Normally half of our RPG group likes to play boardgames or wargames on Tuesday night. Unfortunately, last night the source of our current fix (Talisman) was unable to play. So I went digging through the old stuff to find something that would be fun for three people.
I pulled out Gamma World 1st edition, since it's very rules-lite, and had them roll up characters (I love that it takes 2 minutes, 5 tops to roll a guy.)
They were mutated animals, escaping from suspended animation just as Knights of Genetic Purity started raiding the warehouse storing the animals. One of them died in the firefight, but the "target rich" environment allowed him to bring in a new character right away... almost literally. As they escaped the warehouse, the other player lost his mutated gorilla.
Then I threw the change-up.
The player of the gorilla has been wanting to GM, but he doesn't really have a handle on the rules for d20. As he was grabbing dice to roll a new character, I told him to hold up... "why don't we switch GMs every time someone dies?"
His eyes lit up - his first ever chance to be behind the screen. "I don't know the rules." I assured him that we'd help. "I don't know the story." I told him I was making it up as we went along. Besides, we probably wouldn't play GW again for months, if ever. Just have fun, kill PCs and make lots of carnage.
He had a great time, and he quickly got used to the idea that you have to make rules up on the spot with rules-lite games. He really loves the 50/50 rule.
Plotwise, all we did was go find some water and fight some mutants, but that's what Gamma World's all about right? He was a little careful though, and as a result nobody died in the next hour - so we decided that if nobody dies for an hour we switch anyway. The next GM was a little more brutal, but by then we had laser rifles
A great time, and we're going to try "Musical GMs" again this weekend with GW (guess I was wrong about the "...months, if ever," thing.)
I suggest trying this with Gamma World 1E, or another rules-lite system, for all of you out there with aspiring GMs in your group.
I pulled out Gamma World 1st edition, since it's very rules-lite, and had them roll up characters (I love that it takes 2 minutes, 5 tops to roll a guy.)
They were mutated animals, escaping from suspended animation just as Knights of Genetic Purity started raiding the warehouse storing the animals. One of them died in the firefight, but the "target rich" environment allowed him to bring in a new character right away... almost literally. As they escaped the warehouse, the other player lost his mutated gorilla.
Then I threw the change-up.
The player of the gorilla has been wanting to GM, but he doesn't really have a handle on the rules for d20. As he was grabbing dice to roll a new character, I told him to hold up... "why don't we switch GMs every time someone dies?"
His eyes lit up - his first ever chance to be behind the screen. "I don't know the rules." I assured him that we'd help. "I don't know the story." I told him I was making it up as we went along. Besides, we probably wouldn't play GW again for months, if ever. Just have fun, kill PCs and make lots of carnage.
He had a great time, and he quickly got used to the idea that you have to make rules up on the spot with rules-lite games. He really loves the 50/50 rule.
Plotwise, all we did was go find some water and fight some mutants, but that's what Gamma World's all about right? He was a little careful though, and as a result nobody died in the next hour - so we decided that if nobody dies for an hour we switch anyway. The next GM was a little more brutal, but by then we had laser rifles A great time, and we're going to try "Musical GMs" again this weekend with GW (guess I was wrong about the "...months, if ever," thing.)
I suggest trying this with Gamma World 1E, or another rules-lite system, for all of you out there with aspiring GMs in your group.
