Never start a D&D campaign without this!
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 січ 2024
- So you're about to DM your first game of D&D (or maybe another fun TTRPG system)! Where do you even begin?
Of course understanding the rules is important. But understanding your players is even more so. If you're a new DM, one of the best things you can do is kick things off with a very exciting questionnaire!
---------------
Player Pre-Campaign Questionnaire Example
forms.gle/TP2XxrEPnC7iPTps6
---------------
Links mentioned in this video:
• 4e DMG - www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Drago...
• Robin's Laws of Good Gamemasting -www.sjgames.com/robinslaws/
• Sly Flourish's single page campaign guide video - • Writing a Single Page ...
---------------
Enjoyed this video? Looking forward to learning more with me as I fail forward? Make sure to like and subscribe so you see future videos!
The algorithm has spoken
I host really small groups and one-shots as well as play a lot solo games but still: having a clear expectation is such a boon. Even more so for solo and sandbox; it helps inform the prompts you'll be generating to keep the action going.
Technical Notes: Really like how you walked through the steps and elements with examples. Your conversational style is also refreshing.
The algorithm brought me here, been a long time GM now and I'm always looking for new RPG ideas and perspectives. This was a good vid!
Thank you for the kind words! 😊
Thank you, I’ve been playing for at least a couple years, but I’ve never DMed before,
And now in less than a week I’m going to be running Strixhaven, so thank you!
No problem! I'm sure you're going to do great, Strixhaven is such a fun setting to explore! 😊
Good luck! I hope you have fun and make enough mistakes that also learn a lot😊. Mistakes really were helpful for me in getting better.
I played in a long term game years ago when I was in college that ran for about 2 years before our GM's wife graduated from Grad School and they then moved from the US to New Zealand.... and this was back in the D&D 3.0-3.5 days, online wasn't a thing then. So I picked up the reigns, bowed my characters (yes plural) out of the game, and started to GM. A few years later, everyone else is out of school and the game died out. Now I find myself 17+ years out from that game picking up Roleplaying again for my wife and a group of other new players.
Session Zero? Didn't do one, it wasn't a thing when I played before and the idea never occurred to me. Thankfully several things that happen in one did happen in conversations prior to the first game night. I wish I had seen the videos on them though and done a more formalized process, it would have helped.
Pre-game player survey? Didn't do one.... yeah... this tool of yours is one I really wish I'd thought of or heard of prior to starting the new game. I could really have used it to help take the players expectations into mind. Instead I've spent time throwing different adventure types at them and letting them tell me what they liked after the fact and then adjusting from there. Admittedly, none of them thought they'd like the dungeon crawl but they loved that one. So in that case their expected likes/dislikes may have been wrong, but as I said... new players.
Safety tools was another big one I missed. I've introduced them since, and happily all the players are familiar with safe words and negotiation so those were easy.
I'm always wondering what new things I'm going to pick up that would have helped my old school self in the modern TTRPG landscape. A lot of these new (to me at least) ideas on how to do things I see get push back from other "old school" folk (read jerks, often bigots, and usually sexist too), and I look at those pushing back and say "You're stupid, you were already doing this shit informally. People have just put out tools and formalized the processes to make things more clearly communicated and set expectations". So if you get any push back BS from old codgers like me, just remember that your input is appreciated and I for one am listening.
I love your mindset! And I really appreciate your kind words. You’re exactly right - it’s definitely interesting to see people push back on something just because it’s newer or because they haven’t (historically) needed it. Some people act like the D&D police are going to show up and repossess all their minis or something if they don’t do these things 😂 Some people have groups that informal works for and I’m happy for them - but I know I’m a tinkerer and I love to have a process haha.
Different strokes for different folks, but I have to admit my favorite folks are the ones who aren’t afraid to try doing something new! 😊
a player survey is a great idea! I just started running a new online campaign and asked similar questions as those that you suggested. it helped immensely because all the players are on the same page about what they want and what to expect. In fact, if I had to do it all over again, I would take it a step further and actually conduct video calls with each prospective player who seems like they were a good fit on paper because what could be missing is a good fit personality-wise with the rest of the party
It definitely helps to know what people actually want in their games! I play in more combat oriented ones AND more RP intensive ones and I know people in each group that would be miserable if they were in the other game 😂 I think video calls are a great idea honestly- some things just don’t really come across until you’re really interacting with someone!
Thank you ! I found this helpful, even if I do rpgs for more than 20 years
That’s great to hear! I’m definitely always trying to always learn new things too! 😊
Such a small account, with such big words :D
Your Player Pre-Campaign Questionnaire Example is not accessible
Looks like Google changed it - it should be fixed now!
I still can't open it.
Hmm 🧐 What error is it giving you? I just tried it across several different browsers and it worked for me?
@@StephaniePlaysGames Worked for me.
Love the @slyflourish shout outs. His stuff is TRANSFORMATIVE and EASY!
His stuff is really the best, I think I actually read his stuff before I even read the DMG! 😬