So, I am about to embark on writing once again. Back in my glory days, I was a middle-of-the-road freelancer. I was okay at the craft, though I can easily admit there are much better freelance writers out there. Still, as my real life started to pick up in intensity, I found it increasingly more important for me to step away from the time required to write and do the leg-work to drum up business. I do miss it though. So, it's about time for me to start writing once again.
The Next Level is a series of articles that will, hopefully, allow Gamemasters of all stripes to think critically about their craft. I strongly believe that good Gamemastering is a skill that must be trained and refined. Certainly, there are certain types of people that are predisposed to being excellent GMs... but by and large, even people born to the craft need to reflect on how they go about Gamemastering. It's not enough to get the basics down. I think best GMs need to push themselves and their creativity, constantly challenging themselves and their players to create a more enjoyable game session.
That's where this article comes in. I will present a new idea each month in this article, one that I have tried at one time or another (with varying results) in my own games. I have GMed since I started roleplaying, almost 20 years ago. I've been in all types of games and situations- good and bad. Over the years I have created countless gamers, roleplayed in multiple countries with people of vastly different cultures, and created a handful of new GMs that I still stay in contact with. (We trade ideas and generally talk about the process of our respective games.) I always take the opportunity in my games to look for better ways to GM and I usually pull on my past gaming background for those ideas and inspirations. So, this article and the ideas therein are born from experience and my desire to keep coming up with new and creative ways to GM.
I fervently believe that then I am at the top of my game, my players have a better time. The thing I have discovered about myself is that I am at the top of my game when I am trying new GMing techniques and exploring our craft.
My goal is simple: make The Next Level a useful resource for GMs that have moved past the basics. As a GM, you will get the most out of this article if you have GMed at least a couple of times. I guess I should make the note that very few of the ideas in these articles are exclusively my own. I have no compunctions about stealing a cool GMing technique or a good idea, nor should you. Take the ideas that come up in The Next Level or the follow-up discussion and try them out. Better yet, if you have a good or bad experience, let me know. I'd like to know if the ideas in The Next Level is helpful.
Okay... I lied. I will give out my one piece of basic GMing advice that I think all too often gets ignored: Talk with other GMs. Whether it is on RPGnet's forums or in real life with another GM buddy of yours, take the time to talk about what you are doing. Talk about what you are going to do in the game. Talk about your players and their styles. Talk about what you are having trouble with. Inevitably, you are going to take some new ideas from that conversation. This one easy thing is the most useful (and easiest) piece of advice I can give to any beginning GM.
Alright, you have been through basic training... now its time for OCS.
In summary:
- This column exists to help improve your GM skills.
- This is not the place to learn the basics of Gamemastering.
- I'm psyched. This is going to be fun.
Christopher's first full-length column will appear next week.
