How much prep time do you use each week?
- Thread starter Emiricol
- Start date
I usually do a couple of hours of prep for each session, its usually spent writing flavour text, statting up NPCs, drawing maps, making notes etc. However, since I am ALWAYS thinking about d&d, the hours upon hours of brainstorming usually allow me to work on the fly when I need to.
Cheers,
Cheers,
Katerek
Iconic Gnoll
I run three games. 2 of them purely for fun, the other I get paid for.
For my personal games, one has been running since 2000 so it pretty much plans itself at this point. I have a 30+ page Story Bible that outlines all the plots and subplots I have running so I just review ti once ro twice each week. In the event that there is a big battle coming up, I will spend upwards of two hours each week getting ready.
For my other non-profit game I spend about 4-6 hours a week preparing. I have the storyline and main ideas written, but alot of the encounters and stuff haven't been drafted yet.
For my pay game, I dont get paid for development time, so I manage it a little better. I spend between 2-3 hours each week in preparation for that.
I am currently doing development/design work on two other campaigns. I will not be running either one, so I am assisting the GM's in their design. In our groups, most of the design and prep takes place before the game ever begins. There is one DnD game that I am helping to develop that is taking about 8-10 hours aweek out of my schedule, while the Cthulu game I am assisting on is taking about 3-6 hours a week.
For my personal games, one has been running since 2000 so it pretty much plans itself at this point. I have a 30+ page Story Bible that outlines all the plots and subplots I have running so I just review ti once ro twice each week. In the event that there is a big battle coming up, I will spend upwards of two hours each week getting ready.
For my other non-profit game I spend about 4-6 hours a week preparing. I have the storyline and main ideas written, but alot of the encounters and stuff haven't been drafted yet.
For my pay game, I dont get paid for development time, so I manage it a little better. I spend between 2-3 hours each week in preparation for that.
I am currently doing development/design work on two other campaigns. I will not be running either one, so I am assisting the GM's in their design. In our groups, most of the design and prep takes place before the game ever begins. There is one DnD game that I am helping to develop that is taking about 8-10 hours aweek out of my schedule, while the Cthulu game I am assisting on is taking about 3-6 hours a week.
Desdichado
Hero
Ahh, so you've now had to move to the zone defense method of parenting. The good news is, if you add one more, it's not really much more work beyond 3, in our experience.Psion said:
Congrats again.
WizarDru
Adventurer
My main game has been running since 3e came out in 2000. My prep time varies heavily on what where we are in the game, what will be coming up, and what my players are accomplishing. As the levels have creeped higher, the prep work has generally become longer, and in the now Epic-level game (detailed in the story hour below) creating monsters and NPCs can be time consuming. Witness this fellow, for example (my players avoid, please). Sometimes I tart up something and just modify it slightly, but this doesn't always prove to be satsifying, and at higher levels proves more difficult (throwing something that forces a save DC under the mid-20s is usually laughable as a threat to 23rd level characters).
In terms of plot, I usually spend a few hours each week considering long term plot points, set pieces and immediate story development. This may include reviewing rules, examining monsters or reading reference material (granite quarry output of Brindinford is....?). Usually, I work from an outline, written or mental, of what has developed in game, with a slight bend towards a meta-plot. However, with the awesome resources available to high level players, trying to plan too far ahead is simply a waste of time.
In terms of plot, I usually spend a few hours each week considering long term plot points, set pieces and immediate story development. This may include reviewing rules, examining monsters or reading reference material (granite quarry output of Brindinford is....?). Usually, I work from an outline, written or mental, of what has developed in game, with a slight bend towards a meta-plot. However, with the awesome resources available to high level players, trying to plan too far ahead is simply a waste of time.
Nifft
Penguin Herder
Depends where the PCs are in a story arc.
Near the beginning: lots, as I flesh out what's (secretly) going on, and what the PCs are going to be encountering. Up to 20 hours.
In the middle: not much. At least 5 minutes, but sometimes literally that.
Near the End: lots, as I figure out the consequences of the PCs' actions, and sketch out the skeletons of the next batch of available story arcs.
-- N
Near the beginning: lots, as I flesh out what's (secretly) going on, and what the PCs are going to be encountering. Up to 20 hours.
In the middle: not much. At least 5 minutes, but sometimes literally that.
Near the End: lots, as I figure out the consequences of the PCs' actions, and sketch out the skeletons of the next batch of available story arcs.
-- N
Jürgen Hubert
First Post
We play once a week, and I spend two hours on prep time.
Unfortunately, it's usually the two hours right before the session starts, which injects some panic into my preparation. I really have to work on my time management...
Unfortunately, it's usually the two hours right before the session starts, which injects some panic into my preparation. I really have to work on my time management...
D+1
First Post
Sessions are generally weekly lasting... 8-10 hours, with varying levels of ACTUAL gaming taking place during that time. My prep time is anywhere between 0 (zip, nada, nothing, wing-it-all-off-the-cuff-seat-of-the-pants) and perhaps 4 hours. Those weeks when I spend the up-to-4 hours of genuine prep it's often little more than reading over a module or working up stats for other encounters.
Tinker Gnome
Adventurer
I cant prep because my players always go off and do something completely different.
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