Session Zero

Tonight we unexpectedly had a big ole talk and a realignment of sorts around expectations.

The main topics I heard discussed were these:

1. Pacing

2. Start Time and End Time

3. Role Play and Opportunities For It

4. Retros

These topics all ended up being somewhat related to each other to various degrees.

Players seem to enjoy goofing around and having fun. The number one priority is not advancing the plot. At the same time, they sometimes feel guilty taking time away from the plot to pursue personal interests.

The DM, although they have a plot and a storyline planned out, also enjoys goofing around and enjoying the moment.

Decisions:

1. Let the plot advance naturally. Take plenty of time to enjoy yourselves along the way. Indulge your interests.

A two hour game can feel short for a couple reasons:

1. People join late.

2. We need time to relax, shoot the shit, and get into character before starting.

3. Then we have to do a recap.

4. Then we often start to wind down early to leave time for final remarks and role play moments.

The results include:

1. the feeling that "but we didn't get to play yet!"

2. In this example, the pending "big fight" that has been about to happen "any minute now" for at least 3 episodes.

Decisions:

1. Lengthen the game time from 2 hours to 2.5 hours -ish.

2. Open invitation to join up to 30 minutes early to talk characters, do housekeeping stuff, talk shit, etc.

3. Create a new role-play Discord channel as a way for players to no-stakes engage with their character as time allows between sessions.

4. Create a "table talk" Discord channel to facilitate more metagaming conversations like, "What should we buy at Costco?"

Decision 1 should create more time for playing.

Decisions 2 - 4 should help reserve play time for playing.

Related to "Pacing," players often don't feel like indulging in role play at the expense of advancing the plot, even though they really want to do the role play stuff.

It should be noted that "plot" is always secondary to "fun," and that Combat is but one of the Three Pillars of play, the other two being Interaction and Exploration.

Decisions:

1. The DM often calls for moments of "What do you do?" at the beginning and the end of the game. These are calls for role play. Prepare yourself for these moments by considering a list of things your character would ask of the other characters.

2. Take advantage of travel time. We blew through 5 in-game days of travel on the way to Goldenfields without making much time for anything but combat.

Feedback is awesome. If you let the DM know what parts of the game you enjoy, then they will give you more of that.

Decisions:

1. Use the retro channels in the Discord! At least use the #rose and #thorn channels to say what you did and/or did not enjoy.

2. Have a retro session every 4 - 5 weeks (roughly once a month) to have an in person, face to face conversation about how the game is going. Because it felt to have this conversation as a group.

1. Let the plot advance naturally. Take plenty of time to enjoy yourselves along the way. Indulge your interests.

2. Lengthen the game time from 2 hours to 2.5 hours -ish.

3. Open invitation to join up to 30 minutes early to talk characters, do housekeeping stuff, talk shit, etc.

4. Create a new role-play Discord channel as a way for players to no-stakes engage with their character as time allows between sessions.

5. Create a "table talk" Discord channel to facilitate more metagaming conversations like, "What should we buy at Costco?"

6. The DM often calls for moments of "What do you do?" at the beginning and the end of the game. These are calls for role play. Prepare yourself for these moments by considering a list of things your character would ask of the other characters.

7. Take advantage of travel time. We blew through 5 in-game days of travel on the way to Goldenfields without making much time for anything but combat.

8. Use the retro channels in the Discord! At least use the #rose and #thorn channels to say what you did and/or did not enjoy.

9. Have a retro session every 4 - 5 weeks (roughly once a month) to have an in person, face to face conversation about how the game is going. Because it felt to have this conversation as a group.