Comments on: Lead With the Cool Stuff http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:46:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Treasure Tables » Interview with Johnn Four http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1251 Treasure Tables » Interview with Johnn Four Mon, 02 Jan 2006 13:49:03 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=16#comment-1251 [...] * Holding back. I liked your post about not saving stuff for rainy days and GMing good ideas right away. I have a big story arc for my current Birthright campaign planned, but I’m too slow and subtle in revealing it, and I feel it’s not as compelling as it could be. [...] [...] * Holding back. I liked your post about not saving stuff for rainy days and GMing good ideas right away. I have a big story arc for my current Birthright campaign planned, but I’m too slow and subtle in revealing it, and I feel it’s not as compelling as it could be. [...]

]]> By: Treasure Tables » Use Your Mental Back Burners http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-1011 Treasure Tables » Use Your Mental Back Burners Wed, 14 Dec 2005 23:55:29 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=16#comment-1011 [...] I find that if I’m not careful, I’ll tuck away an idea that really needs to be worked on because “I’ll get to it later” — which, of course, doesn’t happen. This ties into Lead With the Cool Stuff, too: Don’t sit on your best ideas for too long. [...] [...] I find that if I’m not careful, I’ll tuck away an idea that really needs to be worked on because “I’ll get to it later” — which, of course, doesn’t happen. This ties into Lead With the Cool Stuff, too: Don’t sit on your best ideas for too long. [...]

]]> By: Treasure Tables » Getting the Most Out of Your Gaming http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-730 Treasure Tables » Getting the Most Out of Your Gaming Tue, 15 Nov 2005 17:12:52 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=16#comment-730 [...] “Fun Now” also ties into two posts here on TT that I’m coming to think of as “foundation posts,” because I mention them so often: Lead With the Cool Stuff (which addresses why it’s bad to hoard your best ideas) and More Fun, Less Work (which also has some common ground with Chris’s checklist). [...] [...] “Fun Now” also ties into two posts here on TT that I’m coming to think of as “foundation posts,” because I mention them so often: Lead With the Cool Stuff (which addresses why it’s bad to hoard your best ideas) and More Fun, Less Work (which also has some common ground with Chris’s checklist). [...]

]]> By: Treasure Tables » I’d Rather Rake Leaves Than Do Prep http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-565 Treasure Tables » I’d Rather Rake Leaves Than Do Prep Wed, 26 Oct 2005 14:43:35 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=16#comment-565 [...] For me, good prep is more like brainstorming, very freeform and with no real deadline attached. This is why I love coming up with new campaigns — because it doesn’t feel like work, and the boundaries haven’t been established yet. (Conversely, that sometimes means I over-develop for an upcoming game, which I talked about a bit in “Lead With the Cool Stuff.”) [...] [...] For me, good prep is more like brainstorming, very freeform and with no real deadline attached. This is why I love coming up with new campaigns — because it doesn’t feel like work, and the boundaries haven’t been established yet. (Conversely, that sometimes means I over-develop for an upcoming game, which I talked about a bit in “Lead With the Cool Stuff.”) [...]

]]> By: Treasure Tables » Robert’s Rules of GMing http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-267 Treasure Tables » Robert’s Rules of GMing Thu, 08 Sep 2005 16:50:56 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=16#comment-267 [...] This tip was one of the seeds that grew into a previous post here on TT, “Lead With the Cool Stuff” — in a nutshell, this tip warns against saving your “best” ideas. I have a bad habit of hoarding ideas for my games, waiting for the perfect time to use them — and unfortunately, that time often doesn’t come. If you’re excited about an idea, use it before that excitement fades. [...] [...] This tip was one of the seeds that grew into a previous post here on TT, “Lead With the Cool Stuff” — in a nutshell, this tip warns against saving your “best” ideas. I have a bad habit of hoarding ideas for my games, waiting for the perfect time to use them — and unfortunately, that time often doesn’t come. If you’re excited about an idea, use it before that excitement fades. [...]

]]> By: Quim http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-153 Quim Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=16#comment-153 Althoght, generally speaking, I agree with you, I thing that premise ("When you get it, put it") isn't always applicable. When I'm thinking about a new campaing, I tend to follow this procedure:<BR/><BR/>1.- Thing about a plot or mission. Put on a question it'll be like "What is all about?".<BR/>2.- Try to figure out several scenes as milestones of the whole plot. This milestones usually are thought following the introduction-crisis-conclusion scheme. <BR/>As the campaing progress I try to fit the players actions in it, and I usually have to create new subplots or submissions, but always having in mind the main plot in order the whole campaing advance. Bearing in mind the "star small" principle (posted here few days ago), now on I'll try to focus more on the start of the campaing (introduction) and less on the conclusion.<BR/>Well, now my tesis on this post: When you have the whole campaing more or less designed, sometimes it's really hard to throw and fit a new idea in the day by day playing. So, I'll say that when you have an idea, for me, the best procedure here is to try use it ASAP but when it could reach the best performace in your campaing. For me It's not just throwing it at any moment, just because it's cool. It has to be cool but also has to fit rightly in the campaing.<BR/><BR/>Just my 2 cents.<BR/><BR/>Quim Althoght, generally speaking, I agree with you, I thing that premise (“When you get it, put it”) isn’t always applicable. When I’m thinking about a new campaing, I tend to follow this procedure:

1.- Thing about a plot or mission. Put on a question it’ll be like “What is all about?”.
2.- Try to figure out several scenes as milestones of the whole plot. This milestones usually are thought following the introduction-crisis-conclusion scheme.
As the campaing progress I try to fit the players actions in it, and I usually have to create new subplots or submissions, but always having in mind the main plot in order the whole campaing advance. Bearing in mind the “star small” principle (posted here few days ago), now on I’ll try to focus more on the start of the campaing (introduction) and less on the conclusion.
Well, now my tesis on this post: When you have the whole campaing more or less designed, sometimes it’s really hard to throw and fit a new idea in the day by day playing. So, I’ll say that when you have an idea, for me, the best procedure here is to try use it ASAP but when it could reach the best performace in your campaing. For me It’s not just throwing it at any moment, just because it’s cool. It has to be cool but also has to fit rightly in the campaing.

Just my 2 cents.

Quim

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2005/08/lead-with-the-cool-stuff/comment-page-1#comment-154 Martin Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=16#comment-154 (Quim) <I>So, I'll say that when you have an idea, for me, the best procedure here is to try use it ASAP but when it could reach the best performace in your campaing. For me It's not just throwing it at any moment, just because it's cool. It has to be cool but also has to fit rightly in the campaing.</I><BR/><BR/>You're absolutely right: even the coolest idea won't be much use if it doesn't work for your campaign. That said, if you come up with something that really grabs you, it might be possible to alter it to fit your needs at the moment -- while still retaining the aspects that grabbed you in the first place.<BR/><BR/>For example, if your cool idea was, say, an iron golem with <I>wands of fireballs</I> instead of hands (okay, that's not that cool -- but bear with me!), but your party is only 2nd level, you won't be able to throw the golem at them. But you could have them encounter its wake of devastation at the start of a session, maybe see it in action later that session, and then find something that will help them fight it later on at the end of the session.<BR/><BR/>That way, they've seen the whole idea, it's out in the open and still likely to inspire you, and they have something to work towards. (Quim) So, I’ll say that when you have an idea, for me, the best procedure here is to try use it ASAP but when it could reach the best performace in your campaing. For me It’s not just throwing it at any moment, just because it’s cool. It has to be cool but also has to fit rightly in the campaing.

You’re absolutely right: even the coolest idea won’t be much use if it doesn’t work for your campaign. That said, if you come up with something that really grabs you, it might be possible to alter it to fit your needs at the moment — while still retaining the aspects that grabbed you in the first place.

For example, if your cool idea was, say, an iron golem with wands of fireballs instead of hands (okay, that’s not that cool — but bear with me!), but your party is only 2nd level, you won’t be able to throw the golem at them. But you could have them encounter its wake of devastation at the start of a session, maybe see it in action later that session, and then find something that will help them fight it later on at the end of the session.

That way, they’ve seen the whole idea, it’s out in the open and still likely to inspire you, and they have something to work towards.

]]>