Melhaic
First Post
Earlier today I was lurking around, reading a thread and someone asked for advice about running a solo game. I didn't want to threadjack (the discussing was good anyway...), and I think the subject deseves it own thread anyway.
I've been running a solo with a good friend of mine for about 2 months, and I've developed a few guidelines for adventures with one player rather than a group of players. That in mind, a few of these have made me better at group games as well.
1. Player Input-If the player ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
While this is important in a gruop game, it is absolutely vital with only one person to please. When you have group, if some one isn't really that into the current scene, someone else might be. This keeps the game moving and attention on the game constantly. With only one attention span, you have to be more careful to stay on a subject and style your player likes. Sometimes you have a (you think) great encounter/adventure, and the player just doesn't dig it you can't be afraid to ditch it and move to something else, which leads to...
2. Episodic Adventures-More TV show, less movie
It's much easier to get two people in one place to play than it is to get six people together, so you can play more often. The flip side of this is the fact that the level of attention isn't going to benefit from having a whole group of people doing the same thing, so you aren't able to play as long. When you combine these, you get adventures that play more like TV episodes than movies. Getting into the action quickly and giving short tems goals gets the pace of the action going. Switching types of encounters often during the advenure is also more of a neccessity, since attrition combat doesn't work nearly as well...
3. Varied Encounters-Switch it up
Dungeoneering isn't really the most fun way to play one on one, and if that is what you want from a game, play a miniature battle game. The same tactical options just aren't there with just one PC (and amybe an NPC), and it gets boring for the player to do the same thing over and over. What does work, however is a situations where a varied mix of encounters occur: roleplaying, ambushes, break ins, exploration, negotiation, hostage taking, chases...the list is endless. The key is not to lean on the stand toe to toe fight. One good way to achieve this is to put the ball in the players court...
4. Clear Goals-Make them want it.
If you can give the player a clear short term goal, they will often find an interesting, exciting way to go about achieving it (it helps if it is at least loosely connected to an established meta-goal). Having a goal like this helps the pacing, making for a rapid climax and resolution. This in mind, it is good if you can establish the goal in the first encounter, or if there is a set place to recieve goals/missions from (a mob boss, patron, commnding officer, etc). If you want the players to be able to attack the goals quickly, they have to have the means to do so...
5. Extra Resource-Somebody to lean on.
Not having 5 bada$$ buddies to help you with everything changes the dynamic for the soloist. Networking becomes much more important: you have to provide the means for your PC to get ahold of the resources to get at the goal. Don't give them instant problem solvers, but allow them the means to go at problems from different angles. Save yourself some work and pet the PC make up some contacts (its okay...beathe deep...). One way to help the player have establshed resources is to keep them in one place...
6. Limited Scope-Stay where you know.
If the area covered by the campaign is small, it allows you to go into more detail for factions, NPCs, conflicts, etc. Having established hangouts, friends, and enemies, allows the player to drive the action at the pace they want. Characterization becoms deeper as well when the character has stomping grounds, and friends that don't help spelunk in armor. My player has even got to the point where he knows his butcher, barber, and tailor, and visits them specifically (great plot hooks...).
7. Strong NPCs-Supporting Cast
If you want a deep PC, you have to have deep NPCs for them to interact with. If the PC already know he basic attitudes and habits of the NPC, they are going to ract much more fluidly ad realistially. Also, you can't expect the PC to drive the action constantly, so having compelling NPCs to get things going is great. If the PC knows and trusts the NPC, you don't have to give reasons and conving the player to do something and get motivted.
Things that didn't work...
A companion NPC: While it might seem like a great idea to have a sidekick, if you play them, it takes away attention from you NPCs (And how so you handle the henchmen talking to an NPC? Talk to yourself). The same goes if the player runs the henchman.
Super PC: Its is tempting to give the PC significantly more power to make up for the lack of the party, it really takes somthing away. Part of the fun of soloing is the fact that you can't handle situations in some manners.
Some themes that work: spy, diplomat, squad leader (military), priest (esp. in small parish)and bounty hunter.
As always, YMMV.
I've been running a solo with a good friend of mine for about 2 months, and I've developed a few guidelines for adventures with one player rather than a group of players. That in mind, a few of these have made me better at group games as well.
1. Player Input-If the player ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.
While this is important in a gruop game, it is absolutely vital with only one person to please. When you have group, if some one isn't really that into the current scene, someone else might be. This keeps the game moving and attention on the game constantly. With only one attention span, you have to be more careful to stay on a subject and style your player likes. Sometimes you have a (you think) great encounter/adventure, and the player just doesn't dig it you can't be afraid to ditch it and move to something else, which leads to...
2. Episodic Adventures-More TV show, less movie
It's much easier to get two people in one place to play than it is to get six people together, so you can play more often. The flip side of this is the fact that the level of attention isn't going to benefit from having a whole group of people doing the same thing, so you aren't able to play as long. When you combine these, you get adventures that play more like TV episodes than movies. Getting into the action quickly and giving short tems goals gets the pace of the action going. Switching types of encounters often during the advenure is also more of a neccessity, since attrition combat doesn't work nearly as well...
3. Varied Encounters-Switch it up
Dungeoneering isn't really the most fun way to play one on one, and if that is what you want from a game, play a miniature battle game. The same tactical options just aren't there with just one PC (and amybe an NPC), and it gets boring for the player to do the same thing over and over. What does work, however is a situations where a varied mix of encounters occur: roleplaying, ambushes, break ins, exploration, negotiation, hostage taking, chases...the list is endless. The key is not to lean on the stand toe to toe fight. One good way to achieve this is to put the ball in the players court...
4. Clear Goals-Make them want it.
If you can give the player a clear short term goal, they will often find an interesting, exciting way to go about achieving it (it helps if it is at least loosely connected to an established meta-goal). Having a goal like this helps the pacing, making for a rapid climax and resolution. This in mind, it is good if you can establish the goal in the first encounter, or if there is a set place to recieve goals/missions from (a mob boss, patron, commnding officer, etc). If you want the players to be able to attack the goals quickly, they have to have the means to do so...
5. Extra Resource-Somebody to lean on.
Not having 5 bada$$ buddies to help you with everything changes the dynamic for the soloist. Networking becomes much more important: you have to provide the means for your PC to get ahold of the resources to get at the goal. Don't give them instant problem solvers, but allow them the means to go at problems from different angles. Save yourself some work and pet the PC make up some contacts (its okay...beathe deep...). One way to help the player have establshed resources is to keep them in one place...
6. Limited Scope-Stay where you know.
If the area covered by the campaign is small, it allows you to go into more detail for factions, NPCs, conflicts, etc. Having established hangouts, friends, and enemies, allows the player to drive the action at the pace they want. Characterization becoms deeper as well when the character has stomping grounds, and friends that don't help spelunk in armor. My player has even got to the point where he knows his butcher, barber, and tailor, and visits them specifically (great plot hooks...).
7. Strong NPCs-Supporting Cast
If you want a deep PC, you have to have deep NPCs for them to interact with. If the PC already know he basic attitudes and habits of the NPC, they are going to ract much more fluidly ad realistially. Also, you can't expect the PC to drive the action constantly, so having compelling NPCs to get things going is great. If the PC knows and trusts the NPC, you don't have to give reasons and conving the player to do something and get motivted.
Things that didn't work...
A companion NPC: While it might seem like a great idea to have a sidekick, if you play them, it takes away attention from you NPCs (And how so you handle the henchmen talking to an NPC? Talk to yourself). The same goes if the player runs the henchman.
Super PC: Its is tempting to give the PC significantly more power to make up for the lack of the party, it really takes somthing away. Part of the fun of soloing is the fact that you can't handle situations in some manners.
Some themes that work: spy, diplomat, squad leader (military), priest (esp. in small parish)and bounty hunter.
As always, YMMV.
