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Game Master's Laboratory

Public • 119 • Free

18 contributions to Game Master's Laboratory
Most influential Sci-Fi/Fantasy books for your style
I am running something next week that is just ripped straight from the pages of Dune Messiah (pro GM tip literally no one will notice if you do this). It got me thinking: What are the books you've read (I'm thinking Sci-Fi/Fantasy but I guess anything) that you feel have had the biggest influence on the way your games run? For example: I wouldn't say they're my favorites, but the old REH Conan pulp stories have had an outsized impact on how I run games. I love the mystery of the wilderness and the idea that magic is ancient and dangerous, and I love that the action is usually driven forward because Conan is trying to steal something or kill someone, and not because the action finds him and he gets wrapped up in it. What comes to mind when you think about SF/F books and the way you play and run your games?
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New comment 12d ago
2 likes • Oct 18
The great thing about the Dune sequels is that barely anyone has read them. You can steal with abandon. Sorting out what books and short stories influence my style is difficult. You read so much that everything kinda melds together. Lovecraft may have influenced me awhile ago for horror, but now Algernon Blackwood, Thomas Ligotti, and M.R. James hold more influence. You've got Mervyn Peak, Lord Dunsany, E.R. Eddison. I've read so much scifi I've lost track.
How would you describe your GMing style?…
…and where would you like to grow? One of the greatest gifts in my gaming career was discovering that I don’t have to GM like anyone else, and can find and build my own strengths into the GM I would like to be, someone I enjoy. I have plenty of examples and ideas, and I’m going to resist the urge to put my thumb on the scale and let y’all kick it off. I promise I’ll chime in later. ☺️
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New comment Sep 27
4 likes • Sep 24
My style has changed drastically over the past 4 years. Getting through gender dysphoria & depression then figuring out my ADHD has given me more insight into how I best GM. No more plots. Plots are too hard and make my thinking too rigid. Situations are much more fun and adaptable. Throw the players in and let them use the mechanics to craft a story. I have tried no prep games and it doesn't work out for me. Prep work helps as a warmup for improv. Make notes on changes, potential NPCs, new complications, etc. Otherwise my brain tends to stall.
Styles of Prep
It's been a pretty long time since we've had a poll, so let's get one rolling! This week, I'm curious how much people prep for sessions, and in what way. To keep the poll simple I'll just add prep amount here, but feel free to leave a comment describing your style of prep (bare-bones bullet points, notebooks, notion, etc). Personally, I'd say I'm a medium prepper. I always do it in notebooks, and I'll usually prep more than I need because I enjoy using it to wind down before bed. I'll usually have a few pages of notes for a session, and I'll put some sticky notes where I need them.
Poll
14 members have voted
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New comment Oct 1
3 likes • Sep 24
I tend to do the most prep at the beginning of the campaign and less as it goes on. "Prep situations, not plots" from the Alexandrian has been my goto style for awhile now. I assemble a rough sketch of the situation(s) going on, have a collaborative world building session to offload the tricky work, let my players hang their own stuff inside the world, and get going.
Super Hero Games- Drama or Combat?
If you were asked to play in a super hero game, are you expecting or wanting a combat or Drama focused game? Obviously we would like a mix, but I feel that most games I have played/ seen played are commonly one or the other. Trying to not give away my preference, just curious what people prefer.
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New comment Sep 19
0 likes • Sep 3
@Briggs Schneider I've found Savage Worlds Superheros to be more balanced in combat.
1 like • Sep 19
@Nick Thompson I'm a big fan of Wild Talents for running superhero games. It's very front heavy for character creation but after that the game runs very smoothly.
Your first non-D&D system
What was the first system you played (or ran) that wasn't DnD? (The purpose of this post is to give people a few ideas of games they could try if they are going to skip D&D 5e 2024. It isn't for D&D bashing - that's how nearly all of us started!) For me it was GURPS. We wanted to run a Halloween game about shapeshifters infiltrating our friend group and DnD 3.5 didn't fit the bill. In hindsight, it was way over engineered and not the right system for the game. Should have gone with something simple and freefrom (next year I ran the same thing with RISUS).
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New comment Sep 25
2 likes • Sep 19
Eclipse Phase. Still one of my favourite systems. First rulebook I bought, first system I tried to GM.
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Allison Entecott
3
9points to level up
@allison-entecott-1381
Will add later ....

Active 3d ago
Joined Aug 9, 2024
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