http://arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/25/naming-games/ art of the game, roleplaying game theory from the brain of ben robbins Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:55:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/25/naming-games/comment-page-1/#comment-14364 Noemie Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:18:39 +0000 http://www.lamemage.com/proto/wordpress/?p=25#comment-14364 I was a player in a group the DM decided was called the Sponge Quorum. sigh. He had the notion that we are a group of idiots. It wasn't a very good game. one day we tried to assasinate the DM's character. He was three hours late to the meeting. That, is an example why a DM shouldn't: 1. be also a player, 2. have a "players as spectators" game, 3. make the group do things they'd never do in the name of humor. I was a player in a group the DM decided was called the Sponge Quorum. sigh. He had the notion that we are a group of idiots. It wasn’t a very good game. one day we tried to assasinate the DM’s character. He was three hours late to the meeting.
That, is an example why a DM shouldn’t: 1. be also a player, 2. have a “players as spectators” game, 3. make the group do things they’d never do in the name of humor.

]]> http://arsludi.lamemage.com/index.php/25/naming-games/comment-page-1/#comment-3695 Ian Winterbottom Sun, 30 Sep 2007 18:28:59 +0000 http://www.lamemage.com/proto/wordpress/?p=25#comment-3695 I have always tried to name my games and episodes wherever possible; firstly because it gives YOU something to hang things on, often a basic idea for the story itself. I try to be a little of a writer too, and much of the time the title of a story/book sets the scene. It also gives the PLAYERS an idea of what they are trying to accomplish, who they are, why they are theree etc. "Death in a Dark Place" for instance was about, you guessed it, murder by night in a modern town, with the players as the nominally "ordinary" forces of Law and order; the fact that the murders were only committed IN DARKNESS however gave the beginnings of a clue to the "Weretiger", returned from his temporary grave, who was causing them! It doesn't have to give away any secrets, but it sets the scene, the mood, and perhaps gives at least a slight clue of the direction the players might think in? Above all it gives them a label, by which to think of that game, one which will hopefully stick in the mind even after the game is over. Much of the time the title actually comes first; gives me an idea for a story, in fact! A thought might be to try for a "catchy" title; contradictions, like for instance "Sounds of Silence"; or something like "On the Bright Side" for an SF journey into the sunward side of Mercury. Above all, I agree, make it simple! Ian. I have always tried to name my games and episodes wherever possible; firstly because it gives YOU something to hang things on, often a basic idea for the story itself. I try to be a little of a writer too, and much of the time the title of a story/book sets the scene. It also gives the PLAYERS an idea of what they are trying to accomplish, who they are, why they are theree etc. “Death in a Dark Place” for instance was about, you guessed it, murder by night in a modern town, with the players as the nominally “ordinary” forces of Law and order; the fact that the murders were only committed IN DARKNESS however gave the beginnings of a clue to the “Weretiger”, returned from his temporary grave, who was causing them! It doesn’t have to give away any secrets, but it sets the scene, the mood, and perhaps gives at least a slight clue of the direction the players might think in? Above all it gives them a label, by which to think of that game, one which will hopefully stick in the mind even after the game is over.
Much of the time the title actually comes first; gives me an idea for a story, in fact!
A thought might be to try for a “catchy” title; contradictions, like for instance “Sounds of Silence”; or something like “On the Bright Side” for an SF journey into the sunward side of Mercury. Above all, I agree, make it simple!
Ian.

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