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Message: <blockquote data-quote="delericho" data-source="post: 2864562" data-attributes="member: 22424">At the start of the session, while the group's assembling, we talk about non-game things. Once everyone has arrived, has got together what they need for the game, and is otherwise settled, we make a start. I start my game sessions with a recap of the previous session's play, and then adopt my "Introduction Voice", and I do the equivalent of the Star Wars title crawl.Where possible, I try to start sessions with action. Then there's a lull, generally involving roleplaying, broken up with further encounters, and then I try to bring the session to a close either at a cliffhanger or immediately after another action scene. Pacing all this is a bit tricky, but getting it right does seem to keep players in the moment.As far as characterisation is concerned, I try to do something to make characters distinctive, so that players can keep them seperate in their mind. This generally means giving characters one or two distinguishing features, and playing those up. So, my one-armed dwarven bartender sings songs of home and of loss, and while I'm in that character I move only my left hand. When playing my happy-go-lucky rogue, I speak just that bit too fast, hop from one idea to the next, and smile like a maniac. And so on. And, of course, I make heavy use of stock characters. (I tend to run into problems when trying to run several characters in the same scene. Switching between mannerisms and voices isn't easy.)When describing locations, I focus on the things that make the scene unique. So, I don't comment on how the forest has trees, since that can be assumed. But I might comment on the sickening smell of rot about the place, or the fact that despite the trees being widely spaced there seems to be no light. When talking about taverns, I comment on what food and drink is served, and the tenor of the place. For wide open spaces, I'll make big sweeping gestures, while for enclosed spaces I lower my voice, and move only my hands (as opposed to my arms).And so on. It's really all just a few simple tricks and nonsense, but it seems to work.</blockquote>

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