Comments on: Size Matters: How to Manage a Big Gaming Group http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/size-matters-how-to-manage-a-big-gaming-group The D&D Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:54:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: System matters − Episode 24 – Große Spielrunden http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/size-matters-how-to-manage-a-big-gaming-group#comment-9716 System matters − Episode 24 – Große Spielrunden Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:24:04 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/?p=898#comment-9716 [...] Size matters: How to manage a big gaming group [...] [...] Size matters: How to manage a big gaming group [...]

]]> By: February’s First Weekly Link Round-Up « Jonathan Drain’s D20 Source: Dungeons & Dragons Blog http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/size-matters-how-to-manage-a-big-gaming-group#comment-9663 February’s First Weekly Link Round-Up « Jonathan Drain’s D20 Source: Dungeons & Dragons Blog Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:15:12 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/?p=898#comment-9663 [...] Dungeon Mastering: Size Matters: How to Manage a Big Gaming Group [...] [...] Dungeon Mastering: Size Matters: How to Manage a Big Gaming Group [...]

]]> By: LordVreeg http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/size-matters-how-to-manage-a-big-gaming-group#comment-8520 LordVreeg Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:49:04 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/?p=898#comment-8520 Big groups are hard to handle, and the more complicated and deeper the setting, the more this can be difficult. Streamlined, simpler systems or encounter-centric games are preferable. One of my 2 major groups is 8 players in a social-heavy, skillbased sandbox setting. I find myself setting up spotlight-moments for tandems instead of single players. Spotlight moments are critical, but you can sometimes spotlight a few Pcs instead of just one. I also recommend the more players you have, the less leeway you can give to a screwup. One of my Players came in a few years ago and moaned, "Everyone's here tonight? Crap! I always get nailed when everyone is here!" Go oldschool. Remember our old rulebooks, when there was a 'caller' or leader PC? Nothing is more useful than to have a filter for the non-combat decisions. Also, when a PC asks for a re-description due to being in the bathroom or going for another bottle, make a player do it. Keeps them on thier toes, shows you what you might have screwed up. Manage expectations. YOU WILL NOT GET AS MUCH DONE! And if you play a detail oriented style, the pace will be different than what newer players are used to. And most importantly, in a bigger session, no one gets the keys to the Wine Cellar except you. I don't care if the Cos is still breathing, I'm not openning a third bottle of Forman! Big groups are hard to handle, and the more complicated and deeper the setting, the more this can be difficult. Streamlined, simpler systems or encounter-centric games are preferable.

One of my 2 major groups is 8 players in a social-heavy, skillbased sandbox setting. I find myself setting up spotlight-moments for tandems instead of single players. Spotlight moments are critical, but you can sometimes spotlight a few Pcs instead of just one.

I also recommend the more players you have, the less leeway you can give to a screwup. One of my Players came in a few years ago and moaned, “Everyone’s here tonight? Crap! I always get nailed when everyone is here!”

Go oldschool. Remember our old rulebooks, when there was a ‘caller’ or leader PC? Nothing is more useful than to have a filter for the non-combat decisions. Also, when a PC asks for a re-description due to being in the bathroom or going for another bottle, make a player do it. Keeps them on thier toes, shows you what you might have screwed up.

Manage expectations. YOU WILL NOT GET AS MUCH DONE! And if you play a detail oriented style, the pace will be different than what newer players are used to.

And most importantly, in a bigger session, no one gets the keys to the Wine Cellar except you. I don’t care if the Cos is still breathing, I’m not openning a third bottle of Forman!

]]> By: Loki Lupro http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/size-matters-how-to-manage-a-big-gaming-group#comment-8388 Loki Lupro Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:29:05 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/?p=898#comment-8388 I just started dming i had one pior group that was small but we ended it because we had a few more people that wanted to start it turns out we had 5 PCs and me then a few people came over now there is 9 people and one DM (me) and it gets absolutely ridiculous with their /b/ humor and all there out of game conversation and only 3 or 4 of them really get into character so i am devolving a plot twist to turn their group into a Mercenary group with a base of operations and that quests are only going to need 3 to 4 characters or that certain characters will get personal missions that they find around town and those PCs will get to pick their adventuring PCs which will hopefully be the better role players and such so that the ones causeing problems will just give up on playing I just started dming i had one pior group that was small but we ended it because we had a few more people that wanted to start it turns out we had 5 PCs and me then a few people came over now there is 9 people and one DM (me) and it gets absolutely ridiculous with their /b/ humor and all there out of game conversation and only 3 or 4 of them really get into character so i am devolving a plot twist to turn their group into a Mercenary group with a base of operations and that quests are only going to need 3 to 4 characters or that certain characters will get personal missions that they find around town and those PCs will get to pick their adventuring PCs which will hopefully be the better role players and such so that the ones causeing problems will just give up on playing

]]> By: JohnL http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/size-matters-how-to-manage-a-big-gaming-group#comment-8322 JohnL Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:17:10 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/?p=898#comment-8322 Hi, I run a now 4e game was 3.5 but my characters transferred their consciousnesses into people from a 4e world just to see if they liked the game, Keep on the shadowfell with a story line tweak to match our storyline, didn't take much, they were already after a cult of Orcus, how convenient.lol. Anyway, Just getting the adults and their teenage kids together is a huge chore. Different work schedules, school and life stuff makes it hard. That said we have to make the most of the time we are together for gaming. We make it clear to everyone that is the reason we are getting together. My oldest nephew is my assistant. He runs a Drow Warlord and keeps everyone on the battle field focused and on task, just like his character would. We do initiative clockwise around the table. Monsters go when I say they do. If you are not ready when your turn comes up you receive an attack of opportunity from the nearest monster. I track everything on my laptop and have a spread sheet for monsters with a math formula that lets me just type in the damage for each monster and it flags me when they are bloodied and when they die. I use the free clone of excel from SUN. Everyone is encouraged to shout out encouragement and to help each other during a fight. They are very good at fighting as a team as My nephew coordinates them and out side of them game develops battle strategy with them, They even use code words for special maneuvers. I Keep the pace fast and furious. Whatever the combat round needs to make it great it gets, no matter how many rules get broken. At the end of the fight my players are usually ready for a short break to let their voices relax and to ease some tension with snacks and well dones. The key is to remember it's all about the fun and everyone having a good time if a PC wants to do something spectacular out of sequence or against the rules, say yes and make it fun and exciting. I can usually fit about four fights in a six hour game, but thats a lot due to they like a lot of story time from me and some time to roleplay with fun npcs. Just my thoughts, have fun out there. JohnL Hi, I run a now 4e game was 3.5 but my characters transferred their consciousnesses into people from a 4e world just to see if they liked the game, Keep on the shadowfell with a story line tweak to match our storyline, didn’t take much, they were already after a cult of Orcus, how convenient.lol. Anyway, Just getting the adults and their teenage kids together is a huge chore. Different work schedules, school and life stuff makes it hard. That said we have to make the most of the time we are together for gaming. We make it clear to everyone that is the reason we are getting together. My oldest nephew is my assistant. He runs a Drow Warlord and keeps everyone on the battle field focused and on task, just like his character would. We do initiative clockwise around the table. Monsters go when I say they do. If you are not ready when your turn comes up you receive an attack of opportunity from the nearest monster. I track everything on my laptop and have a spread sheet for monsters with a math formula that lets me just type in the damage for each monster and it flags me when they are bloodied and when they die. I use the free clone of excel from SUN. Everyone is encouraged to shout out encouragement and to help each other during a fight. They are very good at fighting as a team as My nephew coordinates them and out side of them game develops battle strategy with them, They even use code words for special maneuvers. I Keep the pace fast and furious. Whatever the combat round needs to make it great it gets, no matter how many rules get broken. At the end of the fight my players are usually ready for a short break to let their voices relax and to ease some tension with snacks and well dones. The key is to remember it’s all about the fun and everyone having a good time if a PC wants to do something spectacular out of sequence or against the rules, say yes and make it fun and exciting. I can usually fit about four fights in a six hour game, but thats a lot due to they like a lot of story time from me and some time to roleplay with fun npcs. Just my thoughts, have fun out there. JohnL

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