D&D General Starting your session - how to announce that the game starts?

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

"Everyone, roll initiative!"

 

[Morrus]

We initiate play with a 12-canon salute.

 

[Burnside]

I write up recaps of each session. So the sessions generally start with me saying, "Previously on (Dungeon of the Mad Mage or whatever)" and then reading the recap, and then saying, "So what would you like to do?"

The majority of the games I run are pro games, so the players are very much there to play D&D. Pre-game chatter tends to be 1-2 minutes at most. The only game I'm a player in right now is an actual play podcast, so similarly there is a feeling of "let's not waste production time" and we generally will start immediately once everyone is there and the recording is working properly.

 

[Oofta]

Pretty much like this:

 

[Flamestrike]

As you're all seated in a tavern, you notice a mysterious figure enter. Glinting under his cloak is the pommel of a fine sword.

Usually leads to:

Rogue: A fine sword eh, I'll Sleight of hands it and steal it
DM: He's on the other side of the tav...
Rogue: Then I shoot him. Do I get sneak attack?
DM: Wait a sec...
Necromancer: Keep his body for me, I need flesh for my animate dead spell!
DM: But the Paladin...
Paladin: He looks shady, and is obviously EVIL! DIE EVIL SCUM!
Wizard: DM, will a fireball hit any of the peasants in the tavern?
DM: Yes, it's a tightly packed room. Are you serious?
Wizard: Yes, and it's a small price to pay I guess. I'll start casting.
DM: Groan.

 

[delericho]

"Right, shall we get going?"

 

[billd91]

I say "when we last left our heros..." and then give a quick summary of where we left off.

Yeah, I do something similar. It particularly helps me have a standard way to start the session because I'm always getting over an introvert hump in the first place.

 

[Blue]

This is a good question, it varies between my tables a lot.

D&D 5e (online/DM): Zoom opens at 7pm. A few minutes after everyone is there (we need some time for hellos) I will either launch into a recap, or set the scene evocatively (including senses not sight) and then we get into it.

Masks: A New Generation (in-person/GM): Plays occasionally weekend day, a lot longer time frame then the other games which happen after work. Also it's for my kids, niece & nephew. Usually plan on 45-60 minutes after we get together of catch up and socialization, at which point someone will go "D&D?", a running joke from the 5e game I ran for them, and within 5 minutes they are settled and ready to play. Usually either starts with recap and setting the scene if we're picking up directly from last session, or an "In the News" if time has passed.

D&D 5e (online/player): Chat opens at 6:30pm, game starts at 7:00am. DM announces start and we go. Cleanest cut-over.

Call of Cthulhu 7e (online/player): Game is supposed to start at 8pm, but really that's when we all get online and end up chatting waiting for whomever is latest. And then for like 10-15 minutes later. During this we are handling any bookkeeping, such as if we get to make skill advancement rolls. Transition to play is sometimes a bit awkward - we all like to chat and often the first call to start gets delayed by "one more thing".

 

[Blue]

I've had some success with asking one of the players to give a summary of the last session and then following that up with a "opening crawl" giving some scene setting to get people back in the mood.

Had a DM that did this. Asked if anyone was willing to give a recap, and if it was decent granted Inspiration.

 

[Mannahnin]

"When last we saw our intrepid band..." [brief recap, solicit recap/recollections from players]

At home this may be accompanied by putting on some adventuresome music.

There was a great pastoral traveling music track on YouTube I used to routinely have on in the background as the players arrived, we set up and chit-chatted, but sadly it seems to be unavailable now. I should find a replacement.