GMing an Icebreaker for Strangers - Help!

[Rechan]

I went about advertising a gamer's meetup on the internet, using Meetup.com. Posted it on local messageboards, et al. I've only had two people join up and say they're coming.

And I've wound up to be the DM. Which is fine, because the first time we meet, it's supposed to be a general meet and greet ice-breaking session, to see what everyone likes, if they'd like to do something a little more regular, etc.

The thing is, I'm not sure what to do for a "First time meeting" sort of thing. I look at it as similar to a tournament or Con game - have something pre-arranged, and just pass out pre-generated characters. But what should the pre-arranged adventure or activity be?

Here are the profiles of the people I have:

[sblock="H"]
Introduction:
"Hello! I gamed several years ago, but my group and I drifted apart, so that stopped. I've been looking for more people to game with ever since."

How long have you been gaming?
"I gamed for a year or two several years back. I'm by no means an expert, but I learn quick."

Any preferred settings?
"Game world settings? I prefer fantasy over sci-fi, though if a GM will work with me I can usually find a character in sci-fi that I enjoy. I'm pretty flexible, though I don't think I'd like a complete ocean campaign, in the water."

What type of game style (Dungeoncrawling, Intrigue, Exploration, Horror) do you like?
"I like roleplaying, not rollplaying. For me, it's all about fleshing out who the character is, how they'd react to the situation, actually interacting with the world. If a game has that, I don't really mind if it's intrigue, horror,exploration,etc."

What systems have you played, and of which do you like?
"AD&D 2 (with many, many house rules) and GURPS. I prefer AD&D, because of the fantasy-base, but GURPS can also be fun. " [/sblock]

[sblock="P"]
Introduction:
"I'm rather busy IRL with work, but as a long time gamer I'd be remiss if I didn't take a stab at joining an organized game. My personal gaming stye is roleplay over rollplay, and I've usually run games. Looking forward to just being a player. "

How long have you been gaming?
"Off & on since the mid 80s. I'd guess about 8 years of that time actively involved in an at least weekly game."

Any preferred settings?
"I dig High Fantasy, so I guess Faerun or Greyhawk. I'm not primarily a D&D player, so am not an expert on all the settings available."

What type of game style (Dungeoncrawling, Intrigue, Exploration, Horror) do you like?
"Farm boy to Epic Hero. I enjoy the story of going from Point A to Point B. If that involves some Intrigue, Exploration (into the Wilds), and the occasional Dungencrawl, cool; just so that a PC-driven goal is set and sought. Not really a horror fan"

What systems have you played, and of which do you like?
"D&D, GURPS, Old WoD, Rifts, Shadowrun, Cyberpunk2020, M&M, Marvel, Firefly, more Fave:CtD (huge Modern Fantasy fan) I typically tinker with mechanics to streamline when I run games, so I don't always play exactly by the book."[/sblock]

In general, I was thinking of doing this:

Pre-gen up some NPC class characters. Commoners, experts, aristocrats.

Run the players through a Zombie Survival game. "Woah, zombies. They're swarming outside, and coming into the tavern you are in. Do something." And just let it go naturally. If someone dies, I just hand them a new pre-generated character, and have that new character "stumble into" the action.

With the NPC classes being so weak, it would make even a single zombie rather threatening and scary.

What do you think? Is the above a good idea, or is there a better suggestion?

Edit: Crap. I just noticed that at the bottom of P's profile, he says he's not much of a horror fan.

 

[Ry]

In the same situation, Some Dungeon Crawl Classic pregens (given their own sheets) and Gorgoldand's Gauntlet (Expanded) worked WONDERS for me. I started the PCs off AT the entrance to the dungeon and told them they were friends with a map lifted off of a hobgoblin after an attack. The map had a picture of treasure and the words "Gorgoldand's Gauntlet" next to a lake. Oh, and I replaced the Jermlaine with the Smallknife Goblin tribe - basically Pathfinder Goblins with Jermlaine stats.

 

[Thorfin]

Personally, I'm not sure if I would choose to have an actual gaming session as a first meetup, you never know who or how many might show up... maybe I'm jaded...

I'd look for a nearby sandwich shop or something similar that has a few decently sectioned off areas. Schedule the meetup for a time when the place won't be packed and you can reasonably expect to snag one of those sections for your group. Bring along a few core books for games you like to play or just think are cool somehow and encourage others to do the same.

Use this time as a meet-n-greet. Grab a sammich and a Guinness. Ask a few questions to get the ball rolling.. you know.. the ones everyone will have... "Who is willing to GM games", "What games will you GM", "What games are you interested in playing", "How often/long do you prefer sessions to be", "How long have you been playing"... blah blah. Start up a name/email list.

If all goes well, everyone gets their "first impression" and sometimes that's enough... good lord, I am jaded.

You should have a pretty good idea what you want your next step to be as things start winding down... maybe invite the group to your Con game (I'd go for a standard-fare fantasy pregen with a decent mix of role/roll play)... maybe somebody else offered the same and you can be a player instead of GM (didn't sound as if you were chomping at the bit)... maybe step back and punt...

 

[Squeaky Bill]

I firmly believe that every community needs heros to beat up lesser undead. However, both of your players suggest that they would like to spend some time on developing their characters.

Here's what I would try. Prepare a background story with some sort of a twist for comic relief. Give your main NPCs appealing, believable personalities. Only work up a bare minimum of NPC stats.

At your first gathering, devote most of your time to generating background stories for the player characters. Work up a bare minimum of PC stats. If time permits, role play two or three social encounters. These should lead up to a brief combat. Given the players' backgrounds with house rules, even a small battle could take a long time.

Then it's time for feedback. Even if all three of you instantly gell, ask about what went well and what could be improved. Share some laughs and get to know each others' gaming styles.

 

[jmucchiello]

Why didn't you just continue this in the last thread you posted about a meetup meet up?
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=212802

In both threads, you got advice not to game the first meeting and that's still my initial thought. Get to know them before you try gaming with them.

 

[Rechan]

Here's what I would try. Prepare a background story with some sort of a twist for comic relief. Give your main NPCs appealing, believable personalities. Only work up a bare minimum of NPC stats.

Well, given that the two wouldn't be coming with characters, doing that would either require:

1) Them creating the characters on the spot, or
2) I giving pre-gen characters.

The former would probably require discussing what sort of campaign they would like to play in. The latter, I wouldn't want them to marry to a concept for an extended period; Pre-Gens are for temporary characters, I thinks.

But I could just toss up some quick characters and just run a few interactions, just to see how everyone gels. A dinner party perhaps.

Why didn't you just continue this in the last thread you posted about a meetup meet up?
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=212802

Figured that fewer people would slog through the original thread to get to th ebottom where my new problem resided.

In both threads, you got advice not to game the first meeting and that's still my initial thought. Get to know them before you try gaming with them.

I asked them this, and everyone seemed to agree that they want to play the first meeting. Other starved gamers, it seems. I don't mind doing something on the first meeting, mind you. I'm just at a loss as to what to put them through.

 

[Ry]

I think pregens and a prepped adventure are better to break the ice because people sometimes become very self-conscious when their own creative effort is on the line. Much better to present them with a choice within a framework: "Want to play the dazzlingly intelligent elf, the tough Half-orc, the trapsmith dwarf, or the pious halfling?"

 

[Piratecat]

I'd run a fun swashbuckler adventure. Everyone likes swashbucklers! And the downside of high-body-count horror as an "icebreaker" is that people don't really form warm bonds with one another. Three Musketeers is a different kettle of fish, though.

I tihnk I'd hand them pre-gens, and give them a mission to infiltrate the Count's palace and steal back their hijacked shipment of wine. Hilarity ensues.

 

[Mark]

Lots of good ideas here.

Another thing to consider is some sort of in-game scavenger hunt. No matter what the genre you play, a game can be more about collecting designated items with the killing and combat more or less incidental, depending on the nature of the group. It also helps, structure-wise, a newer bunch of players to have a list of things to do.