It is not the mechanics that get me...

[Tinker Gnome]

It is trying to come up with new original plots that will keep my players interested.

I am DMing a 3.5 game tomorrow, and it is not the game mechanics that are giving me trouble.

Ahh, man, makin up fully fleshed out plots is tough. And I hate coming up with names for NPCs.

Anyone got any good tips for creating good interlocking plots for a game?

 

[Doug McCrae]

1. Steal. From everywhere.

2. Try looking at a new source of ideas, like if you've been thinking about fantasy movies, try doing a fantasy version of a sci-fi movie or a superhero comic. Or create something based on player-character background material. Or use three random dictionary words and force yourself to make a plot out of it.

3. Try varying the plot length or structure if you think they are getting same-y. Have a look at S John Ross's list.

4. For names there are various random generators such as Seventh Sanctum. Kate Monk's Onomastikon is excellent, it lists names from lots of different cultures. I found Gary Gygax's Extraordinary Book of Names (which is actually written by Malcolm Bowers) to be really useful. I also take names from history, myth and folklore.

 

[LostSoul]

Let the players do it for you.

It's pretty simple; have them come up with goals for their PCs.

If they come up with really simple goals, twist them a little so they aren't so obvious. Hopefully things will get crazy and you can just play out the aftermath.

Once those goals (and most sub-plots) are resolved, bump them up a level and ask for new ones.

 

[ggroy]

I get inspiration from watching cheesy television shows and movies, such as Law and Order, CSI, Without a Trace, Cold Case, etc ...

Despite "Without a Trace" being kinda cheesy, they do a reasonable job of revealing layers of depth in the plot, layer by layer.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Let the players do it for you.

another more underhanded way of doing so is an old trick I picked up back in 2e.

step 1) Tell the players you have an indepth mystory in the game, and they get bonus XP for figureing it out

step 2) go rent any 3 movies ( to be done best make 1 sci fi, one fantasy, and one disney cartoon) watch them and wrtie down the name and a small one sentence descrption of the character.

step 3) take the list of names and make minor tweeks to them (aladen is AL, Captain Kirk is Jimmy boy, ect) then quickly write down 1 or two traits each one has...

step 4) Tell the party they are in a new part of the world they are unfomlar with...

Step 5) wait to see where they go, introduce the new 'NPCs' as they go, and listen to there ideas as they brain storm what your mystory is...

step 6) let them write the plot for you with there guesses...

 

[jdrakeh]

It is trying to come up with new original plots that will keep my players interested.

I am DMing a 3.5 game tomorrow, and it is not the game mechanics that are giving me trouble.

Ahh, man, makin up fully fleshed out plots is tough. And I hate coming up with names for NPCs.

Anyone got any good tips for creating good interlocking plots for a game?

Visit The Fantasy Oracle.

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Visit The Fantasy Oracle.

Awesome site!

I managed to come up with an adventure on my own, but I will definitely keep that site handy.

The game is today, thanks for your help everyone.