New GM needs a few pointers.

[Raidak]

I'm fairly new to GMing a pen and paper RPG game so i thought i could use a few helpful hints or "tricks of the trade" if anyone knew any. I've run 2 other campaigns before, but they hardly got off the ground before my group had to stop (due to out of game obligations etc). This time around i've got a few players who are very experienced and i don't want to dissapoint or screw up to badly. So any advice that anyone could share would be greatly appreciated. Also i'm not running a D&D game but instead a BESM game, but looking over some of the threads here and the great responses you guys give out i thought this would be the place to look.

~Raidak

 

[Caspian Moon Prince]

DM tips

I've always found it difficult to give out much advise on the topic because there are so many ways to run a good game, not to mention each person has a different way of gaming in the first place.

Things I think should be good in any game are:

1) Acting out the NPCs: Try and make sure that the NPCs are acted out well. If you haven't ran many different PCs or don't think you would be good at it at first try this. Start out by giving each NPC a different voice that goes with the character(gruff characters having a harsher voice and so on) then try facial features(when acting as the gruff NPC have a bit of a snear) and then just add what you think would let the PCs imagine the NPC better.

2) Description: Probably even more important than the 1st, but basically make sure to describe things as well as you can. You don't have to go into each and every detail, but make sure you give enough so that the players get the feel and jist of what they are looking and interacting in. For places or even NPCs or monsters you may want to find images in books or on the net to show what you are describing.(and if you are using BESM in a certain world like Tenchi Muyo or Trigun this would help even more)

3) Run what you think is fun starting out and then get feedback from the players on what they would like. Take the feedback and integrate it into your own ideas.

4) The PCs are the stars, don't let NPC(no matter how cool they are) take the spot light away from the players.

5) Basically just have fun and go with it. This is just a game afterall.

 

[infax]

GMing for players you don't know well can always be a little challenging. A good option can be to GM some game they aren't overly familiar with, that way you will all be exploring unknown options.

Also, BESM is a classless system, if I'm not mistaken. If the players trust you enough you could use characters you generate yourself to avoid being cuaght too much by surprise with the possible combinations the veterans may come up with.

With enough time on your hands you could run a few short games to grow used to your different styles.

Another good advice I have seen around the boards is "stick to the basics". Run a fairly simple adventure initially if you can manage that, don't worry overmuch about clichés or lack of much originality, your own personal style will give anything you use a different twist.

I hope any of this helps.

 

[kamosa]

1) Relax. Every GM, even the good ones, started out as a newbie GM at some point. We all blew it at one point or another and we all learned from our mistakes. Run the game, have fun and the do the best you can, the rest will take care of it self as you learn.


2) Describe things in a way that give the players a framework to understand the situation. Don't say "It's far way", say "It's over 100ft away." Don't say, "It's big and scary", say "It's over 20 feet tall and looks like it has sharp claws and nasty bite." Remember the world only exsists in your head, until you tell the players about it. Give them information they can use to make decisions. Things like distances, size and number of opponents should be quantified whenever it's possible, so the players know what they are facing.

3) If the situation is tricky draw a diagram. It doesn't have to be to scale or even look pretty, but it will help. It's a big difference to see how the river cuts the battle into two halves and how the archers are on the other bank, than to hear it described by the GM.

4) It's not you against the players. As the GM you can beat the players at anytime. It isn't even a fair fight. So, don't fall into that trap of thinking it is you against them. Make it challenging for them, but let things that should work be effective, even if it defeats the monsters. Learn from the mistake and come back better next time.

5) Listen to the players intent. If a player wants to take an action that is not going to work, listen to what they are trying to do, not just what they are asking for. IE, if they say "I hide behind the barrels" and the barrels are only 1 ft tall, don't just rule that they get no cover bonus from the barrels. Point out that the barrels are too small to hide behind, but that they might be able to hunker down behind the crates. Listen to what they want. The player wasn't just saying I want to hide behind the barrels, they are saying they want to hide. A character in that situation would instantly notice obvious hiding places and as the GM, you need to provide that description. Remember the world only exsists in your head until you tell the players about it. If they don't know the scene or don't understand the battle, most of the time it falls on the GM to give a better description.

6) Have fun. Surprisingly this is the biggest problem I find with new GM's. They forget that this is supposed to be fun and we are supposed to be having a good time. Set the mood by being positive and having some humor in the game ocasionally. If something is dragging down the game, make a ruling and fix it. You are the cruise director of the game, make sure your passengers are having fun.


Good luck!

 

[Samothdm]

I think you've come to the right place. This is where I came for help to DM my first campaign in over 12+ years.

I'd suggest also skimming over www.roleplayingtips.com. It has great tips for GMs, and the game system is really irrelevant, so you'll find most of the information very helpful for your BESM campaign.

Most of all, I'd say just have fun. You obviously chose to be the GM for a reason. Concentrate on what that reason is and make sure it comes across in your game. For example, maybe you created a cool world for your group to adventure in. Then, capitalize on that. You'll have more fun, and so will your group.

Don't sweat the small stuff - the rules will come with time.

 

[Caspian Moon Prince]

I would also suggest making some notes on rules that may come up in your first game, or have a way to quickly reference the book when those rules will be needed(such as post-it notes on the pages). This will keep you from spending a lot of time searching for rules, and keep the game going. Since BESM is such a rules-lite system, you shouldn't have many problems with that since most of the rulings are left to you.

Good luck!

 

[BASHMAN]

Let the PCs make whatever characters they want, at 10th level.

Then grant them 100,000 GP worth of magic items.

Then, take their character sheets and say, "You are a party of pathetic kobolds on a mission to defend your home from adventurers/invaders". Have the Players roll up characters for 1st level kobolds, with 10 GP worth of equipment. Then, throw them at the party they created in step 1. That'll learn em!

 

[KenM]

First session with a new group of players, do a TPK (total party kill) to estiblish authority.
Just kidding.
Keep it simple, keep it basic, make sure everyone has fun.

 

[DaveStebbins]

I remember thinking that the Uncle Figgy Guide to Good Game Mastering was a worthwhile read without being too long. I haven't read it in years, though, so I can't give it a whole-hearted recommendation. Give it a try though.

http://www.dragondogpress.com/unclefiggy/guides.htm

 

[Poster Bard]

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=47525

Hope that helps!