So Veeky Forums I really dropped the ball on my first session dming...

So Veeky Forums I really dropped the ball on my first session dming, not only did I railroad my players into their first quest but the railroad also took forever and I was a super awkward stammering mess about it. Everyone liked it in the end and there mid quest all talking about being excited for the next session but Im really worried about my ability to just talk to players in character and to lead them into doing what I want. Any advice on these specific topics also general newgm advice thread.

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So first tip is to start being comfortable with fucking up. Nigger this was your first session, what did you expect that you suddenly gonna throw them an epic drama?

Let go of the anxiety that you will fuck up. You will fuck up, eventually. Your players enjoyed what you made for them. Even if it was a railroad, it seemed that they were willing to ride the rails and take in the sights. If you personally find this distasteful, start making two or three plot points that your players can choose from. Try to flesh each of these out such that if your players chose one, you will have one or two sessions worth of material to work with. Then get used to the fact that 2/3rds of what you work on will never get used.

Whatever you do, don't tell your players what they're missing out on. That robs them of the mystery of the world and makes their agency feel cheap in the world. If you want a good example of why this is important, google Gary Gygax Golden Man, a story about a dungeon element Gygax put in his game that his players never figured out and the secret to which he took with him to his grave.

Also, learn to improvise. The best DMs improvise 50% or more of their games, and it also means less work and less work wasted for you.

The first session will always suck dudeo

I always "railroad" my players in the first session. They start at the entrance to a cave or some other adventure area with a mission already set. The task is always straightforward and quick enough to be done that night so they can go report their success to whoever gave them the job, get in some role playing, decide what they are going to do next (hopefully take one of the adventure hooks) and declair what they do in their downtime before they set out again the next time we meet.

I have found the typical "You meet in a bar" starts end up with little no nothing happening the first night but a lot of the GM reading exposition and players stumbling around trying to figure the setting and each other out.

"in media res" is a thing for a reason. Start them out swinging and get them loosened up and comfortable, then dive into the meat of the world.

Session one of every campaign good or bad contains railroading. If the players want complete freedom they can go write stories on their own.

That was a fucking awesome story thanks and yea I have a couple plot points set out right now my real issue was talking to the players and directing them more naturally.

SAME

I've been DMing for a couple of years now and I still feel like you after each session. Granted, it's partly because I try new stuff each time so sometimes it's like I'm perpetually new but you gotta deal with it. Some of us are just more anxious than others.

If the players enjoyed it and asked for a next one you can bet you did at least something good. You got that at the very least. The best advice I can give you is to use your after-game autism and anxiety and transform it into a brainstorm of what could be better next time. If you have a doubt, asking in Veeky Forums and other places is unironically a good idea as long as you're able to filter shitposters.

as long as you're able to filter shitposters.

So all of us? No my friend, don't ignore shitposters. Embrace it, be moulded by it.

I started the session with every character meeting in a little town and upon waking in the town were dragged out by the couple guards and accused of kidnapping. They got kicked out and told to find the kidnapping victim or die to a curse the town magic man put on them. Thing is I fucked up on the guard dialogue super bad, didnt set out any clues to find the victim so the only ones I came up with "there are monsters down that road" is vague and terrible and I was so panicked I forgot about the curse part so they actually just got kicked out and told to find a girl from the kindness of their hearts.

Happened to me too. You get better at it.

Well, I should've said shitposts and maybe used a different word instead of filter. I meant filter in the sense of being able to mentally divide what's actually useful advice from trolls trollin trolls.

I've done worst. I mentioned that the town was seriously underpopulated, but failed to remember to say that the PCs and others were explicitly invited to come because of this. Now the players have little to small reason to stay here and forfor now I have to eliminate a whole investigation subplot about who really invited them that would make no sense.

I know what you meant, was just joking.

I don't think OP is a newfag, if he came here for advice he probably has some experience with tabletop and p&p and Veeky Forums.

First sessions are always trash. Just take what you did wrong and work on it. My first session, all my players were incapacitated because I said so and they had to listen to an actual video game style cutscene. We all fuck up.

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Don't worry about it just do better next time.

>Everyone liked it in the end and there mid quest all talking about being excited for the next session
Then there's no fucking problem
They know you just had your first time and that things might not go smoothly. Don't get scared to mess up every now and then. DMing is a learning process, like everything in life

Thanks, ill go through that. I have a docs full of advice from other new gm threads I just kinda crumbled anyway.

Railroading when starting is almost necessary for most groups and DMs, especially when they're just starting out. Few groups can actually handle the "you can do anything" approach so you'll have to at least nudge them in some direction everytime.

You'll become more confident with improvising and talking with time, don't ever overplan stuff, go with the flow. In my experience most players will be happy with little and you all can have fun.
Don't give horror stories on Veeky Forums much credit, most of the ones writing them never played.

>Don't give horror stories on Veeky Forums much credit, most of the ones writing them never played.
What did he mean by that?

It's ok, bruh. You'll get better with time.
My first session was done railroady too, had everyone recruited for a mission then told to suit up immediately, no time have to go now.

My second session, I went a little gentler with the story hints. My players sensed weakness, so instead of going to bed and waiting for the next mission, they said "that mission rocked and we're awesome, let's get drunk and laid, where's the nearest club?"
The session that followed was stupid wacky and we all loved it and I had o compose it almost entirely on the fly.

Basically, user, people lie on the internet.