Convention Games: How Much Control Do Players Want?

[devonapple]

Setting up a DFRPG game is intended to be a very collaborative process between players and GM: the Setting, Threats, and NPCs are created first; then players create characters, with backgrounds linked to each other, the setting, its Threats and its NPCs.

But for a single-shot convention game, it makes more sense to create these things in advance. Or is it?

If you were hypothetically going to sit down for 6-8 hours for such a game:
Would you want the collaboration, or would you prefer to be handed characters and go?
Or some hybrid where you get to choose a few customizable Aspects or other elements?
Would you play ball if a GM had predefined relationships between characters? Or would you insist on hashing those out before play?
How do you feel about starting this single-shot adventure in media res, backfilling relationships and other details as the game progressed?

For reference, my gaming community tended towards wanting a predefined City, Setting, NPCs, and Scenario.

[Papa Gruff]

I have only run one single convention game so far (hope to change that soonish) and that was back last year when the game was pretty much brand new. In the game I had set up I had the Alphas duke it out with some red court vamps who thought it would be a good Idea to crash a frat-party on campus (approximately 3-4 hours of gaming with six players). It was a very simple scenario, but it was great.

Stating the Alphas wasn't too difficult, since three of them are already in OW (I ended up only using Kerby and set the time frame during Billy and Gorgias honeymoon). Most of the players did know about the novels, so it was easy for them to get behind the idea of rolling with the Alphas. All in all it was a pretty awesome afternoon. Try to look into that. Maybe your convention players can easily get behind playing characters from the novels. Perhaps a little side story for the Changelings or Marcone...

That said I strongly advice using pre-generated characters for convention games. There is simply not enough time to do city and character creation, witch usually takes a hole gaming night (at least for me and my players). If the convention players are dead set on creating their own characters go with the on the fly character creation in YW or offer to let them change the pre-made chars to their liking.

If you are lucky and get mainly PR-veterans for players they'll probably roll with the generated stuff, including the relationships. As a matter of fact I had a guy in my convention party that was OK with playing Andy and delivered her crush on Kerby admirably.

Provided the convention you are going to attend is a two day affair and you are set on delivering the full DFRPG experience you could try to split things up. First day city and character creation, second day gaming. But generally I guess you'll have more fun if you create as much as you can in advance.

[Richard_Chilton]

Evil Hat Games released a module of sorts for use with conventions.  The setting was Baltimore, the PCs were pregens - but the bulk of the storyline wasn't defined.

Depending on what the PCs thought, the person who "dun it" might change.  That is, the player control is in the "what happened" side of the equation rather than the set up.

Personally, unless you have a double convention slot, I'd go with everything being pregen.  Even if you do have a double slot explaining character creation and generating PCs would probably take one slot, leaving you no time for city creation,  Let alone "time to think up a plot" that bridges everything that the players come up with.

Richard

[devonapple]

I am doing most everything pregenerated. Scenario, the City (using San Francisco, which I already have statted with Locations and NPCs), and even the character builds.

The variables I'm wondering about are:
Aspects: I am still determining their Aspects, but I wonder if I should leave 1-3 of these "empty" so players can figure out their own? If so, should I provide the "Guest Star" stories which they can use as inspiration?
Skills: I've determined all of the characters' skills already - but should I go back and make a few empty skill slots so players can customize their skills?

[Papa Gruff]

Aspects: I am still determining their Aspects, but I wonder if I should leave 1-3 of these "empty" so players can figure out their own? If so, should I provide the "Guest Star" stories which they can use as inspiration?

There probably isn't an answer to these questions. Unless you bring your own players to the convention game you'll never know what kind of people you are going to have at the table. My suggestion is to bring both and let your group decide. It's not that difficult or much work to make a set of character sheets and leave the story slots open and an other one with pregenerated aspects. Having fun seems most appropriate for convention gaming. Decide on the spot with your players what to do.

Skills: I've determined all of the characters' skills already - but should I go back and make a few empty skill slots so players can customize their skills?

My advice: suggest a set of skills but explain how the mechanic works in the system. Before you start the actual gaming allow them to swap a little bit. If you do it like this you avoid that someone ends up with skills he doesn't like and at the same time you give a little insight into the basic mechanics of the system.

[devonapple]

My advice: suggest a set of skills but explain how the mechanic works in the system. Before you start the actual gaming allow them to swap a little bit. If you do it like this you avoid that someone ends up with skills he doesn't like and at the same time you give a little insight into the basic mechanics of the system.

It is a good suggestion! I must confess that I'm "loading" the skills to do what I can to reduce duplication of investigation-vital skills. So if someone takes the Wizard, I'll hide the Psychometric Occultist unless it is really going to ruin someone's day not to play some sort of magic user. If someone takes the Retired Boxer, I'll probably hide the Gargoyle. It won't be perfect, but hopefully it will work out.

I was toying with making interchangable Characters and Ability sets, but that - combined with making backstories - is a lot of work to make completely modular, even for a system like FATE. It would be great for people to have the latitude to pick a Template and a Profession, but wow. A lot of work.

[Becq]

In the FATE/DFRPG convention games I have been in and/or observed, it's typically for the city and characters to be pregenerated, but with the last few aspects blank.  Then the players take part in the last bit of character creation as a group, coming up with a brief description of the character's first story, guest starring roles, and related aspects.  This seems to work fairly well for convention games, because you get a taste of the game generation with a fairly short time commitment and minimal need to understand the game (good for new players).  To allow more experienced players a bit more flexibility, you can always allow them to make minor changes to skills and/or powers.

[Ophidimancer]

You, for some reason it occurs to me that a pregen or con game might work if you created your setting Mad Libs style.  Make a Mad Lib and then take a character or settings Aspects from the filled in blanks.

Just a crazy thought.

[Team8Mum]

6 hours is a bit hopeful, our slots are rarely more than 3, and that isn't even enough time for character gen.
For FATE games in the past I have used half generated characters with empty slots in aspects and skills so people can personalise them. (I also take more p.c.s than players so no one is ever stuck with the last character they don't want to play)

For Dresden I thought you could produce basic setting characters and then let the player do the guest staring parts in each others first stories to establish links and aspects to use in the game. That way the players can have PCs with relationships with other people they have joined the game with (if they want).

[CyberMusketeer]

When running con games using FATE I always pregen everything so that if I get players who aren't familiar with the rules they're not placed on the spot.  However, I always try to let players customize the characters at the table if they are inspired to change aspects or skills.  This may also depend on the length of the game slot, I normally run at Dragon Con which has 4 hour slots which doesn't leave much of time for customization.

[Sanctaphrax]

As a player, I'd rather have pregenerated characters at a con. Don't know why: it certainly isn't a matter of time.

Anyway, I'm not sure what you mean by

I was toying with making interchangable Characters and Ability sets, but that - combined with making backstories - is a lot of work to make completely modular, even for a system like FATE. It would be great for people to have the latitude to pick a Template and a Profession, but wow. A lot of work.

but if you need help making characters, I'm available.

[devonapple]

Anyway, I'm not sure what you mean by
Quote
I was toying with making interchangable Characters and Ability sets, but that - combined with making backstories - is a lot of work to make completely modular, even for a system like FATE. It would be great for people to have the latitude to pick a Template and a Profession, but wow. A lot of work.

No problem:
The proposal would be to have a pile of (for example) 12 balanced Character Concepts with any necessary Powers pre-purchased (Monster, Lycanthrope, Changeling, Werewolf, Holy Person, Pure Mortal, etc), and then a separate pile of 12 or more balanced "Professions" featuring pregenerated skillsets.  Then players would mix and match. Some skillsets would lend themselves to a particular Character Concept, like "Melee Fighter" and "Monster."

The sticky part would be making Stunt packages for the Mortals. It just wouldn't be as modular as I'd like it to be.

[Sanctaphrax]

Ah. So you could make a wizard with Mediocore Discipline, Average Conviction, Mediocore Lore, and Superb Bows. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me: skills are as important to a character's concept as powers are.

[devonapple]

Ah. So you could make a wizard with Mediocore Discipline, Average Conviction, Mediocore Lore, and Superb Bows. Doesn't sound like a good idea to me: skills are as important to a character's concept as powers are.

Yes, I'd discourage that one. I would probably opt to make a few Wizard-specific Professions: Alchemist, Crafter, Evoker, etc.

But these are the reasons why the idea is probably too much trouble to be worth it.

[TheMouse]

Most of the good convention games I've run or played in have had one common trait: You sit at the table, get a short description of how things work, then you start playing. The ones where players totally new to the game had to make characters were train wrecks.

For Dresden, I'd suggest making complete characters to cover your bases. But if someone wants to change things around a little, let them. Especially if they're familiar with Fate.

People totally new to Fate who don't have experience with systems where they create their own traits (RISUS, PDQ, etc) can have option paralysis when told to come up with Aspects. So let them, but don't force them.