CREATING SESSIONS

Four overall activities define roleplaying game sessions:

  1. Prepare materials for the next session.
  2. Plan the logistics of holding the next session.
  3. Play the game, holding the session itself.
  4. Review how the session went before looping back.

Session Preparation

UPDATE ADVENTURER PLAYSHEETS

  • How have the Adventurers themselves changed since the last session?

UPDATE ADVENTURER AND NPC RELATIONSHIPS

  • How have the relationships between Adventurers and NPCs changed since the last session?
  • How have the relationships between the NPCs themselves changed?

UPDATE HOME BASE

  • What has changed in the Adventurers' home base?

UPDATE FACTIONS

  • What has changed for the factions in and around the Adventurers' home base?

UPDATE VILLAINS AND RIVALS

  • How have the Adventurers' Rivals plans changed?
  • How have the Villains' plans changed?

UPDATE STORY OVERLAYS

  • What happens in the background of the world that may be noticed by the Adventurers?

UPDATE EVENT TABLES

  • What are some possible upcoming events in the region which may affect the Adventurers?

UPDATE MINING CARTS

  • Sketch out or fill in anything needed in surrounding hexes which may be explored next session

UPDATE KNOWLEDGE TABLES

  • Rumors
  • Clues
  • Hooks
  • Campaign information

UPDATE LEGENDS

  • What new whispers of legendary sites or foes have spread into the region?
  • What new hexes or areas have the Adventurers reached which have legendary hooks?

UPDATE LOOPY TABLES

  • Update relevant random encounter tables
  • Tie into possible hooks, loops
  • Tie into home base, region, or Adventurer if possible

UPDATE SPIKES OF DANGER

  • What has changed for any of the extremely dangerous threats hiding around the region?

UPDATE TREASURE TABLE AND REWARDS

  • What has changed for the Adventurers and their possible interests and rewards?

UPDATE OPEN PLOT LOOPS

  • What are the next steps of each of the open plot loops or threads?
  • What are the most likely plots the Adventurers may progress in next game?

CREATE NEW VILLAIN STORIES

  • Introducing a new villain? Give them a story.

CREATE NEW LOCATION STORIES

  • Introducing new locations? Give them a story.

CREATE POSSIBLE NEEDED 5-ROOM DUNGEONS

  • Need to create a quick 5-room dungeon for the next session?

CREATE POSSIBLE NEEDED MISSIONS

  • Need to create a quick mission for the next session?

CREATE POSSIBLE ENCOUNTERS

  • Create needed plans for expected or possible encounters for next session
  • Consider each of the common five actions for next sesssion encounters

CREATE POSSIBLE COMBAT PLANS

  • Create 3-round combat plan outlines for possible combat encounters

Session Logistics

WHO

  • Guide?
  • Players?
  • Characters?

WHEN

  • Date?
  • Start Time?
  • Estimated Duration?

WHERE

  • Who is hosting?

WHAT

  • Newsletter or other updates?
  • Game Rulebooks?
  • Game World?
  • Adventure?
  • Maps?
  • Miniatures or Counters?
  • NPCs?
  • Dice?
  • Pencils and Paper?
  • Food and Drink?

HOW

  • Tabletop?
  • Virtual Tabletop?
  • Voice Chat?
  • Camera Chat?
  • Laptops or Mobile Devices?
  • Bluebook sessions?

Session

CAMPAIGN LOGGER

  • Logs
  • Pages
  • Track experience points earned

CAMPAIGN TABLE TOP

  • Maps
  • Tokens
  • Fog of War

After-Session Review

AWARD EXPERIENCE POINTS

REVIEW PLAYER SURVEYS

  • Who had fun?
  • Who had suggestions to make something better?

REVIEW ENCOUNTERS

  • What worked well?
  • What did not?

REVIEW COMBAT PLANS

  • What worked well?
  • What did not?
  • What was too easy?
  • What was too hard?

REVIEW SESSION TIMINGS

  • What went too fast?
  • What went too slow?

Additional Resources

Wizard of Adventure Storytelling Workshop
Ultimate Guide to 5 Room Dungeons
Campaign Logger
Campaign Table Top
Roleplaying Tips #0178 - 5 Post-Session Player and Campaign Development Tips
Roleplaying Tips #0198 - The Session Checklist: Ingredients To A Successful Game Session Part I
Roleplaying Tips #0199 - The Session Checklist: Ingredients To A Successful Game Session Part II
Roleplaying Tips #0266 - A Guide To Session Notes
Roleplaying Tips #0284 - Blogging Your Game Sessions
Roleplaying Tips #0352 - Know Your Players - Building Your Session Checklist
Roleplaying Tips #0358 - Know Your Players Part 2 - Building Your Session Checklist
Roleplaying Tips #0441 - Reduce Session Cancellations with an On-Call Player
Roleplaying Tips #0537 - Minis In Sessions - 20 Tips (Tactical and Story)
Roleplaying Tips #0581 - The First 15 - A Key GM Technique For Great Game Sessions
Roleplaying Tips #0608 - Session-Ender Narration Tool
Roleplaying Tips #0703 - GMing Your First Game Session - d12 Tips
Roleplaying Tips #0714 - Panicked Prep for Next Session
Roleplaying Tips #0737 - Explosive Session Starts Part 1: The Cajun Spice List
Roleplaying Tips #0738 - Explosive Session Starts Part II: Stakes and Consequences
Roleplaying Tips #0740 - Explosive Session Starts Part III: The Encounter Pyramid
Roleplaying Tips #0743 - What Should You Do With First Sessions?
Roleplaying Tips #0772 - GMing Your First Game Session - d12 Tips
Roleplaying Tips #0811 - Do This Now Every Session For Easy World Building
Roleplaying Tips #0916 - A Quick Tip On Session Prep
Roleplaying Tips #0959 - Two Fun Ways To Add Games To Your Sessions
Roleplaying Tips #0985 - Fix Session Problems Before Game Day By Doing This Simple Exercise
Roleplaying Tips #1022 - How Do Your Pace Game Sessions Well?
Roleplaying Tips #1025 - Get Into Gamespace Faster With A Good Session Warm-Up
Roleplaying Tips #1032 - d6 Ways To Spice Up Next Session
Roleplaying Tips #1061 - 3 Quick Tips For Taking Session Notes
Roleplaying Tips #1082 - 3 Tips For Better Sessions
Roleplaying Tips #1087 - Better Session Kick-Offs -- The Warm Up Trick
Roleplaying Tips #1094 - Checklist: Compelling Session Alerts
Roleplaying Tips #1100 - Unpack Last Session To Loopy Plan Next Game
Roleplaying Tips #1127 - How To Help New Players Have A Blast With Their First Session
Roleplaying Tips #1144 - 7 Ways To Improve Virtual And Online Game Sessions
Roleplaying Tips #1172 - 9 Ways To Prep For Sessions Faster
Roleplaying Tips #1174 - Visual Aid Session Prep With The Five Room Dungeon
Roleplaying Tips #1176 - How To Start Every Session With A Bang!
Roleplaying Tips #1185 - How Can You Take Fast Notes During Sessions?
Roleplaying Tips #1197 - 3 Ways Your Players Can Help You Out Next Session
Roleplaying Tips #1206 - d6 Tips For A Player's First Session
Roleplaying Tips #1215 - How To Create Engaging Session Recaps To Get Players Ready To Play

Chronology :: ◢ References: Session Zero and Sessions