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

[1QD]

75k words written to be read by people other than the author is a serious task. 75k words worth of disparate notes not intended for anyone other than the writer, often describing spurious things that would be edited out from a published text, is pretty trivial to write, especially over several months worth of gaming.

I think it shows a dedication to the GM, to put in that much effort and not be writing up a module is actually pretty dedicated.

 

[Celebrim]

While I do have weekly games, I too have a player who writes everything down. They are like tiny angels doing the GMs Lord's work.

Fixed it for you. May their reward be great in heaven.

 

[Reynard]

Planning is just ad-libbing ahead of time.

It's also ad libbing without the benefit of input. This is why I think no/low prep GMing is better: what happens directly relates to the players and the table and the adventure and the moments. "Planning" fails to understand just how fundamentally ephemeral and reactive play is.

 

[MGibster]

Neither really. I plan campaigns in broad strokes though I don't bother with every little detail because the PCs are going to muck things up. When I plan a scenario or even a campaign, I know what the bad guys are going to do if the PCs don't interfere with their plans. The NPCs will react based on their personalities and the actions of the PCs. While I don't plan every detail, I do try to anticipate what the PCs will do. Sometimes players will stump me in the most frustrating or delightful ways though. I never imagined my players would willingly make a deal with a bunch of brain parasites from space, but there they were, wheeling and dealing with the puppet masters.

 

[TheHand]

I’m about 50/50, but it also largely depends on the game system I’m running and the players I’m running it for. Some I play with like tightly plotted stories, and others like lots of ad-libbed role play, and yet another group enjoys ol’ fashioned dungeon crawls. I’m happy doing any of these.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

It's also ad libbing without the benefit of input. This is why I think no/low prep GMing is better: what happens directly relates to the players and the table and the adventure and the moments. "Planning" fails to understand just how fundamentally ephemeral and reactive play is.

A bit from Column A, a bit from Column B I think; some prep solves other problems your game might develop. But, yes, I agree with your main point: gotta roll with the madness that unfolds once the prep hits the session. Detailed prep is great, even advisable... just be prepared to shift, adjust or flat out remove those details if the players take the next session into a direction you didn't envision. Not getting married to any of your ideas keeps the game flowing and helps create those memorable campaign moments.

 

[KYRON45]

It's also ad libbing without the benefit of input. This is why I think no/low prep GMing is better: what happens directly relates to the players and the table and the adventure and the moments. "Planning" fails to understand just how fundamentally ephemeral and reactive play is.

@SlyFlourish suggests being the players (characters?) biggest fan. One would assume that any prep is in service to the relationship that exists in the current game between the DM and the players. After playing together long enough the DM should be able to predict (at least a little bit) how the gang at the table will react. But I'm a firm believer that regardless of what you do as long as they comeback next time, it was the right way to do it.

 

[Neonchameleon]

I start with an inciting incident and about three long term threats of which at least two should be closely connected to the PCs. Am I talking about the campaign or the session? Both. And then improvise from a seeded start.

For maps and especially dungeons I tend to like to use existing places - normally old manors or small castles for small dungeons. Plenty of floorplans online.

 

[SlyFlourish]

8 steps, interesting, I see some overlap with my own way but with less prep. My only exception are encounters of consequence, ones that affect the story. Those I roll up, and put more time into.

Me too!

 

[Desdichado]

Limited prep. A one-page bullet point outline will easily get me 10-15 hours of play.