Get your own Free Home Page...well, I'll give you a few helpful hints on how to do it.
The first thing you need to do is pick up the sourcebook Star Wars:
the Role-playing Game 2nd edition revised and expanded edition by West End Games. Once you have it read all the sections
on how to be a Game Master. This will tell you what a Game Master
actually does and has some really helpful hints on how to do it. What this little
Spiel is going to give you, I hope, is my first-hand experience as a GM.
When first starting with a new role-playing game, it is always helpful if
you have prior gaming (and GM/DM) experience. I played Advanced
Dungeons and Dragons for three years and DMed it for two years before
I started here. I had many excellent teachers. If you have GMed/DMed a Role-playing
game before, you are in great shape, and I won't lecture you people much,
'cause, more or less, you know what is going on. It especially helps if your previous
experience is with Shadowrun or other 6-sided die RPG's. If not,
AD&D will do, but it will take some getting used to. Your RP experience
alone should help you do well from the start. Let me comment right here, that while I think
TSR's RPG's are great, and I still enjoy playing them, West End Game's Star Wars RPG
is by far the best RPG in terms of organization that I have seen.
It's major strength is, due to the 6-sided system, it is easier to learn than D&D and
the rules themselves are less complicated. It isjust as complex
and even more realistic than Dungeons and Dragons. Again, don't get me wrong,
I still love to play and DM D&D, but I think Star Wars is superior.
GM's Theme #1: Know when, and when not, to follow the rules.
So, what about those of you who have never GMed before? Well,
I won't lie to you. At the beginning it is going to take A LOT
of work. First of all, you need to really familiarize yourself with the rules.
But, be careful. The #1 rule about the rules is that they
are a SUPPLEMENT to the rest of the game. They provide a necessary
framework, but they are in NO WAY absolute. You are going to have to bend
them, and bend them frequently. Why? The point of the game is to have fun
and to experience Star Wars first hand. If you constantly rely
on the rules, it is going to get real boring, real fast. The catch to this
is that you STILL have to KNOW the rules to settle conflicts.
GM's Theme #2: You are in charge.
Don't take any crap from anyone. It is more than likely
that one of your players is going to be a whiner or constantly correcting you. First of all, if
someone is whining, they aren't letting the other people have fun.
They may be a close friend, but I would tell them to straighten up or
get the hell out. Also, it is imporatant that you know a lot about the
Star Wars universe. Read the novels, watch the movies before you play, or whatever. Someone may know more about the
Universe than you. They may correct you. If you screw up something major, correct yourself. But,
if they start to correct you by saying, "Actually GM, you neglected the sixth scale
on the fore-finger while describing that Rodian.", do me a big favor
and tell them to shut up. The game is not about perfection, it is about having fun.
You are in charge. If you want to re-invent a cooler interpretation of something in
the Star Wars Universe, you go right ahead and do it. We're talking about a GALAXY of possibilities.
What you say goes. Make this clear to your players right away.
GM's Theme #3: Make sure you are having fun too.
Like I said, the point is to have fun. More precisely,
the point is for EVERYONE to have fun. This depends on the Game Master. Some people like it when their NPC's win
and then they have fun. Personally, my NPC's could win, or the characters could win, and I would have just as much fun (of course
it is more fun when my NPC's win some of the time). You have every right to have fun too, and your characters DO NOT have to succeed. In
fact, they should fail some of the time. Balance the fun, so everyone, including you, is having fun.
GM's Theme #4: Be fair but firm.
It's good to be a nice person. But not good to
give into your characters' every desires. Remember, you are in charge. It is
up to you to make sure your characters do not become too powerful. You can
make them think they are powerful. I'm sure my characters right now think they are all that, but
if they were it wouldn't be any fun for me. Keep 'em guessing. The
converse of this is to be overly strict. I know some of these GM's (and they aren't playing in this campaign right now). Don't
use your power to abuse the players to make yourself feel good. It isn't fair, and,
in my personal opinion, it is morally irresponsible.
GM's Theme #5: Create memorable NPC's.
NPC's (Non-player characters) are the GM's children. This is how you (in
my opinion) show that you are a good GM. Until you can create memorable, developed NPC's you won't
be inducted into the Hallowed Ranks of the GM. Your characters have to be believable, have personalities that develop, histories
that develop, and be interesting. It is easy to create a character and not so easy to make it seem real when you play it. Have a signature for that
character. I usually do accents that apply (Klecser has a hissing, choked voice....reptilian, in other words).
Whatever. If you have good NPC's, people are going to have faith in the abiltity of your imagination....but that's not the end.
GM's Theme #6: Create good stories.
West End Games puts out supplemental adventures (like
any RPG does) that you don't need to do any planning for. I would only
recommend these if you aren't familiar with the Star Wars Universe.
Otherwise, you have an imagination. That's what probably got you here.
Use it! Other than NPC's, you need to create interesting stories. Here's what I try
to include in all my adventures:
You are not limited to these, and don't have to do all of these.
It is difficult to include every one, but I'd recommend them all
to keep your players interested. West End Games recommends that
you include a chase, but, in my opinion, the rules for movement are
not very good for chases---too many numbers. So, if you include a chase,
do not do any numbers, say that it will only be three rounds, and fix the outcome
unless something specific happens (like the characters are hit or fail a movement
roll or something). The more interesting you make the adventure,
the better chance you have of your players coming back for more.
GM's Theme #7: Use visual and audio aids.
Creating atmosphere involves everyone more, and encourages
players to be serious some of the time. There's nothing like the Imperial March to
scare the crap out of your players. In fact, you can tease the players by playing it when not necessary (I know, it's
cruel, but you should see their faces). Miniatures are nice for battle scenes to help everybody visualize
what is going on. People like to move "their character" around too. These aren't necessary,
but helpful. Other things that Jedi's like to play with are the replica toy lightsabers
or a blaster. All of these make it all more realistic and believable. They are fun to play with too.
Just make sure you keep it under control. Everytime someone gets engrossed with one of the toys and I have to throw
something at them to wake them up.
GM's Theme #8: Pick players that work.
This means several things. First of all, a good Role-playing group is between 3 and 6 people. Try
to avoid any more or less. Less gets dumb, more gets cluttered. I'd say the optimum is four (which is what we are currently at).
It is also helpful if you have some people who know how to
role-play and can do it pretty well. They add lots of fun ('cause they know how to do it well), and
they can help the people who have never role-played before. Also, make sure that
the players you have can all be available at least once every two
weeks or so to play. We rarely have everyone present, but we try to always have at least 3/4 of our
players present. Don't get a group that works opposite hours at their job or is constantly doing homework.
GM's Theme #9: Play extended sessions.
Some people think a role-playing session should be three hours tops.
That is dumb, and I will tell you why. Half of role-playing is just goofing off with your friends.
We usually go from 6PM to 1AM. We only actually role-play 4 hours. The rest is goof-off
and pizza break. If you play three hours, you aren't going to be able to develop any
interesting plot. We played one session from 6PM to 4AM. I was amazed that I could keep them interested
so long, but it payed off, in that it was a really productive session plot-wise. You don't have to do this (a lot of
the time people get tired), but it will be more fun.
Well, there it is. Now that I look back at
this, these simple rules apply to most RPG's, not just Star Wars. These
rules should help you get on your feet as a new GM. Good luck and May the Force be with you...always.
-Admiral Ackbar
Copyright 1997 Michael R. Fryda
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