So, I am going to become a RPGA DM

[Agamon]

1. Let the players role play. The worst RPGA DM's I've ever seen are the ones who curtail role playing in order to make sure they complete the entire module. Unfortunately many modules put all of the "good stuff" at the end, but I would not let that get in the way of a chance for people to play, after all, the first two words in the organization's name is Role Players so let them role play. So what happens if they spend a half-hour role playing in encounter two in a six-encounter module? You make encounters three and four as simple and quick as possible so allow time at the end to not only finish the module but allow for more role playing.

That is easier said than done. If you're running a game at a game day or con, you're working under a time limit that can get away from you if you focus on non-essentials. Allow the players to roleplay the main encounters, yes, so that they understand the reason for the adventure. But you can't spend too long rping everything. It's really hard to shorten the fights to allow for more rp.

I had one GM that, don't get me wrong, was a great GM, but he took a 4-hour mod and could easily make it 7-8 hours. When you often play from 7 PM-11 PM but it ends up ending at 2 or 3 in the morning, that makes the players cranky.

If you're playing home games and have time, this probably will be less of a problem. But my 3 years DMing LG taught me that pacing is just as important as being prepared (but less important that having fun, of course).

 

[smerwin29]

What about Living Kingdoms of Kalamar. I can't tell from Kenzer's site if this is still active or not, or even if it is D&D 3.5 or just 3.0. Does anyone play LKoK? If so, how many players are there out there? I have always wanted to try KoK as a setting and if LKoK is an active RPGA setting/campaign, it might be a good opportunity.

I've done work for Living Greyhawk, Xen'drik Expeditions, Mark of Heroes, and Living Kingdoms of Kalamar. While I like all of them for different reasons, I have a soft spot for LKoK. It is a lower magic campaign, and the staff has attempted to make the campaign more responsive to the players, since they can do that as it is a smaller campaign. Because the campaign is adminstered less by WotC since Kalamar is a Kenzer&Co. publication, it is a little less rules-heavy in terms character tracking and the like.

Shawn
(so-called RPGA madman)