wizard, and mind mage handle a situation should all be different. When a practitioner of magic or a psychic are involved, even different spell and psionic selections can make practically a new character. If there is a time or effort restraint, ask some of your friends and/or players to help you make some (like 1 or 2 each).

Added Note: Don't forget the advantages of different races as well. Maybe just making a few races (stats only), and a few O.C.C. (with skills and equipment). Then mix and matching depending on the day. Even little things like this can help add some added variety.

Anyways, just a few thoughts. Hope some of that helped. Thank you for your time and patience, please have a nice day. Farewell and safe journeys for now.

[The Dark Elf]

Carmen Bellaire ran the same Robotech adventure multiple times a day last year. I didn't hear anyone say that was a cop out.

Besides, every time you run it there should be different players taking different actions and that'll help shape the adventure in different ways. I'm fairly sure it won't end up being the same game twice.

That's what I thought.

[Warwolf]

Yeah, I ran the same Nightbane adventure a couple of times last year. There are typically enough players that you won't get the same people twice (unless you run different adventures).

[Xar]

I'm planning on running different adventures, but using the same pregenerated characters...or at least three different forms of the same.

I'm planning on making 10 "ordinary characters" using BTS2/Dead Reign templates.
One ordinary-level BTS game, a BTS game making them PCCs and then making them Nightbane.

So three adventures, but one set of characters should take a lot less time for me.

[Hendrik]

Hi there,

I will run three adventures, all BtS-II (see here for a lowdown if you like: BtS at the Open House? - thread.

I also toyed with the idea of running "just" one game thrice and think it is a very good idea and perfectly acceptable. I find it an interesting prospect for a GM because you can see how a different groups, maybe with a different choice from a smallish slew of pregens (say 10 for 6 players), handles the same adventure. One could even give a price for (a) best player for the session, (b) best player for all three sessions, (c) best party, etc. Could be quite the nice event. Reelman has a system where he gives out bad and good dice for bad and good gaming; I found that is a great idea (and not too expensive) - makes players proud, too, teehee, still have mine, the good and the bad!

Personally, I decided against doing one adventure thriice because I want to try to show how flexible BtS is and I think I need to offer three different things/approaches for that. In order to work at a con I think, however, all adventures must be action orientated so the usually BtS staple of detective work will be low key and defer to quick paced. I think I will hand out one BtS book each to the party awarded MVP and/or use Reelman's dice-instead-of-xp system. Well, that's the plan Anyway, hope it is going to be a blast!

I do not particularly like to make pregens, but with BtS I find it easier than usually as I just love to make characters in that system. Also, it gives me a chance to use the character generation to have a party that fits the adventure design.

Cheers
Hendrik

[The Dark Elf]

I also have a reward plan but its not dice. It's is PB specific.

[kamikazzijoe]

Any word yet on submitting to the official GM list? I'll be definitely running one titled: Munch-king! I sure hope Andreas will be there to defend his title.

[Scott Gibbons]

Got permission to bring the Rifts-based boardgame I brought to the last POH to this one! Very excited. It will have improved game pieces and board (hopefully in color, have to see what the budget will bear) and one or two new O.C.Cs to play.

I'm also going to be brave this year and run a couple of adventures. Never run anything at a convention before. Hopefully they'll be enjoyable enough that people won't hate me.

[Eryk Stormbright]

Got permission to bring the Rifts-based boardgame I brought to the last POH to this one! Very excited. It will have improved game pieces and board (hopefully in color, have to see what the budget will bear) and one or two new O.C.Cs to play.

I'm also going to be brave this year and run a couple of adventures. Never run anything at a convention before. Hopefully they'll be enjoyable enough that people won't hate me.

i'm looking forward to getting in on that game, sounds very interesting as for me i'll be running 3 PFRPGs again this year, i'll try and cut them down from the 6 hour games they were last OH

[Scott Gibbons]

Got permission to bring the Rifts-based boardgame I brought to the last POH to this one! Very excited. It will have improved game pieces and board (hopefully in color, have to see what the budget will bear) and one or two new O.C.Cs to play.

I'm also going to be brave this year and run a couple of adventures. Never run anything at a convention before. Hopefully they'll be enjoyable enough that people won't hate me.

i'm looking forward to getting in on that game, sounds very interesting as for me i'll be running 3 PFRPGs again this year, i'll try and cut them down from the 6 hour games they were last OH

Thanks! There were a lot of people who enjoyed it at the last OH, and I hope a lot more get to enjoy it this time. I'm also looking forward to getting to play in some other people's games; I'd be very interested in your PFRPG adventures, as it's one of my favorite settings.

[Eryk Stormbright]

Got permission to bring the Rifts-based boardgame I brought to the last POH to this one! Very excited. It will have improved game pieces and board (hopefully in color, have to see what the budget will bear) and one or two new O.C.Cs to play.

I'm also going to be brave this year and run a couple of adventures. Never run anything at a convention before. Hopefully they'll be enjoyable enough that people won't hate me.

i'm looking forward to getting in on that game, sounds very interesting as for me i'll be running 3 PFRPGs again this year, i'll try and cut them down from the 6 hour games they were last OH

Thanks! There were a lot of people who enjoyed it at the last OH, and I hope a lot more get to enjoy it this time. I'm also looking forward to getting to play in some other people's games; I'd be very interested in your PFRPG adventures, as it's one of my favorite settings.

i'd love to have you in one of my games, i'm already putting things together for the games.

[The Dark Elf]

Got permission to bring the Rifts-based boardgame I brought to the last POH to this one! Very excited. It will have improved game pieces and board (hopefully in color, have to see what the budget will bear) and one or two new O.C.Cs to play.

I'm also going to be brave this year and run a couple of adventures. Never run anything at a convention before. Hopefully they'll be enjoyable enough that people won't hate me.

I really enjoyed your boardgame. It was just the right thing to fill an hour between chats, gaming and talks.

[Spinachcat]

Q. Is GMing one adventure three times a bit of a cop out?

No way!

I like to run 6 events at regional conventions, but they are 3 unique games each run twice. Running the same event multiple times is great because it gives you more time to focus on your pregen PCs and more time to layer and finesse the adventure. Just make it open enough so each group has the chance to be creative and keep you guessing.

However, I find running the same adventure twice on the same day to be a bit taxing.

[Scott Gibbons]

I'm planning to run a Robotech: TSC scenario based on one of the adventure ideas in the book. I'm open to feedback: Would this be considered tacky? (...he asks as he's looking a a near finished product).
It's been a long time since I've GM'd anything at a con, so I'm looking forward to it. I attended the POH in '09 and actually learned some lessons as a player in a number of games that I hope to employ as a GM. Does anyone have any tips to offer so I can compare notes?

I don't think its tacky. The adventure ideas are really just that, ideas - you're going to be the one filling in all the crunchy-good details which is a lot of work. In a way you can even think of it as a compliment to the author; author's never know which, if any, of their ideas actually get used. In this case, you're answering that question. So I say good work, and more power to you!

[Spinachcat]

I'm planning to run a Robotech: TSC scenario based on one of the adventure ideas in the book.

Wow. That's really tacky. How could you even think about doing such a thing?

I bet that if we had 3 GMs creating adventures from the same seed, we'd have 3 different adventures. The idea is far less important that the execution. Its coolness comes from what you do to flesh out the basic idea.

Also, since you haven't GM'd at a con for a while, try to get a playtest group together. Also, consider running the same adventure twice at the POH. It will give you more time to make your adventure even better and take off some stress.

[dpenwood]

I just sent an e-mail submitting my GM proposal for the 2012 POH open house. Truthfully, though I've been a DM/GM for a long time, I've never done it at a convention or event like this. I think some of the suggestions on this forum are very helpful.

My plan was to run at least one adventure multiple times and, if the need/desire was there by Palladium, run another adventure. Ideally, I'd like to run two. I just don't know if it's a good idea to run two considering I've never done the convention/event thing before.

[Eryk Stormbright]

I just sent an e-mail submitting my GM proposal for the 2012 POH open house. Truthfully, though I've been a DM/GM for a long time, I've never done it at a convention or event like this. I think some of the suggestions on this forum are very helpful.

My plan was to run at least one adventure multiple times and, if the need/desire was there by Palladium, run another adventure. Ideally, I'd like to run two. I just don't know if it's a good idea to run two considering I've never done the convention/event thing before.

my first Open House i didn't run anything, though i've been running games for years. now the Next year, i ran a game that started at the OH and ended around 4 or 5 am back at the motel lol if your a good GM then i doubt you'd have a problems running at the OH, just do what your comfy with and you should be fine.

[Jorel]

I like that idea...of an open ended adventure that finishes at the hotel.

[The Dark Elf]

I just sent an e-mail submitting my GM proposal for the 2012 POH open house. Truthfully, though I've been a DM/GM for a long time, I've never done it at a convention or event like this. I think some of the suggestions on this forum are very helpful.

I can relate. I intend to run a game at this years POH. But as Ive only run it for people I know (and am comfortable around) I have some anxieties and nerves about it (especially with having a dodgy British accent). But, I hold on to the fact that ALL of the folks I met at the last POH were pretty sweet and nice people who I know will make me feel at ease within the first five minutes Im sure.

And if they dont then they'll die by the sixth minute...

[Hendrik]

I just sent an e-mail submitting my GM proposal for the 2012 POH open house. Truthfully, though I've been a DM/GM for a long time, I've never done it at a convention or event like this. I think some of the suggestions on this forum are very helpful.

I feel you, dpenwood. I intend to run a game at this years POH. But as Ive only run it for people I know (and am comfortable around) I have some anxieties and nerves about it (especially with having a dodgy British accent). But, I hold on to the fact that ALL of the folks I met at the last POH were pretty sweet and nice people who I know will make me feel at ease within the first five minutes Im sure.

And if they dont then they'll die by the sixth minute...

I can also relate!

Before submitting my proposal (3 BtS games) ... well, it is daunting. I have GM'ed now for nigh 30 years and on multiple conventions, several larger than POH, but to GM in the "holy of holies" ... daunting ... but I felt, this is the thing I need to do, so I said to myself

"By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive."

and send the email.

Dark Elf, my friend, you have no dodgy accent. I am German. I know. Trust me. Besides, our friends in the US are surprisingly tolerant of the English use in England. And I hear the chicks dig it.

Cheers
Hendrik

[dpenwood]

Good... your English accent won't make my Boston accent stand out as much then.