The Tao of Campaign Management

autumnschild
autumnschild
edited January 2010 in Campaign Portal Building
Hi all,

I'm putting together some thoughts on campaign management to better serve the site and the community at large. Can you help me out? I'd like this to be an open discussion where we can bring up new ideas on the subject, and debate the pros and cons of each approach.

For me, Campaign Management is very much like writing for a tv show. (Not that I've done a lot of that mind you.) First you outline the over-all plot. Then you factor in the characters, places, NPCs, and major events. Then you break that down into episodes. Every episode has its own story and purpose. You can't see it, but the GM ONLY section of the home page of each of my campaigns is cluttered with notes and info that I use to put together each episode.

How do you manage your campaign? How do you plan it out when you start a new one? How do you keep at it without losing site of the overall plot? Does our layout help or hinder you when it comes to managing your campaign?

Comments

  • gnunn
    gnunn
    Posts: 423
    When I started my current campaign, I decided to do my world-building from the inside-out. I had a sort of super-objective in mind, which I used as little more than a muse at first to determine how my story would develop, but I only built the world as the players started to explore.

    During the first session, I had the idea of the super-objective and the details of the first introductory adventure. As the heroes proceeded along, the world fleshed out always one step ahead of them. Occasionally, one of my players or an encounter would give me an idea for something unrelated to what was currently going on and that would cause me to jot down some notes on the subject. This has actually proven very useful for adding color and depth to the game, because even though my players have only ever met one Catfolk NPC, that encounter lead me to flesh out some info on catfolk culture. A similar thing happened with gnomes.

    Then, last session, my players met a gnomish bard who was partly introduced to tell them one of the great legends of the country to which they were travelling. Well, they asked him to tell them about his other travels after the legend was done and I was able to improvise a description of the gnomish homelands (gnomelands) and the catfolk culture, because I had done a couple previously unused write-ups on the matter.
  • gnunn
    gnunn
    Posts: 423
    Also, as far as the general nuts and bolts of campaign management... I have tried software like DM Secretary and the like, but I find that nothing works better than good, "old-fashioned" Excel.

    I have developed a system of 2 spreadsheets for running combat that seems to work really, really well. The first is my battle manager, which has programmed macros for sorting initiative and advancing the round count. It also has conditional formatting which will change the color of a row if a character is delaying or readying an action, or is disabled/dying. The second is a list of monsters/npcs that I add to every time I plan to introduce a new opponent. I include the stat-blocks in a comment, so they appear when I mouse-over the monster name. If I want to add a monster to a fight, I simply copy and paste the name from the NPC database to the Battle Manager and the stat-block comment comes with it.

    My battle manager also has all my players' stat-blocks permanently included, so I never need to worry about not having a character sheet if I need to run one as an NPC in the player's absence. (It's also great for making secret checks!)

    While this system takes a lot of work up front, as things progress, you can quickly copy and paste monsters that have already been encountered into the battle manager making it super easy to do things like send reinforcements to a battle that is too easy or generate a random encounter when your party decides to go their own way.

    Finally, if you use a computer at the gaming table, the "D&D wiki":dandwiki.com is super awesome, because most of the material in the core rulebooks is quickly searchable. This is great if someone suddenly decides to use a tactic you've never had to run before.
  • DiceGolem
    DiceGolem
    Posts: 1
    My style of DMing has me more of an improviser than an orchestrator, so I follow a similar style of inside-out campaign building. With a general idea in mind of the world and enough details to run the first or second session, I let the players write the story. Ideas will crop up on me as they explore, leading them into quests and adventures they helped initially create through their actions and role-playing. Over time, the story becomes more and more epic, revealing to everyone (especially me) who the "uber villain" is and what the dangerous, yet awesome, campaign ender will be.

    Uncovering of key plot points and information tend to be retroactive in this style. Information they find link back to what they've already accomplished or discovered, since it's hard to guess what's around the next corner. But as long as I stay a session ahead of the party and everything is delivered in a smooth manner, there is lots of fun to be had by all!
  • gnunn
    gnunn
    Posts: 423 edited January 2010
    Oh, and on a zen note... I find it is very useful to keep "this":http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2009/11/2/ in mind.

    Now I will pose a related question that I have been thinking about a lot lately. What techniques do you use to keep from railroading your players along a story-line?

    I am frequently worried that I am using too heavy a hand directing my players, but I also want to avoid the opposite issue of, "You are leaving town. What do you do?" Anyone have tips for the seemingly paradoxical task of how to plan to facilitate player choice?
    Post edited by gnunn on
  • autumnschild
    autumnschild
    Posts: 153
    Leading questions are always ok. Also I typically give my players enough hooks that I'm ready for where ever they want to go next. Not 100% of the time, of course, but that's where improv helps.

    Hooks include:

    -Important locations that have some change or event everytime the PCs come by. If the game's hub city has something new and interesting going on everytime the players are by, they'll naturally feel inclined to return there in the future.

    -Items that are tied to a location or a person.

    -The imediacy of a missing or kidnapped NPC.
  • autumnschild
    autumnschild
    Posts: 153
    This is all great info! Thanks guys.
  • Maethalion
    Maethalion
    Posts: 3
    One of the big tickets for me is the ability in MS OneNote to make links to other pages in it (it's like a wiki for your desktop).

    I usually begin by creating an overall idea for the campaign - this is usually generic in nature, and based off of something real-world.
    Then, I get the players to write backgrounds for their characters and include at least 3 NPCs - an Ally, Mentor, and Enemy.
    So I begin to flesh out the plot by linking items in my plot to the character's backgrounds, altering things if necessary.
    Then I build the NPCs and give them there own page, creating hyperlinks to the PCs and my story.

    Then I just keep track of everything as it unfolds, what changes the PCs make, etc.

    The whole wiki/tag format really, really makes this easy. If there's anything I'd want more, is the ability to create in-game timestamps and an in-game calendar.

    THEN I'd have everything.

    -S!
  • gnunn
    gnunn
    Posts: 423 edited January 2010
    OOH! That reminds me! I've been wanting a calendar function for my Obsidian Portal wiki! I have a basic timeline laid out in excel, but a proper calendar with customizable month names/lengths would be fantastic!

    Also, AutumnsChild... I really like the idea of having an ever-changing hub for a campaign. Unfortunately, so far my particular campaign has seen my players constantly moving from town to town, which also puts a lot of stress on me to constantly design new settlements, merchants etc. I think I may be able to have them set up a base of operations that will remain constant for several adventures in the near future.
    Post edited by gnunn on
  • Sewicked
    Sewicked
    Posts: 4
    I go old school and keep a stack of flash cards with NPC briefs, also locations. These are not stat blocks; they're more like 1-2 sentence descriptions, with motivation, location, and RP notes. If the players meet Soeur Lucille at a tavern, instead of at the temple where she's usually to be found; that's a clue that there's something up. Every NPC has 3 motivations; with "Survive" as #1.

    I keep a more detailed list of NPCs on a spreadsheet. I need to work out a way to link between NPCs for those that have connection to each other and to PCs.

    I also keep a list of NPC names so I don't get anyone named, "Um, Bob, Bob the........carpenter". For random hamlets, villages & towns, I also have a list of common, uncommon & rare occupations that would likely be there. I don't have my list in front of me, so I don't remember what all I had. But I had a chart if I didn't feel like making any decisions. Say they come to a hamlet; expect a blacksmith, a baker, oooh, this one has a retired sage, and a bunch of farmers. I now have the basis for 3 distinct households and an assortment of nearly identical ones.
  • gnunn
    gnunn
    Posts: 423
    Sewicked

    I like the flash card idea, especially the part about motivations! I usually try to include at least 2 character traits and a catchphrase or common expression for each of my NPCs (my favorite catchphrase so far is for "Ipswitch":http://www.obsidianportal.com/character/ipswitch-npc , the cantankerous gnomish engineer who regularly exclaims, "Garl's Nuggets!"). For minor NPCs, I simply roll the traits on the DMG's table of 100 NPC traits.

    I think I may try to add motivations to my records, because I think it would definitely enrich the RP experience. Right now, I only really create motivations if they come to me and I usually only have the main one for each NPC in mind.

    On another NPC generation note, while I was preparing for tonight's game, I realized at the last minute that I should probably have stat information on a couple NPC types that will likely be encountered tonight. I ended up using "Dingle's 3.5 NPC Generator":http://www.dinglesgames.com/tools/NPCGenerator/dnd35/ to roll up stats for certain townsfolk. I was very pleased with how quickly I was able to churn out a statblock and with the option to view it in plain-text form, I was able to simply copy and paste it into my npc database. The generator works great for all standard NPC class / multi-class characters, but if you use supplemental books, you may be out of luck.
  • Falchen
    Falchen
    Posts: 20
    I will agree with Sewicked, I love flashcards, I think I originally got the idea from a now defunct GMing email newsletter.

    I like to use a spiderweb when I am GMing, for every story arc I will write the names of people, places and events and use lines of different colors to connect them depending on how they interact. With this instead of having to know what each character or event can lead to or know about, I can have that part of the web give information leading to anything that it touches. Certain parts of the web can lead to other webs, and while it sounds complicated with a little work in the beginning it keeps game flow much smoother, and while they are still on the tracks of the storyline railroad, they control the switches and how they get to the end.

    Last, for now, in the new game I am starting I am using the OP campaign message board to handle down time for crafting, shopping and various time consuming skills. At the end of every session I end in a solid resting spot like a safe camp or city. I give the players time units (8 hours each unit, 2 per day) for how many days before the next adventure. They tell me what they are doing with there time on the board and include relative skill check modifiers. I hope this will allow them more customization and add a more real feel without taking up time when we are all together for the game. I am positive that there will be bugs to work out, but I think this is going to add a lot to my game with very little work done. If anyone has done anything like this and has additional suggestions or snags that they have encountered I would be grateful to hear them.

    Mike
  • gnunn
    gnunn
    Posts: 423
    Falchen,

    My group also does a lot of their basic housekeeping (shopping runs, information gathering, etc.) between sessions. I usually run these via email and it seems to work fairly well, especially when the group wants to split up and do their own thing while in town. When I have tried to run individual character's shopping trips in session, the pace drags and those who are waiting their turn tend to get bored or cause distraction.

    The session I ran last Wednesday included a very successful example of my email solution. The party had just arrived in a town and a country they were visiting for the first time. They had a lot of loot to unload and pick up, and a lot of questions about the situation in the country.

    Prior to the session, I had each person email me with what they intended to do in town (where and what they were researching and what they wanted to buy/sell). I have an agreement with my players that when we do stuff via email, I am allowed to make their check rolls for them.

    I created a writeup for each character's first day of activity and when we got to the session I handed each player the results of their efforts. (I include the totals of the check results I roll for them, when appropriate).

    While the players did not get to actively roleplay the shopping/research interactions at each of the places they went, it allowed me to address the results simultaneously without having to pull each person out of the room. The first part of the session wound up being the players sitting around a table at the inn, swapping stories about the information they had gathered and discussing what their next step should be. So roleplaying with sages, drunkards and shopkeeps was replaced by roleplaying together.

    I should also note that my group plays with a strict time-limit. We play on Wednesday nights and most of my players have to get up early the next morning, so trimming the fat from the experience is a big priority for me.
  • Tempest
    Tempest
    Posts: 25
    Before I write out my thoughts here, is it too late to get in on the question?
  • autumnschild
    autumnschild
    Posts: 153
    It's never too late to talk about campaign management!
  • gnunn
    gnunn
    Posts: 423
    Indeed! The ongoing discussions are the ones I like best!
  • freyja3120
    freyja3120
    Posts: 22
    As far as the railroading question, I find that railroading is a feeling, more than a set of actions. Railroading is when the players feel as if they have no choice in their characters actions, as though no matter what they do they make no difference to the story or the world around them. This shouldn't be confused with direction, or having an overall plot. Sometimes, if you planned something on the road to Town A, and they go to Town B, it's better to throw the plot point onto that road. The only reality is what the players/charactes know. If they don't know that you planned it for somewhere else, they have no problem with your moving it. They still get the feeling of affecting the world, while your plot still works. Also, keep in mind that often what is obvious to the gm that knows the whole plot, isn't always obvious to the players.

    That being said, character actions should matter to the world and your plot. Be willing to adjust your plot when the characters act. I found that the best balance can be achieved when you plan out the motivations and plans of the opposition, and throw out hook events, clues, and knowledgeable npcs. It is important, however, to be willing to scrap what you'd planned if the players aren't biting.
  • Tempest
    Tempest
    Posts: 25
    WARNING: This is a multi-part post. I tried to post my whole response and the system tells me its 4800 characters too long. Might be something to look into.

    Ooook, so here we go...

    For me.. I like to jot down lots and lots of info about a game, but not about the plot itself, till after the the plot has run its course.. Main reason is, its too easy to get set in your mind the exact path you want players to take. I hate to say it, but TSR and WoTC have gone out of their way to make life this way with the Living Campaigns.

    When I set down to get a game set up... I decide a couple quick things...

    A. Who are the players and where in the world are they?

    B. Who's my Bad Guy/s and what are they doing?

    Once this is done, I get to the idea of what it would basically take to resolve the issue, X, Y, or Z (Or some other event I've not thought of). The game becomes how the players who were at A and over the course of intro RP get introduced to the concept of B begin to C their way to X, Y, or Z (or other conclusion as generated by the players). -- I believe very whole heartedly in this pathology. The fact that I never seem to run out of players or ideas backs up that for me, this seems to work. Now I have other GMs in my group who love playing in my game, but refuse to accept this method is what I am doing. They believe that somehow, through some meta minded RPage, I've carefully walked them down a path to a set end. But they are ok with it, because they never feel I forced them. I consistently chuckle at the idea that they feel I guided their footsteps when they themselves were smart enough to come up with how to deal with a situation, they undertook action to deal with it, fate in the form of good RP and some dice here and there reacts, and there in by, we have resolution. Sometimes, the good guys win. Sometimes, the bad guys win. Sometimes, the good guys win the day, lose the battle and win the war. Sometimes, they win the day, lose the battle and win the war, and in some cases (party wipes and other things of like nature) the bad guys win the war.

    Now, I've covered my theory of gaming, which for me works great, I never promise that it will work well, or even work for anyone else. My chatter with various GMs over the last 20 years have shown me that I come at this from a different point of view then pretty much anyone else.
  • Tempest
    Tempest
    Posts: 25
    When it comes to dealing with my Campaign management.. I do always have a coveted notebook.. It used to be an actual notebook, one for each game (school supply time, get a box of 20 or so for a buck or 2), but over the years I evolved. There was the few years of the three ring binder, with dividers and well chosen Art printed off and slid in the sleeves on the front and back.

    The last few years, I've opted for using my Laptop. This mobile piece of technology serves as the HQ for all my games, as well as the project I am developing steampunk wise. Its part of the reason I was so glad to find OP. Music, charts, notes on whats happened along the way, character bios, even copies of RP books bought and downloaded from a couple of the sites that do that all adorn it. Its part of the reason I am always suggesting new things that could be done with OP and half the time wishing I had time and skill to offer to help make these things a reality.

    I'm hoping that my thoughts here will lay the ground work for questions that I can answer from at least my point of view on what information is being looked for. Being able to make OP better will make my campaign management go better and better and better along the way, as slowly, I've figured out how to do piece by piece more on OP with my latest project and rely less and less on this software and that software etc etc.

    Being a paying member, there are times I wish that having paid for it would give me offline access to my stuff on OP, so that if I am away from the net I still can work, and the next time I log in, it syncs back up, all with the understanding that if I quit paying for OP that the software would deactivate and I would be returned to only working from an online point of view. I have no intentions of stopping paying for the service, and indeed hope that in time, I can intergrate the work I am doing here to being a default point of reference for the project when I go live with it. As is, my access to OP is one of the very few icons on my desktop (tend to keep very nice background pics up so I don't like clutter on my desktop. As is, I keep only 5 or so Icons at a time,and I hand built an shortcut that opens a dedicated copy of firefox, with a tab to my campaign, a tab to the forums, a tab to twitter (I'm lordstormweaver over there - if only I could some how link up all the accounts...), a tab to blog.com to my companies blog which just got started a few days ago, and a tab to the Help Editor for Textile from OP. So understand, when folks here start the talk of "how can we improve" I'm ready to get involved with that chat.
  • Tempest
    Tempest
    Posts: 25
    Now that I've rattled on a bit, I'm gonna swing my part in this back towards OP - Ask questions and I will give you as specific answers as I can from my point of view. I speak for no one other then myself and Clockwork Tempest Productions (my company). If there are others that read what I've got here and wish me to help with being a voice, I am more then willing, but I personally have every hope and want to see OP continue to grow, build, and become much much more powerful for the things it does.

    To answer the concept of making OP better for Campaign Management - I would offer these few things to start.

    1. Forums: Make it where the player can post as them self, or as the character/s in the game. This allows OP to be used as a downtime RP location for a chronicle, such as was mentioned above - Some GMs use downtime between games to cover minor RPage that can take up valuable game time for little things. The forums here would be a great way to handle that and again, keep all things for a game under one roof. Formatting wise, I would direct you to take a gander at how the folks at rpol.net do it. Its basically a forum, just a bit different form layout so that one can run a play by post game there. I'm not offering the idea that a person could run a whole game from the forum here, (though in time, to gather more users, that might be something you consider).

    2. Characters / NPCs: The changes this last week were fantastic and well timed. I would like to see where we can customize whats on that page, maybe by drop down boxes to select sections or something but, allowing us to customize how much or how little info is there, and further more, how much is seen. I'm not sure how I would execute this, but basically, being able to make our own custom sheets, or pulling up a sheet based on the game the campaign is assigned to, and even then with the ability to edit the sheet for our own custom ways of doing things. And for folks like me, who develop professionally via OP, being able to use OP to actually develop my sheet, and later making it a place where a player could go to pull down that sheet for use, would be awesome. These are not changes I expect to see any time soon, but you asked my thoughts, I'm offering them. Further more on this: Each and every part of a character should be markable to be hidden if need. A GM might only want a name and picture seen to his players, but still have a full write up on the site so that while gaming he has a point of reference on info on a NPC. A player might want to have their full character sheet online so when at the table, its quick and easy to read. But we all have history that only the GM should know, so that meta gaming can be kept to a min. So being able to mark each and every aspect of a sheet as say, Public / Private / Private and GM / or GM Only - This way, all of it, part of it, none of it, or only the player and the GM can see whats going on would be fantastic. Its a bit more to set up as your going through, but once in place, is a powerful tool. My whole gaming group uses laptops for character storage for all our games as well as notes in game etc. This aspect of OP would make OP the central log in point for a group of gamers gathering.

    3. Campaign bits being mark-able as Public / Private / Group Only again allows the GM full control over what people see and know. I might only want parts of my Wiki open to everyone, other parts only open to the group as they learn about something, and the rest only seen by my eyes or those I mark as seeing "Private" such as a Co GM or Co Developer. Right now, I do not wish to open my wiki to anyone outside of my eyes, but I would love to start posting stories in the Adventure Log that the public can see to wet peoples desires to see more of what I am doing. But as my campaign is marked private - the whole it is locked out, from what I can tell, no one can see comments, Intro pages, logs or anything. This "All or Nothing" is about the only thing I don't like. Note, it didn't stop me from still buying a full membership and using OP as my development zone, but it did put me in the market to have to add more "roofs" to display from, hince blog.com being added in, so that I can post news, comments, stories, or articles from my company. These are things I would have loved to display directly from my campaign here at OP. In time, it will all be interlinked, being able to go from Wiki to blog to twitter or back here, but that is stuff I haven't worked out just yet.
  • Tempest
    Tempest
    Posts: 25
    Those three points is where I would start, if I were trying to figure out how to make OP more viable as a campaign management tool. Again, this is ONLY my point of view, and I am more then willing to field questions or if I need to, defend my stance on these things. But for your eyes and brains OP, here are my thoughts for you.

    Talk to you all soon!
    Tempest
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