Which are you, The plan everything out GM, or the Ad lib?

[1QD]

So I have run into all manner of GM's in my time. Some of them plan out every detail, pages of notes and info, details and writing, where as I myself am an ad libber. I go with the flow, nothing is too powerful, or unbalanced, I will wing it and it goes usually well. What are your thoughts , challenges or methods for dealing with your GM style?

 

[Reynard]

Zero or very limited prep. I want the ephemeral, chaotic experience of collaborative "storytelling." I prefer to start with a situation and then let the players run wild.

 

[Simon The Hunter]

What if you're a planner (I love to plan) but then during the game you're too lazy to follow your own plans? Cos that's me... I get bored of my own plans hahaha

 

[Morrus]

Total ad libber.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Depends on the game. Torchbearer requires some prep, for example, and I'm happy to do it. But I tend to want to leave a lot of blanks to fill in and space to breathe. I have less patience for feeling like I've wasted time prepping things that aren't useful in play than I used to have.

 

[soviet]

I prep a bunch of material but I try not to be married to it and I'm a good ad libber.

 

[Zaukrie]

Nearly 100% ad lib. I mean, sure, I own modules and use them, but who wants them to be right out of hte book?

I'm the same with my novels, which may be why I've only finished one....

 

[dragoner]

How can one not improv? I like a rough framework to flesh out. Though also does a setting count?

 

[DrunkonDuty]

I write up a rough outline of a scenario, the who's doing what and why. Then I ad lib everything from there.

 

[zarionofarabel]

I "world build" in my imagination between sessions, usually by daydreaming about stuff, if it's something really good and memorable I might even write it down! I full on improvise at the table during session play. I've always found it much easier, and helps spur my imagination, to riff off the players in real time. I can come up with mediocre ideas in a vacuum, but the collaboration of imagination makes for much better material. Plus I absolutely love to "steal" player ideas as to what is "actually happening" as 99.3% of the time it's better than whatever crap I came up with.