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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 8086148" data-attributes="member: 16069">As with Hussar above I have been at the VTT since the early 00s, starting with Maptools, then Fantasy Grounds, a little bit of Roll20 and then back to FG- although I was a Unity backer I've not got around to porting yet, so Classic is my edition.I've DMed over 400 sessions, this isn't an idle brag- I've just done a count back, a chunk of these are available here in the various write ups in my story hours. At present I DM just one session a week, maybe 4 hours of play.So here are my tips and advice-Written (obv.) from a DM POV.1) Prep too much, by which I mean know what you have planned (inside out) but be prepared for off-road. Get a bunch of generic but handy maps and handouts at the ready- roadside encounter, chatter in an Inn, make sure you have the tokens/images for everything you need. Better still when you find the good stuff- maps, images etc. just keep it all together- with some form of order, so you can find something (if you really have to in a rush). Remember there's nothing worse than dragging a massive image/map you just yoinked off the interweb into your VTT and then having to wait five minutes for it pass on to your players. If you're going to do that then send the picture via discord, or e-mail- much easier to share. Better still, have the stuff ready- sized and scaled. And when I say prep then check the battlemaps or whatever before you use them, size (on the screen and memory) and make sure they stand the test- scroll in- if it all becomes a blur then find something else. Plain and simple beats a hard to see mess every time.2) There's always a session 0, for character prep & intro, but also to get your players used to the VTT. I'm a lecturer so I set out little demos with exercises to complete in FG. Think of what you are doing as some bastard halfway house between ftf D&D and a PC Game, there's a tutorial. Cover the basics in the first session- how to open windows, write notes, use your character sheet/interface etc. Then every other session do a 5-10 minute review of whatever players were struggling with last session, and also to introduce something new- a short cut, how to write a power/macro, whatever. If you do this every week/session then it just becomes part of the landscape- I've played with guys that have been on FG for a decade and they're amazed by some of the stuff they've not been using/doing- that they just didn't know it could do.CHECK CONNECTIONS- SEND MAPS- MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WORKS FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS SESSION.3) Players- this is a bugger, get some good 'uns and then- if you can, stick with 'em. Worst thing in the world (not really, but you get me) is when you have to blood a noob in a game that's already up and running- if that's the situation then you are better of getting in a few 1:1s with the new player ahead of time and getting them up to speed.4) Players again- fewer the better, 3 to 5 for me is golden, 6+ is doable but y'know- can get messy- just too many voices (but see below) and then someone wanders off, and then... more is messy.5) Manage the situation- you're the caller, the DM- the OVERLORD (sorry, carried away) again I do this for a living- I'm a lecturer, there's an order to do things and you are the loudest voice in the room, so figure out how to take control. If they (the players) are just filling the speakers with their inane chatter then tell them off. Make it clear there's a way to do this well.A session for me is a) recap and any questions arising, then b) game = DM says/describes (sets up) this is the situation what do you want to do (players chat ask questions of DM, make rolls) make decisions and move story/adventure on c) DM reiterates new situation = what do you want to do. Obviously there's layers of complexity to it but the basic is- this is where you are at (says the DM), players chat etc. make decision move on to the next bit. You need space for you (the DM) to have your say, and then space for them to figure it out. d) end of session- always thanks, maybe homework, and maybe what's coming next time- things to think about.6) Everyone gets a go- remember to ask all of the players, if they're quiet then that may be their thing, or else they have just have nothing to say (or worse they think they have nothing to do- fix this)- but ask, and check, and mention everyone by name as much as you can- make them feel part of it. You're the entertainer and the compare here.7) The more you teach the players to do for themselves then the less you have to do for them. I don't just mean keeping their character sheets up to date, or figuring out how to work the VTT, although that's a great start. Give them other stuff to do- they have access to the internet, get them to find a picture of their new sword, or figure out the name of the barkeep, smith, rogue-hire, whatever. If you have five players doing five different things (between adventures or else investigating prior, for example) then task them- listen to what they want to do, break it down- set tasks (1-2-3 say) and then tell them to get back to you when part 1 is done. Deal with the next PC- same format.Gestalt- a big thing is the sum of a bunch of little things- break it down and get them players working.8) Entertain- I do voices, quizzes and exams, races/bar games/drinking games, review sessions, if there's an ancient dwarven scroll that needs translating then get the players (not the PCs) to do it- they don't just cast comprehend languages (or whatever) they have to go and look up the Davek script and then translate it word for word. Obviously don't make it ten pages long, ten lines will do (at most) and if they're good there's a reward. But the thing is your a media star for 3-4 hours here, you are the loudest voice- and in command, so you are obliged to offer something (I think) to entertain not just the PCs but the players.9) Rail road, as much as you have to keep the players doing the stuff you have prepped, feel free to explain this to the players OOC- "we can go that way, sure... but I'm going to have to take 5-10 minute break right now to do a little figuring stuff out" (and grab resources). You may be the great Oz but let them see beyond the curtain- "I'm like you- I have X time to get this done, I don't have a fully mapped world at my fingertips (yet). I am human- although clearly of superior design to your own iteration- for I am the DM!" Sorry, off road again there.But players, they turn up five to whatever- chew loudly, burp, make chatter to their friends, take phone calls, watch the TV, look after the kids, and still think they're playing D&D. Which brings us to-10) There's a time and a place to game, everybody is ready for it- no (or much fewer) interruptions, we're all on it in the same space and time, we don't want to be having to repeat things endlessly, there will be breaks- I usually do 2 x 10 minutes in a four hour session. Although I sometimes add an extra one in when I need to find some extra info for the next bit. The point is people need to commit to being present and correct for the duration.11) Rewards- it can be glorious, I have had players in-game while huddled in internet cafes in SF, or else standing in the freezing cold laptop in hands outside a closed internet cafe at gone midnight- in the street, on christmas eve, and its snowing. Players can commit in the same way as ftf. It can be as enjoyable, it can be hard at first- but like all things, rinse and repeat- the muscle/mind memory will learn what to do and when to do it.ORDER is the key.GOOD PLAYERS are a must, more so than ftf.ENTERTAINING is a good option.Last bit, for extra credits-12) Write stuff up, or down- send e-mails and notes between sessions. This isn't a necessity, but it's a great short cut- if you can get some/all of the backstory, prep, explanations, hand outs (whatever) done before/between sessions then everyone (or at least most everyone) is on the same page at the start of the session.Also, everyone has an ego- I do story hours here (because I just write, it's what I do) and the players LOVE to read about their guys (and themselves) in action. Whisper this- I think I could probably make money doing this- a bit of D&D on a VTT, and a written up story hour for afterwards- I could make my beer money doing that (I don't drink, so- safe bet).But you get me, I appreciate not every one has the time to do this- but any amount of writing, what happened previously- even if its just a list, even if its done by a player.Also- here's the plot- this is where we are at, a bit of who said what- where we are going next, any clues.I guess this one is more about D&D/RPGs in general- its serial nature, as I say its the extra credit and worth doing because the VTT is TV/media and like all other media can become a bit forgettable... keep it fresh when you can (D&D is entertaining) but also keep it on track- it'll make sense in the long run.In summary-You are in it together, it's the DMs world (subject to Trademark disputes) but the players need to have a role/part to play- and understand that good VTT play takes a little extra.Stay safe.Cheers goonalanPS Check out my Dark Squad story hour- with lots of VTT screen shots and what we did and how we did it etc.</blockquote>

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