Comments on: A Game Gone Right http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right The Game Mastering Blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:25:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Scott Martin http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2675 Scott Martin Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:08:54 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2675 <a href='#comment-2674' rel="nofollow">@Swordgleam</a> - That sounds like a fun fight. The spacial concerns and their struggles with the rigging make it sound like motion and position were exciting elements.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2675','Scott Martin'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Swordgleam – That sounds like a fun fight. The spacial concerns and their struggles with the rigging make it sound like motion and position were exciting elements.
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]]> By: Swordgleam http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2674 Swordgleam Thu, 16 Oct 2008 22:26:34 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2674 I think taking on the pirate airship was one of the best sessions in my last finished campaign. The assassin-y mage got to duel the enemy mage one on one, the mage-y assassin teleported onto the airship and steered it under the waves, the assassin-monk jumped on the pirate leader's flying horse, and the assassin spent most of the fight drinking rum with a pirate while trying to convince him to keep away from "his" wench. I think the element of the flying pirate ship, with pirates jumping down from the decks as it hovered about the seabound ship the players were currently on, made the fight extra cool. The enemies could approach the players, but not visa versa, except the teleporting mage. There were some great moments with players climbing and falling from the rigging. And the pirate captain swooping around on his flying horse was hard to counter tactically, since no one had ranged attacks except the party mage, who was tied up battling the pirate mage.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2674','Swordgleam'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I think taking on the pirate airship was one of the best sessions in my last finished campaign. The assassin-y mage got to duel the enemy mage one on one, the mage-y assassin teleported onto the airship and steered it under the waves, the assassin-monk jumped on the pirate leader’s flying horse, and the assassin spent most of the fight drinking rum with a pirate while trying to convince him to keep away from “his” wench.

I think the element of the flying pirate ship, with pirates jumping down from the decks as it hovered about the seabound ship the players were currently on, made the fight extra cool. The enemies could approach the players, but not visa versa, except the teleporting mage. There were some great moments with players climbing and falling from the rigging. And the pirate captain swooping around on his flying horse was hard to counter tactically, since no one had ranged attacks except the party mage, who was tied up battling the pirate mage.

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]]> By: nblade http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2672 nblade Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:09:10 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2672 <a href='#comment-2668' rel="nofollow">@Scott Martin</a> - I give the module's designers some props, they clearly marked where people were and where they would be going and under what conditions. That combined with many doors and doorways made for some interesting play.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2672','nblade'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Scott Martin – I give the module’s designers some props, they clearly marked where people were and where they would be going and under what conditions. That combined with many doors and doorways made for some interesting play.
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]]> By: BryanB http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2671 BryanB Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:52:31 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2671 @Scott Martin It sounds like you had an excellent game session. Quite a contrast to your last report that you made in Coming Together (Gnomestew Topic). I wish I knew how the good sessions become good and how the mediocre sessions become mediocre. It seems to be a mystery at times. I've gone into a game well prepared and still had it come up mediocre. I've gone into a game half prepared and had the game session rock the socks. The other way around is true as well. Well prepared and rocking or half prepared and it really showed (those are the worst). I'm my own worst critic though, so I'm never really sure how well a session went as a GM. The only way I know is if I get some feedback or the session was either extremely good or much worse than average.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2671','BryanB'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Scott Martin

It sounds like you had an excellent game session. Quite a contrast to your last report that you made in Coming Together (Gnomestew Topic). I wish I knew how the good sessions become good and how the mediocre sessions become mediocre. It seems to be a mystery at times.

I’ve gone into a game well prepared and still had it come up mediocre. I’ve gone into a game half prepared and had the game session rock the socks. The other way around is true as well. Well prepared and rocking or half prepared and it really showed (those are the worst).

I’m my own worst critic though, so I’m never really sure how well a session went as a GM. The only way I know is if I get some feedback or the session was either extremely good or much worse than average.

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]]> By: ski309 http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2670 ski309 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:30:38 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2670 <a href='#comment-2668' rel="nofollow">@Scott Martin</a> - No problems, really. They started formulating ideas for an ambush outside the man's house right away, and asked questions that would further those ideas--such as, "Can we get any bear traps in this town?" :P<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2670','ski309'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Scott Martin – No problems, really. They started formulating ideas for an ambush outside the man’s house right away, and asked questions that would further those ideas–such as, “Can we get any bear traps in this town?” :P
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]]> By: Scott Martin http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2668 Scott Martin Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:20:39 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2668 <a href='#comment-2665' rel="nofollow">@ski309</a> - Sounds like you've got a group that enjoys planning and were able to deliver it. Did you have any problem getting them to act, or did they keep their planning short enough that everyone stayed involved? <a href='#comment-2666' rel="nofollow">@nblade</a> - Lots of cool stuff to interact with does make a battle dynamic. Did you have to do anything special to keep them moving around (instead of just stopping in one place and full attacking everyone who came their way)?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2668','Scott Martin'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @ski309 – Sounds like you’ve got a group that enjoys planning and were able to deliver it. Did you have any problem getting them to act, or did they keep their planning short enough that everyone stayed involved?

@nblade – Lots of cool stuff to interact with does make a battle dynamic. Did you have to do anything special to keep them moving around (instead of just stopping in one place and full attacking everyone who came their way)?

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]]> By: nblade http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2666 nblade Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:49:44 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2666 I have to say that location helps out quite a bit. My current side game has been playing the Pathfinder AP: Second Darkness. One part of the adventure had the players assaulting a gambling hall. The location was huge and the battle took place over the entire building including the 1st and 2nd story, and the two basement levels. It was a huge running battle. None of the players had every seen anything like it before. I think a good location with plenty of room and things to interact with really helps.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2666','nblade'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I have to say that location helps out quite a bit. My current side game has been playing the Pathfinder AP: Second Darkness. One part of the adventure had the players assaulting a gambling hall. The location was huge and the battle took place over the entire building including the 1st and 2nd story, and the two basement levels. It was a huge running battle. None of the players had every seen anything like it before.

I think a good location with plenty of room and things to interact with really helps.

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]]> By: ski309 http://www.gnomestew.com/gming-advice/a-game-gone-right/comment-page-1#comment-2665 ski309 Thu, 16 Oct 2008 12:53:10 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=1497#comment-2665 I would have to say my coolest session was my first session running my evil campaign in 3.5. My PCs were part of an organization vying for control of the country, and they were sent on missions as a sort of task force to propagate that goal. Their first mission was to assassinate a mayor that was causing problems. Afterward they said they loved the session because they were able to sit back and make up a detailed plan for them to execute, which they did very well.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('2665','ski309'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I would have to say my coolest session was my first session running my evil campaign in 3.5. My PCs were part of an organization vying for control of the country, and they were sent on missions as a sort of task force to propagate that goal.

Their first mission was to assassinate a mayor that was causing problems. Afterward they said they loved the session because they were able to sit back and make up a detailed plan for them to execute, which they did very well.

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