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Post by clockworkmonk on Feb 28, 2012 11:14:47 GMT -8
Being that I have a lot of games currently on my plate, this is seeking advice for future things I want to do and, well, for anyone else who might want the advice as well.
I am perhaps the most explorative person currently in my regular gaming groups as I'm always on the lookout for a new thing to play and try. My current go-to system is Savage Worlds, but I've been toying with the idea of running Traveler or GUMSHOE games in the near future, especially as my current main campaign comes to a close. I've recently picked up and looked through the Mutant City Blues system (damn you Robin D. Laws, you RPG god). It's a pretty spectacular setting and I'd love to do something with it soon.
But knowing all the time constraints that my players and friends have, it's a bit of a jump to ask them to learn an entire new system, much less an entire new setting. Being the one that expressed undying love for Savage Worlds to them, it's going to an intresting day when I tell them, "So there's this new shiny ..."
I don't really expect everyone else to pick up another system book (much less, pay for one) and memorize several hundred pages of fluff and crunch, so how do you go about introducing new systems, especially if you do it on a more regular basis than others might be used to? I'm thinking that it's basically my job to understand the rules as much as I possibly can, learn the mechanics of it, and then just be ready to answer questions about the setting and prepared to say something like, "As a cop, you know you should send a sample of those bite marks to Forensic Dentistry..." or, "Everyone watches wrestling. It's one of the few sanctioned places where mutants can exercise their powers in open sport."
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Post by jazzisblues on Feb 28, 2012 11:26:08 GMT -8
My first suggestion is run something as a one shot game. Might even want to make it a special event that does not interfere with the schedule of your campaign. My players tend to be pretty open to trying new systems and new ideas but if I wanted to try something out I wouldn't just plan to switch a campaign over to it. I'd throw it out as a one shot and see if anybody liked it and then we'd go from there.
If you think of it in similar terms to running a con game it will probably sell much more easily.
1. Fairly short duration (4 hours or so) 2. Have everything they need ready for them except maybe for dice. (Pre-gens are a specific must have.) 3. Make the game clear and straightforward and interesting.
This is also great practice for you the gm for running games for a con.
As always just my 2 krupplenicks worth, your mileage may of course vary.
JiB
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julien
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 49
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Post by julien on Feb 28, 2012 11:38:02 GMT -8
Mutant city blues is a great game, though i've never actually tried it.
Usually when I introduce a new system or a new setting to players, I don't actually expect them to own or even read the books. I begin by telling them the most important things about the game, what simple types of character they can play...
I ran such an introduction game for Eclipse Phase twice. They played Egos trapped in an virtual city since the fall of Earth, not knowing how Humanity had evolved since. The game began as the physical part of the cicty was recovered. There I introduced to them the concept of Morph versus Ego, as they each were assigned a morph. This way I distilled the main concepts of the game slowly, allowing them to more easily grasp them.
Each time players were happy about it, and asked for more.
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Post by fray on Feb 28, 2012 12:57:20 GMT -8
I agree with JiB's statement above. MCB is cool and I also want to play it. I just picked up Ashen Stars too. (Space Opera GUMSHOE)
Having a 'cheat sheet' of the rule basics or the basics of the world is also a good thing to have. I did that when I ran a Cthulhutech game, I had the quickstart rules for people at the table. That way they could look at them while we played.
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Post by jazzisblues on Feb 28, 2012 13:27:08 GMT -8
I agree with JiB's statement above. MCB is cool and I also want to play it. I just picked up Ashen Stars too. (Space Opera GUMSHOE) Having a 'cheat sheet' of the rule basics or the basics of the world is also a good thing to have. I did that when I ran a Cthulhutech game, I had the quickstart rules for people at the table. That way they could look at them while we played. Cheat sheets for the players are very handy. Pinnacle has some great free downloads that simplify and clarify Savage Worlds rules and offer suggestions for players in specific combat situations. www.peginc.comHero has similar downloads. www.herogames.comI haven't had occasion to look for such things for GURPS or Traveller yet but I'm sure they could be found. Cheers, JiB
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Post by clockworkmonk on Feb 28, 2012 13:44:35 GMT -8
Yeah, several of my players actually heavily relied on the quick start rules for Savage Worlds until I pestered them into buying the actual book. You hear that Shane?! I support you! I'm of the strong opinion that every system should have rules you can look at in a glance like this. At least the GUMSHOE system seems relatively easy with 1d6 rolls for resolution of most things. Traveler is a two-dice system, yes? Anyway.
Doing a convention style game does sound really good. I'm actually trying that out this weekend at a party with a quick play through of Cosmic Patrol, though I imagine that to be much easier to grasp than most other systems. I'm also not as serious at prepping for it, being that much of the work is already done for you and it really all depends on the imaginations of everyone at the table.
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HyveMynd
Supporter
Dirty hippie, PbtA, Fate, & Cortex Prime <3er
Posts: 2,273
Preferred Game Systems: PbtA, Cortex Plus, Fate, Ubiquity
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Currently Running: The Sprawl
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Post by HyveMynd on Feb 28, 2012 21:43:12 GMT -8
I'm actually trying that out this weekend at a party with a quick play through of Cosmic Patrol... Yeah! Awesome! Good luck to you, clockworkmonk, I hope everything goes well. Welcome to the Patrol, son! I'll second (third?) the suggestion of providing the players with some sort of rules cheatsheet. When I introduced my group to Ubiquity I made up A4 sheets for everyone that had the basics of how the rules worked, a list the different actions available in combat, and how Style Points (Bennies) were earned and used. It made things quite easy since players could look at their sheet for answers rather than asking me and holding up everyone else.
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Post by kaitoujuliet on Mar 3, 2012 6:24:25 GMT -8
I just wanted to add that one of the guys in my group runs one-shots for us pretty regularly in various systems. Sometimes he makes completely pre-gen characters for us to choose from (partly because he loves making characters), and sometimes he ask us to come up with basic character concepts and then he stats them up for us. (This is often done over e-mail.) He nearly always provides cheat sheets. It works well for us!
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