The spy who GMed me

(Okay, I know, that title spoof is already getting old.)

So I’ve committed to some folks to run a Spycraft game. Spycraft is a D20 modern spy and espionage rules set, which should be an interesting change from other campaigns I’ve run.

Ahem.

Yeah, the last campaign didn’t end all that well. Something about me breaking down and sobbing under the pressure, or something like that.

Hrm.

And looking back at that post, I find I wrote myself a nice set of rules on how not to get overwhelmed when GMing. Which rules bear repeating, as a sanity check here.

1. Be realistic about the time commitment.

Things have eased up quite a bit, and I’m taking some distinct steps to ease that time commitment thang. For one thing, I’m going to, at least in the short term, rely heavily on modules. I’ve a variety of Spycraft modules, both stand-alone and Living ones, and it’s a lot easier for me to clean those up (and tweak them to my own nefarious purposes) than to come up with stuff of my own. I also have a passle of general plot ideas, and, if all else fails, a copy of this. Pre-game planning and involvement should be a lot more manageable.

2. Be realistic about the number of players.

I decided to limit the initial invitation to the folks I game most with already — Margie, Doyce, Jackie, and Randy. I can expand that further, if need be, later on, and there’s certainly a pool of friends and acquaintances that I can draw on — folks from my last game, folks from other games I play or have played in. But having a set of four players whose schedules are known factors is a good start.

3. Decide on rules.

Spycraft. Doyce knows it. I’m getting a copy. And it’s D20-based, so there’s already a high familiarity factor. I’ve got a couple of questions about 3.5 and how it affects Spycraft (or not), but I’m not sweating them.

I still want to do some further Spycraft research on the web, but I could, if pressed, sit down right now and run the first game. It wouldn’t be as good as I’d like, but I could do it. That’s comforting.

4. Be realistic about the scope.

I have some arc stuff I want to weave through the modules I’m using, and eventually use that as a kick-off to original things — but I don’t have to. And I don’t have to right now.

5. Meet regularly, meet often.

May not happen for a bit. If I get one game in a month, for starters, I’ll be happy. Everyone’s schedule is not jam-packed, but there are enough regular games going on that it will take a while for a slot to open up.

But, again, that’s okay. One-shots. Lots of one-shots. Regular scheduling is less critical if folks aren’t having to scratch their heads to remember critical clues and events from the previous session.

6. Keep it Simple, Stupid.

I think I’m doing that so far. Baby steps. As long as it’s fun, not a chore, then it will be fun for the players, too. And that’s paramount.

So, why am I doing this (again)?

Well, part of it is the GM Muse has been poking me with her Shortsword of Inspirational Prodding (+2) lately.

And part of it is the feeling that I’ve been “taking” more than “giving” to the gaming community lately (i.e., that I’ve been relying on others to provide the entertainment, being the perpetual party guest rather than host).

And I just feel I need to do it, and want to do it — to exercise those creative muscles, if you will, though I’ve any number of other creative things I should be spending time on.

Maybe, a weensy bit, to prove that I can still do it.

But I won’t obsess on it. And I’ll keep that above advice in mind. And this, too, which I wrote:

I’ll run something small — four, five people tops. I’ll try to meet more frequently, maybe every other week. I’ll work with a ruleset I know. I’ll try to deal with things from game to game, see where things are going, before I get too much into the Grand Scheme of Things.
And I’ll try to have fun. Because if it’s not fun, then somebody’s doing something wrong. Probably me.

Stay tuned.