For the record, I choose the name "Margaret Thatcher" at random, but thanks, fonky!

I prefer games without a need for a lot of prepwork--it gives me more time to flesh out the personality, description, plot-elements, and so on of the game. It also means I can shoot from my hip secure in my ability as a GM, if I have to go without notes and wing it, I'm very comfortable doing that.

Prep work is mostly a degree of free-time. I actually like to do it, because it feels like I'm getting elbow-deep in the game. It's an issue when the players walk 'off the map', so to speak, so my prep-work is actually pretty intense.

Mostly, it's composed of generic work (generic NPC, both non-combatant and other and some locations), key NPCs (they're all killable. Anyone who'd take serious effort typically gets custom stats at some point), and lots of setting. I don't feel comfortable running games unless I'm secure in my knowledge of the world. I typically have Gather Information or Knowledge check DCs made up, for instance, if players are interested in things in D&D. In WoD or Exalted, it's Success levels.

WoD's off-the-map circumstances are typically easier and faster to do, but in the games I like (Mage, Exalted), the players frequently go everywhere because they've got the power to, so ultimetly it's not much easier.

Some of my most memorable games have been off the cuff.

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!No no no!  It's a fun way to do things.

THERE IS ONLY THE ONE TRUE WAY!!!... uh... sorry...

For the record, I agree.

I think there is also a distinction between doing prep before the game to support an improv style and doing little or no prep at all and improvising because you HAVE to.

Either way, I've had great times doing both.

all that prep stuff is good for gaining familiarity with the system; that said, my best stuff was running megatraveller "back in the day" by the seat of my pants.    my players seemed to like the freedom they had to go anywhere & do anything.

Quote from: howandwhy99I like this style. But don't you need to write down notes after the game to keep it consistent?  I know I forget stuff otherwise and then the world becomes less believable.

I also find it easy to ask the players to refresh me and each other one what happened last game before we get to playing.

This also helps tell me what jazzed them about the past sessions too.

Wilderlands.
´nuff said.

I would love to do lots of prep, have details coming out of my ears from copious, well organized notes.


Of course, I'd also have liked to have done homework in school instead of skating by on brains, balls and the ability to wreak havoc in the classroom via lightning powered Smiting (tm) if shit didn't go my way.

In other words, for roughly 20 years myself I've had to fly by the seat of my pants. Monster statblocks are nearly always right out of the manual, NPC's drop after the PC's have wacked them a few too many times, dice are rolled and actions are called all without a god damn clue what the hell that number was supposed to actually mean.

And my players? Haven't heard a complaint yet.  Of course, the bloody head of the last player to bitch  about things hanging over the fireplace might have a thing or two to do with it....



EDIT:::: oh, and Iron Maggie is so very very going to appear in the next game I run.  This I do swear.

I have a hard-on for Ms. Thatcher.

I still owe her the poll tax.

Only British persons will remember what that is/was.

There is something to be said for the warm glow you get when something you have spent some time preparing goes really well and is enjoyed by everyone.

I still say this is one of the benefits of a long term campaign; All preparation is incremental and addititive.

The only time I do intensive prepearation is usually before the campaign. (So.. March of 2005 for my current one).

Otherwise I just go over the campaign book and my directory of files about an hour before start, and maybe make a "special" encounter or two.

This is by no means a 'new' way to do anything either. Has anyone ever wondered how guys like Rob Kuntz or Gygax were creating things like dungeons with 1200+ rooms before anyone even had a word processer?

For a lot of them, they were improvising what was in the rooms, or the details of any given thing going on. It got recorded later, but it was the GM and the players improvising as they went.

Quote from: PakaI also find it easy to ask the players to refresh me and each other one what happened last game before we get to playing.

This also helps tell me what jazzed them about the past sessions too.

I usually do the recap myself, but I think your method -having them do it- might be better.  Hmm...I'm gonna try that.

Quote from: Abyssal MawThis is by no means a 'new' way to do anything either. Has anyone ever wondered how guys like Rob Kuntz or Gygax were creating things like dungeons with 1200+ rooms before anyone even had a word processer?

For a lot of them, they were improvising what was in the rooms, or the details of any given thing going on. It got recorded later, but it was the GM and the players improvising as they went.

Once I started figuring that out, I got more comfortable doing it. Plus, it clued me in to the origins of all those random tables in the 1st Ed. AD&D DMG, and we all know what I have to say about that particular tome...