Dresden Files RPG GM help

JaymesBolton

So thinking of running a Dresden Files RPG campaign at some point in the foreseeable future. Was curious what dos and don'ts people have with the system. Although I am an experienced GM I have never run anything using the system and my modern time period gaming is "limited" to whitewolf games so any suggestions for the modern time period and dresdenverse in general is also welcome. Also any advice on the themes mechanic is also welcome.

 

**Dresden Files spoiler below**

 

Time period within dresdenverse would probably be after Harry becomes a regional commander but before the events in Changes. Would be set on the west coast in my home county of San Luis Obispo witch is mostly rural and I would use each region/city of the county as the different specific locations.

 

As always thanks you in advance to any advice, suggestions and assistance.

Keryth987

Well, feel free to browse my site and borrow any ideas you might like.

As for advice on the game itself. Just keep in mind that FATE is designed as a Story Driven system. The idea of going into dungeons and killing monsters and getting their stuff doesn't work real well.

 

Need to be very flexible and imaginative. Honestly, Bullshit is the rule of the day. He or she who can bullshit the best to apply an Aspect to a situation wins as one of my players say :)

JaymesBolton

Yeah. The biggest issue with aspects I am having right now is the Themes/aspects of the overal locations and "city" itself. I understand how to use them in an isolated scene and applying them to things in the scene but I am nervous about developing the big ones that affect everything.

Keryth987

Well, I'll be honest. The city and locations do have Aspects and Themes, but, in my experience anyhow,m they rarely get used in Game. All the ones in Shadows end up being more of a guide to the players to help wiht the feeling for that locations and such.

HumAnnoyd

Our first Emerald City campaign using DFRPG was set before Changes and it worked quite well.  I think the main thing is to get the players involved in creating the Locations.  It gives them direct investment in the game which makes it much more fun for everyone.  It also gives the players a chance to tell you what kind of game they want to play.  DFA has a different system for city creation and while my group has switched over to it we still lean heavily on the work we did for the DFRPG game.  That said I have become much more fond of DFA than DFRPG.  It is just so much easier to run and allows players to truly shine.  

Johnprime

I agree with you HumAnnoyd. While I've not run a DFRPG, I was running a DC Adventures game and got a lot of player buy in because I allowed the players to help with the creation of NPCs. I'd throw out a name for a specific NPC and they would take it from there, adding personality, skills etc. Specifically, that's how the doctor they would go to see in the game was created and how the receptionist and some other employees for their detective agency was created.

It was just a one shot game, but I'm sure if I continue with it or run another in a very similar vein, they'll continue to participate in the world building and have more buy in to the game!

Keryth987

Well, almost all of the locations in Shadows were created by me. I did reward each player with an extra campaign long FATE point if they made a location related to their character. Now, after 3 campaigns, that comes to like 21 locations.