Here in my first content post we're going to discus something pretty basic, what to do before you sit down at the gaming table. I hate homework and I've learned some tricks to avoid it. I'm going to tackle this in three stages, the first being...
How to Prepare if your Hosting
This is an a subject most of these prep advice columns overlook but it's important to having a good time at the table. Hosting an RPG group like hosting a party, and you have some responsibilities
First is that you have to prepare the environment. You want seating for everyone arraigned so that they can see the GM without turning and sufficient light to read. You'll want a hard writing surface for every player (if you're not at a table gaming books are a good substitute) and a central space the GM can use to display maps or props. It's also a good idea to buy a pack of mechanical pencils or the like.
Second, as the host, you have also been drafted into making refreshment decisions. This will depend a lot on your groups expectations. If the game overlaps a meal time you should be prepared to serve that meal to your friends, or organize with them some other plan before they arrive. Figuring out where to eat mid session can kill hours of table time so make sure everyone is on the same page before your start.
Drinks also fall to you, and generally you won't be able to rely completely on outside sources. Make sure you have something that you can offer to everyone without worrying about it running out. Powdered drink mix, filtered water, and tea are all very cheap and easy and will prevent your guests from getting grumpy for lack of hydration.
Lastly you want to make sure your group knows when the game will have to leave. This will be important for planning rides, but also so your gaming group doesn't overstay it's welcome. Informing your players of when things have to wrap up before they arrive will prevent you from looking like a jerk while you try to herd them out.
How to Prepare as a Player
If you're starting a new game your most important job as a player is to understand what kind of game you're going to be in. Ask your GM what sort of story they want to tell, and make sure your character makes sense as a protagonist in that story. Before the session try watching a movie or tv show or reading one book that your GM recommends and keep it in mind when sitting down for character creation. Too many games have died because someone made Sherlock Holmes when their GM was running Conan or The Incredible Hulk when The Dread Pirate Roberts would be more appropriate.
Another basic tenet of prep as a player is know the rules your character uses. Everyone will sometimes make mistakes, but you should know generally how the rules work for everything your character is likely to do. Games slam to a halt if one player has to look up a spell description or re-read the bull rush rules every time their turn comes around.
How to Prepare as a GM
Hey GMs, I put you last because let's face it, you were going to read the whole thing anyway. My style is very improvisational, but even so some prep has to be done or the game will fly off the rails.
The first thing you'll want to do if you're starting a new game is decide what sort of game you want to run. Setting your players expectations can make a world of difference in running a good game.
If you are running an adventure written by someone else you'll want to read it cover to cover first. Don't take notes but do pay attention to what events have to happen early in the adventure for the end to make sense. As long as you have these hard points in mind you will be much better prepared to improvise around the details. Before a session re-read the next several steps of the adventure, past where you think you'll get, and note the page numbers of the monsters and maps you will need.
If you're writing your own story, or planning to improvise, your prep will be less but there's still some things that you'll need before you sit at the table. First you'll want to make sure you know the rules you're responsible for. Initiative, monster rules and the like should be clear in your mind. Allow the players to worry about specifics for their characters, you're responsibility is knowing all the rest. You'll also want to have bookmarked or otherwise available the stats for a few different likely enemies your players might fight or NPCs they might encounter, this includes names so you don't have to come up with them on the fly.
Lastly, whether improvising or running out of a book, you'll want to give yourself at least an hour or two before the game to get yourself into the right head space. For me this takes the form taking a quiet hour to think over all of my plans for the game and to try to come up with some clever one-liners or environments I can throw at the players if the opportunity arises. This time to yourself will help a great deal when it comes to keeping the game on point and keeping to the genre you are trying to emulate.
Now that we have the boring stuff out of the way, next week I'll tell you about my favorite Chili recipe and how gaming made me a better cook.
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