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(OOC) any tips on how to improve my abilities as a DM?
| Aria is silently watching. -xnbc
(I'll post something longer once I'm done picking my groceries.)
| Okay, so Aria here with some quick tips that I'll gloss over. Do note these are based on my observations alone:
- Assess in stage building. You don't need to meticulously write what each place looks like; instead, try opting to describe relative positions of everything. (For example, in SoC: where the party is in the boss room, how big the room is, what's the layout like, etc.)
| - Godmodding: this is apparent in a few of our SoC raid threads. I'm okay with Nova being OP and whatnot (I mean, hell, this is an MMO; OP characters are everywhere) — but when the GM power trickles down to Nova, it's kinda less satisfactory to do certain things.
For example, Nova's Dominate, and Redeemer's Light just sounds basically like GM powers made into abilities. We have a party, so why don't we tactfully try to take down the boss instead of Nova chanting his OHKO skill?
| - Finally, it goes down here: involve the players! They're in the game to play. When a player does 'A', there should be a reaction, 'B' — this is a minor tip, but one that most GMs can overlook easily.
| I know there will be other points such as grammar and spelling mistakes, but I put those to an English lesson instead of a DM/GM one.
Apart from that, it's been fun playing SoC, and randomly dashing at bosses! -xnbc
| >>185973
We'll that's unfortunate. I found Nova assholiness to be in the right place to be realistic — and when characters tip that point, it's fun (especially since Aria is the counter to that).
| *Well (thank you keyboard magic autocorrect thing)
| >>185975
Uh-huh. That's why I don't put those as a complaint. Not everyone is a native English speaker, so I never quite liked criticising others for their English skills — especially in a board as welcoming as /cyb/.
I put the things a DM need, a good English helps, but it's not mandatory.
| >>185974
My original plan for nova was a long and tedious one, basically the backround threads i would let die on purpose, then ad some new characters and edit old ones in a way that makes it look like i havent changed anything.
I was gonna do a little plot about a group of people called the magpies, i even fully fleshed it out. They would be a group of old players renowned for their exploits.given a poem and stuff.
>morphine
| >>185983
Those are the plans for later, hm?
But do keep in mind the godmodding I wrote. I exemplified Nova because that he is what I have encountered.
It's fun to write a strong character, but sometimes showing their unnoticeable weakness helps to form a more believable character.
| (Although to be fair, character-writing isn't quite a DM-specific skill, so...)
| >>185989
Nah him being OP was the point, let me explain.
I was gonna create a new backround thread but this time also using it to expand on the history of the game.
There was going to ba a portion of it called
>old and new players.
It was going to say:
There are 2 kinds of players in the game old and new players,players would once use the game for role-playing and not a MMO the players who still do heavy role-playing are the old players.(1/2)
| >>185994
Usualy players considered old are players over lvl 58 and players who were invited to the game by old players.
The new players are those who play the game like an actual MMO usually under lvl 58.
The devs stopped updating the game with role-playing type features due to it but still add them without announcing so.
Nova would be a old player and magpie while the rest of the party would be considered new.
(2/2)
| Fair enough, but this could have been explored during the raid, no? This sort of goes back to stage building (except that it's world building, huh) — it's the lack of information that often throws me off my loop.
I guess most of my tip can be simplified to that: players also need more details here and there, maybe a bit of cue and clues.
For example, none of us knew Nova is in the 'old player' group — what if we instead have a minor clue to his position in the game? (1/2)
| There was this term my DnD GM used to say, it's.. uh "nothing's up my sleeve" or something? Anyway..
The term basically means that whatever the GM adds or does has a base in the story. There's no sudden Deus ex Machina.
Sure, we know Nova is an OP character (as from his level and equipment), but none of these was explored. He was simply strong for the sake of being strong, from the player's PoV. (2/2)
| But, but, but. I'm not saying you shouldn't make OP characters. I'm saying that when we have such a grand background behind us and it explains the character's power, maybe try hinting us every now and then? An NPC or the OP character's friend could help, in a way.
| >>186014
Yeah i was gonna do something exactly like that,
A character named ellie would have been introduced the same time as the backround thread, she would be an old magpie and give litte hints and incite certain conversations
Like:
Hey, does nova ever show what he is really like outside of messing with you guys and stuff?
Wich would lead it to a story thing about a poem.
At the same time you could see that nova and his friends in the backround thread nova is No 7 and ellie is 2.
| >>186020
Well, at least you've got the basics planned! We're already so far down the raid…
But perhaps now would be the perfect time to let players ask question?
Tis' all up to you, of course! GM can have styles I'm unwary of, and honestly, I'm not the best when it comes to being a GM — I'm a horrible one at best, and I only take cues and complaints when they touch the players directly.
| Hmm ok thanks.
I know there must be someone else watching, got any tips on storytelling?
| >>186033
Oh, on that thread announcing kiki was alive you said something about wantinh to play SoC bug were new to VR and MMOs and when i asked you if your character was new when you made her sheet, you said that her player IRL in GC was new to VR MMOs so i put 2 and 2 together.
To be fair im the guy whi RPs
>N3verW3re
>Morphine.
| >>186039
Hey, someone noticed the clues I peppered!
That also makes the reason on Aria's tiredness clearer, but I think without explanation, it's pretty clear already.
| >>186044
Those were ment as clues?
I just thought you were building up your character, but was sloppy.
Not to demean your efforts or anything.
>Morphine
| >>186048
Nope, those were somewhat of a clue (sort of, it could be sloppiness, as you mentioned). I hinted this again at Uni's and AM's interaction at "How is everyone?" thread.
I did announce the "newness" of Aria, but I didn't mean the whole thing as a mystery either. Just in case someone in the game is also her acquaintance in GC, right?
And there's a lot of insignificant details I would've written here, but at the end of the day, I didn't fail introducing the connection.
| >>186053
Hmm i see... You are more up front with your clues.
I was always the type that leaves clues that can only be seen if you took a step back to think.
>Morphine
| My gripe with SoC so far has been you guys talking about stats and stuff so i depth, more people would probably join if it was more laid back
Also more opportunities to hop in, more side stories, etc.
| >>186092
To be honest, the stat talks are just the other guys, if you take the time to loom at it, its rather laid back outside of combat, look at the last few post on part 4 of the raid for example. Also yes i am trying to add more opportunities to join im, but srsly people get creative, and dont be afraid to intrude, like if the team is struggling then your character can swoop in and save them, simply need some creativity is all.
>Morphine
| >>186092
Ah.. I have myself to blame for that, sorry. The whole HP calculation thing was a nice whirl at quick maths.
But don't fret! There's actually very little stat-ing in SoC. I mean, usually we'd be okay with people taking a random level and a random HP count, and see where it goes from there. -xnbc
|
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| As the title says,im unsure if im competent, thus im looking for tips.
I also want to use this to ask how many of you are spectators of SoC.
>Morphine_blues