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Message: <blockquote data-quote="steenan" data-source="post: 4880504" data-attributes="member: 23240">1. One of the most important things is getting the players together to talk about the campaign instead of asking each of them separately. Otherwise you'll get several different ideas and when you find a compromise between them, nobody will be satisfied. 2. When people give you answers, dig deeper. Find what they really like in what they describe. Find what it means for them. It is possible for all your players to like "heroic fantasy" while it means completely different things for each of them. Get them to give you specific examples of what they'd like to see in game. 3. Some general areas that are good to explore in your questions:- How much predefined plot, how much player control? Some people want to be pointed to where the action is, some perceive any GM-authored story as railroading.- How much "sandbox", how much consequences? Some people (eg. me) need to see that each decision matters to immerse in play. Some do not find the game fun if it hits them with bad results of their choices.- How much exploration, how much social interactions, how much combat? How the game time is divided between these activities? Exploration-based campaigns usually contain much travel, while social-based ones play better when limited to a few locations. Stories with much combat typically require more defined allies and enemies, while social ones have shifting and ambivalent alliances.- How much optimization, how much immersion, how much theater, how much laughing? While the previous question explored game time distribution, this one explores where player attention lies. Do they concentrate on game mechanics? On characters' feelings and decisions? On expressing their character concepts? On drinking beer and exchanging jokes? If they care about having optimized characters, give them strong enemies to defeat. If they care about emotions, give them reasons for joy and anger, despair and hope; have them make hard choices. If they want to play expressively, frame scenes where they can do it and roleplay your NPCs as well. If they just want to relax, don't push them strong with what happens in game.- How hard should it be? Some people like challenges with real chance of defeat, others like to win. Some accept their characters dying, others prefer to be captured and robbed, but keep playing, others still take loosing anything they cared for as ruining their character concept. Some like bold action, others prefer careful planning and tactics. - How dark and how optimistic? Some like surviving in a world falling apart, others want to make a difference, to make the world better. Some like a "realistic" worlds where good people may suffer and good causes may fail, other want evil to be defeated and punished. It's also a question of how much responsibility your players want to take. Some prefer being adventurers out for themselves (with any background ties being only a flavor), some want their families, their towns and their planets to be put in danger so that they may defend them.- What kind of cultures, environment and creatures would they like to see in game? It is a good starting point and inspiration for you for creating the campaign.Hope that helps!</blockquote>

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