Re: 1# - Yes frequently. The players generally have the GM outnumbered, so I often find it hard to maintain a sense of place as well as keeping the NPCs fresh. I'm fortunate in having a "troupe" of guests who play recurring NPCs.
I have run two long term-ish campaigns, one set during the Second World War on the Eastern Front and one during the Peninsular War. On both occasions, I was lucky enough to have regular NPCs. My wife also did duty as the wives and girlfriends of the regiments, as I encouraged the chaps to write letters home.
Probably the best example was a climactic battle during the Napoleonic campaign which was being played out with figures. One of the players said the week before that the GM would hardly kill him at this crucial moment.
I drafted in some of my wargamer friends and offered them a pint (we were playing in a pub) for every character killed and two for every one taken prisoner.
That concentrated the mind wonderfully.
The trick with the "adversary" NPC is not to over egg the pudding. Don't lean too heavily on them.
My girlfriend and I have done the Co-GM thing at Strategicon when we were playing Type IV - she ran the game, I ran the NPCs. The players responded very well (judging by their decision to stay with our game when it ran over on time instead of going on to their next session). It's not too hard to do as long as the GM and his/her assistant are on the same page and (if the game involved is tactical) having a tactical nerd control the 'fiddly bits' takes some pressure off of the main GM and allows him/her to have more brain space for location details, adjudication, and the rest of the GM's job.
-If you are not on Google +, you should be. Even if you have no interest in Constantcon games there's just a fucklot of very fast-paced, high-quality gaming bullshitting going on. Recent topics have included Jeff Rients' "If You Like Frazetta You Should Also Check Out _____", Oddyssey on building relationships in campaigns, Huth on the GUMSHOE system and the great Passive Perception Check debate, "Giant Robots Ruin Sci Fi Settings vs. Headbands Ruin Sci Fi Settings", getting Tristan Tzara, Hemingway and Dorothy Parker into the same RPG, etc. Recommended. Add me on G+ (the b&W zak smithw/ the asymmetrical haircut), then email me and tell me you want into my RPG circle. zakzsmith at hawt mayle dawt calm . Include a link yo your G+ profile address in the message.
(If you have already added me on g+ but haven't seen my most recent post "ANYONE WHO WANTS TO RUN OR PLAY IN A G+ GAME OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS POST HERE." (3:07 pm today) that means you are not in my RPG circle so you will pretty much see nothing on the gaming front from me until you write me.)
"A Few More Quickies"
6 Comments -
It's probably right in front of me but I can't see it, what's your email address please Zak?
December 3, 2011 at 12:57 PM
Look at the end of the 3rd paragraph. It's cunningly encoded. ;)
December 3, 2011 at 1:56 PM
Thanks for that Fabian. I've gotta stop speed-reading blogs first thing in the morning when I'm not quite awake.
December 3, 2011 at 2:04 PM
Re: 1# - Yes frequently. The players generally have the GM outnumbered, so I often find it hard to maintain a sense of place as well as keeping the NPCs fresh. I'm fortunate in having a "troupe" of guests who play recurring NPCs.
I have run two long term-ish campaigns, one set during the Second World War on the Eastern Front and one during the Peninsular War. On both occasions, I was lucky enough to have regular NPCs. My wife also did duty as the wives and girlfriends of the regiments, as I encouraged the chaps to write letters home.
Probably the best example was a climactic battle during the Napoleonic campaign which was being played out with figures. One of the players said the week before that the GM would hardly kill him at this crucial moment.
I drafted in some of my wargamer friends and offered them a pint (we were playing in a pub) for every character killed and two for every one taken prisoner.
That concentrated the mind wonderfully.
The trick with the "adversary" NPC is not to over egg the pudding. Don't lean too heavily on them.
December 3, 2011 at 3:26 PM
My girlfriend and I have done the Co-GM thing at Strategicon when we were playing Type IV - she ran the game, I ran the NPCs. The players responded very well (judging by their decision to stay with our game when it ran over on time instead of going on to their next session). It's not too hard to do as long as the GM and his/her assistant are on the same page and (if the game involved is tactical) having a tactical nerd control the 'fiddly bits' takes some pressure off of the main GM and allows him/her to have more brain space for location details, adjudication, and the rest of the GM's job.
December 4, 2011 at 8:34 AM
I did write you, but you're not getting my e-mails. Or you hate me. I guessing the former. ;)
December 5, 2011 at 4:23 AM