Leadership and Gaming

Being a leader is more than having a fancy title and making big bucks. Or having the GM label and the attention of everyone at the table. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention styles. Having a good set of leadership skills can help you, whether you are running a game or leading a team into a conflict in afghanistan. For our context, let's talk about adventure building. When you start modeling the next story arc/adventure you're going to write, what do you do first? Do you build a framework of events and structure your NPCs in it? Do you think about what you want to have happen and do? Or, is the players and their needs foremost? Do you build things to their strengths and weakness, player and characters alike? Perhaps more telling, what do you do when planning falls behind schedule or events take shape in a manner you did not expect? What's your initial reaction? Do you immediately rework everything, dump it and start over/give up or take a break deal with it, knowing that life throws curve balls and gets in the way sometimes?

How you answer the above says a lot about you and your style of leading. Some GMs are task oriented; its all about the game, the rules, and playing. Others are people-oriented; the players' feelings are paramount and if the apple cart is upset, so are they.

All that intro aside, this article http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_73.htm can give you some insights into what kind of leadership style you employ. Or, surprise you by showing it might be different than you expected. Personally I'm very people and story-oriented. The game is important, as are the rules but the story and people are the most important.

Coggle and gaming

I like coggle.

Its a GM's friend, especially if you are going to play with time or mess with prophecy.  A couple of points if you are unfamiliar with mind maps.

1.  They are non-linear.  It's a connection mesh of how different events will connect in your game.  That means you need to keep it updated game by game, but it will save you enormous amount of effort if you play with your timeline.

2.  You can rollback and make changes in your timeline easily but backtracking through your connected mesh.

3.  You can add plot lines and arcs to your games and show bits and pieces of the "future" through this method really easily.  Give the player a snapshot of the mindmpa so they can see the future through a distorted lens.  I usually provide a glimpse if they have limited powers.  Give them a pencil, paper and a minute or two to make notes all they want.  Someone with good prophecy power I would print out or send them an image of the mind map for the prophecy.

Back alive

Coming back alive.  Now that I've recovered a bit from being ill, planning on getting back into the game.  Both in life and in, well, gaming.

Leadership and Gaming

Being a leader is more than having a fancy title and making big bucks. Or having the GM label and the attention of everyone at the table. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention styles. Having a good set of leadership skills can help you, whether you are running a game or leading a team into a conflict in Afghanistan. For our context, let's talk about adventure building. When you start modeling the next story arc/adventure you're going to write, what do you do first? Do you build a framework of events and structure your NPCs in it? Do you think about what you want to have happen and do? Or, is the players and their needs foremost? Do you build things to their strengths and weakness, player and characters alike? Perhaps more telling, what do you do when planning falls behind schedule or events take shape in a manner you did not expect? What's your initial reaction? Do you immediately rework everything, dump it and start over/give up or take a break deal with it, knowing that life throws curve balls and gets in the way sometimes?

How you answer the above says a lot about you and your style of leading. Some GMs are task oriented; its all about the game, the rules, and playing. Others are people-oriented; the players' feelings are paramount and if the apple cart is upset, so are they.

All that intro aside, this article http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_73.htm can give you some insights into what kind of leadership style you employ. Or, surprise you by showing it might be different than you expected. Personally I'm very people and story-oriented. The game is important, as are the rules but the story and people are the most important.

Make NPCs people

Just a quick note today.  This is a follow up to some of the good gamemastering tips from earlier.

Spend the time to make NPCs seem like people and not cardboard cut outs.  It makes the game that much more realistic and helps with suspension of reality.

The simplest way to do so is to give the NPC a quirk.  It helps define the NPC to the players.  Still its overused.  After the ninth barkeep that twitches/stutters/is annoying when he talks it gets old.  How about something a little more detailed?

How about the man who always seems cold?  Keeps turning up the heat or wears furs in the summer?  Seems to always have pinkeye or a cough?  Make identifying marks those that only marginally involve the players but is still noticeable and attention getting.

When to montage actions and time

Sometimes you just need to let time pass.  Like when you have players who like to shop.  Unless the majority of your group is into that don't spend three hours doing it.  Save it for inbetween times or offline where its not in the way.

Of course if that's the focus of your story then roll with it.

Do the same for travel and even some times for fighting if the situation is right.  Gauge the mood and don't be afraid to tie something with a cinematic montage.  Pull the players in to make it stick.

Listening to players

A GM should listen to their players.  Not obviously, and not in the "I'll hear everything you want to say to me" kind of way either.  Listen nonetheless, though.  Of course, when I state this I mean to drop some eaves, of course.  Players will chat and in that chatting is where you will find some very important things.

Players, given the chance will tell you everything they want to do, their hopes, dreams and desires, for their characters and for them too.  You can use it to turn the game and so can they too, if you are not careful.  Players who catch on to what you are doing, and yes, they will catch on if they've any sense may seek to abuse it.  That is when you play the game of balance -- to make sure the game is turned and moves the direction you want it to go.

Simple advice but important if it fits your game philosophy.  Some GMs run a game like a leader runs a military unit: they are in charge and none shall say otherwise.  If this is your style, think of the players' chatting as asked for advice: you'll find pearls of wisdom you'll like within it.  If you are more involvled with your players then its a welcome sign that will point the way to success.