GMs: How much time do you spend creating your games?
- Thread starter tjoneslo
- Start date
Wombat
First Post
Ummm, something else?
I come up with a lot of background material: legends, lists of gods and their pantheons, political and social groups, major NPCs, histories, sets of house rules and "colour" bits so people get the feel of where the campaign is set (including short "slice of life" stories). As one of my players said (in awe, I might add), "Forests fear Wombat campaigns!"
Sometimes I come up with maps, sometimes I do not.
Encounter tables? Why bother? I know what exists in my worlds and what does not. I do more work on editing out monsters than figuring out how often a given beastie will show up on a 3d6 roll. Same with editing out magical items, spells, and the like.
I come up with a lot of background material: legends, lists of gods and their pantheons, political and social groups, major NPCs, histories, sets of house rules and "colour" bits so people get the feel of where the campaign is set (including short "slice of life" stories). As one of my players said (in awe, I might add), "Forests fear Wombat campaigns!"
Sometimes I come up with maps, sometimes I do not.
Encounter tables? Why bother? I know what exists in my worlds and what does not. I do more work on editing out monsters than figuring out how often a given beastie will show up on a 3d6 roll. Same with editing out magical items, spells, and the like.
Altalazar
First Post
I have built up quite a detailed campaign world (in some places, others are less developed). I build on that each time I run a game. Though sometimes what I come up with for an adventure actually doesn't necessarily have that much connection to what is already in the world.
I tend to sketch out monsters and some maps (or just steal some maps to use for my own purposes from the gazillion modules I have through every issue of Dungeon Magazine).
Sometimes I'll get really detailed. It depends on my time available and inspiration. Sometimes I'm so inspired I don't need to do much but a light sketch because I know the rest in my head anyway.
I tend to sketch out monsters and some maps (or just steal some maps to use for my own purposes from the gazillion modules I have through every issue of Dungeon Magazine).
Sometimes I'll get really detailed. It depends on my time available and inspiration. Sometimes I'm so inspired I don't need to do much but a light sketch because I know the rest in my head anyway.
Altamont Ravenard
Explorer
I voted "detailed map, monster strategies, 1 page NPC write-up".
I spend quite a lot of time on my adventures, and the reason are many. First of all, as we don't play that often (or rather, because there are so many simultaneous campaigns going on), I have a lot of time to put in them. Second of all, I'm not so good at impromptu DM'ing, or at least, I'm not so good when I'm not prepared. Writing the monster's tactics, or typing up all the furniture in the room helps me "fill my head" with the adventure in question. When it'll come the time to play it, I'll have integrated it and thus it will run more smoothly. I don't look much at my notes during play, but I sure as heck read them a lot beforehand.
I also like for the environment to be as immersive as possible, that's why I love making player handouts.
AR
I spend quite a lot of time on my adventures, and the reason are many. First of all, as we don't play that often (or rather, because there are so many simultaneous campaigns going on), I have a lot of time to put in them. Second of all, I'm not so good at impromptu DM'ing, or at least, I'm not so good when I'm not prepared. Writing the monster's tactics, or typing up all the furniture in the room helps me "fill my head" with the adventure in question. When it'll come the time to play it, I'll have integrated it and thus it will run more smoothly. I don't look much at my notes during play, but I sure as heck read them a lot beforehand.
I also like for the environment to be as immersive as possible, that's why I love making player handouts.
AR
Nifft
Penguin Herder
I keep a lot of stuff in my head, so it's hard to decide exactly what I've done. Most maps are fairly well fleshed out in my head -- the big features and the type of small features for each area -- but they're usually drawn only when the PCs are actually going somewhere speficic, because it's a big world.
NPCs: Generally I write out stats, since I luuuuuv using templates and HD advancement rules (and class levels... all at the same time!). This gives me an idea of what the critters tactics will be, but again that's mostly in my head.
-- N
NPCs: Generally I write out stats, since I luuuuuv using templates and HD advancement rules (and class levels... all at the same time!). This gives me an idea of what the critters tactics will be, but again that's mostly in my head.
-- N
diaglo
Adventurer
about 3 hrs prep time for each hour of play. but that is for the individual session only
i also put in more time to flesh out the world and campaign as the play increases in power level and complexity.
so another 2-3 hrs per night research.
but since i did all of this years ago. i already have a campaign ready to go. with 25 years of background material, NPCs, converted modules, homebrewed adventures, etc...
i also put in more time to flesh out the world and campaign as the play increases in power level and complexity.
so another 2-3 hrs per night research.
but since i did all of this years ago. i already have a campaign ready to go. with 25 years of background material, NPCs, converted modules, homebrewed adventures, etc...
I put in a good bit of time into each session, with maps, handouts, props, weather tables for the next few months, encounter tables, NPCs statted out with combat options considered, plaster dungeon pieces assembled, etc.
Fortunately, I never throw away an NPC, magic item, plot idea, etc., and have no problem with filing off the serial numbers and reusing them, so it doesn't take as much time as it could. It allows me to spend more time on the handouts, props, and other creative timesinks that I enjoy more.
Fortunately, I never throw away an NPC, magic item, plot idea, etc., and have no problem with filing off the serial numbers and reusing them, so it doesn't take as much time as it could. It allows me to spend more time on the handouts, props, and other creative timesinks that I enjoy more.
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