DM Dilemma - I Need Help, ENWorld! - *UPDATED* - Putting YOUR ideas to work!

[I'm A Banana]

Hehe. Thanks. But the basics are pretty easy.

Step 1: Think of three things you want to happen (a beginning, a middle, and an end). For D&D, tiers help with this (for FFZ, Rank does).

Step 2: Think of a reason those three things could be connected (a throughline). Just link 'em together!

Step 3: Focus on the first thing, dividing it up into "X" sub-parts. Figure out how the party will get through all the sub-parts. Maybe use narrative tricks A, B, and C. One narrative trick: The first sub-part should hook the players and give them a motive and introduce whatever might happen at the end.

Step 4: Repeat for the second thing. One narrative trick: The final sub-part happens because the party screws up somehow in a way that favors what they'll fight at the end. It's trouble for them!

Step 5: Repeat for the third thing. One narrative trick: the sub-parts make the final thing beat-able, if they are beaten, and the party is under threat the entire time!

Not all that big and scary.

 

[Gloomshroud]

Hehe. Thanks. But the basics are pretty easy.

Step 1: Think of three things you want to happen (a beginning, a middle, and an end). For D&D, tiers help with this (for FFZ, Rank does).

Step 2: Think of a reason those three things could be connected (a throughline). Just link 'em together!

Step 3: Focus on the first thing, dividing it up into "X" sub-parts. Figure out how the party will get through all the sub-parts. Maybe use narrative tricks A, B, and C. One narrative trick: The first sub-part should hook the players and give them a motive and introduce whatever might happen at the end.

Step 4: Repeat for the second thing. One narrative trick: The final sub-part happens because the party screws up somehow in a way that favors what they'll fight at the end. It's trouble for them!

Step 5: Repeat for the third thing. One narrative trick: the sub-parts make the final thing beat-able, if they are beaten, and the party is under threat the entire time!

Not all that big and scary.

It looks innocent enough, sure. But putting it into practice is a different matter. Perhaps its the creative grist for the mill that I'm lacking in? All the structure, plot help, and pointers people give me are worthless if I just...suck. I don't know that I have the imagination for it anymore. Real life has sucked e child-like spirit I used to possess from the marrow of my bones. lol It's easy to say "Oh, you just need practice." To this I respond: Yea...I've been gaming 16 years. Maybe it's time to hang up the DM hat...

One rule I heard way back "If you don't have the gift for DMing...don't DM"

 

[Chrono22]

When I'm running a full blown campaign, I usually use a logic tree. I start with the seed, and introduce obstacles or challenges whose resolutions can cause the plot to branch. Obviously I can't predict every choice the PCs make, or which direction they'll take things, but so long as I have the basics written down I can wing the rest.
It sort of looks like this:
graph
It's best to present events or "forks" where the PCs will either have to act, or will be compelled to act, or at the very least ones where inaction has a consequence on future events.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Yea...I've been gaming 16 years. Maybe it's time to hang up the DM hat...

Just sounds like ol' fashioned writers' block to me. Still, when that strikes, usually reading is one of the best things you can do. Maybe play in the next campaign, let your juices recharge.

 

[Gloomshroud]

Just sounds like ol' fashioned writers' block to me. Still, when that strikes, usually reading is one of the best things you can do. Maybe play in the next campaign, let your juices recharge.

Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury. I'm the "official" Dark Sun DM at my FLGS. I do the Game Days and all, so I can't "sit out." Or if I did, it would suck. I love DMing.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury. I'm the "official" Dark Sun DM at my FLGS. I do the Game Days and all, so I can't "sit out." Or if I did, it would suck. I love DMing.

Well, you're boned.

At least for the next campaign, you can use the outline I gave above, right? So you're cool for the next few months! Then get some playing in. And if you're still in a tight-spot, I charge $.08/word for my adventure-writing skills. It's cheap!

 

[Nameless1]

Unfortunately, your desire to have a specific outcome means that this is well outside the realm of situation and well into the realm of railroad. That is fine, but a situation would have a list of antagonists/protagonists, their goals, their resources, and that is about it. When you have any A->B->C->Win!, then it is a railroad. Situations do not have predetermined outcomes. At all.

So if you do want a railroad, then starting with what amounts to a plot map would be a good start. Kamikaze Midget does a really good job of outlining and then filling in a plot map for your campaign. You could very easily just rip that off and go with it. You are done.

It does sound like you are trying to come up with a system for doing the same thing youself in the future. Railroads are fun to ride, as long as they are fun to ride. A proven plot map that you could use is The Heros Journey. It has been successfully used in multiple fantasy serieses, and will resonate with many players. It has 3 phases that can match up really well with the 4e heroic/paragon/epic tiers, and actually matches your stated phases really well. Go figure, it is the classic Heros Journey. By filling it in with some more Heros Journey tropes you may add some additional interest to the story in the form of things that the players may relate to from their previous experiences of The Heros Journey.

If I were in your place with your goals, I would basically do exactly what Kamikaze Midget did, only starting out with the Heros Journey as the template, and filling in the details from there. I like the idea of mapping tiers to the phases, matching levels to each of the steps, matching encounters to the levels, and generally planning out the railroad if you want the whole thing to turn out the way you want. But for theme, I would use the stages of the Heros Journey, reflavored with Dark Sun tropes. In play, you will have to be really aggressive about pushing the characters the way that you want.

And the last thing that I would say is to get some player buy in before you go ripping their characters into Dark Sun. That is a level of railroad that can decrease the interest of the players, and can ruin all the planning you have done. They may just walk the instant that you tell them "This game you thought that you were playing, it is now a completely different game." Asking them if it is OK from the get go, as well as stating up front that you have a really fun plot worked out, and asking them to stick to the rails will ensure that you aren't just writing things down for yourself.

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

I guess....keep it loose and fast...right?

GRRR! I love my carefully nested outlines with multiple subpoints! Noooo! Adventuring parties wreak HAVOC on the carefully structured mind!

Honestly, everyone runs stuff differently. Be careful to not over-prepare, but many people prefer having a lot written out, other prefer to have little. It's all about preference

It looks innocent enough, sure. But putting it into practice is a different matter. Perhaps its the creative grist for the mill that I'm lacking in? All the structure, plot help, and pointers people give me are worthless if I just...suck. I don't know that I have the imagination for it anymore. Real life has sucked e child-like spirit I used to possess from the marrow of my bones. lol It's easy to say "Oh, you just need practice." To this I respond: Yea...I've been gaming 16 years. Maybe it's time to hang up the DM hat...

One rule I heard way back "If you don't have the gift for DMing...don't DM"

You might just be feeling a bit burned out. I'd normally suggest curing it by taking a short break from DMing and playing for a bit, but it doesn't sound like you have that option

Honestly? Just rip shamelessly from pregen adventures from now until you feel the motivation to come up with stuff from scratch. And even then, continue to steal shamelessly!

 

[Gloomshroud]

Unfortunately, your desire to have a specific outcome means that this is well outside the realm of situation and well into the realm of railroad. That is fine, but a situation would have a list of antagonists/protagonists, their goals, their resources, and that is about it. When you have any A->B->C->Win!, then it is a railroad. Situations do not have predetermined outcomes. At all.

So if you do want a railroad, then starting with what amounts to a plot map would be a good start. Kamikaze Midget does a really good job of outlining and then filling in a plot map for your campaign. You could very easily just rip that off and go with it. You are done.

It does sound like you are trying to come up with a system for doing the same thing youself in the future. Railroads are fun to ride, as long as they are fun to ride. A proven plot map that you could use is The Heros Journey. It has been successfully used in multiple fantasy serieses, and will resonate with many players. It has 3 phases that can match up really well with the 4e heroic/paragon/epic tiers, and actually matches your stated phases really well. Go figure, it is the classic Heros Journey. By filling it in with some more Heros Journey tropes you may add some additional interest to the story in the form of things that the players may relate to from their previous experiences of The Heros Journey.

If I were in your place with your goals, I would basically do exactly what Kamikaze Midget did, only starting out with the Heros Journey as the template, and filling in the details from there. I like the idea of mapping tiers to the phases, matching levels to each of the steps, matching encounters to the levels, and generally planning out the railroad if you want the whole thing to turn out the way you want. But for theme, I would use the stages of the Heros Journey, reflavored with Dark Sun tropes. In play, you will have to be really aggressive about pushing the characters the way that you want.

And the last thing that I would say is to get some player buy in before you go ripping their characters into Dark Sun. That is a level of railroad that can decrease the interest of the players, and can ruin all the planning you have done. They may just walk the instant that you tell them "This game you thought that you were playing, it is now a completely different game." Asking them if it is OK from the get go, as well as stating up front that you have a really fun plot worked out, and asking them to stick to the rails will ensure that you aren't just writing things down for yourself.

Thank you. You have so eloquently put my very thoughts into words. My whole dilemma, then, has not been HOW, but WHAT my DMing style is. EVeryone is all "no no! Railroad = bad." I guess I feel stricken because I enjoy the crap outta that kinda game. Dunno.

As far as letting my players know, it's a sealed deal. They know I'm the "Dark Sun" DM. (There's one for FR, LFR, Eberron, and one other that I can't think of). That means if the player is at my table, that player is there for Dark Sun. Problem solved. I am simply attempting to contrast how different it is from other fantasy realms for those who are new to Dark Sun.

 

[Hussar]

It looks innocent enough, sure. But putting it into practice is a different matter. Perhaps its the creative grist for the mill that I'm lacking in? All the structure, plot help, and pointers people give me are worthless if I just...suck. I don't know that I have the imagination for it anymore. Real life has sucked e child-like spirit I used to possess from the marrow of my bones. lol It's easy to say "Oh, you just need practice." To this I respond: Yea...I've been gaming 16 years. Maybe it's time to hang up the DM hat...

One rule I heard way back "If you don't have the gift for DMing...don't DM"

One sec, before I get to you Gloomy.

KM - That was awesome. Just well done. I'd posrep ya, but... well... you know the drill. But you should be getting lots of loving for that post.

Ok, back to Gloomy -

I totally feel your pain. What I did for the past year is what we called "Campaign vignettes". Not complete campaigns, just short stories. Each one would last about 10 sessions tops. Bounced through three or four systems and a bunch of different stuff. It really helped to clean the pipes out.

I think KM's approach is excellent. It's broken down into nice, bite sized chunks that aren't overwhelming. If you spend that much time building the framework that he's developed, the details will slot themselves in much easier. "What comes next" becomes more and more obvious as you proceed through the web.

I'm a big, big believer in systematic approaches to problems. Have a system in place that lets you break things down and the fill in the gaps as needed.