I haven't forgotten about you all, I promise! Preparing to move, working extra hours, actually enjoying the hobby, and spending quality time with the family has kept me busy. There are a number of posts in various drafts in the hopper so expect some within the next two weeks. Till then, I hope you enjoy this trip into where my mind has been!
One of the things interfering from effective use of hobby time is an abundance of choices. This began with a simple debate of running an pre-written campaign or one of my own imagination. Regardless of path, there are many options. Between reading Endzeitgeist or listening to Savage World podcasts, I've found numerous established worlds that I want to go out and explore. There are at least ten I can name without really thinking. To complicate matters, I have about five more worlds of my own creation floating around in my head!
The key to deciding what games to run is time. Other than the awesomeness of some pre-written worlds, being able to grab something already created and running with it has some appeal. Some settings even include epic adventure paths that span multiple sessions and levels. To run these, reading through of the material is the only prep needed. Downloading the products to my kindle allows me to read during lunch. Now that is efficiency! Two downsides is the danger of railroad
Running something of my own creation requires a greater commitment of time, especially considering the need to adapt rules for the setting. Once that is done, then there are all the adventures that need to be created. This amounts to time, and if there is anything that learn from this blog it is that time is valuable and must be managed!
I mulled over all these choices this weekend. Today, I decided the best plan is to pick a goal and just run with it. I have decided to run three different games.
First is the Ultima Forsan game I am running with my brother, cousin, and friend. After talking to each of them and we agreed to finish our first season and then make an effort to play more regularly. This game pretty important to me as I know the guys I'm playing with, feel safe GMing for them, and love the setting. Savage Worlds is also a breeze to run. My PCs all have histories that the players and myself still want to explore. The plan is to play every other Thursday. By the way, the 3rd AAR should be arriving shortly.
Game number two most likely will be another online game. The goal for this one is two run a loose campaign similar to Pathfinder Society or D&D Adventure league. This allows players to participate when they can, and run one shots or small adventure arcs. I am leaning towards one Sunday night a month for this one. Once I have somethings ironed out expect to hear more, I may even ask for players!
Finally, I want to run a homebrew. I picked out one setting already know which ruleset will be used as a framework. Ideally I will play at my local gaming store. However if I use the ruleset that I want to, I may need to go online to find enough players. Before I actually get to the point of making that decision, I am going to take a month or two to flesh out the world and game mechanics. I am already working on my first post about this one, so stay tuned.
So these plans should keep me entertained for the near future.
What were your deciding factors to run the games you current GM?
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