RPGnet Columns
03-04-2004, 06:03 PM
Post originally by Connor Boone at 2004-03-04 17:03:33
Converted from Phorums BB System
I've actually been using this format for some time, and it works wonders.
I started using the format when I began running a Mekton Zeta game (hence tying into the anime reference in the article,) but have since gone on to use it in just about every game I've run since.
My players absolutely love it. One went so far as to write out what the opening sequence would look like, and another started writing theme songs.
It's a great way to approach the topic, because many television series, whether they are serial or episodic in nature, run like RPGs. I go further, defining the stories in a series of beats, from the opening "slice of life" bit to a denouemont for each episode. And it's great when you have a preplanned beat that is a "commercial break." Very good for GMs to take care of, er, biological needs.
Of course, I generally run a game session to go for about two episodes. This helps to alleviate some of the attention wandering of some players, as they know that there will be some form of progress made during any given section. And it makes for a wonderful technique for leaving cliffhangers.
The television series is actually an excellent model for many RPGs. The same characters show up, in the form of the PCs. Many of the same sets are reused, and even in an entirely serial adventure, there are time gaps that can be glossed over with this technique.
Of course, I like it because I can give out episode titles. My players preferred to hear "Assault Wing Vigilante: Episode 6: Day of the War Angel" to an "Okay, where were we, guys?" It gives a sense of stability, for them to hear "When last we left our heroes..." at the beginning of a game session.
Converted from Phorums BB System
I've actually been using this format for some time, and it works wonders.
I started using the format when I began running a Mekton Zeta game (hence tying into the anime reference in the article,) but have since gone on to use it in just about every game I've run since.
My players absolutely love it. One went so far as to write out what the opening sequence would look like, and another started writing theme songs.
It's a great way to approach the topic, because many television series, whether they are serial or episodic in nature, run like RPGs. I go further, defining the stories in a series of beats, from the opening "slice of life" bit to a denouemont for each episode. And it's great when you have a preplanned beat that is a "commercial break." Very good for GMs to take care of, er, biological needs.
Of course, I generally run a game session to go for about two episodes. This helps to alleviate some of the attention wandering of some players, as they know that there will be some form of progress made during any given section. And it makes for a wonderful technique for leaving cliffhangers.
The television series is actually an excellent model for many RPGs. The same characters show up, in the form of the PCs. Many of the same sets are reused, and even in an entirely serial adventure, there are time gaps that can be glossed over with this technique.
Of course, I like it because I can give out episode titles. My players preferred to hear "Assault Wing Vigilante: Episode 6: Day of the War Angel" to an "Okay, where were we, guys?" It gives a sense of stability, for them to hear "When last we left our heroes..." at the beginning of a game session.