The Dresden Files > DFRPG
DO and DONT of scenario creation
Madmacabre:
All fine advices!
Thanks all...
But I am also concerned on how to prepare my gaming material...physically!
How do you do it? Do you get in front your players with only a few scribbles on a sheet of paper or do you have a full fledge documents with described scenes, NPC stats, "what if" scenarios and such?
flymolo:
--- Quote from: Madmacabre on May 01, 2010, 03:09:41 PM ---All fine advices!
Thanks all...
But I am also concerned on how to prepare my gaming material...physically!
How do you do it? Do you get in front your players with only a few scribbles on a sheet of paper or do you have a full fledge documents with described scenes, NPC stats, "what if" scenarios and such?
--- End quote ---
This is something that varies from person to person. From what I've seen starting out you'll want to prep a lot. Statted NPC's, locations and scenarios planned out. Then you'll see that players never do what you expect. This is ok. Statting up NPCs and scenarios is good practice for when you have to come up with a response to something you don't expect, like one of the PCs picking a fight with someone you haven't statted. Your players will help you if you ask them. I always ask my players what they are planning to do next session and prep that, if they change their minds I'll wing it, but it helps.
jhosmer1:
In a one-shot scenario I've made, I took the city my players and I created and figured out who the bad guys were and what they wanted to achieve. I set up their plan, figuring out what they needed to accomplish the goals and what order they would do them in.
Then I let the players loose on them. :)
I've playtested it three times so far, and the players have managed to fumble their way to success each time, but they have said that it felt like one of Harry's stories... they usually had no clue what was really going on until the last scene. Sometimes, their actions even HELPED the bad guys. It was a lot of fun.
Bubba Amon Hotep:
--- Quote from: jhosmer1 on May 01, 2010, 05:02:18 PM ---In a one-shot scenario I've made, I took the city my players and I created and figured out who the bad guys were and what they wanted to achieve. I set up their plan, figuring out what they needed to accomplish the goals and what order they would do them in.
Then I let the players loose on them. :)
I've playtested it three times so far, and the players have managed to fumble their way to success each time, but they have said that it felt like one of Harry's stories... they usually had no clue what was really going on until the last scene. Sometimes, their actions even HELPED the bad guys. It was a lot of fun.
--- End quote ---
I like this idea alot. I am still working out the one shot I plan to run for my players, reading and re-reading the rules. But I like the concept of a loose timeline. The "catch up" that Harry usually finds himself in. And right before the end, the figuring it out and finding a loophole. I really like this alot. :)
TheMouse:
--- Quote from: Madmacabre on May 01, 2010, 03:09:41 PM ---But I am also concerned on how to prepare my gaming material...physically!
How do you do it? Do you get in front your players with only a few scribbles on a sheet of paper or do you have a full fledge documents with described scenes, NPC stats, "what if" scenarios and such?
--- End quote ---
I use 3x5 index cards. One card gets used for quick notes, things like the stress tracks of extras, names of people I might want to remember, and other such things. Major locations and individuals get a card. I only bother to stat out major NPCs; the others get some Aspects and a couple of defined skills and that's about it.
I absolutely do not work out documents with scenes and what if scenarios. Not my style, and they never end up being useful anyhow. A beginning and a note or two per scene is fine, since players and Aspects will often power through the rest of a scene quite well enough.
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