Question About New GM Mistakes

[emile_woo]

I have recently picked up FATE Core and am planning to run it soon as GM. I was wondering if you all could tell me, at least some of, the mistakes that new GMs tend to make with this game and maybe solutions that you have found useful. I have not finished reading the FATE Core book but I am past the running the game chapter, so almost done.

Thanks in advance for your insights.

 

[Herobizkit]

I have yet to run FATE myself, but I have also purchased the Core book. One of the hardest obstacles you're going to encounter is this:

It's not D&D.

I mean, yes, you COULD run a dungeon crawler and build in all sorts of monsters to hack and slash and blow up with arcane and divine powers...

But that's not what it's for.

FATE is a role-playing system that I would almost call the 'opposite' of D&D. Where D&D focuses on numbers and stats and gradual improvement and looting, FATE focuses on scenes and 'tags' and really getting into what makes a character, nay, a persona do and act the way it does.

I'm betting the 'tags' are going to be the hardest part for most people to grasp. My suggestion is to explain to your players that tags are like meta-objects that are interactable and mutable, depending on what players do or don't do with them.

Also, be generous with FATE points and encourage your players to use them. FATE points are the player's way of building the story the way THEY want. As the GM, you're not running a story 'against' them so much as building a story WITH them. They should be allowed input into each scene, and FATE points are a way of guaranteeing that.

Other than that, GLHF (Good Luck, Have Fun!) and let us know how it goes. I always look forward to hearing examples of FATE in play.

 

[emile_woo]

Thanks,

I appreciate the advice. I was, however, looking for more mechanical help. Which rules are easiest to forget or get wrong. In FATE Core tags are called free invocations, And I will pay special attention to them. You're right that they seem to me to be easy to get wrong.

Maybe in looking for mechanical help I have missed the point. This just occurred to me but are the mechanics even very important?

Thanks again.

 

[Umbran]

To beginners, I don't know if getting the details of the mechanics right really the biggest pitfall. I think there are a few playstyle notes for both GMs and players to remember.

Players will tend to think of Fate Points as a very limited resource, and use them only when they are in deep trouble. GMs can get distracted with executing rules, and forget about the Fate Point Economy. The game is far more interesting when the players spend the points more freely, and the GM is compelling more freely to give those points back to the players. The general rule for players is probably, "If the GM offers a compel, accept it unless you have a *really* good reason". Yes, it will make your life more complicated - that's a feature, not a bug!

FATE is not, generally a "kill things and take their stuff" kind of game. It is also generally less focused on character advancement than it is focused on character development. You can go through an entire campaign, and have your character rise in overall power very little, which the character has *changed* a great deal.

 

[Arilyn]

Getting the most out of your aspects could be a tricky bit. Think outside the box, help your fellow players, and keep the fate points flowing. Sometimes we get to the end of a session, and realize that we haven't been using many fate points. We had fun, however, so that was fine too. You can't really screw up FATE as long as you are keeping the philosophy in mind. Have fun.

 

[emile_woo]

I am truly thankful for your advice everyone.

so if I'm reading correctly the main things are that this is not a D&D style game and the rules are not too important, and to keep the FATE points moving. as to the first point I think that is one of the things that has been bogging me down in understanding FATE. Rules are a good deal less important than a fun story. I have always said that but clung to the rules like a lifeline to keep the game going. I recently had a bad experience GMing at a Con and letting the rules get in the way of the fun everyone was having was a large part of the failure.

keeping the FATE points moving is kinda counterintuitive to me but I can see how it makes the story more awesome(as they are always saying you should in FATE Core)

Thanks again this is really helpful. I'll post again and let you all know how my game goes.

 

[Vaslov]

keeping the FATE points moving is kinda counterintuitive to me but I can see how it makes the story more awesome

If your players are new to Fate as well expect them to struggle with it even more. It took my 20+ year role playing veterans several sessions before they got comfortable with the idea. It was around 6 or 7 sessions before they started asking for compels. The game really does shine once they get it.

One tip I'll share is keeping a list of everyone's aspects handy. In game you may find it challenging to keep them all in mind. I find having a list handy when preparing for a session is helpful as well. I typically pick 1-2 aspects or powers for each character and try to think how I am going to create an opportunity for them to use it in where I think the story is headed.

Enjoy the game.

 

[emile_woo]

I have to say that getting an outside perspective on this game has changed the way I think about how it runs. When I first started reading the rules I was thinking of FATE points more like Hero Points from the old DC Heroes RPG, but that is clearly wrong. I think if I explain it to my players the way you have suggested we should be able to overcome the learning curve a lot faster.

My players and I thank everyone who answered this question.

As a side note, I have started a blog chronicling my use of FATE Core to create a new campaign setting for my players. I will be posting about my test games and the creation of a world using FATE. You can find it here;

http://journeytoanewcampaignsetting.blogspot.com/

 

[steenan]

1. Pay attention to PCs' aspects and scene aspects you introduce. Look for opportunities and compel often. The compels should introduce complications, but shouldn't be too painful - you want the players to accept them.

2. Remember that it's not D&D and it's not mostly about combat. On the other hand, when you introduce combat, don't pull your punches. Give the NPCs a fair chance to win, not just "consume resources". Players always have an option of conceding a conflict and even if they don't, stressing someone out is not killing them.

3. Think about stakes and discuss them with players if it's not obvious based on the fiction. Running a conflict is much easier when it's clear for everybody what the fight or argument is really about.

4. Remember that in Fate, the GM is just one of the players, just with different area of responsibility. Nobody "controls" the game; everybody works for everybody's fun.

 

[Umbran]

2. Remember that it's not D&D and it's not mostly about combat. On the other hand, when you introduce combat, don't pull your punches. Give the NPCs a fair chance to win, not just "consume resources". Players always have an option of conceding a conflict and even if they don't, stressing someone out is not killing them.

Perhaps, even more important, remember that when you do combat, it is not a tactical simulation. At its best (IME and IMHO), combat in FATE is pretty pulpy action-adventure stuff. Use the space (by way of Aspects on the Scene). Be creative. The best way to take down really big baddies is not for individuals to plink away at it for a point of stress here, and two there. They go down better if the players cooperate, use a lot of manuvers to create Aspects they can tag, and whollop the opposition with the whole stack. There should be sand thrown in faces, swinging from chandeliers, breaking of steam pipes, cover fire, shots at vulnerable spots, and all that good stuff.