What do you do before a gaming session ?

[rythm_rampage]

Wow there's definately some stuff in this thread that can help me a lot. I decided to make some notes, a sort of checklist for the next adventure (coming on friday).
Character creation went well today, we ended playing Illuminati (fun game), which a friend of mine brought with him. I was eager to start gaming, but my players weren't actually. I have to check their sheets tomorrow if everything's fine though.
I got a little trick to calm myself down. The trick's called food , I just eat a whole lot of raisins, nuts, carrots and apples and I'm fine. No being tired anymore. And I need to use eyedrops a lot. (I don't blink enough plus some weird dysfuntion of my eyes, got no clue how to translate that oO)
I decided not to prepare much for the adventure, I did the location, some encounters and the surroundings. I expierienced that a detailed map is worth nothing to my players, they won't go back and explore a cave they haven't been to yet, if they are done with the urgent stuff.

My checklist btw:

- Something to do for everyone
- atmosphere (a few words, nothing more)
- something to fill the gaps (if they take a "shortcut")
- consequences
- XP

Of course, this is just a small amount of all the important stuff.

 

[Agback]

i pee before each session.

Now there is good advice! "Never miss an opportunity to pee."

 

[Agback]

See, I've turned over a new leaf with my DM'ing since I started my current campaign. I had an epiphany that the main reason why my previous campaign didn't go so well was because I put *too* preperation into it.

Odd, huh?

Perhaps. But I had the same epiphany.

So, currently, I do next to nothing.

I do next to nothing specific to the session. I try to put in all my prep work on things that will be re-usable. Preparing reference documents for the players, doing world design, designing and mapping places that are going to be used again and again, preferrably in campaign after campaign. Organising for future reference notes for recurrable NPCs I have made up during a previous session, that sort of thing.

 

[Baroness]

Not a DM, but I live with one and do most of the work before the session.

I order pizza at 6:30. Whoever arrives after the pizza gets to buy the beverages. We split the costs otherwise. After I'm done eating, get the table cloth out(makes a great battle mat), get the player miniatures, hand out the character sheets and get some serious feng shui going by moving the couches. Can't forget to open the windows(curse you, smokers!).

I think the DM's preparation is done entirely in the bathroom during the week. I guess his status depends on how well his other bathroom activities are going.

 

[ssampier]

I fit this group well. I get annoyed easily (at work or home), procrastinate, and throw something together at the last minute.

I had this image of the typical EnWorlder as an efficient DM with carefully laid notes and beautiful hand-drawn maps.

 

[Ao the Overkitty]

I had this image of the typical EnWorlder as an efficient DM with carefully laid notes and beautiful hand-drawn maps.

Well, when running D&D, that's me. Well, not the maps. It is a common joke/rule within our group that you don't ask me for a map. I have major problems with distances. As long as the map doesn't have a scale, it is a perfectly good map for someone with no artistic ability whatsoever.

But yeah, I'm a bit too... insane when running a D&D game. I can't 'relax' and 'go with the flow' for it. Much easier with other systems, for some reason or another.

 

[ssampier]

Well, when running D&D, that's me. Well, not the maps. It is a common joke/rule within our group that you don't ask me for a map. I have major problems with distances. As long as the map doesn't have a scale, it is a perfectly good map for someone with no artistic ability whatsoever.

But yeah, I'm a bit too... insane when running a D&D game. I can't 'relax' and 'go with the flow' for it. Much easier with other systems, for some reason or another.

sounds fun, as long as fits your group style. My group likes to "fart around" too much for careful notes.

As for maps, I wish I could buy a map making program that would turn my chicken scratch to beautiful artwork. I can dream...

 

[Aikuchi]

Prepare?
Oh dear me.

I layout a rough idea in my head (as Baroness puts it) - in my quality time in the bathroom.

I sketch out maps, (scrawl), NPCs and encouters and monster stats about 1 - 2 hours before I head off to the game and forget to eat the whole day.

Somehow, it still ends up like a decent game.
Hmm.

 

[Baron Opal]

I franticly clean the house while the Baroness (mine, not Aikuchi's) cooks dinner for the gang. I prepare the night before, about 2 hrs worth. I do most of the lore and handouts at work when it is slow. Like now, actually.

 

[Fishbone]

Day before: Take about half an hour, recap, review notes, etc.
Day of: Normal day, think about the session
4 hours: Make sure everything is in order, go through what I expect the guys to do and a few possible things they might do:
Hour before: Break the stuff out, bring out some dollar snacks from Dollar General, take a cold shower.