Flaxseed GM school 2020 (Inactive)

Game Master Redelia

Hello, everyone, and welcome. This gameplay thread will be shared among all students and mentors. If I've invited you to check in, please post here to introduce yourself.

To follow my own instructions:

Hi, I'm Redelia. I'll be your teacher for the classroom portion of GM school, as well as mentor at one of the tables. I've been playing Pathfinder for over 5 years, and Starfinder since its release. I'm a stay at home mom, trained as a mathematician. I'm excited to be able to share my love of GMing, and interest in GMing as an art form that can be carefully honed, with all of you.

Good day,

I'm Gum B, also known as BBlackwood or BB on Discord. I'm a mentor for this event, will be hanging out here and on Discord's Roll for Combat server, and I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences.

I've been playing since 2016, and GMing almost as long. I'm a PhD neuroscientist, and since science moves me around a lot, I've been running and playing a lot of Play by Post in the last few years (since OutPost 1) as this platform has really begun to shine. I'm interested in the psychology of playing and managing games, and the creativity and other skills that RPGs can bring out in anyone.

Hello everyone,
I am Katrina. I am newer to organized play and Play-by-Post than some others but I am enthusiastic and happy to help out and mentor when I can.

As my profile indicates:
I am an Aussie bint living in the USA. "I'm an alien and I have a card to prove it."

I have enjoyed RPGs since the mid-70s with many long breaks and real-life adventures between then and now.

I first enjoyed Organized Play in August 2017.
My first GM experience for OP was in March 2018.
My first PbP started in May 2018.

I am happy to have found a great community to interact and game with.

I play and GM all three systems in Organized Play.

Hi all. I'm Douglas from Scotland and have been playing and running RPGs for more than a couple of decades now. Over that stretch I have run LARPs, campaigns and one shots across a hefty number of different systems.

For PFS I have been involved for about 5 years now, starting as a player finding a way to play instead of always Gm, through to resident GM as part of the team to being the Venture Captain for Scotland for the past two years.

I can be found lurking around the many discords out there and running games on the Roll for Combat discord. Hoping that helping out as mentor with one of these will help bring more people together and provide a fun time for all (without the usual worries of GM-ing in a new way for the first time).

I am currently running two games on the discord for Play-Dis-con 2020 and find myself happy with 1-3 games GM PBP at a time (along with playing in 2-5 games)

My understanding is that Redelia is currently offline due to health issues so GM School will be delayed.

Hopefully we will be starting up the classroom portion soon!

Hi, all! I'm Paul from Washington state and have been gaming since 1989. I've played and GMed a lot of games in that time!

However, I'm a complete newb when it comes to GMing and playing organized play! But haven't let that stop me as I'm actively GMing several tables at the moment on the Roll For Combat Discord server and a weekly VTT game on Roll20.

Looking forward to this!

Hello. Thanks for reaching out about this. I'm Andrew, from Indiana. I started roleplaying in about 1990 or so, and spent a decent chunk of the 1990's and early 2000's helping to run online RPGs through MUDs, MUSHes, MUXes, and the like in text-based forums. Have played several Pathfinder and Starfinder games in PbP over the last couple of years and looking forward to some tips on running games in that format.

Hi, I'm Graf from NY. I've been playing rpgs off and on (mostly on) since the 80s. My longest campaign was 1st to ~13thish level in the Scarred Lands cobbled together from random modules centered around Hallowfaust.

Even before the pandemic I mostly played pbp (discord) due to family, work, etc. I've run a two society games pbp quests. However I run a PF2 semi-weekly West Marches style game for my kids and another family's kids using level without proficiency+hit point hack (so kids can have 1st level characters running around with 7th level characters and everybody can contribute).

I've run two pathfinder quests on the RfC discord.

Some of my weaknesses as a DM are
1) Involved narratives (it's hard to communicate in pbp)
2) Getting players to interact with the other players
3) Posts that are too long
4) Drawing out PCs backstories in a meaningful way in play

Thank you very much Redelia for the invitation!

Hi everyone! I am Jordan, from Quebec, Canada. Been playing TTRPGs for some time, starting with D&D4 and moving to PF1 and then Starfinder when it came out. I've been hooked from the moment I sat at my first table and became an avid roleplayer; one of my biggest hobbies is LARPing, both as a player and as an NPC.

I've joined PbP about a year ago, and it really became my medium of choice for TTRPGs because of the narrative opportunities it provides. I really look forward to learning the ropes so I can give back to the community!

Also, good to see you here azj!

Hi all, I'm Jason from Seattle, WA. I used to play D&D back in the early 80's and then started playing Pathfinder about 3 years ago. I've been GMing on the Roll For Combat discord for the past couple of years and really enjoy it but am always ready to learn some new tips or techniques to improve my game!

Hi I’m DocHoliday45

I’ve been playing a Pathfinder for four years. I’m currently in law school. I’ve GM a couple of small modules and running games on PBP and IRL.

I did some LARPing in high school and played DnD, Pathfinder, Starfinder, Savage World’s, Star Wars Saga Edition Core Rulebook, and Powered by the apocalypse.

I’m currently a law student and work at a intern in a local firm. Running coffee and taking notes.
I’m hoping to improve myself as a GM for my players.

Hi! I'm Ryytikki/Tom

I started playing pathfinder back in 2012, and pbp society games earlier this year where I also picked up starfinder. I Work full time as a research software engineer and love pbp for how it can easily fill the gap between my regular weekly game nights.

I've yet to GM any games but I'm looking to do so in the future, particularly as there is a lack of pf1e GMs as more people move to the newer edition

Welcome, everyone.

I still have not heard from some participants. I'll send another message out soon.

Hi all! I'm Artemi (she/her) from London, England.

Mostly play PBD due to busy life (work as a ski tech/department supervisor, plus London/big city social life), some of you may know me from the various discords (Temizon or Gay Mer Girl and my 5 billion characters lol)

Starfinder has been my main TTRPG, though have played PF1E, D&D5E, Dragon Age, Paranoia, Beyond the Wall and Star Trek before, and have just rolled up a new PFS2E char!

Hi, I'm Sterling/HypnoGoblin on Discord.

I've been gaming for more years than I'd like to admit. I've been running a homebrew 1e game for 2.5 years and only a pandemic has forced us to take an extended break.

I've mostly played 2e via pbd as folks weren't set up to run it at my local con. Unfortunately being in Atlantic Canada, there are no local lodges or groups.

OK, we're getting close to ready to start, everyone. I've sent messages to everyone who didn't respond to the email, and am just waiting to hear back.

First assignment: please think about what makes a good GM. Don't worry about posting your answers yet, just think about it.

Hi all, my name's Ducky. I've been playing Pathfinder since 2014, and I played 3.5E before that in college. I'm currently on hiatus from GMing Age of Ashes, as my group switched back to a Blades in the Dark campaign that one of my players has been running, but will be getting back into running 2e again soon. I like both crunchy and fluffy games, though I admittedly have a bit harder of a time conceptually with more rules light systems, just because I'm not the best at improv.

Hello, my name’s Yergi.

I’ve been playing and GMing TTRPGs for 15ish years, but hadn’t actively played for the last 5 or so due to moving and not having any viable local options where I’m at now. I just got into PBP / PBD with the release of 2e, and I’m really enjoying it so far!!

I lead a team of data engineers supporting data science teams at a large insurance company, so the pandemic has definitely made life interesting!

Hi, everyone!

I'm going to say that we'll work with who we have. If before we get very far I hear from someone who was going to join us, we'll include them; otherwise, we'll go on with who we have now.

I'd like to hear what you think makes a good GM. Referring to specific examples of things you likes is good, but please be careful about the negatives, because this is a public forum.

(this question is for both students and mentors)

In general, I'd say that a good GM is one who creates moments where the characters are really able to shine and feel like they've had a major impact on something dramatic happening in the story. Not just that they're completing a series of rolls that they're told they have to make to move ahead.

For me a good GM gets to that razor edge of combat where it’s still a challenge for the players but isn’t trying to outright TPK. Someone who is willing to work with the players backstory, but doesn’t make them the center of the plot. Someone who supports creativity during challenges. Who encourages role play and isn’t upset when an encounter was averted by players actions. Understands that flavor is the spice that helps make the game fun. Is prepared for the encounters planned but can improvise when needed. Also needed great sense of humor.

Without a lot of firsthand experience, this is of course based to what I've witnessed in games:

- I think a good GM has to know when to push forward, and when to hold, particularly in a format like PbP where keeping proper momentum is key. You don't want to push the action bit by bit, because that will slow down the game and players will not be as compelled to participate, but you also don't want to rush forwards when the PCs are interested in roleplaying in a particular situation as that will discourage them from engaging with the world you are creating. In my experience, I've had the most fun with GMs who know both when to keep the game moving at a brisk pace and when to hold back to let the players interact.

- Speaking about interaction, I think that being able to create an environment for it to grow naturally is important, be it interaction between the players or between the players and the world. In the recent years, I've had a PF campaign with a friend of mine who was the GM, and I had a blast because the world felt very much alive around our characters. Because this world felt so dynamic, we, as players, wanted to interact with it, to experience the differences between the inhabitants of cities, to meddle in local politics, to roleplay parts of life that would be seen as less "exciting". And in turn, that drew out parts of our characters that made us roleplay with each other a lot more. So for me, a good GM will tell a good story, and a great GM will insert that story in a dynamic world to nurture interaction. Perhaps this is harder to achieve in short scenarios compared to long-running campaigns, but I've had PFS/SFS GMs who really made it seem like the world was still revolving even though the PCs were on an adventure.

- I believe a good GM has to admit their faults. No GM will ever know every rule perfectly, nor be able to handle every situation to every player's liking, and that's alright. The best you can do is own it and try to get better.

I think the ability to react to whatever crazy ideas your players throw at you in an appropriate and fun manner is the best ability a GM can have

My idea of what makes a great GM has been and is still an ever-evolving process.

I try to adjust to the group at my table and what they want. I try to honour the author of the adventure by carefully reading and reflecting on the nature and character of the story and NPCs. I try to respect both my players and myself by pacing the game so it finishes in a timely manner while hopefully still allowing for plenty of role play and where appropriate, socialising.

I definitely consider my role to include that of a mediator and aid to a good and fun gaming experience rather than being a part of the challenge of playing. Running a challenging encounter is very different from being a challenge to play with.

Assessing the experience and skills of the players and mentoring newer players while providing plenty of opportunities for experienced players to shine is something I strive for.

For PbP I am currently working on honing my story-crafting skills to make more of the advantages of the medium.

I think a good GM is someone who is able to improvise when necessary, and to be able to tell a memorable story. They also understand balance, both in encounter difficulty and the balance between a GM and their players.

Lots of good points! For me, at the end of the day, is how much the GM cares for the players and the world they're creating/playing in together.

There’s a few things I like to see and can point out in a good GM.

First, a GM is always learning. Players look up to the GM for learning the game and the rules, probably more than they are willing to try themselves. And a GM may know the rules better than the players, they might not. A good GM is Always learning the way their players play, the rules for their play, and the Sorts of things that are easy, challenging, or impossible for them, to best highlight their story and stories you or the authors of what you are running have put down for the game.

A good GM reads the players, learns what they are having fun with, and plays that up, and likewise plays down what they are not having fun with. In PbP, this can often be seen with pushing through the mechanics that are dragging on play in this format. Adaptability is one word for it, but I see that as a part of learning. A good GM asks for feedback, or asks for help when a rule or other text is needed, and learns who to ask.

A GM in a campaign or sandbox, or dungeon crawl learns hooks and lines, learns both character and player motivations, and highlights and presses those. You never know for sure what’s going to be memorable, or even what characters will do in any, and I repeat any, situation, so you adapt and improvise, and if something looks good, you learn where to look to build it out for the current or next session.

There’s more, but I’m sure we’ll have a good discussion.

To me this all depends on the type of game being run.

What makes a good PFS/SFS GM is different than, one who's running an AP vs one who is doing a homebrew game.

Each of those three types requires a different, but overlapping (to various degrees) skillset.

The Society GM needs the strongest knowledge of both the game rules as well as those imposed by Society play.

The Homebrew GM needs the strongest ability to improv on the spot because players can and WILL derail or ignore plans you had for them unless you railroad them.

The AP GM is a blend of the first two types. They need a good knowledge of the rules and the ability to improv. Players of an AP tend to not derail as often as homebrew players, but they may take a scenic route to the same goal.

Knowledge of the system, some improvisational ability, organization and a sense for their players is needed by all, but as previously mentioned in differing degrees due to the game format.

Other people may not see it this way but I think a good DM brings a sense of wonder and enjoyment, an open attitude and a commitment to critique (=self improve) for themselves.

I think a great DM has, or is working on developing, a sense of flexibility.

Also, they're honest with themselves and others. If they don't know the rules, made a mistake, are frustrated an encounter didn't go the way they expected, etc it's ok so long as they're open about it.

I should say that I think that a lot of the other things people have mentioned like system or society knowledge, the ability to integrate character backstory into a narrative seamlessly or react dynamically to crazy PC decisions are good goals to aim for but.....

I feel like that comes with time and interest in improving the craft.

I guess it hangs a lot on what "good" means.

OK, what you wrote here will be helpful in an assignment I will give you soon.

The next assignment is for those who want to GM on Paizo. You need to decide if you want a GM alias or just to use your main alias. If you want a GM alias, please create it as part of this assiignment. Please post here whichever you decide so I know when to go on to the next assignment.

Here is my GM alias, so you know what I mean.

And I use this one to GM Starfinder

Done.

I use the same alias no matter which system I am running.

I do need to update the alias profile though.

Done!

I'm not interested in using a GM alias. (I play and run games on discord and time being what it is I'm not sure I'd want to have multiple accounts to fiddle with).

Thanks for explaining what they are though.

Messageboard alias made, though I am still primarily Discord

Will be running via Discord, not on Paizo

I’ve never used paiso play by post only discord.

OK, next assignment:

If you run on Paizo, you need to write your GM philosophy and put it into your GM profile (or main profile if not using a GM profile).

If you run on Discord, you need to write your GM philosophy and either put it into something like a google doc you link and pin at the start of each game, or else have the text ready to copy and paste into your thread at the start of each game.

Please let me know when you've finished. I'll be assigning tables for the practice part of GM school soon, and will use this assignment to judge who is still with us.

If you struggle with the GM philosophy, you are welcome to post your ideas here for discussion or ask any of the mentors for help.

The earlier assignment to tell me what makes a good GM was intended to help you with your GM philosophy.

I have mine up on my Paizo profile.

Will do.

Made a first draft, inspired by other GM profiles. Might modify it as inspiration strikes!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-9R4xGnngSb7il2mLQPxmuLsZXr_-TD61hAh3kH 8ftA/edit

Looks good so far, everyone who has posted.

I just made some minor updates to mine. Thank you for the additional motivation.

Hah, found one I posted a while back, made updates: Try this link