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Message: <blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 5307236" data-attributes="member: 151">It's worth noting that I often use a variation of this for many installments of a regular campaign game.  I will often envision the starting point and how to kick things off and then a few plot points that I'd like to hit, up to and including a final encounter.For example:  I know from the previous session of my game that my players have been tasked with escorting a half-insane genius mage to a place called 'The Deep Library'.  I know that next session, they'll find a way there, explore it and eventually end up in some combat with the library's various defenders and maybe meet the head librarian, who may be an Aboleth or maybe an awakened monitor whale or something else again.  So here's how I structure that:1) Players start at Castle White.  Will investigate location of library, ways to travel there.  (NOTE TO SELF: Bone up on underwater combat details!)2) Players will have encounter at library access way with first guardians.3) Players will explore library.4) Players will be attacked by second set of guardians.5) Players will eventually find Head Librarian.6) Players will help mage obtain rituals.7) Players will return home.Now, that seems pretty obvious.  But notice the vagueness in the layout.  I don't know how the PCs are getting there...but I have presented them with two options (and I'm reasonably sure which one they'll pick).Narrow is 'you have a mission with following parameters'.  Wide is 'how do we do it?'.  Narrow:  Players will have combat.  Wide: Players can explore the library.  Narrow: Another combat.  WIde: More exploring.  Narrow: Players meet Head Librarian.   And SO ON.Notice also these three important, IMPORTANT rules:<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Listen to  your Players</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Trust your players.  They are SMART.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Be Prepared to Collapse Your Plan.</li> </ol>I often present my players with a challenge that I haven't actually thought of the resolution to, directly.  I usually have some ideas of how to solve the problem, but I LEAVE IT TO THEM.  And I LISTEN TO THEIR IDEAS.  And I LET THEM CHANGE THE STORY WITHOUT THEM KNOWING IT.Let me give you an example: In the above scenario, my plan was that they would reach the Deep Library through a particular dungeon they were aware of.  Easy-Peasey.  BUT, my players are SMART, remember?  One player says "Don't Tell Me....we're going through the Underdark, aren't we.  Man, I KNEW IT!"  Another says: "The Deep Library?  That's at the bottom of the Ocean?  Is it in some sort of submerged city?  Hey, we could use that ship the dwarves fixed up to go under the water?  I wonder how deep she'll go?"Did you see what just happened, there?  They thought of two other ways to reach it that I hadn't actively considered.  They figured out a course of action they could follow (research at archives, locate city, figure out if Dwarven submersible ship can work that deep).  The next half-hour to hour just wrote itself in skill checks, character conversations and so forth.  And now maybe there'll be a combat underwater at the submarine!The trick here is that the players don't have to know when you've changed your plot to accommodate their ideas.  To them, it's invisible.  You've given them control and yet you don't have to secede control to do it.  By the same token, when the session is running long, maybe you delete that combat at #2 or #4 to keep things moving....or alternately add another one to keep things exciting and lengthen the adventure.  Listen to your players and see what they're enjoying.And always, Always, ALWAYS ask players after a session if they enjoyed it and WHAT they enjoyed.  Solicit suggestions for improvements and thank them for the input.  Ask about pacing:  was there some parts that were dull?  Did someone feel like they didn't get to do anything?  AGAIN?  This is true for new groups and groups like mine or Piratecat's, who've been playing together for DECADES.Remember:  the ONLY BADWRONGFUN is when no one is enjoying themselves.</blockquote>

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