What I want in my game

[Mystery Man]

Uh oh....it's happening, I can feel it...must...ramble...can't stop self....

[ramble]In my game I want to see characters spring off walls, brazenly bash through a door and challenge an enemy. I love it when they hit an opponent with a torch before using blades, splash them with oil, ricochet a trick shot arrow. I want to hear them yell at an opponent, kiss a noble’s arse, curse the villain, kiss the maiden before jumping out of the balcony, take time to actively seek out a displaced beggar and help, consecrate recently slain undead with obscure religious mumbo jumbo that has no mechanical bearing whatsoever. Paraphrase if you must singing a song after every victory, etc. Even a player who simply insists upon a toast after each victory in combat brings interest and depth to a scenario.

In my game, as a DM I want to throw my voice, act like a girl, portray a snobbish noble, act like a brutish barbarian, grunt like an orc, act like an ogre, portray a haughty, arrogant diety that ultimatly shows compasion in the end. I want to let go of the control and have my players tell me the story from their side of the screen.

In my game I want to keep the balance between engaging all my players and making sure that those not involved in a situation stay interested. I want my players to get mad when they need to, sad when they don't want to and have fun the whole time. [/ramble]

 

[Belen]

so what's stopping you?

 

[Jdvn1]

Not many games like that, but you really treasure the ones that are.

 

[Mystery Man]

so what's stopping you?

Those blood sucking lawyers!

Seriously though, just rambling really. Most of the time I'll see one or two of those examples depending on how motivated the group is, but every now and then you have one those evenings where everything falls into place. I was just thinking of all the stuff I like in a nutshell.

 

[Belen]

Those blood sucking lawyers!

Seriously though, just rambling really. Most of the time I'll see one or two of those examples depending on how motivated the group is, but every now and then you have one those evenings where everything falls into place. I was just thinking of all the stuff I like in a nutshell.

Gotcha. MY opinion is to just try and shoot for the basics and then build from there. My game is tonight, but I doubt I will have everything running smoothly now that I have a nice, shiny new head cold.

 

[Three_Haligonians]

Hear Hear!!

I fully endorse your ramble and support you 100%. Where do I sign up?


J from Three Haligonians

 

[Henry]

Those blood sucking lawyers!

Seriously though, just rambling really. Most of the time I'll see one or two of those examples depending on how motivated the group is, but every now and then you have one those evenings where everything falls into place. I was just thinking of all the stuff I like in a nutshell.

To take a page from a friend of mine, Reward behaviors you want to encourage.

One poster here introduced me to an XP system which rewards characters based on the actions they engaged in, specifically down to type of action - combat, creative skill use, planning a successful tactical situation, puzzling something out, etc. Even if you don't want to go that far, just be sure to remind players the style of game you want to see, and note cool situations as they occur (as simple as "Sarah - chandelier" or "Bill - kiss villain") and award 50, 100, 200 xp, whatever's appropriate. When players see that doing something funky in-game has an effect, they'll go out of their way to both DO it, and REMIND you.

The XP system above (Rel's, by the way) uses a form that he hands to each player, and THEY are responsible for showing how they did something that evening that was XP-worthy. That way, the DM doesn't have to do it all himself, and the players have an interest in doing more with the game.

 

[Chroma]

The XP system above (Rel's, by the way) uses a form that he hands to each player, and THEY are responsible for showing how they did something that evening that was XP-worthy. That way, the DM doesn't have to do it all himself, and the players have an interest in doing more with the game.

And where could one find such a form?