When you have only an hour of your session left…
As GM, do you do anything in particular to begin wrapping up a session or coming to a satisfying conclusion (or cliffhanger)? Have you heard or do you have good advice for how to do so, in general? (Obviously specifics depend on the game)
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I play two hour sessions, so keeping an eye on the time is important. At about an hour left, I tend to start pushing threads together with GM moves. So-and-so actually got the device from this guy, who another player is moving against. And a third player actually owes that guy a favor! Point them all at some sort of unified conclusion or cliffhanger.
Very very rarely do I try to tie things up neatly in an on-going game. Leaving things unresolved, no status quo, no key point settled, is dandy. If we are in the middle of the action and we can go another 10 mins to resolve that role, sure, we’ll do that, but sometimes we’ve had to stop a session with bullets in the air. Next session starts with Love Letters or right from where we left off.
In a convention game one-shot, yes, what Aaron Griffin says or something like it. Advance countdown clocks aggressively and don’t pull your punches. Avoid introducing new complications. Chose MC moves that feel like they do what you want to leave the session where you want it, which might be “take away their stuff” or it might be “give them something no strings attached”. When you reach a break point and everyone does that shift in position or moment of group silence, ask or just say “Ok, so let’s break there, yeah?” and spend 10-30 mins updating Hx, taking advancements, talking over the cool stuff that just happened, and setting up the next game time.
When you have only an hour of your session left…
Roll+Cool
On a 6-, you end the session without any sense of anticipation, interest or plan. PCs may consider alternate options for their weekly evening plans
On a 7-9, pick two of the following
-you bring the narrative to a satisfying conclusion
-the troupe ends the session with high energy and engagement
-you end roughly on time
On a 13+, all three are achieved, and carry “+1 forward” for next session’s roll.