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Message: <blockquote data-quote="nopantsyet" data-source="post: 1710073" data-attributes="member: 3109">Go to <a href="http://www.thegamemechanics.com/" target="_blank">The Game Mechanics</a>. I picked up some cardstock for my printer, to make them easy to sort and flip. They're a huge help for me, especially as I am prone to absentmindedness.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">When preparing for combat, write down a few key spells or abilities that opponents will use, then you don't find yourself pouring over the monster's description to decide what action to take. DMs can slow down combat too!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Don't forget about plot-pacing. The game could move quickly, but if the plot is poorly-paced it will still seem long. Pay closer attention to the devices used in fiction and cinema.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Use different narrative modes. Dialog or description, however great, can still become tedious if used exclusively. Try to add texture, but in a variety of ways. Use voices and expressions for some NPCs, but not for others (and not just for important ones). Describe actions or locales in great detail sometimes, and sparingly others (and not just for the important ones). Use more dramatic tools: sound effects, actions, music, etc., but use them sparingly. Variety always helps improve pace. My final thought is not for everyone, but it has worked wonders for my game. It is probably appropriate only for a certain subset of games and players. Don't flame me if this doesn't apply to you; it's just food for thought. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Spend a good amount of your preparation time on plot. If the players are engaged in the story/action, the pace will take care of itself. Even if it's a published adventure, it can help to revisit the plot. Not because you're going to make it better, but because you're going to internalize it and interpret it and it will come out your own. Plus, if you are well prepared, having explored different plot avenues and pacing devices, you will weave a story around them that will make every encounter more interesting. It doesn't have to be a complicated story; you can still hack and slash if you so desire. But if you wrap it together with a well-structured plot, it will propel itself forward.</li> </ul>:npy:</blockquote>

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