Author Topic: Trying Again  (Read 2454 times)

Offline Warderbrad

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Trying Again
« on: July 25, 2012, 05:09:41 PM »
Hello,
  I am a long time gamer and lover of all things Dresden.  About a year ago I tried to learn the system for DFRPG and found it hard.  Real life and college classes interfered with my ability to stick to it and so I gave up but would like to try and learn the system well enough to run a game. 
  To give background on me, I have been playing RPGs for nearly 20 years, mostly D&D in all its forms but also some WHFRPG, some Paladium, White Wolf, Paranoia, Rolemaster and some other even more obscure games.  I have been running games (D&D, WHFRPG and White Wolf - Mostly D&D though) for about 15 years. 
  I would really like to find someone who I could meet online (via IM or chat) to help me learn the system.  I am feeling like I have some misunderstandings of how the system works fundamentally so I would really like to just forget all I know and start again.
  I am hoping I can find someone to do this, as I am very excited to play and run this game. 

Thanks in advance.

Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2012, 04:33:04 AM »
Welcome back to the game, Warderbrad.

What do you want to know about the mechanics?

PS: We've got a chatroom of sorts here. It's not too populated, though, so you'll probably have to make an appointment to see people there.

Offline Warderbrad

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2012, 03:32:53 PM »
well I know that before I was able to make a character, and even joined a play by post (in the hopes of learning the system by playing).  However real life issues (and computer hardware failures) frustrated my ability to keep up, also I felt lost with some of the mechanics.  I was really hoping to find someone who is experienced with DFRPG and hopefully has some background with the other systems I have experience in so that they could help me go step by step through learning how to run a game. 

Offline Centarion

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2012, 04:52:15 PM »
I am probably not as experienced as Sanctaphrax (or some of the other people on this board) with Dresden Files RPG, but I have played in several DFRPG games (over many sessions), and am currently gaming in two games (one via Google Hangout and one in person). I also have a lot of experience with D&D and similar games, mostly 3.5 and things based off the 3.5 system (like Conan, and Hackmaster).

I would love to help you out. I think one of the best ways may be to just post questions in this thread and you will probably get quick good answers. But if you want more private help, or the ability to communicate in real time, I would be willing to hop in the boards chat room sometime or meet over gchat or something.   

Also, a lot of people have been confused by some of the more complicated, or less clearly written rules and have asked about them here. When I started playing (and even recently as I encountered situation I didn't understand), I searched the forum for answers, and some of the time I found someone who had asked the same question.
« Last Edit: July 26, 2012, 04:55:35 PM by Centarion »

Offline Warderbrad

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2012, 06:13:34 PM »
Would you suggest making a new thread for each question I would have or to just keep posting to the same threads with new questions?  My instinct would be to make new threads but in some ways it would be easier to just keep replying so that the people who I have gotten to know and have gotten to know me would be "notified" I had another question.

Also I am going to PM you with my contact info if you are willing to share IMs or something.

Offline Haru

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2012, 10:55:19 PM »
There is a great Sample Combat, that I recommend to everyone who is struggling with the DFPRG system.

I think it does a good job at covering the basics and should answer many of your questions. I would suggest keeping your questions in one thread (this one, for example). You can still create a new thread if a question is taking over this "general question" thread.

Well then, ask away :)
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Offline amberpup

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2012, 01:44:26 AM »
For me, varies DFRPG podcasts helped....

And take a few notes as you read the main book.

Offline UmbraLux

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2012, 02:59:26 AM »
Would you suggest making a new thread for each question I would have or to just keep posting to the same threads with new questions? 
Drop questions in one thread, even here, at first.  When you want deeper answers individual threads may be worthwhile.  One advantage to using the forum is multiple points of view - DFRPG isn't the same game for everyone.  ;)

You might also look over some of the actual play threads - pretty sure there are some around.  Make sure you check the cheat sheets and resources here and these are probably the best tutorial for magic I've seen: 
 - Mystic Theory 101: Magic in DFRPG, Part One
 - Evocation, or How to Blow Stuff Up: Magic in DFRPG, Part Two
 - Thaumaturgy, or How to Break the Rules: Magic in DFRPG, Part Three
 - Getting Ready, or A Thaumaturgic Preperation Cheat Sheet: Magic in DFRPG, Part Four
 - How to Build Spells, or A Practical Grimoire: Magic in DFRPG, Part Five
 - Math and Miscellany: Magic in DFRPG, Part Six

For a more generic intro to FATE, these are worth a look.  They're based on Strands of FATE rather than Dresden Files RPG but there are many similarities. 
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Offline Warderbrad

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2012, 03:07:11 AM »
Well my first questions during my first read through (this time) of the main book are:
Should I begin planning and brainstorming for the game and learn the system with my players or will that likely be disastrous?
In the process of getting a game together what order is the best?  Do I get players before making decisions about location? 
Being that the players and their stories are so integral to the game, do I begin brainstorming game directions or let them make characters first?
Lastly with a first game for a GM and new players what power level would be best to start the characters?

Offline UmbraLux

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2012, 03:22:01 AM »
Should I begin planning and brainstorming for the game and learn the system with my players or will that likely be disastrous?
As long as you and your group are willing to tolerate and correct mistakes, learn as you go!  I have amusing memories of learning D&D as we played back in the day.  There was a time when finding someone to learn from wasn't really an option...back when the dinosaurs roamed.  ;)

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In the process of getting a game together what order is the best?  Do I get players before making decisions about location? 
Pick location and build your city as a group if possible.  It will help everyone with the setting.

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Being that the players and their stories are so integral to the game, do I begin brainstorming game directions or let them make characters first?
Depends - it may be worth thinking up some fairly generic ideas ahead of time but you'll really be able to tie the setting to your PCs once you have a list of aspects. 

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Lastly with a first game for a GM and new players what power level would be best to start the characters?
Depends on your tolerance for homework, mistakes, and slowing the game down to look things up.  My friends and I started at 6 refresh so we could pick powers up gradually.  It allowed us to learn starting powers before adding more.
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Offline Haru

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2012, 07:02:31 AM »
Well my first questions during my first read through (this time) of the main book are:
Should I begin planning and brainstorming for the game and learn the system with my players or will that likely be disastrous?
From my experience, learning by playing is the only good way for the DFRPG. It does help if you go through the book and make yourself a cheat sheet (or do we have one of those flying around somewhere?), so you have the important parts immediately at hand, and references to pages to quickly look something up.

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In the process of getting a game together what order is the best?  Do I get players before making decisions about location? 
Being that the players and their stories are so integral to the game, do I begin brainstorming game directions or let them make characters first?
You will probably be better off having most things prepared beforehand for a first game, unless you are good at improvising. Yes, group city creation is one of the big features of the DFRPG, but for a new group, it can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you usually play RPGs where the GM prepares the adventures. However, the characters should be created as a group, so they fit together.
To fit the characters into the story, you can either give the players a few plot hooks ahead of time, to figure out how they could link their character to it, or you go the other way around and let the players create their characters and form the beginning of your story around it. The first method, I think is actually better, because the characters will feel more at home inside the story.

Now that doesn't mean your players can't or shouldn't contribute to what you prepared, or maybe at some point even create a little detour. In my pbp game for example, an NPC with one line of backstory suddenly had a history with one of the PC and became an important part of the story, just because the PC in question proposed the idea. This is pretty much what declarations do on a regular basis. Well, maybe not on that scale, but still.

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Lastly with a first game for a GM and new players what power level would be best to start the characters?
As UmbraLux says, 6 refresh (feet in the water) should be a good way to start. Players will be rather limited, though if they specialize can still be pretty powerful. You might want to try one of the introduction adventures. They have story and characters ready to go, with some of the character aspects, skills and powers still to be filled in by the players. I haven't played them yet, but it reads pretty solid and should at least get you into the system rather quickly. There are 3 case files currently available:
Neutral Grounds
Night Fears
Evil Acts
Neutral grounds was the original beginners case file I think, though Night Fears should be just as good. I have not read Evil Acts yet, so I can't say much about it in that regard. I think if your group can agree on one of those for a first run, you will have the easiest way of getting into the system itself.
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Offline Sanctaphrax

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Re: Trying Again
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2012, 07:16:33 AM »
Should I begin planning and brainstorming for the game and learn the system with my players or will that likely be disastrous?

Depends on your personal style. I found it effective to learn the system by reading and making characters, without actually playing until I more or less knew my stuff.

But you might be different.

In the process of getting a game together what order is the best?  Do I get players before making decisions about location? 
Being that the players and their stories are so integral to the game, do I begin brainstorming game directions or let them make characters first?

Probably best to talk it over with your players, but the sky won't fall if you plan this stuff ahead of time.

Lastly with a first game for a GM and new players what power level would be best to start the characters?

I don't think the power level matters too much. Mythic Strength really is no more complex than Inhuman Strength.

(I started at 18 Refresh, it wasn't much more complex than the saner games I've run since then.)

The thing is, you need to pay attention to concepts. Wizards are way more complex than mortals. If you're still finding your feet, it might be advisable to stay away from spellcasters and custom templates.