In a campaign first started by [MENTION=305]Storminator[/MENTION], we've been doing this for years with a Golden Age MnM campaign. It's the only campaign I've ever seen that truly has rotating GMs and which works flawlessly. Here's how we handle it.
- Predictable planning. We play once a month, usually on a set Wednesday, at a set location. Game time is 3 hours, from 7-10pm. People show up at 6:30pm and order food.
- Strong Theme. This is a Golden Age game, and that comes with certain expectations -- no angst, bright costume, vaguely ludicrous villains, over-the-top plots, no death. With the game taking place more-or-less in 1939, we try to tie games into the brewing WWII. One episode where zoo animals were broken free by Nazi villains and equipped with super-science technology was entitled "President Roosevelt vs. The National Zoo."
- Every Game is An Issue. Each game is complete in and of itself, with no carry-overs into following games, no significant dangling plot lines and no expectation that particular heroes will be present for the next game.
- No Expectation of Continuity. Players can change their characters as much as they want between games, adding or subtracting powers (although keeping to 150PP), or they can bring in a different character altogether. After all, it's wartime and back issues get pulped. Who's to know if back issues break continuity? Example: In issue 1, [MENTION=4479]Pseudonym[/MENTION]'s hero Johnny Danger had a sidekick named Dangerboy. In issue 2, Dangerboy got swapped for Dangerdog.
- Rotating group of players. We have about 10 people in the group, and assume that 4-5 can come on any particular date. I think the max we've had is 7 and the min has been 3.
- Rotating GMs and Even Systems. Every month, we decide who is going to run the next month's game. Six of our players have GMed so far. Once in a while we give new systems (Marvel Superheroes, for instance) a try.
- Enthusiastic Reward for In-Character Quips. Often a pile of hero points is put on the table, and player quips that are awesome or make everyone laugh get them rewarded with a hero point. It's an immediate reward for helping make the game awesome.
- Say Yes. In general, the default answer from the GM to the question "can I try this?" is "Hell yes." Tossing in a hero point may be required, but that's why we encourage awesomeness. Success isn't ensured, of course.
- Post-game Summaries. We try to summarize the previous game via email. For instance, here's the summary for last night's game.
GAME RECAP:
"Extra, extra, read all about it! Grotesque Granite Gorilla Greets Greedy Gravity Governor, Grabs Greenbacks Galore!"
Thanks to the atomic heroics of this month's Freedom Five (THE SIMIAN SLEUTH, LUNAR LAD, THE ATOMIC ARROW, HWALEE THE BEAST BOY, and the ever-hungry SNACKTIME!), the nefarious plans of sinister real estate magnate AVERY DONOVAN have been thwarted. He was working with the power-armor-clad Nazi GRANITE GORILLA and the poor brainwashed Swiss scientist Dr. Hans Fickelgruber, aka THE GRAVITY GOVERNOR, to rip an entire poverty-stricken neighborhood out of Freedom City and sail it away as a new territory of the Gorilla Empire. Donovan planned to build skyscraper and mansions on the newly-renovated neighborhood that the flying earthberg exposed. Luckily for Freedom City, the Freedom Five intervened. Thwarting the anti-gravity MONKEY BURGLARS and Granite Gorilla's SILVERBACK SQUAD, our heroes managed to drop a water tower on Granite Gorilla and convince The Gravity Governor to carefully lower Ditko Heights back into place. Avery Donovan objected and was revealed to be the mutant menace THE MAGNETIC MAGNATE, but then he was eaten by one of Hwalee's crocodiles -- so, really, all's well that ends well.
Guest stars Mike (aka The Atomic Arrow, radioactive rocketeer of justice) heads to Iceland and then back to Seattle. Mark (aka Lunar Lad, alien spacefish out of moon-water and master of illusion) has a standing invitation to join us regularly.
Thank you, everyone, for a fantastic game.
You get the idea. I think that covers most of it.
