I just can't focus

[BSF]

Fixed it for you

Yeah, that's what I ws thinking too.

 

[pogre]

A module might be very helpful as someone mentioned above. Also consider grabbing four or five key encounters from modules and placing them in a flow chart like PC suggested. Your plot, your ideas - the module authors' dirty work.

 

[rythm_rampage]

Yeah I always played with the thought of buying a prewritten adventure but usually they are either only available online (got no credit card - can't do this download buying stuff) or I'm pretty sure that at least one of my players already read it.
If you can give a link to a site with free adventures or something that does not need a credit card I would be grateful.
I bought the Bonegarden recently and there is definetely some veeeery nice stuff in there

 

[buzz]

If you can give a link to a site with free adventures or something that does not need a credit card I would be grateful.

http://www.wizards.com

Or, more specicifcally...

D&D:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b

d20 Modern:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/oaa/full

A quick Googling also found:

http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Free_Adventures
http://www.rpgd20.com/products/Products_FreeAdventures.php

 

[jokamachi]

Procrastinate until the last few available hours, then set to it. You'd be surprised how well some people work under pressure.

 

[ssampier]

Gaming should not feel like work. Prep should not feel like something you have to force yourself to do. You shouldn't have to pull teeth to get player feedback. If you feel like you "never get a break", TAKE ONE. Step away from the table and pursue some other hobby for a while. When you're ready to game again, you'll find yourself scribbling adventure ideas like a madman and bouncing with excitement as you play.

And consider the possibility that you simply don't like the work involved with being a GM. It's okay. Sit on the other side of the screen for a while.

I would recommend posting a rundown of your latest session in the Actual Play forums over at http://www.indie-rpgs.com. You'll get great feedback.

Harsh but true. Gaming should be fun, not work (it is work, but shouldn't feel like it).

 

[hopeless]

Reg: Problems getting horror game running

Okay lets get the basics set out.
You're looking to run a game that sets out as a horror scenario where a man has just beeen acquited of the murder of his wife and an unnamed young woman, right?
Now you have already indicated what was really going on and from what i've seen so far you've been partly inspired by shows like Supernatural, CSI, Charmed etc...
So if its a modern game have your players design their characters however they wish but point out they have to give you a background history including parents, siblings etc, making sure to let them understand that these are intended to explain their previous history so if they return with the weird idea of making their characters angst prone, orphaned or whatever slect one at random and state he was recently contacted by the orphanage he was raised at with the info that he has a sister in the area he's visiting.
Make sure to let the group know they're supposed to provide a link with each other even if its just old war buddies from the marines or high school.
Now that brother has found out his sister is missing and gets the help of the other PCs as they try to find his missing sibling, perhaps throw in the fact one of them is psychic for example. If they act properly they will discover info that links her to the man and then find reports of his recent acquttal which leads them to think he may have been responsible however the only way they can find out is by visiting the mansion and throw in the possibility that the man is intent on burning down the house for the insurance even possibly using the PCs as culprits but in the process the fire might reveal more info on whats really going on perhaps there's more going on then either knew with this scenario revealing the fact his sister isn't in the house and the person who informed the orphanage about his sister is actually using them for their own nefarious purposes such as in this case bringing someone to justice because whilst it wasn't their sibling she was someone important to the person who arranged their presence...
Does that make sense?

 

[rythm_rampage]

I opened up a thread concerning the plot over here

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=2840307#post2840307

So if you want to discuss the plot with me, just go ahead.
Your idea is well let's call it confusing to me and has no connection to my primal plot. ^^

I think I'm pretty much done with my first quest for my Horror game and preperation wasn't that tough, I just kept things flowing and didn't worry to much about everything being perfect. Most of the time I wasted before didn't even influence the game (like I posted above, I spent a lot of time on useless skill blocks and similar) so when I cut out the useless parts I'm pretty much quickly done with prep.

 

[hopeless]

Reg: Horror Story

See what you mean, who exactly would be running the rave if thats how they get involved?
And if the writer's alive is he behind this using the people as cover so he can burn the house down as he's afraid she will continue to haunt him as long as its standing?
What if someone else brought this about say for example someone arranged to get the wife back early and made sure the murder happened?
What if it was to fuel a ceremony which is the real reason the wife is still tied to the site and the rave is simply another attempt to fuel another ceremony this one if interferred could be used to lay the ghost to rest as her real reason for being tied to the site requires the truth to be discovered but more importantly to rpevent the second such attempt.
In any case best of luck with this it sounds as if you've covered most of the bases and just needed another opinion to confirm what you thought.

 

[rythm_rampage]

Well the rave is a hook for another adventure so there's no connection to this one. There is no ritual or something involved but you seem kinda fixed on burning the house down. Even if the writer's still alive then he would never ever come back to this place.