New GM in need of advise

[Heregrim]

Now all my hard work has bitten me in the behind.  After a year of asking, begging and bribing they have agreed to try a one-shot DFRGP game.  We are going to do Neutral Grounds and here rises the problem.  I am running my first game as GM in a system (Fate) none of us has played before.  As the game is a month away and I am already beginning to panic.  I am looking for advise or tips in running this one-shot/GMing in general.  I have read the RPG, I know the universe and have followed the set up instructions in the one-shot.  Any advise would be welcome!

[CottbusFiles]

Don't worry to much about the given story, think most about the PCs aspects and how you can compel them as much as you can. 2-3 per scene should be a goal. Also encourage the players to declare a lot and to selfcompel.
Evolve the story from that points on.

Be aware that a player can throw a big wrench into your plan with just one (fate-point) declaration - get used to that idea and roll with it. Every player has as much narrative control as you have.

Aspects that are really easy to compel in this scenario:
I am to old for this - from Carputi the psychic detective and
No idea how much i don't know - from Zack the aprentice wizard

[Sanctaphrax]

I'll second the importance of compels, though 2-3 compels per scene sounds like a lot to me.

My main principle for GMing DFRPG that nothing will ever go as planned. So don't plan ahead too far. Just throw enemies and challenges and compels at people and see what happens.

But maybe that's just me.

[sinker]

I'll second the importance of compels, though 2-3 compels per scene sounds like a lot to me.

Personally it seems like not enough to me. Everyone has a different view on how many compels is good. Find the pace that works for your table and go with it. Just remember that often compels drive the story, so it's great to keep them in mind even if you tend to compel less often.

Keep in mind that unlike a lot of other games the story in fate is a collaborative work. Learn to let go a little and go with the flow. I can't tell you the number of times I've had one story in mind and the players decided that something off track was the more important bit.

[devonapple]

One bit of advice I have heard, and feel is quite valuable, is to pick one of a player's Aspects, and then start a scene which punches the player in that Aspect, and forces them to react to it. Resolve that scene, then pick from another player's Aspect: repeat as needed.

[CottbusFiles]

Do what devonapple said. This is compel #1. If there are other PCs in the scene with an aspect about the group or that guy, compel this too. Than have something show up that triggers a third player. It's quite easy to do and you get to 3 compels easy.

Try to make sure that your players understand that getting compeled is a G.O.O.D. thing. You want that. A player that starts to self-compel is a clever player.

[Taskill_Mckennan]

I had the same issue. Only 2 of my 10 players even had an idea of what the Verse was about. I spent weeks telling them that I just spent 50$ on the book and wanted to give it a shot. They finally agreed so I killed my Savage Worlds campaign and moved onto this one. It took a while to get started, but once we got it going they began to enjoy it.
Your greatest asset is going to be getting your Players Excited about the Universe if they don't know (

(click to show/hide)

How Else? Mention Sue the Polka powered Zombie-Rex)

.
The other things your gonna need to do is let them know about the Declarations. I find that getting the players to declare things make it a lot more exciting for them. Remind them periodically throughout your game. Get them excited about the fact that they can change the things in this world more than they can in most of them

[Orladdin]

Myself, I find it helpful to not consider it

...that they can change the things in this world more than they can in most of them

but rather that they can decide how things are to begin with.  It's a conceptual help to me and my players.

[Taskill_Mckennan]

Myself, I find it helpful to not consider it  but rather that they can decide how things are to begin with.  It's a conceptual help to me and my players.

Point.

[Adin]

Everyone has a different view on how many compels is good. Find the pace that works for your table and go with it. Just remember that often compels drive the story, so it's great to keep them in mind even if you tend to compel less often.

Very true.  I found that my players and I prefer a carrot over a stick, so I divided compels into three portions, Soft, Solid, and Hard. 

A soft compel is the one I use most frequently.  It is essentially a suggestion, if they accept they get a fate point, if they decline they don't have to pay for the privilege.  I use these often as I don't like interpreting a player's aspects for them, i prefer it when they have more control. 

Solid compels work as normal and I use them rarely, refusal costs a fate point. 

Hard compels cannot be refused and the fate point must be accepted.  These are reserved for extreme aspects where refusal would be impossible, such as a 'quadriplegic' aspect would make it impossible to sprint up a flight of stairs.

[Katarn]

First off, welcome.

Second off, if you've ever been a DM/GM for another system, you already understand improvisation and flexibility.  There are a few ways to set up a game:

*Set Exposition- you have a solid exposition, and the party decides what to do and goes at it.  Very open, sometimes lacks direction.
*Solid Conclusion- you have an idea how you want a scenario to end, but you don't describe the method of getting there besides a VERY rough framework.
*Set plot- characters go through a series of set events.  A little rigid for DFRPG, since the whole system is based on choice (set events happening restricts this).

I personally favor the 2nd option.  My most successful games have been quests for an Item, for lack of a better term.  I set up the goal, and I establish where the end objective is (but don't tell the players).  I let them take whatever path they like to get there.  I have some ideas of events/sub-plots, and integrate them as they progress the story forward in whichever direction they like- I just gently nudge the plot/details towards that end.  Any other details are the products of their choices/the RNG.

The important thing to take away is that DFRPG is about choices, and their consequences.  Also, the system is much less about numbers than others (like DnD), and more about story.  If you friends prefer a constant epic-battle game, this may require tweaking somewhat.

[Heregrim]

Thanks for all your help!  The game ran well, or so they told me.  They didn't take my advise about manuvers and as such I was able to hammer them with the boss.  So we will see what happens next.  Thank You again!