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Game Master's Laboratory
268 members • Free
5 contributions to Game Master's Laboratory
29d •
The “Beach Episode”
Since I started running proactive games, and especially with some collaborative worldbuilding, my games tend to be very fast paced. There’s always something going on, and my players are always sprinting forward as fast as they can. I’ve had a few groups say they want to turn down the speed a bit and have some lower stakes sessions, which they always call beach episodes lol, some time to just chill, talk to people, shop, engage in some tomfoolery, downtime, etc. I highly recommend incorporating that, especially if your players mention it. At first, it really went against my instincts—as a GM, I tend to prep by adding as much tension, raised stakes, and drama as I can cram in my notes, and I prep by specific encounter using a PC v NPC goal structure. So the more free form, laidback stuff made me nervous that it would be boring for my players—I felt like I had so little prepared! But it’s always resulted in a great time. My players will have the opportunity to do stuff they never would otherwise, and the Freeform format makes it so they really steer the story themselves. I’ll do very little and relax, and they’ll talk amongst themselves, form more goals, make allies and enemies, etc. anyone else had some good seasons this way? How did you prep for it?
0 likes • 3h
How to tackle speed, tension and pro-activity are immensely important factors that GMs should consider and this is a great topic to discuss. Often times it can be played as a sort of mini-game with a few quick rolls, but if your players are consistent and its a campaign then actually playing out the downtime can be a refreshing change to the action/adventure stuff of the main quest. I guess what I am saying is...when considering downtime/beach episodes, the determined length of the campaign/story need be taken into effect.
12h •
Training Great Proactive Players
A need without a solution... I am having the time of my life with my new campaign with a group of truely amazing players. None of these players started this way and we don't always have the luxury of picking the great group. It has me thinking about what practices from GMs and from other players helped them grow into who they are now. From my teaching background I clearly understand that at least half of what I should be teaching my intro chem students is how to be a good student and how to learn science in a way they can actually use it. Telling doesnt work and it is more complex than just rewarding good behavior. So brainstorming... - all of them have GM'd at least once, but they gravitate towards playing - all of them have played more than one system and more than one type of game (dungeon crawl, political, exploration, ...) - they all respect one another and value other players trusting them - they ask questions about other players and their characters - none of them are "doing a voice" but all of them vary cadence, word choice, tone, and have phrases they reuse in a way that we know when they are talking in character
1 like • 3h
Wonderful post Eric, as a teacher myself I am trying to pioneer the use of TTRPG within classrooms in Japan. Thankfully the benefits (and art) of this profound act are becoming more and more recognized by researchers through which the data has clearly shown how RPG (and all of its variations) have a significant positive though yet inclusive (such is the realm of social science) effect on people who engage with it. It is my belief that the strength of TTRPG is its influence on the so-called affective filter and how people find anxiety/stress/and refrain from creative expressions within social settings and contexts. RPG (and notably TTRPG) properly applied has been shown to clearly help toward positive outcomes in community development, positive psychological growth, decreased anxiety and creativity. I think one of the reasons that this occurs is through process of fictional 'other' in which social ideas/concepts can be be 'tried out' with out fear of direct conflict. To get back to you point..well what factors can a GM be cognizant of when creating adventures may be thus: a) how does the adventure empower the players beyond the ideas of the adventure path and b) what effect does the environment play to creating a space for open communcation and roleplay (this includes the social environment and interaction between other players that the GM can help facilitate) There is so much more to be said on this topic and I am so glad you brought it up as it inspired me to respond with the above message.
2d •
Hello Fellow Gamers
My name is Jay, I am a long time GM and TTRPG player (though mostly GM) staring back with Dungeons and Dragons 2nd ed. These days I primarily play using my own home-brew systems though love jumping into the occasional Delta Green, Fall of Delta Green or gritty Call of Cthulu action. Other interests include GMT published ConSim games, hex and counter stuff (ala Avalon Hill) and the COIN series. My primary campaign (small player group) primarily focuses on global political intrigue with a healthy dose of skullduggery where players play multiple characters on multiple landmasses often in direct political opposition to each other. Its been very fun and I hoping to produce it as a modular system for other gamer out there at some point (next year?). At the moment, I am running a small 'cozy?' Zine for Zinequest about letter writing for which I could happily send over any information to anyone interested. Until then, lets chat gamezzzzz! Nice to meet everyone.
0 likes • 1d
Thanks for the welcome. Happy to be on board.
0 likes • 15h
Oh yes. Who doesnt love a bit of ye olde self-sabotage in gaming. :)
Sep '25 •
Book Recommendations
So I recently finished reading through Jonah and Tristan’s role playing book as well as Return of the Lazy DM. Both excellent reads by the way and you should check them out as a game master, but does anyone suggest other books on running games?
1 like • 2d
While not really about TTRPG the book: The Well Played Game by Bernard De Koven I found to be lovely philosophical reflection on what it is we do when we ...well, game well. It was originally published in the 70s and reads as much though I found it rich in great gaming insight.
0 likes • 15h
@Tristan Fishel Oh, that sounds great. I will definitely look into it. Strange I haven't heard of it. I actually did my Master dissertation on TTRPG and Anxiety. Love me some postmodern analysis. Thanks for the info.
7d •
Hello all 👋,
My name is Phil and I am a long time game master. I have been playing and running for 38 years. First game I played was DnD. First game I ran was After the Bomb. I have played DnD, most Palladium Books stuff, Cyberpunk, Deadlands, and a handful of others big in the 80’s and 90’s. I am currently running three Pathfinder 2e games. One weekly ( Abomination Vaults) and one monthly (Shackled City) and as of last night one bi-weekly which we used Collaborative Campaign Design to build the world. At this time because the monthly and weekly games have just been in one area we put them as givens and they will be included in the world build on the next times they play. As of now I have 14 players across three games.
1 like • 2d
Hi Phil! 14 players across three games! My word that must keep you crazy busy! I havent played After the Bomb yet, but was very curious about it.
1-5 of 5
@jay-underwood-4803
AccompliMusic composer, game designer, and university teacher who loves story focused games as much as hex and counter tactical stuff.
Active 3h ago
Joined Feb 10, 2026
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