RPG Fridays: Top 5 GM GenCon Tips

I've written a follow up to my previous post about GenCon tips that is aimed at my fellow GMs, based on my three years of GMing at GenCon. Hope to see some of you next week!

1. Don't Be That GM 

You know what I am talking about. The GM that judges your players based on race, gender, level of geek prowess, etc. At my second GenCon, I was psyched to play in the Laundry due to my love of Delta Green and Call of Cthulhu. The stink eye and insulting tone from the GM ended that excitement pretty quickly. I stuck around for two hours (the other players asked me to stay since the game needed three people to run), but we then reached a point when the GM asked if I was smart enough to come up with the scenario-winning idea I just presented to the team. Not my character, but if I was smart enough. This is when I stood up, wished the other players a great con and told that GM that he'd be a great story for the bar later. Remember everyone is there to have fun and that these people paid to be in your game. 

2. Preparation

This goes for all GMing (that laughing you hear is from my tendency to improv while GMing). Being at the con is awesome but make sure you have everything planned for your game(s). That custom tank shell you made for your Godlike game is useless if it is 3,000 miles away and you are running your game in 10 minutes. True, you can buy a lot of things you left at home but that takes up space and funds that could go to something else like that new RPG you never heard of but now absolutely love based on the cover art. 

3. Make Time

This is a tough one and one that I need to work on, as I am running at least five games this con. Make sure you set aside time to hangout with con friends, see all those people you want to see (hello Peter Davison), play in a game or two, and recharge your creative batteries. 

4. GenCon Responsibilities

This one is vital unless someone else is handling all of the leg work for you or you don't want to have an official game. 

5. After Game Antics

Enjoy the weekend, and the fact that family and responsibility are miles away. Accept that offer to grab a beer with the random player who just played in your game, or go offer to buy a scotch for that Game Designer that makes your favorite game and talk game theory.  I have found the best stuff is the unplanned stuff.

Bonus

The most important thing is to be early. If your game runs at 8:00, show up around 7:50 if possible, talk to the players, and use that pregame time to establish the setting, field any questions and get to know each other. 

Interested in joining one of our games at GenCon? Check out our upcoming events and look for our games on the GenCon website.

RPG Fridays: My Number One Rule for GMs

GM RULE #1: Always say, "Yes, but . . ."

It may have been said before, but GMing is an artform that is ever-evolving. My formative years of gaming had GMs with the mindset of GM vs. Players. I have seen a lot of players that bring that attitude with them to my table. To me this is a crazy, incongruous concept, as the GM dictates the world around the players. My style has always been that gaming is a cooperative experience with the GM being more of a program manager, or director on a movie set, or even a facilitator. The universe revolves around the players' actions, no matter how small or large the scope of the game. This could be used for an adventure as mundane as a group of Shadowrunners (Shadowrun is one of the greatest games ever created -- both the tabletop and PC versions.) going to the local grocery store for beer, or something as epic as Elric determining the fate of the world with his choice of Law or Chaos. 

When asked a question from my players, the answer is "yes" 98% of the time or "yes, but . . ." All actions are open to my players, and I explain to them that while they have all of this amazing freedom, all actions have consequences, some of which may not be visible right away (particularly for campaigns). This type of approach usually leads to some of the greatest RPG moments and requires a lot of thinking by the players to manage.  Most players nod quickly and take advantage of the freedom given to them, but that enthusiasm for freedom quickly subsides when the consequences rear their usually-ugly head(s) to thwart them. My poor Scion game was the worst case of always-saying-"yes" going horribly wrong because the players did not grasp the concept of consequences (a more detailed post for another Friday).

Saying "yes" creates story, which is the core of any RPG. It also creates a safe space for players to express their ideas and helps bring out shy players that primarily sit in the back and surf along.

An example...

A few years ago, a group of players were playing through Dawn of Defiance using the SAGA edition. (Possible spoilers ahead for Star Wars SAGA Edition campaign.) This campaign takes place during my favorite time for Star Wars: The Dark Times. It is just after the Jedi Purge, The Rise of The Empire, and you have nearly everything still in play. Beautiful. It is a time when choosing to be a hero means going up against impossible odds and each minor victory is in and of itself a miracle to be celebrated. 

The Heroes

Toleph-Sur Turai (Human Scoundrel): Street orphan-turned-actor who masqueraded his way into becoming a Pirate Captain until ousted by the crew. At the start of game, he is looking for a new ship and crew.

Cad Vookto (Duro Scoundrel): Ace pilot without a ship that loves his home world and hates what the Neimoidians and the Empire have done to it. 

Jento Fett (Clone Trooper): Jento doesn't know why his switch did not activate and is still loyal to the Jedi. He will topple the empire and give his brothers back their free will.  

McKenna Castle (Human Jedi): She escaped the great purge and has re-assumed her roll as a diplomat while aiding the Rebellion. She knows it is only a matter of time before she is discovered. 

Lothrakka (Wookiee Scout): A recently escaped slave who wants to destroy the empire. He can't do it alone and is looking for allies. He plans to free every slave he can. 

The Story

The party had fared well for their first few sessions but had reached the imperial base on Felucia and tripped the alarm. The group found themselves overwhelmed by wave-after-wave of stormtroopers, and eventually Toleph, his blaster having run out of shots,  gave his team an impassioned speech about freedom, that if they die it is for the right cause and the pirate life. He scored an amazingly high roll (coupled with some impressive roleplaying) that left the junior Imperial  officers stunned for a round. The unfazed stormtroopers continued firing and flooding the room. Seeing the stunned officers, Toleph's fellow players asked if he could spend a Destiny Point to have one of the officers close the blast doors. Following my golden rule, the answer was yes but you need to roleplay it out. 

Toleph dodged through an array of blaster fire, rolled up to a young Lt. Kraine (three weeks out of the academy), gave her a few moving words about the Rebellion, and kissed the officer.  What the player did not expect to happen was for the officer to permanently change sides and become his sidekick/lover for a number of sessions until she was killed saving his life.

That simple "yes" brought a RPG goldmine of complications and rewards all at once. It created tension, having a "former" imperial running around with the party and also gave the party low level Imperial Intel (if it was truthful). Lastly, it changed the way Toleph experienced the game and established an ongoing tragic romance element to his character. That was not the last lover he found and lost. 

That's the power of always saying:  "Yes, but . . ."

Frell You, Witcher 3!

I have been sick the past couple of days after a great trip to the beach with my extended family. My sick downtime has given me a chance to take a deep dive into The Witcher 3 game that has gotten a lot of glowing reviews, as well as a few reviews that discuss the diversity issues of the game.

The game is excellent. Let’s start with the truth of the matter. It is well written; it is nice how so many of the side-quests dovetail with the main quest, and the voice acting is top notch. It will not change the face of RPG gaming but I think it will make people take a serious look at how they play. For instance Dragon Age: Inquisition, which was a blast to play and fun to micromanage my equipment, but now having played The Witcher 3, my interest in replaying DA:O is minimal. Can we all just have to take a moment to mourn my DA:O personalized hero? (For those keeping track, he was a black elven rogue specializing in daggers with a paladin-like approach. He will be missed.)

At the same time, once I am done with The Witcher 3; I will not play it again. Every great second of playing the game is countered by the fact there are zero PoC in the game. In addition, the antagonists everyone hate in the game are called the Black Ones. (I can't make this stuff up.) This situation is a constant struggle for me. On one hand, I don’t want to reinforce these type of status-quo standards and the only way to change it is with dollars (either investing in, or divesting from games). We need to channel our voices about the change we want to see, and encourage more PoC to create material of the same or better quality. On the other hand, I am a geek, and don’t want to miss the experience. (Plus I have played the other two. I have fond memories of playing the first Witcher on my laptop in the sandbox, and how it helped me waste . . . umm, I mean spend . . . countless hours.)

How do we change the standard of the white hetero male protagonist? I'm reminded of a Kickstarter from a few months back (that I will not name) that was creating this sweet-looking medieval game with magic, dragons and a dark grittiness. One of their goals involved creating a character in the game that looked like you. I sent them a private message asking about PoC, since all of their pictures were of white people. The message I got back was: No, there were no black people back then!

Of course, I did not back that Kickstarter and think it failed in the end (Huzzah!). But lack of diversity in games and movies is all over the place. Have you seen the very, very white cast of the new Superman vs. Batman picture? (It won't receive my hard-earned money.)  And The Witcher 3, while it doesn’t identify PoC as the main bad guys (Tolkien, I'm looking at you.),  it does label them as "black." So, alas, this is also the last Witcher game I will ever buy.

The fight for diversity is ongoing, and one day I hope that the gaming industry will be different, creating so many video games with a characters that look like me that I don't have enough time to play them all. Every game should have creation options that allow you to tailor your character how you fit; and having PoCs and female characters do not lessen the narrative, they make it stronger and more compelling. 

Maybe it is time to restart Skyrim (or watch some on youtube) or break out Pillars of Eternity to tide me over until Fallout 4, all of which will allow me to play my character. 

RPG Fridays: Top 5 GenCon Basics

So you're heading to your first GenCon and wondering what's in store for you. Here are a few tips to give you a leg up:

1. Sleep: Get all the sleep you can before GenCon. Each day is approximately 25 hours, and the best games are those random pickups at 1 am or hanging at the bar discussing game theory. Sleep is entirely overrated at a Con. You'll sleep when you're dead. 

2. The Crud: Just submit to it. It's gonna happen. If you are the fighting type, stock up on your immune system booster of choice (I'm a Zicam believer).

3. Stay at the Con: This may be too late for this year, and I know it's more expensive to stay in the hotels around the Con, but it's worth it on every level. You don't miss any of the action, and have a quick drop spot for all that sweet swag you pick up. It also lets you power nap (not to be confused with actual sleep -- see #1 above!) in safety. Nothing scarier than waking up to a Borg over you looking through your swag bag! Assimilate this!

4. Shower: It sounds crazy but sometimes the game frenzy overtakes you and you totally forget about this basic rite of hygiene. (I hang my head in shame, remembering college gaming sessions that lasted 16 hours...) It makes you feel better and, well, people are more likely to hang around you. 

5. Don't Give Up: Most of my first GenCon was hellish and lonely as a GM of color and a newbie to the Con (future post pending). Toward the end of my initial trip, and while I was deciding that GenCon was not for me, I met my now-counterpart Bob. That one interaction made all the difference, and changed my entire experience at GenCon for years to come. 

Stop by and see us on the 2nd floor of the Omni. The folks of You Too Can Cthulhu and Darker Hue Studios will always be glad to talk a little gaming or grab a drink between games.

Pro Tip: Join GenCon's Very Important Gamers (VIG) if you can. It costs a bit but has a lot of perks that will make you feel (or look to your friends) like a superstar! I have not been lucky enough yet but hold onto hope that next year will be my year. Oh yes, it will be mine!

Justified: I Couldn't Quit You!

I love Justified and had no idea who Elmore Leonard was before the show aired years ago. But by the end of the first episode of the first season, I was hooked. Come on . . . How can you resist when Winona says to Raylan, "Well, you do a good job of hiding it, and I suppose most folks don't see it, but honestly, you're the angriest man I have ever known," to the protagonist you just spend the past hour with watching being a smooth bad ass? Also, given the fact I loved Deadwood (I am still waiting on the movies or Season 4!)  and have followed Timothy Olyphant's career, the show started on a pretty solid foundation. 

This series moved me to pick up a couple of Leonard's books, where I read about just how many shows were inspired by his works. His books are good, but the show speaks to me on a different level that had me coming back to watch Raylan, Ava, and Boyd for six seasons. It's just great, addictive television.  The dialogue between characters was better than any of the (many) blazing shoot outs. 

Unfortunately it did not service the rest of its cast or the concept of diversity very well. Diversity seemed to begin and end with Rachel (played by Erica Tazel), a female African-American marshal, whose character was less developed than anyone else on the show.  The one episode that springs to mind for her dealt with her dead-beat-jailbird brother in-law, and that played out like a show from the late 70s. 

Or what about Limehouse, the black kingpin that lived in Noble's Holler and networked for cash? While he had a larger role in Season 3, he was used more as the looming threat of that region. 

But Justified had an ability to bring new characters onto the show; each felt like they had a history and some level of gravitas about them. That element truly impressed me; that's a skill that any GM would want for their game. It's something I try to bring to my table every game, bringing life to each NPC the players meet, while never taking away from their show. 

I would suggest everyone give the show a go.  The first season was trying to find its footing and took a while. The second season is great and has some of the best television writing I have seen. If by halfway through the second season you are not hooked, the show is not for you. 

These are the essential first season episodes you should watch (in my opinion):

Season 1: Episode 1, This episode sets the ground work for the entire show.

Season 1: Episode 9, “Hatless” , This episode is vital and focus on Raylan’s demons.

Season 1: Episode 10, “Hammer” , Boyd has had a huge transformation, and his path becomes clear.

Season 1: Episode 12, “Fathers and Sons”,  Raylan has daddy issues that are nothing compared to Boyd's daddy nightmares, and they race toward a terrible conclusion.

Season 1: Episode 13, "Bulletville",  Season 1 Finale and establishes where Season 2 will start. 

There's a lot to praise about this show,  but also a fair share of issues due to a scattered focus on the secondary cast. The only way I can sum up my feelings for the show is by quoting Raylan:

"We dug coal together."