Comments on: Two to Tango: GMing a Solo Campaign http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign 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: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3641 Martin Mon, 28 Aug 2006 14:19:39 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3641 Cliff: Do you find solo gaming online to differ substantially from solo gaming in person? I've only done solo games in person, and I can speculate that the differences would be similar to the difference between group play in person vs. online, but I don't know for sure. Cliff: Do you find solo gaming online to differ substantially from solo gaming in person? I’ve only done solo games in person, and I can speculate that the differences would be similar to the difference between group play in person vs. online, but I don’t know for sure.

]]> By: Cliff Nickerson http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3620 Cliff Nickerson Fri, 25 Aug 2006 19:17:59 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3620 Unfortunately, finding committed groups for campaign play in Poços de Caldas, Brazil, is difficult. Also, being a married employed father seriously gets in the way of my gaming. My only gaming these days is solo, mostly online, punctuated with very occasional live sessions. I've gotten so used to the dynamics of solo gaming that when I tried to run a group last year in D&D 3.5 I bombed it in the third or fourth session. I feel that there is a lot less role playing and actual interest in characterization in groups. That's not to say I wouldn't like to run a four player group, if I could find people who were serious gamers and who liked to role play. Unfortunately, finding committed groups for campaign play in Poços de Caldas, Brazil, is difficult. Also, being a married employed father seriously gets in the way of my gaming. My only gaming these days is solo, mostly online, punctuated with very occasional live sessions.
I’ve gotten so used to the dynamics of solo gaming that when I tried to run a group last year in D&D 3.5 I bombed it in the third or fourth session. I feel that there is a lot less role playing and actual interest in characterization in groups.
That’s not to say I wouldn’t like to run a four player group, if I could find people who were serious gamers and who liked to role play.

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3601 Martin Thu, 24 Aug 2006 14:12:00 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3601 Apart from single-session preludes for White Wolf games, I hadn't thought about non-campaign solo play at all. Interesting. (Scott) <i>I’d also emphasize that a lot more happens in one hour– you can’t rely on prep as much, because one player will blow through material very quickly. Solo play is a great place to expand your improvisation skills– because without them, you won’t get to go very far before you have to stop and prep again.</i> This should have been in my post, and it's 100% true. I love to improvise when I GM, and I think it grew out of my solo gaming. I hadn't made the connection between covering a lot of ground and needing to improvise more, but it's definitely the case. maikeru: You might also consider online gaming, in any of its many forms -- play-by-post or -email, forum, blog, etc. Apart from single-session preludes for White Wolf games, I hadn’t thought about non-campaign solo play at all. Interesting.

(Scott) I’d also emphasize that a lot more happens in one hour– you can’t rely on prep as much, because one player will blow through material very quickly. Solo play is a great place to expand your improvisation skills– because without them, you won’t get to go very far before you have to stop and prep again.

This should have been in my post, and it’s 100% true. I love to improvise when I GM, and I think it grew out of my solo gaming. I hadn’t made the connection between covering a lot of ground and needing to improvise more, but it’s definitely the case.

maikeru: You might also consider online gaming, in any of its many forms — play-by-post or -email, forum, blog, etc.

]]> By: maikeru http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3596 maikeru Thu, 24 Aug 2006 01:43:10 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3596 I am glad that there is some positive for solo games, as that is probably all I will be able to get since I just moved recently. I am glad that there is some positive for solo games, as that is probably all I will be able to get since I just moved recently.

]]> By: Drew http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3594 Drew Wed, 23 Aug 2006 22:59:05 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3594 I've been more or less solo gaming since I started playing RPGS. Getting together more than one friend to play has always been a rare treat for us, so from the start we really excelled in solo games. I've found too, that with multiple solo games running concurrently in the same gameworld makes for some interesting effects on a global scale that affects other characters. Over the last couple of years, I've transitioned into play by post on my wikispaces site, and I've found that under this kind of environment, the solo game really seems to soar. Since I'm working and in grad school full time, there isn't any time to sit down for a regular session, but my wife and I can happily hack away one post at a time over on the wiki. The only drawback I've ever seen with the solo game is that I start to lose form when I have more than four concurrent NPCs to manage (I never have my players take an NPC), so I try to keep the group sizes smallish or if there are a lot of NPCs, I try to have them pop in and out to keep things fresh. I’ve been more or less solo gaming since I started playing RPGS. Getting together more than one friend to play has always been a rare treat for us, so from the start we really excelled in solo games. I’ve found too, that with multiple solo games running concurrently in the same gameworld makes for some interesting effects on a global scale that affects other characters.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve transitioned into play by post on my wikispaces site, and I’ve found that under this kind of environment, the solo game really seems to soar.

Since I’m working and in grad school full time, there isn’t any time to sit down for a regular session, but my wife and I can happily hack away one post at a time over on the wiki.

The only drawback I’ve ever seen with the solo game is that I start to lose form when I have more than four concurrent NPCs to manage (I never have my players take an NPC), so I try to keep the group sizes smallish or if there are a lot of NPCs, I try to have them pop in and out to keep things fresh.

]]> By: adrianbrooks http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3593 adrianbrooks Wed, 23 Aug 2006 21:03:52 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3593 In my group we often have little bouts of solo gaming between the group play. Usually it is some sort of party split, or when someone wants to catch up with a character who's been out of the limelight for a while. Usually when this happens the actual playing out of it waits until Wednesday night when the GM and Player both have off work or something, as to avoid the rest of the group being bored out of their minds on game night. I've never actually done an entire campaign in this way before, but I definitely think that in small doses, when a character wouldn't or can't be in a group it is a good go. In my group we often have little bouts of solo gaming between the group play. Usually it is some sort of party split, or when someone wants to catch up with a character who’s been out of the limelight for a while. Usually when this happens the actual playing out of it waits until Wednesday night when the GM and Player both have off work or something, as to avoid the rest of the group being bored out of their minds on game night.

I’ve never actually done an entire campaign in this way before, but I definitely think that in small doses, when a character wouldn’t or can’t be in a group it is a good go.

]]> By: Frank http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3591 Frank Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:42:03 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3591 I've dabbled with solo play at various times. In high school, I did some solo play with my younger sister (including once when I got her to GM), most of this occurred on our summer trip across the country. I also ran various solo with various players through this time (including one guy from my high school). In college, I ran some solo Cold Iron with one of the players. Most of the solo play there was on the spirit plane, though we did run a couple dungeon scenarios. After college, I ran a few solo games for a caver friend who was also a gamer. We tried out 7th Sea and Deadlands, but those were basically one session each. A college years Traveller campaign at MIT was a semi-solo campaign. We almost always had other players, but they were never really committed to the game, so it really was one player, with various guest stars. I think once or twice we did actually run solo. But I've never really set out to run a full campaign (short or long) with a single player. Frank I’ve dabbled with solo play at various times. In high school, I did some solo play with my younger sister (including once when I got her to GM), most of this occurred on our summer trip across the country.

I also ran various solo with various players through this time (including one guy from my high school).

In college, I ran some solo Cold Iron with one of the players. Most of the solo play there was on the spirit plane, though we did run a couple dungeon scenarios.

After college, I ran a few solo games for a caver friend who was also a gamer. We tried out 7th Sea and Deadlands, but those were basically one session each.

A college years Traveller campaign at MIT was a semi-solo campaign. We almost always had other players, but they were never really committed to the game, so it really was one player, with various guest stars. I think once or twice we did actually run solo.

But I’ve never really set out to run a full campaign (short or long) with a single player.

Frank

]]> By: ScottM http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3590 ScottM Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:00:39 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3590 I haven't done much solo roleplaying in a very long time. In a strange way, planning out sessions with a co-GM can be very similar-- a collaborative fusion of ideas and creativity sparking off one another. I'd also emphasize that a lot more happens in one hour-- you can't rely on prep as much, because one player will blow through material very quickly. Solo play is a great place to expand your improvisation skills-- because without them, you won't get to go very far before you have to stop and prep again. I haven’t done much solo roleplaying in a very long time. In a strange way, planning out sessions with a co-GM can be very similar– a collaborative fusion of ideas and creativity sparking off one another.

I’d also emphasize that a lot more happens in one hour– you can’t rely on prep as much, because one player will blow through material very quickly. Solo play is a great place to expand your improvisation skills– because without them, you won’t get to go very far before you have to stop and prep again.

]]> By: Avlor http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3589 Avlor Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:54:07 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3589 My first stint GMing was a 1 on 1 with my hubby, and a not too stressful way to jump into GMing. I learned alot about the view from the GM chair vs the player chair. It was fun, and a came away with alot learned. My temptations were 1) to make everything always turn out ok, because the game session was a valentine's gift and 2) I tended to railroad (not a surprise for a new GM) and I think it was easier to do with one player. We did ok with one skill set. I put in NPCs that could assist with small parts that the PC couldn't. And tried to make sections where the PC could shine. Feedback - it was just one adventure and player was hesitant to say much until I volunteered what I saw as weaknesses in how things went and what I did (with out giving things away of course). Hubby really did miss interacting with other players. Something I may experiment with next time is letting him have 2 characters, or a give him a very interactive familiar that he controls. That may provide a few more jumping off points for him to play off of. Someday when I can continue that storyline, I will also prep a bit less and definately try to take the players pulse more often. My first stint GMing was a 1 on 1 with my hubby, and a not too stressful way to jump into GMing. I learned alot about the view from the GM chair vs the player chair.

It was fun, and a came away with alot learned. My temptations were 1) to make everything always turn out ok, because the game session was a valentine’s gift and 2) I tended to railroad (not a surprise for a new GM) and I think it was easier to do with one player.

We did ok with one skill set. I put in NPCs that could assist with small parts that the PC couldn’t. And tried to make sections where the PC could shine.

Feedback – it was just one adventure and player was hesitant to say much until I volunteered what I saw as weaknesses in how things went and what I did (with out giving things away of course). Hubby really did miss interacting with other players. Something I may experiment with next time is letting him have 2 characters, or a give him a very interactive familiar that he controls. That may provide a few more jumping off points for him to play off of.

Someday when I can continue that storyline, I will also prep a bit less and definately try to take the players pulse more often.

]]> By: Carolina aka Troy Taylor http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/two-to-tango-gming-a-solo-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-3588 Carolina aka Troy Taylor Wed, 23 Aug 2006 15:51:25 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=449#comment-3588 I had never really considered a solo campaign .. but it sounds intriguing. As a GM who rarely gets to play, this might have possibilities -- if I can find willing GM to run the adventure for me! I had never really considered a solo campaign .. but it sounds intriguing. As a GM who rarely gets to play, this might have possibilities — if I can find willing GM to run the adventure for me!

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