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Topic: DMFI 102 DMing Class Teaching Discussion (Read 326 times) |
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Arawen
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Here are ideas that I had for what to include in a 2 - 2 1/2 hour live DMing class.
The DM Client basics are covered in DMFI 101. This class would function as a venue for DM sharing with discussion led by one or two experienced DMs.
Please add your suggestions of what should be included and how we might structure this class.
DMFI 102
Draft Curriculum
Goal: Create a plan for a simple live class module that could be a venue for sharing led by one or two experienced NWN DMs.
Thanks to Fleet Street’s DM102 for Inspiration!
I. Classroom Area: City Interior
1. Preliminaries
a. Via scripting issue each player a DMFI Wand Exploder
b. Ground Rules , Introductions
c. Brief Overview of Interface Tips
d. Class Plan – Teachers Share Their Thoughts on Each Point, After Which Discussion or Hands On Follow
2. Pregame Organization for DMs
a. One DM or a team?
i. Strategies for Team and Managing Solo DMing during a hectic live game
ii. Voice Chat
iii. Pregame runthroughs
b. Knowledge
i. Preparing the Module
1. DMFI Modules
2. Scripted Vault Modules
3. Easy to build yourself Sound Stage Modules.
ii. Game Organization
1. Have a game plan, with important plot points, events etc. A brief outline can be helpful
2. Locate important items and NPCs – (I use custom 1-5 areas, with 1 for important NPCs, 2 for generic NPCs, 5 for hostiles, plot items for plot items etc)
iii. Toolset: Add all important NPCs to the palette, familiarize yourself with factions, make a neutral faction.
iv. Chooser and Palette Organization – Importance of logical naming.
v. DM Tools
vi. Pacing and Module Size
1. Why smaller is better to start
a. Party Speed: Two hours = covering 4 to 5 8x8 areas, max, with a mix of combat and RP
b. Smaller modules can have better hosting and playing performance, especially on older servers and player hardware
vii. Class Discussion: Pregame Organization for DMs
3. Pregame Organization for Players
a. Finding players – Importance of Thorough Game Description
b. Getting in Character - Roleplay threads & bios
c. Ground Rules & Introductions
d. OOC Reception Areas
e. Common conventions in DMed games (bleeding, death, XP etc)
f. Why taverns are so common in modules - The importance of characters getting in acquainted in character early on.
g. Class Discussion: Pregame Organization for Players
4. Pacing
a. How to control the players’ pace in the hectic live game
b. Telling stories in cooperation with players
i. Scripted or Unscripted, things to keep in mind
ii. Variety is good (Mix of combat, RP, exploring etc.)
iii. Beginning, Middle, and End, with heightened tension at the end.
iv. DMed games have two types of content
1. Scenes - dramatic story or character defining moments of choice where the party lingers – NPC discussions, battles, etc.
2. Less intense interludes of travel, rest, shopping, etc. between scenes.
3. Spend most energy organizing and preparing scenes with interludes as breaks
4. Pacing – About one scene per hour.
5. On the fly or scripted? How live DMing can add to both and keep a team of DMs occupied.
c. Class Discussion: Pacing & Storytelling
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Arawen
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II. Tavern Area
5. Playing NPCs
a. Importance of personal interaction and involvement in creating a dramatic story
i. Personal ties with NPCs and among party members
ii. Examples from games I’ve played or DMed
iii. Can be part of the game design or evolve with play
iv. Importance of roleplay in taverns, around campfires, etc.
b. Strategies for creating NPC backgrounds and personalities that are easy to play
i. Arawen: Important NPCs – a bio, motives, 3-4 characteristics (some good, some bad)
ii. Arawen: Background NPCs – improvised, but try to make them alive and with a stake in the situation
iii. Arawen: Always keep in mind the backdrop.
c. Hands On Practice: The Classic Tavern Roleplay Get a Quest Situation
i. Half of the Class Plays PCs, Half Play NPCs for 20 minutes.
ii. Players’ desire to get into character and get warmed up which happens at the start of every campaign and one shot, but is something players like to do from time to time.
iii. Most players want to know about each other and care about people in the game world
iv. Quiet moments such as taverns, campfires, etc. for developing character/party comraderie
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Arawen
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III. Outdoor Area, Rural
6. DMing on the Fly: DMFI Wands
a. Story Telling with DM Fx, Sound and Emote Wands
b. Tips and Tricks:
i. Logical consequences and the Affliction Wand
ii. DM Wand – destroying objects, backing up characters, and more
iii. NPC Control Wand for Factions (what to do when faction mayhem breaks out)
c. Creating Scenes with on the fly Placeables
d. Encounter Trigger Toggle (DMFI 1.08 alpha only)
e. Practice creating an improvised scene in small groups
7. Roleplay and Combat Challenge
a. Know what challenge level and types fits your players’ characters and your players
i. Sharing about roleplay challenges
1. A difficult choice with a personal investment
ii. Sharing about combat challenges
1. Arawen: practice pitting copies of players against critters in the DM client
2. Quickbar critters and commands to adjust them
3. Have a wide variety of custom critters available with differing abilities and strengths so that each player has a chance to shine and the game does not get repetitive (I usually hot key 5 or 6)
4. Area layouts – create areas with places that the DM can spawn critters or NPCs ahead of the players
5. Always have a reason for why creatures fight or flee – make combat should advance the story.
6. Surrendering and soliloquies
8. Where to Go From Here
a. Sharing about Resources and Help for DMs
b. Open Question and Answer
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Dragonmom
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Last On: 05/22/10
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Looks to me that you have covered any question I might have in the outline thread.
I would very much like to attend this class. Would it be possible to have this as a mod down load afterwards so that we could go thru and review the class on our own.
You are covering a lot of information and I for one would need to go over it more than once to digest all the good advise and stratagies that are going to be included.
I have down loaded the DM 101 mod and have been thru it several times and I learn something new everytime I run it.
A mod that covers as much information as you have listed would most definately need to be availible, for more than a one time play.
This is such a great idea and I know there are just a lot of newbie DM's who would be grateful for the help. I know I will be.
Thank you for doing this for all us out here.
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Arawen
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Dragonmom,
Thanks for your feedback. I'd anticipate that the module would be available for download. I would make widgets to speak sections of canned text and I would have a teaching outline with the file.
However, the focus would be on the module as a live class with hands on experience and sharing. Much of DMFI 102 would rely on the live class experience, so it might be more helpful to take the class and log it, then review your log.
A download would give you a soundstage module of about four to five areas with DMFI Wands and Widgets, no automated scripting, and not a great of amount of canned text.
My aim would be to use a live class meeting to share about how we DM in practice, so the module itself will be a classroom designed for a live meeting.
- Arawen
Additions to curriculum:
Explain how to log NWN sessions at the start, perhaps in a pregame post.
Add coverage of the DMFI Voice Wand and Widget.
Try to frame the class as useful to both small group and PW DMs.
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Dragonmom
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I cannot wait to attend this class. I'm just all excited!
Thank you so much
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Rayuchi
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Last On: 05/05/07
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The coverage does look excellent, and this is definitely soemthing I would be interested in. The only thing that I am unsure on that does not seem covered is the mechanics of starting a game as the server host and getting it listed on Gamespy etc. Maybe this could be covered if you had time to fit it in.
Rayuchi
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Arawen
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Thank you for your feedback.
Currently I am writing the text for the course and scripting it into widgets for more effciently delivery during the class.
If we were meeting in person, I could do it on the fly in an instant but for efficiency in NWN text chat, standard portions will be prepared ahead of time.
Right now I cannot paste text into my NWN game because NWN freezes up on my PC when I switch windows even with windowed mode on.
I will run the class when preparations are done, with an estimated class time for the first weekend of July, 2005 at this point. Sign-ups via NWC will be available when the class is scheduled.
- Arawen
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Arawen
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After the class is run and the module polished, I will post the log and mod to NWVault.
My plan is to run the course several times this summer with co-teachers, with the hope that it could be taught by any experienced DM, so other DMs could take over once the basic teaching module is built.
DMFI 102 is not currently designed as an automated self-taught module like DMFI 101 however since it is designed for sharing about the art of DMing with other DMs in a live class.
- Arawen
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Flmngo
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This looks wonderful. Have run the first mod a couple of times. Would love to attend a class anytime this summer, where, when, and how?
~ Flmngo
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Arawen
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When it's done.
The draft text for the class is about 3/7 written.
After that the draft text has to be broken into pieces and scripted on to widgets that will speak it portion by portion in game.
- Arawen
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