Forked from: Why Calculated XP is Important
I actually am doing this for the first time in my current tabletop campaign; 1 game week = 1 real week. I do this because I have circumstances similar to those Gygax experienced - I'm running an open access game at a D&D Meetup club with constantly varying players, much like Gygax's Greyhawk table. The campaign is primarily episodic, with a loose arc of sequential scenarios. 1 Game Week = 1 Real Week enables me and the players to keep rough track of the passage of time in a practical manner.
Here's how it works: I run 2 games per month, and an adventure typically takes 4 sessions. No time passes between sessions during an adventure, 4 sessions of play typically takes 2 months and covers 2-4 days of game time. However there is then an 8 week gap in game time so that it catches up with real time in time for the next adventure.
This works because the same scheduled adventure takes place whoever turns up to the game. They are site-based adventures, so there is plenty of freedom of action within the adventure, the PCs are sent on missions by the King and given discretion how to complete them.
I'm also using real year (2008 - 2009 AD) as game world year (2008-2009 AUC - Ab Urbe Condita), again for convenience.
Here's how it's gone so far:
Intro Scenario 'Castle Kaladrac' M7 2008 AUC, 1 session played July 2008
'Rahasia' M8 2008 AUC, 4 sessions played August-September 2008
'Horror on the Hill' M10 2008 AUC, 4 sessions played October-December 2008
'Palace of Shadows' M1 2009 AUC, 4 sessions played January-February 2009
The next session will be this month, March 2009, so that will be M3 2009 AUC.
Anyone else do something similar?
Lanefan said:I know Gygax suggests in the 1e DMG that game time should pass about in synch with real time during non-session times, but that makes so little sense as to be utterly ridiculous...the game log would read something like "Party goes to open a door, then decides to stand there for a week before trying the handle to see if it's locked."
I actually am doing this for the first time in my current tabletop campaign; 1 game week = 1 real week. I do this because I have circumstances similar to those Gygax experienced - I'm running an open access game at a D&D Meetup club with constantly varying players, much like Gygax's Greyhawk table. The campaign is primarily episodic, with a loose arc of sequential scenarios. 1 Game Week = 1 Real Week enables me and the players to keep rough track of the passage of time in a practical manner.
Here's how it works: I run 2 games per month, and an adventure typically takes 4 sessions. No time passes between sessions during an adventure, 4 sessions of play typically takes 2 months and covers 2-4 days of game time. However there is then an 8 week gap in game time so that it catches up with real time in time for the next adventure.
This works because the same scheduled adventure takes place whoever turns up to the game. They are site-based adventures, so there is plenty of freedom of action within the adventure, the PCs are sent on missions by the King and given discretion how to complete them.
I'm also using real year (2008 - 2009 AD) as game world year (2008-2009 AUC - Ab Urbe Condita), again for convenience.
Here's how it's gone so far:
Intro Scenario 'Castle Kaladrac' M7 2008 AUC, 1 session played July 2008
'Rahasia' M8 2008 AUC, 4 sessions played August-September 2008
'Horror on the Hill' M10 2008 AUC, 4 sessions played October-December 2008
'Palace of Shadows' M1 2009 AUC, 4 sessions played January-February 2009
The next session will be this month, March 2009, so that will be M3 2009 AUC.
Anyone else do something similar?