[DML] DM Training Session! -- Plot, Storywriting, and NPCs

Session 3: Plot, Storywriting, NPCs Date: Thursday, July 2nd, 2015 Time: 2:00 PM PDT - 4:00 PM PDT, up to 5:00 PDT for Q&A Teachers: Benson Y., Askren, ComplacentBadger Players: 6 / 6 (Chimiboy, Alex A, Nicklas W., Dana K., John A., Ben A.) Backup List: Giancarlo S., Jhon, Oden Sissaris,Stefan I.,Greg A., Ryan S., Luis V., Elidien, Hurp D., Bryce M., The Storyteller, William h., Anthony M. Hiya everyone! I'm Benson aka Toothless, and I run the Dungeon Master League here on Roll20, a small community of both new and veteran DMs working to improve their craft. Every once in a while I run a DML session, where we get together and train more toward different fields of DMing, such as improv, using Roll20, finding and working with players, and more. In this session, we'll be covering the colossal task in writing out and creating an epic adventure for your party. I'll be using my own experience as well as esteemed premade adventure modules and the experience of other DMs to help me along with this. If you have lots of experience writing out full-fledged campaigns, and have some tips to offer or can even make it to the session, shoot me a PM or post here! For those of you attending, you may want to bring some notes of YOUR campaign that you're running or want to run, so we all here can give you tips and ideas to make it better. Don't worry if you're completely new at tabletop! If you have even the slightest interest and an open schedule, attend! We will also have spectator slots open as well as hopefully a recorded video of the session. If you have any questions, you're more than welcome to ask. ^^ Thanks!

How do I join?! :D I'm a DM of 3 campaigns (one being a short oneshot) and am always looking to improve!

Chimiboy said: How do I join?! :D I'm a DM of 3 campaigns (one being a short oneshot) and am always looking to improve! Ya just make a post, that's it. ^^ I'll shoot ya a PM to join the campaign, I'll be sending out a thread there soon that ya might want to post in. Thanks for the interest!

I'd love an invite to this. Sounds fantastic!

Niklas W. said: I'd love an invite to this. Sounds fantastic! Invite sent! Thanks for the interest!

I may be able to offer some tutoring if it's needed. As a DM, my specialties are NPC roleplaying, assembling a coherent narrative rather than improv-ing every situation as it comes up, and planning for player actions. Also, making use of Roll20 tools, lighting, API scripts, and handmade maps.

@Askren That would be amazing, I'd love the extra help! We'd also be making an Advanced Roll20 Tutorial in the future, so any advice or tips/tricks on that would be amazing as well. ^^ Sent ya the link to the campaign.

Sounds like fun, I'd love an invite

sounds like a good thing for me as well. Im currently in the middle of writing up a campaign world and would like to see what kind of stuff that youve been into. itll help me out in seeing perspective of different DMs. Count me in, invite me please.

Sounds interesting, I'm new to the whole DM thing, but would like to pick up some tips, if that'd be ok.

I'm in the middle of a campaign and it's my first time DMing. I just want my players to have fun but I feel like my plot is a little too convoluted. Could I join in?

I am interested as well.

If there is still room please invite.

I'm not sure if I can make it, but if I do, I'd love to join!

If I can clear up my workload by that time on Wednesday, I'm certainly interested in attending as a spectator, though I'd love to be able to ask questions or offer comments as well. I'm looking to get going as a DM again after a brief sting several months ago. But one of the challenges I ran into was the task of creating original adventures and overarching plot lines. I think my ambition got the better of me, and it was a bit too overwhelming for a new DM.

Sent ya all PMs to join! There is a forum thread there asking about what you'd like to see during the session, go ahead and post there! I'll reply back to those messages in a bit. ^^

What is required for me to spectate? I currently have a one-shot under my belt and would love to hone my skills.

@Clara O. and Greg A. Nothing. ^^ I'll be sending out a notification at the time above via the campaign in Roll20 when the livestream/call will be going up. All ya have to do is click on the link to join from there. xP I'd highly suggest writing up some questions or bringing some of your campaign notes though to ask, as we'll be opening up the Q&A session to the livestream chat as well at the very end. That'll be the perfect time to ask your questions as well as ask for criticism on your stuff. A Google Doc would be perfect for larger paragraphs of notes.

Not exactly sure what this is, or why it's on roll20, but im interested. Saw the post on reddit, here I am.

Ryan, it is just a small group of DMs that gather together to learn from each other on how to run games on roll20. The group tends to focus specifically on how to use roll20 to the best of a DM's ability.

@Ryan S. Yup yup, Pat hit it right on the head with this one. ^^ I started up the community here on Roll20 after a couple ideas with my friends, and we're growing surprisingly quickly. We have a lot more sessions that are about to be set up besides the DML training such as critiquing, DM Shadowing, Mentoring, Co-DMing, as well as a ton of great articles and resources. I sent ya the link to join!

I'd like to be added to that list! Thanks

I've recenlty started DM'ing for friends, so i want to improve in whatever way possible. So sign me up!

Invite please.

I'd love to join in - going to be starting my first homebrew campaign with friends soon, so will be nice to get a feel how others have handled homebrewn campagins :)

@Luis V., Elidien, Hurp D. Added, and PMs sent!

@Larklen Sent to ya as well. xP

I would love an invite. Been DMing and playing RPG's for 20ish years now, but I'm relatively new to the roll20 scene despite being a member for several years now. I'd love to share my tips on DMing, and learn some more about the technical aspects of DMing via roll20.

@Doxs Invite sent! If you're willing to come on as a teacher, that would be fantastic. ^^ We have one, maybe two others at the moment, but I don't think they have as much experience as you, me included. xD

I would also like to spectate and be apart of the backup list even though my chances of getting in are super low haha. Can't wait to watch the session and get some tips and improve my DMing!

@Bryce M. Added to the list! xP We'll be opening the Q&A session at the end too for the comments/chat, so if ya stick around for that, you could participate. ^^

Would love to attend for the learning!

Would love to listen in.

im interested in listening in as well

I wouldn't mind listening in

Sent all of ya PMs to join the Dungeon Master League. ^^ You'll get a notification there as well as the link posted here when the stream goes up on Wednesday. Thanks!

Would I be able to join this event so I may learn?

@The Storyteller I've added ya to the wait-list in-case someone drops out. ^^ Of course, you're always welcome to spectate along and comment though! We'll be watching the chat, and we'll also open up the Q&A session at the end to the viewers so you can ask any questions you have or get criticism on your campaign ideas.

I would love to hop in and spectate if possible. Are there videos of the previous sessions?

@William h. Added to the wait-list! Unfortunately, no, there aren't. xP This will be the very first DML session that will be recorded, although we hosted half a dozen before in the past.

I'd like to join in, sounds fun!

@Anthony M. Added to the wait list! I've also shot over a message to join the DML, can't wait to see ya there!

I've also added all questions/topics raised up in here. If you have any more, just post them here before the livestream, or post them up over there. Thanks!

Is it too late to join the session and spectate? I would love to be able to learn how to DM better. Thanks!

@Erika F. Of course not! xP I've shot over an invite to ya, but it will be a livestream, so you can always pop in and comment there. ^^ Time until stream starts: <a href="http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20150701T14&p0=224&font=cursive&csz=1" rel="nofollow">http://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/generic?iso=20150701T14&p0=224&font=cursive&csz=1</a>

Just came across this. I am new to Roll20, been DMing for years though. Old school, AD&D and the like. Picked up 5e stuff, wanting to learn again.

Where's the link to the stream at least? :)

Bill M. said: Where's the link to the stream at least? :) EDIT: Sorry, family emergency came up. &gt;.&lt; I gotta go deal with that first beforehand. I'll be running it same time tomorrow, as well as livestreaming/recording it. Thanks to everyone who came out!

Oh! I hope everything is alright. I look forward to checking it out. Family first!

Sorry to intrude on here, but if there are any new DMs that are looking for players. I have a group of people that are looking for a DM for Pathfinder. If you would like more information send me a message!

For those of you attending: Hop in the R20 campaign at the Dungeon Master League when it's near session-time! From there, I'll be giving out the link and etc etc. Also, if we gather up enough people like, an hour before, I might run a quick Risus game just for funsies. xD