Hail! So here's the deal; Everyone who is a GM/DM will post their own set-up from start to finish for each of their sessions. I'm hoping this thread will help give new and curious GM/DM's a good sense on how some of us prepare our bases for each session of D&D (or whatever game you personally play). Now, this is all assuming you have a large table, and that the area is cleared.
1) Roll-out the GRID MAP and any MAPS concerning the campaign. If applicable, ready player's miniatures. For the grid mat, I use erasable pens, so I have them and a spray bottle with paper towels readily nearby.
2) GAME/DUNGEON MASTER's SCREEN-Enough room for multiple books, notepads and anything else you may need room for. As an added expense, I like to use a portable table (like the ones for TV dinners or sometimes side-tables) to set books I'll be using. It's a habit I picked-up from High school.
3) TRACKING SHEET-A great way to keep an eye on "when" the time period in the campaign is, the Names(Char)/HP/Saves of your players are, and where you last left-off in the game. If notecards are used, you can arrange them for initiative.
4) DICE-It's always good to have 2 or 3 sets of each 7pc set for yourself and a bag/box for the players, should they be freeloaders or whatever.
5) ATMOSPHERE-Music (such as Enya, Aine Minogue, OST to movies/video games, or just classic Celtic music works wonders for background noise). Another is lighting; After the players arrive and are settled, if your campaign last set in a dark cave or a dungeon with torchlight, dim the lights. You want your players who prefer video games to enjoy such an archaic playstyle.
6) PENCILS & PAPER-Your players will always need pencils and paper at some point. If you're traveling to Denny's or a park, or somewhere else that isn't a home, it would be wise to remember to bring these items.
7) PERSONAL-Something to personalize your gaming. Things you've collected from the Renaissance Fair, or some armory somewhere are fun to have lying close by for added atmosphere, but becomes a major part of the game. I like to have a donation jar for materials for my games (minis, books, office supplies, etc), or just a pizza party. I also like to dress the part of where ever the story takes place, such as a pirate if it's a high-sea adventure. Another idea is to create something that's almost like an inside joke to the group (a picture, or a sock for whatever reason and such).
8) BEGIN-When everyone (or mostly everyone) arrives and is settled, you should reread your notes and recap what happened last game. {Like the beginning to every episode of LOST}. Players will sometimes completely forget what happened last they played, even if it's been only a day because everyone is busy with their own life struggles.
I know this is a bit of a tangent, but these are the thoughts that run through my head.
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1.) DINNER. My group meets at my house every week. My wife cooks a meal for everyone, or we ocassionally order something. It used to bother me that game time was "wasted" by everyone having to eat first, but now I see it as essential to maintaining the group cohesion and friendly atmosphere. After all, pen and paper gaming is a social activity.
2.) SET-UP. We sometimes, though rarely, use figurines. Instead, I describe the action and people tell me what they are doing. If we DO use the grid-mat, we set it up on the coffee table. Otherwise, everyone camps out in their favorite comfy spot with their books, dice and character sheet, and we play on. We sometimes use mood music, but not always.
3.) BREAKS. We usually have one or two per session, mostly for the benefit of a couple of my players who smoke. We sometimes will continue the game (dialogue/plot development) while the nic-fits are assuaged.
4.) RANDOM INTERRUPTIONS. I have two sons, ages 8 and 3, who interrupt the game all the time. The 8 year old is usually asking questions about the game, or asking if he can play. The 3 year old will ask me to read to him or show him some pictures from one of the rule books. Sometimes a player will get a phone call. Sometimes someone will bring up a current event. We try to stay on target and some nights we're more successful than on others.
5.) STOP TIME. There is no fixed stop time. Usually we stop whenever we reach a "good stopping place" in the story.
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I guess for me there's two different questions, here: how I prepare for a session (designing the adventure) and how I prepare my gaming table before the Players show up.
Only the former is interesting but that would take pages and pages, I think, to write out. So I'll only hit the highlights.
1) Think through the "plot" or "outline" of what the session will do. Most of this is freethinking; I don't write anything out until after I have a good handle on what I want to happen in the session. When I do write something down it's barely an informal outline. And I use that outline as my own guide as to "what comes next" during the session.
And for me, as I do this "freethinking" part, I naturally avoid railroading, turtling and other DM blunders.
2) Considering the "outline" I think through some "monkeywrenches" that Players may through into the outline: What if they use a divination to get around something? What if they aren't interested in that key NPC? What if they get stuck at this particular point? Etc. Over the years I've goten really good at second guessing my Players' actions. It's rare that I'm caught flatfooted with PC decisions. That's good, too, because one of my biggest weaknesses as a DM is to add lib and work without a net.
3) Put together all the handouts and such I need for the Players. I write "secret" notes to the PCs long before the game begins. If I think one PC will know something or see something during the session, I write it out during prep that way, during play, I don't have to pause the game to give a Player a note or take someone outside of the room.... Pictures of NPCs and settings is included in this process. If they're gonna meet or fight something exotic I thumb through my stuff and find a good illustration, bookmark it, and have it ready for the session.
4) Design the monster stat blocks. HP. AC. Saves. Attack/Damage. 3 or 4 spells that I think they'll use during the fight. That's pretty much all I do for a stat block. I keep it really simple. I decide what initiative each goes on during this step -- I don't roll for init and init is determined before game play.... If I want the monsters to say anything during the fight, I'll write that down, here, too.
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As for the table setup:
1) Get all my books, handouts, etc. ready and put them in the order I will use them (if the PCs will meet Balabar Smenk first, his pic in Dungeon 124 is on the top of the stack. If the PCs won't meet the marilith until after they go to the swamp, the book with the picture of the swamp is above the mag with the picture of the marilith).
2) Get my "Session Outline" front and center on a clipboard, the red one.
3) Get the monster stat blocks on a clipboard or two, standard brown ones.
4) Get the PC stat blocks on a clipboard, the white one.
5) Put the large map (city or region or whatever) on the center of the table.
6) Get a gun so that if a PC dies in combat I can shoot the Player to add atmosphere and realism to the game.
1. We go out to dinner to catch up on personal life before we start the game.
2. Characters come prepared with their current character sheet, and one prepared for the next level, should they advance in game.
3. There is a master sheet to track wealth that is not distributed, and one for each player.
4. Record keeping (HP, spells, etc.) is re-confirmed and a recap may occur per the previous session (if anyone has questions)
5. We use a full size table dry erase (clear for maps underneath), so most note taking in regards to comabt is written directly on the table, including initiative.
6. In regards to other distractions, we do not have a radio playing, tv, etc. and play in a room (basement) seperate from the rest of the inhabitents. On occasion we play music for mood purposes.
7. Breaks are "as needed", and no one has any problems if there is a minor disruption with game flow as a result.
8. Stop time is decided about an hour before normal quiting time by the GM to determine if another encounter should be run, or perhaps flesh out the rest of the time to add some tidbits and additional information (more opportunity to roleplay).
9. The majority of the references are on someone laptop, versus lugging a bunch of books around
10. We have a ample supply of paper cutout (steve jackson games) and miniatures (old lead painted, current wotc plastic, heroscape, etc.)
11. Everyone has a preference on refreshments, but we often share a the table, so there is never a lack thereof.
Hail! Sorry, but I can understand where this thread seems oddly open-ended, and Ray is correct. The initial set-up for before the players arrive is important in my opinion. How the game table looks and is arranged is very important to me, but it may be just the Japanese OCD in me. {Presentation is everything}
How does your table set-up look like (given that your table is a standard long-sided kitchen table)
1. i call everyone who said they would be coming over and tell them to head over. Every one shows up and hangs out till Steve arrives who is always late by an hour or more.
2. Set up books and screen hand out characters, i talk about what everyone wants to do, and i think about what is going on in the worlds.
3. Next I have to decide what books to get handy based on what everyone is planing.
4.a. When game starts I roll list of gods in pathfinder and declare which one is watching over group for the session.
4.b. Adding Harrow cards to this affect. My group always has a blast dealing with the heavy hand of fate. That and what GM doesn't want a reason to hunt one player all session?
5. Game & eat food is always at table.
6. bonus xp awards and review, I try to see what players liked or don't like and offer xp for the habits i would like to see more of. See what they are wanting to do for next session.
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Hail! Sorry, but I can understand where this thread seems oddly open-ended, and Ray is correct. The initial set-up for before the players arrive is important in my opinion. How the game table looks and is arranged is very important to me, but it may be just the Japanese OCD in me. {Presentation is everything}
How does your table set-up look like (given that your table is a standard long-sided kitchen table)
The table for our group is a large wooden coffee table, about 2.5 feet wide and about 5 feet long.
We don't necessarily set-up around it, unless we happen to be using the mat and miniatures that session (which is actually the exception rather than the rule.)
Instead, the table is used by some of the players as a writing and rolling surface if they choose to sit cross-legged on the floor. Other players will take a nearby chair and use one of several collapsible tray tables.
As the DM, I set in a large, reclinable chair in the corner and set up my books and the GM screen with two collapsible tray tables (one in front of me, one two the side with the stack of books I may need for the session).
It's all very informal.
Preparations
- Following the prior session, I update everyone's character sheets and spell lists in my databases and see if anyone has leveled up. If so, I phone the player to get their advancement choices finalized so that they'll have a freshly printed new sheets sitting beside their old ones when next we play.
- During the course of the week, I coordinate with everyone via Facebook, chat, texts, or phone to confirm when the best game for everyone will be. (Being about 10-12 years older than my college-aged players, I've resigned myself to the fact that there is nothing in their lives if not chaos and uncertainty.)
- Also during the week, I update both the public and DM wikis by adding new NPCs, places, and events that were encountered and making at least an outline-style journal of the events that took place. This goes hand-in-hand with any DM prep-work I have to do for the story.
- Check the fridge to ensure adequate levels of alcohol and mixers are on hand. If not, I go shopping. I also ensure there is room cleared for people to store left-overs or any snacks/booze they might bring.
- Gameday, I make certain to clear off the elbow section of my computer desk, put away creative projects I've been working on, and generally make certain the place is safe for others.
- Set out character sheets, rulebooks, maps, and minis on the coffee table at each person's seat.
- On my desktop PC, I keep PDFs of relevant rulebooks loaded. I also setup multiple browser tabs for: DM wiki's campaign notes, campaign log, my list of interesting names, PRD monster index, PRD spell index. I also open up any maps or visuals that might be needed.
- For the players, I setup my netbook with multiple browser tabs for the PRD spell list, PRD combat rules, PRD skills, PRD equipment, and the PRD homepage. I also make sure it's battery is fully charged and disable the password lock so they can wake it if it sleeps.
- Once folks are enroute, we figure out what to order for dinner.
- During the winter, build a fire in the fireplace for atmosphere.
- Queue up some suitably epic metal to get everyone in the mood as they arrive.
- Once folks arrive, we enact our take-out order and while a couple folks are picking up the take-out, others take smoke breaks or mix up some drinks.
- While eating we take care of socialization and start getting in the mood to play.
- After dinner is cleared away, I turn down/off the music, dim the lights, recap the prior session, and we get down to playing.
Room Setup
- We play in the living room of my town house.
- Walls are decorated with professionally framed prints from Larry Elmore, Ruth Thompson, Nene Thomas, and other fantasy artists.
- Additional decor includes several of my swords, candles, my archery equipment and the heater shield bearing my heraldry.
- Gameplay takes place on my cocktail table upon which my entire collection of flip mats is stacked in two piles of equal height for easy access. Assume the table's length runs North-South.
- West of the cocktail table is a 3-seater loveseat flanked at N & S by endtables with lamps and extra drink coasters.
- East is a 2-seater loveseat.
- North is the fireplace, shield, swords.
- South and slightly east of the cocktail table is my U-shaped computer desk which sits against the wall. I sit with my back to the screen facing north-west towards the narrow end of the cocktail table.
- To my west is the elbow section of my desk on which my DM screen, initiative pad, dice, unrevealed NPC minis, and printed notes reside.
- In between the cocktail table and me is an ottoman. I'll use this either for setting notes upon, or sit at the cocktail table as needed.
- I really prefer this setup to a dining room table as it is much more comfortable, and everyone has a better view of the minis and me. In addition, it is much easier for me to get to the maps/minis — I don't have to push myself back from a dinner table in order to stand up, and I don't have to reach over or past anyone to arrange things.
Hope this addresses what the OP was looking for!
EDIT:
Duration of Play
- Generally everyone arrives around 8pm or so on a Saturday or Sunday night. We eat for about an hour and then commence play.
- Usually, we end up stopping around 2 or 3am.
- If "the kids" don't have any AM courses (or work) in the morning, then I'll keep 'em going until around dawn — at which point the lightweights are usually are too tired to continue and end up sacking out on the couches or on the floor in front of the fire.
- When we come to The Awakening™ we have been known to hit The Original Pancake House. ;)
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Before the Game
Send a text message to my group reading: "Game on, usual time and place."
Pack my books.
Go to university, attend my class.
Leave class and enter unattended lecture hall.
Turn on Lecture theater equipment.
Place printed map under camera.
Socialise for a little.
Clear my throat and say:
"Last time we were in Korvosa, the Proclaimers <recap>"
Game On
End time 3-4 hours after gathering.
Apologise for being late.
Enter Dining room in which there is a 5 ft by 5 ft table.
Chuck down bags.
Wait for everyone to assemble as I take out books and sort through counters.
Wipe down battle map from last session.
Ask one of the players to recap last session
Get drink.
Game on.
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We meet every 2 weeks on a Saturday usually but Friday night occasionally.
The DM and one player live only a few miles apart, other players drive as much as 30-40 minutes from their home to the DM's home.
People show up randomly fed/not fed but usually not fed. We start officially at 5pm but that's just the time everyone is expected to be seated at the table. There is invariably 30-45 minutes of BS time where everyone talks about whatever.. whatever is in the news or latest tech news as many of the players are techy-types.
We play in the DM's upstairs den/office with two medium folding tables pushed together. On top of the table in the center is a large gridded battlemat and on top of that is a round piece of glass about 3' in diameter that is normally a glass table top. We use it do draw on instead of the battlemat because it is much easier to erase between fights.
The DM has a 28" wide screen monitor on his desk next to the game table as well as a laptop on the table flanked by DM screens. Out of 6 players at least 5 usually have laptops open and connected to the DM's wifi and with d20pfsrd.com (shameless plug yes I know) open in Firefox tabs.
We use Google Docs extensively. We have one Google Spreadsheet shared between the DM and all players. The spreadsheet has all important PC stats that the DM may need to refer to in-session, such as Perception, Sense Motive, Knowledge scores, saving throws, etc. The players all update this spreadsheet between sessions if they level or if something changes. All players use some sort of electronic character sheet, usually also a Google Doc of some sort, which is shared with the DM also.
Snacks: Everyone generally brings enough snacks for everyone. If you do the math you see the problem.. there is always wayyy too much junk at each session.. but really we look at that as part of the fun/social aspect of the game, seeing what others bring. Snacks usually include pistachios, chips of varying forms, pretzels, various sugary candy such as swedish fish, gummi bears/worms/whatever, sour patch kids, etc. Most players drink some sort of diet or "zero" beverage, the current favorite being coke zero. We stock the mini fridge with as much pop as will fit.
We have an unwritten rule that the last person to show up at the session gets to be that sessions "pop-bitc*" meaning, there is a mini-fridge near one spot of the game table. No one wants to be pop-bitc* because you are bugged all night long to hand someone a new pop/soda. Its fun incentive not to be the last one to show up. Plus, whomever gets to be pop-bitc* gets harassed all night.
Usually within an hour or two of starting getting into the game one person or another starts complaining about "when are we gonna order pizza???" and one player in particular orders it up. We all pitch in and get 2-3 large pizzas.
We play generally until about 1-2am, or whenever someone starts whining :) We are all in our mid-30's to lower 40's (me) and all work full time normal m-f day jobs so sometimes some players are wiped out from work that week and need to crash earlier than normal.
We then get in 2-4 encounters in an evening plus as much between encounter roleplaying as possible. We are currently playing Crown of the Kobold King.
I have my Core Rulebook in front of me next to my laptop along with my pile of dice and printed character sheet. While I use an electronic sheet I find its easier to make notes on my printed sheet during the session and then update the electronic one between sessions with any long term notes or new equipment etc.
We all meet weekly, Saturday evenings. On Wednesday, I send an email to the group mailing list asking for a head count, and demanding that one of the players brings food (we have a rotating meal schedule, first instituted when I was lucky enough to have three (good) professional chefs in the group). The next two days are spent preparing for what new hell the players will put me through this week (futile, but I attempt to prepare for it anyway).
Then, on Saturday.
- Clean the house, contemplating the story and what fresh hell I'm going to put the players through that week.
- Do all the last-minute game prep I neglected during the week
- Clear off the coffee table and lay down the battle board (a 3'x5' sheet of plexiglass with a grid drawn on the underside).
- Try to get everything that is necessary for the game back on the coffee table without making a huge mess.
- Fail, give up, and walk a mile to the store to get some beer, still thinking about the game.
- Get background music ready (I have a home server running MPD I use as a jukebox, controlling it from my laptop(s)). Start playing music.
- Waste time by browsing message boards and thinking about how much I really should be doing prep work.
- As I realize that I'm completely and totally unprepared to run a session, panic.
- Run around the house like a madman, pulling minis, props, and my "box of toys" (a collection of toy dinosaurs, animals, bugs) from the closet.
- Organize my GMing area, making sure everything is within easy reach of my chair.
- Forget that I organized my area and stack things on my necessary GMing supplies.
- Wonder where the heck everybody is
- Realize that I'm a little tired. Brew a mug of mate and sit on the porch, staring at the trees in the yard.
- Feel relieved that at least one player decided to show up. Crack open a beer and catch up on our socializing.
- Once everybody is there, we do a recap of last session, then go out so the smokers can smoke and socialize (which, of course, they would have been able to do earlier if they had showed up within an hour of the stated start time).
- Remember that I've been doing this for 30 years and have so many supplies that I don't need to improvise everything.
- Play usually until after the first combat, when the player in charge of feeding all of us serves us dinner.
- Play for 4-5 hours with irregular breaks defined largely by the amount of beer consumed.
- Become irritated at the player who suddenly announces that he has to leave in half an hour.
- End the game, drink more beer, play Munchkin or Chez Geek, and talk about the player who left early.
Ah, you included some key steps that I forgot from my list!
- Wonder where the heck everybody is.
- Once everybody is there, we do a recap of last session, then go out so the smokers can smoke and socialize (which, of course, they would have been able to do earlier if they had showed up within three hours of the stated start time).
- Become irritated at the player who was the last to arrive who suddenly announces that he has to leave in half an hour.
Good thing I don't have lots of swords and booze around... oh wait. >;D
Hope this addresses what the OP was looking for!Hail! Ok, first-I assume the wicked bullet points are done by
I knew a player who I had argued with, about how hard it was to DM. Needless to say, the DM became the player, and the player became the DM. His setup was basic but unorganized, and we spent a good portion of time waiting on the DM finding his book, the page he needed, selecting miniatures 2Hrs in, etc. I do have to say however, that for a first-time experience he did well to learn from it.
All of gaming is trial-and-error. Video games and board games and pen-&-paper games alike. For those of you who are new to the game as a Master, this is the experience and stories we are passing unto you. Learn well Padawan.
Hail! Ok, first-I assume the wicked bullet points are done byor something of that nature.
Yep, that's how it's done. Typically I use them inside of a [ list ] and [ /list ] tags (without the space characters). Note that below the text area in which you type your posts, there is a button that says "Show" which will reveal the various formatting codes you can use.
Thank you for your info sir, as this should be one of many prim examples that fresh and new GM/DM's should aspire to do. This is a hard subject to connect to when you're new and have hardly any experience to refer to.
Glad to help, and thanks for saying so. :) I've been teaching one of my own players to DM over the past two months and it was still a challenge for him. I can only imagine how much more difficult it would be without the help of others.
My feeling is that it is worthwhile to help people who have an interest in becoming a GM/DM because they are always in short supply and high demand. Plus, good GM/DMs are rare so it's best not to scare them away when they are still learning.