How To Do Just About Everything
By eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
Rate: (16 Ratings)
A prepared Dungeon Master is a happy Dungeon Master. Get organized before the game to keep the players' attention and the action moving.
eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
How to Tell a Riddle
By:
eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
How to Play Dungeons and Dragons Online
By:
eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
How to Create a Dungeons and Dragons Character
By:
eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
How to Solve a Whodunit
By:
eHow Hobbies, Games & Toys Editor
How to Write a Short Story
By:
eHow Arts & Entertainment Editor
Comments
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Many a campaign has been broken due to unwise location, not in-game but as in the actual location of the players. Too much noise or activity will ruin a session. Whether using miniatures or through total imagination, the best location is taken from the name. Dungeon. A room that is quiet, semi-dark, will go uninterrupted for hours and has adequate ventilation. Even musical scores from certain video games/movies can be played during an extremely difficult battle, or a peaceful yet necessary trip to town to restock. Minimize interruption, have breaks after difficult battles(if necessary) and just enjoy the mood that has been created.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Get a feel for the people who will be playing in your campaigns. Many a person adds his/her personality to the PC they are controlling and depending on the person, can be more of a disruption than a blessing, especially for newcomers to the game. Be prepared for this. Many a campaign has been soured due to unchecked "personalities" and end up turning away potential players. It is a DM's job to think of not just one PC, but the entire group. Pull the disruption to the side, explain the situation, even award experience points for staying "in-character". Unfortunately, although no DM wants to, sometimes dismissal is the only way to save a campaign. The one and only job of a DM is and always will be one thing, to make sure the PC's are having fun. After all, what's an epic story with magnificently tiled dungeons and mammoth battles waged against wizard guarded castles raining fiery death on vigilent fighters protected by divine intervention when no one wants to be there to enjoy it?
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Many a campaign has been broken due to unwise location, not in-game but as in the actual location of the players. Too much noise or activity will ruin a session. Whether using miniatures or through total imagination, the best location is taken from the name. Dungeon. A room that is quiet, semi-dark, will go uninterrupted for hours and has adequate ventilation. Even musical scores from certain video games/movies can be played during an extremely difficult battle, or a peaceful yet necessary trip to town to restock. Minimize interruption, have breaks after difficult battles(if necessary) and just enjoy the mood that has been created.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 The best campaigns I've run were when I made a very small story with a small variety of creatures, but made them seem to fit together and gave them all believable motivations. This makes it easy to set a theme that the players can really imagine, and it opens up all kinds of potential for spontaneous role playing. People are motivated by personal desires, and the most interesting creatures have some honor. The Hobbit is a perfect example of feeling "bad guys" who even display compassion at times (like the drunk troll) or the need to justify their actions (like the goblin king).
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Ask the players questions about their PC's on a personal level before the game starts. For example, were you close with your parents, what would they think of what you have done with your life? I have found that this helps the players get into character and the quality of role-playing goes up.