Comments on: The Power of Video for GMs http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms/comment-page-1#comment-10603 Martin Mon, 30 Apr 2007 15:44:04 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms#comment-10603 (John Arcadian) <i>Video works well, but I think it is hard to implement.</i> I've made a TV part of my gaming space for the past couple of years, and never used it -- this is part of the reason why. The key for me, though, is that I never <i>think</i> to use it. Finding an appropriate clip wouldn't be that hard (we have a lot of movies), it's just that it doesn't occur to me. Which is kind of what led to this post. ;) (John Arcadian) Video works well, but I think it is hard to implement.

I’ve made a TV part of my gaming space for the past couple of years, and never used it — this is part of the reason why. The key for me, though, is that I never think to use it. Finding an appropriate clip wouldn’t be that hard (we have a lot of movies), it’s just that it doesn’t occur to me. Which is kind of what led to this post. ;)

]]> By: John Arcadian http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms/comment-page-1#comment-10601 John Arcadian Mon, 30 Apr 2007 10:30:13 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms#comment-10601 Video works well, but I think it is hard to implement. Something like a final fantasy themed game comes with lots of pre-made imagery that you can pull from. Likewise there is plenty of fantasy stuff out there, as well as stock nature footage. Baraka was a particularly good compilation of evocative scenes that could work well for background snippets. You could also use some of the fractal 3d terrain generation programs with the animation fly-over features to make video as well. There are issues with video however. Mainly the fact that it requires a bit more of a set-up. It can also cause some in-game distraction depending. You think the monty python jokes are bad in a game regularly, try showing a bit of Holy Grail and see if the players don't go nuts :). Video works well, but I think it is hard to implement. Something like a final fantasy themed game comes with lots of pre-made imagery that you can pull from. Likewise there is plenty of fantasy stuff out there, as well as stock nature footage. Baraka was a particularly good compilation of evocative scenes that could work well for background snippets. You could also use some of the fractal 3d terrain generation programs with the animation fly-over features to make video as well.

There are issues with video however. Mainly the fact that it requires a bit more of a set-up. It can also cause some in-game distraction depending. You think the monty python jokes are bad in a game regularly, try showing a bit of Holy Grail and see if the players don’t go nuts :) .

]]> By: JasonA http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms/comment-page-1#comment-10599 JasonA Mon, 30 Apr 2007 05:05:17 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms#comment-10599 Yep. I ran a campaign set in the world of Final Fantasy X (basically the PCs were doing the same thing as you do in the original game - saving the world from the big nasty - but in a totally different way). During the campaign I played a number of clips from the game; in-game movies that showed what the new location they were visiting looked like, or in one case the results of a battle (where the PCs were just bystanders, and the good-guys got their butts handed to them). It seemed to work well. Jason Yep. I ran a campaign set in the world of Final Fantasy X (basically the PCs were doing the same thing as you do in the original game – saving the world from the big nasty – but in a totally different way). During the campaign I played a number of clips from the game; in-game movies that showed what the new location they were visiting looked like, or in one case the results of a battle (where the PCs were just bystanders, and the good-guys got their butts handed to them).

It seemed to work well.

Jason

]]> By: Telas http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms/comment-page-1#comment-10595 Telas Sun, 29 Apr 2007 23:29:47 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/2007/04/the-power-of-video-for-gms#comment-10595 Cool idea. There's a TV already hooked up to a computer in the room we game in (living room), so this would be a snap. I could even use a cheesy "flight attendant" approach... "Please pay attention to the viewscreen for this short safety presentation on your trip to Moria." Telas Cool idea. There’s a TV already hooked up to a computer in the room we game in (living room), so this would be a snap.

I could even use a cheesy “flight attendant” approach… “Please pay attention to the viewscreen for this short safety presentation on your trip to Moria.”

Telas

]]>