Running a big-ass game

[gamepunk26]

Excuse the mistypes. I am drunken.

I am going to run a big game for my gaming group. 8-10 people running "The Complete Dungeon of the Bear" or "Catacombs of the Bear Cult".

Any advice for a game this size? Such as crowd control issues, bumping up MRs, or anything from anyone who has run a large game is welcome.

[zanshin]

Good luck with that!

You will definitely need to bump up MR's and probably numbers.

You also need to work out what to do when delvers die so there isnt too much hanging around - I recommend having some prerolled characters that the party can meet as 'wandering monsters'.

Have never run for more than 4, so apart from that your on your own!

[Fenris]

gamepunk26 said:

I am going to run a big game for my gaming group.
Any advice for a game this size? Such as crowd control issues, bumping up MRs, or anything from anyone who has run a large game is welcome.

Question: Do you know and are friends with everyone in this game, or will there be strangers there?

I ask because the game can be quite a bit different depending on that. I've played/GM'd in a group of friends that was, umm, I think it was 7 or 8 of us, and I've played (not GM) in a Gamer Group (LARGE) that had sign-ups... two different things, man, and each is handled differently.

[gamepunk26]

These will all be friends.
I will be running T&T at Conquest Vegas and I hope that those will all be sign-ups and new or nostalgia players.

[mahrundl]

General tips:

Have as few situations as possible that involve sub-groups of the party. With a group that size, you have lots of possibilities for people getting bored. Which leads to discussions of local sporting teams, and disrupts the game.

Have a set player order for actions, especially in combat. I've seen too many people get annoyed when they've missed out on acting on a turn because they couldn't get the GM's attention. You can vary the order from time to time for variety and equitability, but keep it constant for any given combat / event.

Be undrunken when running the game. OK, you can get away with slightly buzzed, but you're going to need to be fairly focused.

Keep things moving, unless *all* of the players want to stop and discuss / argue over / come to blows over something.

Don't let an argument over a rule decision last more than about a minute. Anyone not involved will start looking for other ways to entertain themselves.

Basically, keep everyone's attention on the game, not on off-topic socialising. The bigger the group, the harder to get and keep everyone on track.

I won't make any suggestions as to how to change the game itself - that depends quite a lot on your house rules, which edition you are running, and so forth.

Prime rule: Enjoy!

[zanshin]

I think those are great tips mahrundl, i threw you an exalt

[mahrundl]

Thanks Zanshin. Most of them were learned from experience as a player, rather than a GM. But when you have a dozen people who only see each other every month or less, and therefore tend to chat whenever there's a break in the action, you soon see even as a player what the GM needs to do.

(In the case of the campaign in question, the words 'Roll percentage' are amazingly effective at getting attention, since failure to do so means that your character didn't notice the thing that's about to happen to them...)

[castiglione]

zanshin said:

You also need to work out what to do when delvers die so there isnt too much hanging around - I recommend having some prerolled characters that the party can meet as 'wandering monsters'.

Remember the "delver in a bag" trick!

If a PC dies, the next group of monsters the party encounters has two bags...inside one bag, some weapons and equipment...in the other bag, a bound and gagged delver (the new PC!); the stuff in the 1st bag is his equipment.

"Gee - thanks, guys. I don't know what happened. I was hiking from Kosht to Khazan, made camp, went to sleep and the next thing I know, I'm in this bag and I hear orcs arguing about whether they're going to sell me to slavers or have me for dinner."

I wish I could take credit for this but I first read of it over on an OD&D forum.

[skathros]

"delver in a bag"...i love it!

[apeloverage]

or, for Wizards and Rogues,

With a peal of thunder and a puff of smoke, a man appears, staring at a scroll. 'Hm. So that's what that spell does' they say.

[castiglione]

Apr 15, 2008 17:52:42 GMT -5 skathros said:

"delver in a bag"...i love it!

Yeah.

Just add water.

[order99]

"Delver in a Bag".

Beats my old method, that's for sure:

Wizard-Do you hear a whistling sound?
Rogue-High pitched, over to the Left a bit?
Wizard-Yeah, about right-

(large crate with airholes and a 'This End Up' arrow plummets through glowing portal and smashes to flinders...fully-armored WARRIOR bounds to his feet ready to hurt someone...)

Warrior- WHAT THE(censored) IS (censored) GOING ON HERE? One minute I'm asleep at the Inn, next thing I know some(censored) IDIOT jams my helmet over my eyes, someone's all 'Open Portal!' and 'Fire Trebuchet!' and WHERE'S SOMETHING I CAN(censored)KILL???!!!

Rogue-Well, we needed some serious reinforcements here, and you're the closest thing to a One Man Army we know of Carl, so-
Wizard-Steve and I had you Faxed. Sorry about that.
Warrior- Frank, Steve...and I mean this from the bottom of my generous and practical heart-WHATEVER you were facing pales beside the FURY you are about to receive at my capable hands-

(The reinforced door splits asunder. A Shoggoth flows into the room.)

Warrior-Okay, point taken...but you owe me a KEG of Ale! Ready...
Wizard- Go, Go, Little Feets!!
Rogue- Go. Go, Weapon Whammy!!
Warrior- Engaging Supreme Death-Blossom Twirling Chainsaw Kata!! YAAAAAHHHH!!!!

(mayhem ensues)

[unclecranky]

let me see the Carl-fax.