howandwhy99
Adventurer
Hi Guys,
I've put together a list of important aspects to address when getting a new group of gamers together. I know it isn't comprehensive, but I hope with your help, any holes can be filled in. Many of the initial ideas came from http://www.agyris.net where the owner has a nice Campaign Questionnaire. Unfortunately, it's focused on an ongoing campaign with seasoned players, not the formation of a new group.
Most of this list isn't comprised of questions, but of different aspects of gaming. I've tried to group them together as best I can. The intent is to determine what kind of games everyone likes, their preferences for how they enjoy playing, and generally what they want to game.
Please keep in mind that all of this will be polished up before completion.
Any suggestions or critiques are appreciated.
Agyris-style Campaign Questionnaire
Game style preferences
List the degree to which you prefer a certain game style
Combat conflicts.
Puzzles and riddles (general Player challenges).
Investigatory games, mystery.
PC conflict games versus PC cooperation games.
In character roleplaying with character depth.
World hopping instead of single location games.
Problem-solving versus free-wheeling play.
Game Genre
Which games genres are you interested in playing?
Fantasy
SciFi
Horror
Western
Pulp
Apocalyptic
Victorian
Steampunk
Other
A mix of some others (please list)
Any or all
Adventure Types
Please rate each adventure type by your interest
Urban and big city adventures.
Dungeon delving and exploring tombs.
Wilderness frontier adventures.
Political and power struggle gaming.
Investigation and mystery games.
Realistic, gritty games.
Grim versus light-hearted games.
Any other type you might enjoy.
Campaign Story style
Do you have a preference on how stories are used within a campaign?
Short stories.
Overarching epic stories.
Different stories to choose between in game.
Interconnected vs. unconnected storylines.
Opportunity to create/submit your own stories.
Simple versus complex storylines.
The scope of the story (Dune vs a one room play).
Worlds
Pick which aspects of a Setting or World you prefer
Well-defined campaign worlds vs. Less-defined ones.
DM created homebrew settings.
Player contributed worlds (Ability to create parts of the game setting).
Players' level of familiarity with a setting.
High magic versus low magic
High technology versus low technology
The prominence of magic,
PC’s
Write out your opinion on each character aspect
PC mortality rate
PC power level
PC’s with special abilities/powers
PC money levels
PC equipment power
PC magical power
PC power balance within the party
Interparty conflict or drama
DM
How do you like a DM to run a campaign?
Game props (other than miniatures) like maps, pictures, handouts.
Illustrations.
level of description.
Ease of tracking the variety of people and places in the game world.
Play
Do you have a preferred playing style?
Degree of in-character roleplaying versus ou-of-character talk.
Miniatures combat.
Diversity of party PCs.
Rationale for PCs being together.
Pacing: Fast paced and action-packed versus slower paced with a subtler play.
Mood: table rules and play environment in synch with a story.
Number of players in the group.
Gaming time and regularity.
Amount of between game preparation (reading handouts, storyhour writing).
Food and refreshments.
Location of play.
Experience of other players/DM.
Player roles (mapper, chronicler, assistant, caller, etc).
Game system.
Non-tabletop games.
I've put together a list of important aspects to address when getting a new group of gamers together. I know it isn't comprehensive, but I hope with your help, any holes can be filled in. Many of the initial ideas came from http://www.agyris.net where the owner has a nice Campaign Questionnaire. Unfortunately, it's focused on an ongoing campaign with seasoned players, not the formation of a new group.
Most of this list isn't comprised of questions, but of different aspects of gaming. I've tried to group them together as best I can. The intent is to determine what kind of games everyone likes, their preferences for how they enjoy playing, and generally what they want to game.
Please keep in mind that all of this will be polished up before completion.
Any suggestions or critiques are appreciated.
Agyris-style Campaign Questionnaire
Game style preferences
List the degree to which you prefer a certain game style
Combat conflicts.
Puzzles and riddles (general Player challenges).
Investigatory games, mystery.
PC conflict games versus PC cooperation games.
In character roleplaying with character depth.
World hopping instead of single location games.
Problem-solving versus free-wheeling play.
Game Genre
Which games genres are you interested in playing?
Fantasy
SciFi
Horror
Western
Pulp
Apocalyptic
Victorian
Steampunk
Other
A mix of some others (please list)
Any or all
Adventure Types
Please rate each adventure type by your interest
Urban and big city adventures.
Dungeon delving and exploring tombs.
Wilderness frontier adventures.
Political and power struggle gaming.
Investigation and mystery games.
Realistic, gritty games.
Grim versus light-hearted games.
Any other type you might enjoy.
Campaign Story style
Do you have a preference on how stories are used within a campaign?
Short stories.
Overarching epic stories.
Different stories to choose between in game.
Interconnected vs. unconnected storylines.
Opportunity to create/submit your own stories.
Simple versus complex storylines.
The scope of the story (Dune vs a one room play).
Worlds
Pick which aspects of a Setting or World you prefer
Well-defined campaign worlds vs. Less-defined ones.
DM created homebrew settings.
Player contributed worlds (Ability to create parts of the game setting).
Players' level of familiarity with a setting.
High magic versus low magic
High technology versus low technology
The prominence of magic,
PC’s
Write out your opinion on each character aspect
PC mortality rate
PC power level
PC’s with special abilities/powers
PC money levels
PC equipment power
PC magical power
PC power balance within the party
Interparty conflict or drama
DM
How do you like a DM to run a campaign?
Game props (other than miniatures) like maps, pictures, handouts.
Illustrations.
level of description.
Ease of tracking the variety of people and places in the game world.
Play
Do you have a preferred playing style?
Degree of in-character roleplaying versus ou-of-character talk.
Miniatures combat.
Diversity of party PCs.
Rationale for PCs being together.
Pacing: Fast paced and action-packed versus slower paced with a subtler play.
Mood: table rules and play environment in synch with a story.
Number of players in the group.
Gaming time and regularity.
Amount of between game preparation (reading handouts, storyhour writing).
Food and refreshments.
Location of play.
Experience of other players/DM.
Player roles (mapper, chronicler, assistant, caller, etc).
Game system.
Non-tabletop games.
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