tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post7020636771033664077..comments2024-03-27T20:09:00.283-04:00Comments on Tenkar's Tavern: What Kind of GM Are You? A Planner or an Improvisor?Tenkarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05159289652051155824noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-4827280971697436542013-06-04T21:04:16.264-04:002013-06-04T21:04:16.264-04:00I've done both. With a long running campaign...I've done both. With a long running campaign, winging it is far easier and a lot of fun just to allow flexibility. New campaigns or turn up the heat needs planning. I find it all about balancing between player expectations and player wrecking pre-planned stuff.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04259026787574475812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-87466897591989994122013-06-04T12:31:19.905-04:002013-06-04T12:31:19.905-04:00I have to say both also. I usually have a few ong...I have to say both also. I usually have a few ongoing campaign plot threads, and I do some planning for the upcoming session, but I'm willing to throw any and all of it out the window and improvise if the players find something else interesting to do (or if something cooler occurs to me at the last minute).TheShadowKnowshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11073693648569864707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-76903790944088482292013-06-04T10:25:33.905-04:002013-06-04T10:25:33.905-04:00I plan like crazy, mainly because I enjoy the proc...I plan like crazy, mainly because I enjoy the process. When I was younger, this turned me into a crap GM as I followed this by forcing the players to go down my planned route. These days, I lean back and enjoy watching them and the dice wreak havoc with my plans...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-39861533978390109652013-06-04T08:30:07.592-04:002013-06-04T08:30:07.592-04:00Planner. I LOVE making handouts, pictures, extra ...Planner. I LOVE making handouts, pictures, extra characters, maps, etc and organizing them in binders prior to game night. Maybe it's the public educator in me. :)Digital Orchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00276516390269689741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-44532186839069887692013-06-04T06:16:22.960-04:002013-06-04T06:16:22.960-04:00In the middle.In the middle.Kiltedyaksmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03462341093016199620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-25982089991620261712013-06-04T04:46:40.848-04:002013-06-04T04:46:40.848-04:00Plan but roll with the punches of player ideas.Plan but roll with the punches of player ideas.oliofhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11283548524872576839noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-4407117762970057152013-06-04T00:30:58.420-04:002013-06-04T00:30:58.420-04:00I'd say I'm mostly improvise and pray. I a...I'd say I'm mostly improvise and pray. I am a jazz musician after all! I do do some prep work. Mapping out the world, the general area, planning some encounters, but for everything else it is on the fly. I just plan simple concepts. Rescue villagers. All I need, the rest I'll just come up with on the spot.DizzySaxophonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07384053228778823219noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-56648163252063914962013-06-04T00:01:57.650-04:002013-06-04T00:01:57.650-04:00I know this is going to sound a bit like hubris, b...I know this is going to sound a bit like hubris, but "both." You need to prep, but also need to be ready to improvise. I think I've done a decent job of balancing planning and improv in my time.Anthony Simeonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04312134763577949405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-62310879396698518882013-06-03T23:03:47.439-04:002013-06-03T23:03:47.439-04:00I always have a basic "floorplan and timefram...I always have a basic "floorplan and timeframe" in mind when I design an adventure. However, I love it when the PCs go off on some tangent I hadn't planned upon as it allows me to play along with them, so to speak. My goal as GM is to herd them back to the plot at hand, but those little side treks keep me sharp as I end up improving the entire thing half the time.<br /><br />Going into it cold? Never. But if it evolves during the course of the game? I'm there.Tim Sniderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17390608104314125626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1724254580047847936.post-25408373151186912142013-06-03T22:12:34.478-04:002013-06-03T22:12:34.478-04:00I usually have an overall concept for the campaign...I usually have an overall concept for the campaign, plan the actual details session by session, and constantly improvise during and between sessions to keep up with what the players are doing.Priddayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17988483528642234280noreply@blogger.com