What do you do before a gaming session ?

[Umbran]

My game-prep is usually distributed in bits and pieces in the week before the session. The very day before, it's more about logistics - making sure the place is tidy, there's some plan to cover food, and suchlike.

 

[reanjr]

1. Wake everyone up with phone calls and deal with real-life problems ("It's your mom's birthday? Give her the card and gift, wish her a happy birthday and then leave.")

2. Negotiate driving. Four of the players live on one side of town, one other player and I live on the other. He and I determine who is driving and whose house we are meeting at.

3. Locate laptop, chargers, and bag and any books if I think I might need em for the day or something is interesting in it.

4. Pick up food and cigarettes on the way to play location. If I am not driving, I will usually start to think about the adventure at this point. Get a kernel idea to spawn a story from.

5. Once we arrive, I will fire up my laptop and start statting out any NPCs that may be needed while waiting for people to arrive and BS.

6. BS.

7. Play.

 

[reanjr]

I fit this group well. I get annoyed easily (at work or home), procrastinate, and throw something together at the last minute.

I had this image of the typical EnWorlder as an efficient DM with carefully laid notes and beautiful hand-drawn maps.

People take notes for D&D? What is this like work or something?

 

[Kid Socrates]

Gaming once a week, the plan normally goes as such:

At Some Point During Six Days: Write the session, figure out if I need to do stats for anything, plan out the NPCs and monsters if there will be combat, and leave a bunch of stuff vaguely defined for when they do something I don't expect. Pick out music that will be played for specific scenes/battles/people.

At Some Point After The Session Is Written: Double-check stats and make sure I didn't make the encounter too hard or too short. Also, add in encounter saves as I always forget those.

That Morning: Read over session again, make little nitpick changes.

That Day: Print out my notes.

That Night: Joke around with players, steer them into the game, game for about 3 hours, then go out for dinner.

After The Session: Jot down anything really important that I need to remember.

Some sessions have special additions, like custom remixed music or special voice-acted 'cutscenes,' but those take forever to do so they're not always used.

 

[rythm_rampage]

Wow that's odd. As far as I can see most DMs really don't worry to much about preperation. I myself always was worried, now I know what I did wrong

 

[Sammael]

Despite the fact that I had DMed some awesome improvised sessions in the past, the overall quality of my games has most definitely improved with increased preparation. The hardest thing to handle if you don't prepare is pacing. Lack of preparation can also lead to DM fiat, handwaving, fudging, and so on. Some people are cool with those things, some are not.

 

[Odhanan]

The evening before the session I relax. It's the end of the week, I can stay up a bit more late and not stare at the clock every 15 mn.
Status: tired/relaxed

The morning before the game I try to wake up, enjoy a cup of coffee, check my emails. That kind of stuff. I then start to clean up the place.
Status: awakening and getting busy.

A few hours before the game Finishing to clean up the place, then setting-up the game environment, if any (Dwarven Forge, 3D decors and/or using Tact-tiles, etc).
Status: stressed

About one hour before the game I'm receiving my friends, and we have dinner together, talking about this and that, usually not gaming related. Just socializing and stuffing ourselves.
Status: More relaxed, impatient to play but also enjoying the conversations.

When the game finally starts I'm just "sitting back" and enjoy the ride!

 

[derelictjay]

NIGHT BEFORE THE GAME: Hey I've been lazy, this is where I set up the adventure. And if it weren't for Magic Items I'd be done in thirty minutes.
STATUS: Letting my creative juices flow.

2 TO 3 HOURS BEFORE THE GAME: Correct the problems I've come up with during the day that could be wrong with my adventure, yep, corrections often take longer than design.
STATUS: Joking/Relaxed (hey I can't be serious with myself).

1 HOUR BEFORE THE GAME: Usually have a quick dinner, gather my stuff together.
STATUS: Bored/Impatient (what can you do in one hour)

AT THE START OF THE GAME: This is the only time I feel any jitters, usually about if the nights going to be fun or not. Otherwise ready to go.
STATUS: At the starting line. Ready to run the night.

 

[ssampier]

People take notes for D&D? What is this like work or something?

Will Game for Food?

 

[ssampier]

Wow that's odd. As far as I can see most DMs really don't worry to much about preperation. I myself always was worried, now I know what I did wrong

I was surprised myself. I usually don't stat everything out, but I usually have about 3 or 4 hand-written notes. Character attributes are always my downfall.