NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Campbell" data-source="post: 7064791" data-attributes="member: 16586">Once I ran Apocalypse World a couple times most of this stuff became like second nature to me. Most of the time I barely have to think about it. It's pretty easy stuff for me to keep in mind, most of the time. Sometimes I make mistakes, but it is what it is. At the end of the day the agenda, stuff you always say, and the principles are things I want to be doing anyway even if they do not always come naturally. I gain all sorts of other stuff in the process that make GMing far easier and far more rewarding for me. It sometimes feels like cheating to get many of the same kicks I get when I play while running a game and not engaging in much prep.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I do not have to worry about what's best for the story.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I get to let the game actually bear part of the responsibility for the experience. I am not responsible for constantly considering if the rules are doing what they should. I simply trust that they are.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I don't have to worry about keeping the players on any path.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I get to be emotionally invested in the game.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I don't get frustrated with the other players anymore. Sometimes things don't turn out how I hoped, but that's part of the point of playing.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I do almost no prep. For Apocalypse World there is no prep for the first session, about 40 minutes after that, and occasional prep in like 15 minute increments from time to time. I have run Masks and Monsterhearts with 5-10 minutes of prep for a 4 hour session before.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The GM moves give me ideas that keep things flowing. </li> </ul>I do expect a lot from the other players. I'm expected to bring it, so should they. However, I try as much as possible to make engagement a choice. Players participate as much as they want to and are rewarded for what they bring to the table, both socially and through the game. I am a big believer in individual experience. Our games can get emotionally charged, but we utilize emotional safety techniques to make sure no one's boundaries are pushed too far.The social footprint is also far less onerous to me. The power dynamics at the table put everyone on a more even footing, which tends to lead to a more open and communicative environment. I run my games in seasons, usually about 8-15 sessions, but a season can be cancelled at any time if we're not feeling it anymore. We get together and play whenever everyone agrees to. Once a season has run its course, I'm usually primed to run a different game for awhile or play in someone else's game. We might return to favorite games later for another season, but it's like not required. I don't really do weekly time commitments for years. I kind of approach gaming in the same way I do board games.I do think we need to be careful in how we approach the quality of the GM bit. First, because I view every form running the game as a skill that can be developed over time with practice. Second, because they are different skill sets. Running an enjoyable B/X game as outlined requires a very different set of skills than running an enjoyable Apocalypse World game as outlined. The same person can be skilled at one and not the other. Finally, I think we should be cognizant and value the very real contributions of the other players in the game who are just as vital to its success.</blockquote>

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