Tekst is geschreven door Sean Patrick Fannon, editor bij DriveThruRPG. Wel in het Engels, maar hey. Als die rollenspelboeken zijn dat ook. Als je iets niet begrijpt, wil ik het gerust vertalen.
My advice for running a con game is as follows, in short form:
* Keep it simple; a simple mission or task, with a single villain group doing "something bad" that the heroes have to figure out and deal with.
* Put one twist in, and no more. When you have more con game experience, you can get more complicated, but for now, KEEP IT SIMPLE.
* Don't over-plan. A basic thread of an idea is really all you need. Who are the bad guys? What are they doing? If you have this solidly figured out, you should be able to adapt to whatever the heroes decide to do.
* Pre-generated characters that have easily defined roles. Make sure they all have something to contribute to what you have planned.
* ALL pre-gens MUST be able to fight. Con games MUST have some kind of fight in them, and that fight will dominate the experience, no matter what you might plan otherwise. Anyone who can't really fight will feel screwed.
* Pre-gens need to have an instant reason to work together; either they are part of a team already, or are put together in a way that brooks no argument about working together. You've got no time to "build relationships" here.
* There needs to be at least ONE scene where folks have cause to interact and roleplay; an investigation, a negotiation, an important social situation. Without that, everyone will think it's just a wargame with RPG trappings.
* Don't be afraid to do things to keep the game moving; a dramatic entrance by an villain or NPC, saying or doing something that stirs action, or someone starts shooting or swinging weapons. Pacing is particularly important during con games, with the limited time you have. "You've discovered too much, you meddling fools! Now we end this!"
* Be descriptive, but keep it fast and cinematic. Don't be afraid to make interesting noises. Be a little physical. Keep your energy up, as the table will respond directly to that.
* When (not if, WHEN) the players derail what you have planned, go with it. Adapt. As long as you have bad guy stats on hand, and you generally know who they are and what they are trying to do, you can manage. When all else fails, make the main battle happen and get on with it.
* Reward creativity and heroism. Don't let bad dice rolls ruin a great scene. If the heroes do something awesome and a bad roll destroys it, give them a free re-roll ("Someone is watching out for you - roll again!"). If the dice just don't make it work, let the good idea carry over as the scene goes on. Maybe the main villain is so shocked by what the hero tried, they hesitate long enough for another try.
* Act like you're getting run over by the players. Let them feel like they are beating you and your bad guys up. Make them feel like they are ruining all your precious plans. Do so with mock annoyance, but make sure they never think you're really upset. They will enjoy both the humor and the sense of "winning."
* Never, EVER let anyone step on someone who is actually roleplaying. Don't let table talk interfere with in-game performance. That's the real treasure of these experiences, and it should be cherished.
* When it's over, congratulate them. Make them feel like real winners and heroes. If you've done your job at all right, they will never forget this game.