Issues of timing for DMs

[EricNoah]

Unlike a computer game where you can basically save any time you want, running a live game sometimes means making some plans -- or sacrifices -- in order to arrange things so sessions end at an appropriate time. It's very hard to end in mid-combat in my games, and I even find it inconvenient to end in the middle of the adventuring day (because spellcaster players almost never remember what spells they had ready or had cast). So I sometimes find myself rushing through something neat in order to end at a more convenient spot. I also sometimes prep "filler" (or maybe a nicer word is "optional") combats/encounters just in case things go faster than I expect (almost never happens).

Anyone have any thoughts about these issues? What kinds of encounters make good optional encounters? Do you have any tips about slowing down the pace if things get a little too rushed?

Players, do you like (or hate) ending in the middle of something cool, do you like cliffhangers, etc.? How do you help your DM w/regards to timing?

 

[Mark]

It gets difficult to know just when to end an evening particularly in games where the combat can be lengthy. When I have a group that is good about making it to the game consistently, I do not mind mid-combat endings or cliffhangers of some type. That can also be tougher at this time of year when more personal obligations and weather can intrude on gaming schedules.

I try to keep reasonable "wandering monster" or random encounter charts and pick something off of that if I need an encounter that can be tailored in the moment without feeling like a throwaway. Sometimes I have even had that creature (whatever it might be) show up as visibly injured so that the encouner can be ended whenever I like.

 

[el-remmen]

Hi Eric!

Not sure why it is so hard for players to remember what spells they have left. . I mean, don't they write them down? Or can't you ask then to jot them down and pass them to you to keep for next time?

We end mid-combat quite a bit - since combats can be long - and since I really like that it means that the next session we will start right in the thick of things. I just make sure we always end at the end of a round - and I mark down the initiative order.

Slowing down the pace is never a problem for my group b/c they can debate about anything! If I ever wanted to slow them down I would just give them so decision to chew on in-character and at least an hour is spoken for!

 

[the Jester]

Hi Eric!

Not sure why it is so hard for players to remember what spells they have left. . I mean, don't they write them down? Or can't you ask then to jot them down and pass them to you to keep for next time?

Yeah- my policy is, generally speaking, if you can't remember whether you've used it, you don't have access to it anymore.

PLAYERS need to KEEP TRACK of this!! The dm has enough to do! And really, is it so hard to make little check marks on your character sheet and stuff?

 

[Jack99]

It has taken some years, but my players have finally learned to remember what they have used and what they haven't. As for stopping mid-combat, I do not find it a problem. I simply take a picture of the tac-tiles with minis on with my phone and mark down how far we have gotten. In fact, this has resulted in several awesome cliffhangers where both me and the players could hardly wait to get back to the game.

As for good advice, I guess the smart thing would be to analyze your games. How many combats do you usually have per session, and how long do they last. Then build your adventures from those premises, so that your players have logical breaks in between sessions. Maybe get a template to note down the essentials if you have to stop in the middle of a day/combat.

 

[EricNoah]

Having been on the player's side of the table with a fairly high level spellcaster, I can say it's not as easy as it sounds. Even when I think I have done a good job of recording the info, a month later it doesn't always make as much sense as it did at the time. Particularly spells that are still in effect - how many rounds/minutes do I have left, that sort of thing - I'm terrible myself about getting that recorded. And my players are as bad as me when I'm on the DM side of the table.

The other thing is that games always seem to go a little later than planned, and at the end everyone jumps up and runs out - I probably do need to try to build in 5-10 min for record keeping at the end for the players as well as for myself.

There have been many times when I was DMing that I just said at the start of a session, "Hey, I don't know exactly where we were last time in terms of spells, hit points, effects, etc, so let's just say you have all your HP back and all of your spells back and we'll go from there."

 

[el-remmen]

Ah yes, the ole jump up and run out b/c we ran over - that also sucks from a someone staying after to help clean up point of view as well.

My suggestion is to do what we do. If you are fighting a combat within the last scheduled hour of your session do a "time check" between each round, so 1) you know how much time you have left and 2) approximately how long each round is taking. That way, if a round is taking 20 minutes on average and one finishes with 10 minutes to go, you can stop right there - instead of trying to use that last 10 minutes for in-game, going over and then having to rush out.

 

[Jack99]

I forgot you were still playing 3.5. That does pose a lot of extra problems concerning writing everything down.

You could still do it with a template, you just need one which can accomodate 5 times the info.

Also I note that you play once a month. In that case, I would not recommend stopping in the middle of a combat. This definitely works best if you play every week.

Then I would go back to my initial advice, which is to analyze and tailor your sessions around ending in a good spot. The problem with that kind of tailoring is that you risk that your campaign becomes one huge railroad, with players carefully placed on the tracks for convenience sake.

 

[fba827]

Agreed that the player(s) should keep track of hp, action points, powers, surges, magic item usage, etc on their own since the DM has enough to keep track of.

Having said that, it IS difficult to keep track of (someone forgets or doesn't keep good notes) which in advertantly gives the person an unintentional "reset" of some ability etc.

Our group plays only a couple times a month for stretches of about 7 hours each. So we set a "soft" end time and a hard end time. So when we play, we have 7pm as our "goal" end time (for the purpose of ingame planning) with 8 as the hard limit (the time we tell our famlies we'll be done, etc). That way, when it gets to about 6pm the DM can start advance adjusting encounters and plans etc that way we can end sometime between 7 and 8. You may end up stopping at 7, or 7:40, etc. But come 7:55 we take notes and pack up regardless of where we're at to walk out the door by 8 (unless everyone agrees it's okay to stay for 10 more min to finish whatever).

If possible, stopping at an extended rest is "easiest" on bookkeeping. Stopping at a cliffhanger is always fun to keep the buzz going (works best if you can play somewhat often... for us, when we play with such big gaps between sessions the buzz wears off so not as much carry over excitement). Stopping at a short rest is the least interesting of the three options but still "good enough" when the other option is stopping mid-encounter.


I used some 4.0 terms but it all still applies to 3.X also

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

This is going to sound weird....

Have you ever facilitated a corporate meeting? The skill-set to wrap up on time is the same for running an effective RPG session with a time limit.

My regular game runs for 4 hours, and I recently was convinced to introduce a break at the 2 hour mark. Once in the last year I was forced to break mid-combat, due primarily to a late start. I have also had to stop about 15 minutes early because the group did not want to dally and made it to the next combat encounter early.


The key points:
- start on time
- Watch the clock {without watching the clock too obviously!}
- have 'milestones' to aim for at particular times
{fx, group should be at the stable by 7:15 pm for combat with X}
- know how much 'fluff' your players like
- energize action when needed
- draw out action when needed
- practice, practice, practice
- be flexible!
- leave 5 to 10 minutes at the end to wrap up and prepare for the next session {end on a high note!}

There are a bunch of 'how to run a meeting' guides out there, and most of the lessons from those can be applied to a gaming session.

Knowing the module/scenario/world like the back of your hand helps alot. This gives you the lee-way to know where the group is compared to the rest of the plot, and gives you outlets for expanding or contracting the story.


I prefer any optional encounters to be skill challenges as they are very easy to manage, and easier to gloss over with narrative if needed.
I dislike, as both GM and player, the concept of 'random combat encounters'. IMHO any combat that occurs should have a link to the plot simply from the POV that it takes up so much real-time to play through.



One oft forgotten cliff-hanger is the sudden escape... mid-combat the BBEG teleports the PCs opponents out and leaves them with a chilling laugh.... knowing full well that the monsters they almost beat will be back in full force later! of course, don't do this very often!


As to remembering who used what, I rely on my players to keep track of all that. I know that sometimes they slip up, but thats okay because I sometimes slip up on the monsters as well. It all evens out and the game isn't spoiled by it. If I ever get the feeling they are cheating, I kindly ask them about it and remind them about my golden rule of gaming: What the PCs get to use, I get to use....
I haven't had a problem with cheating in over a decade, so I guess it works {or I need to play more often.. not sure which!}