I have decided that I am going to run Epyllion for the first time (eek) at a con (double eek) this weekend (triple eek) as the first game I have ever run in a public setting (quadruple eek).
I know that it is not the best idea to come up with constructed plots and to let the story just happen, but I am a little nervous about not having some things planned in advanced and was looking for a bit of advice!
My main concerns are; this is probably the first time a PBTA game has been run at this con, so I will likely have players that are used to GM direction/prompting instead of taking on the coolest part of the PBTA system which is helping to shape the story. My other concern is that I won’t be able to come up with something on the fly (hazards, NPC goals/desires, solutions to problems) or come up with a satisfactory wrap up when the session is up.
Would it be better for me to come up with 3-4 hazards/plot hooks, a bunch of NPCs with problems, desires and goals and then just pick from that list based on how the session is running? For example, if I get a group that is really interested in exploring the traditions of Dragonia, I’d pick a hazard that remains in the city, or if theya re more interested in an adventure, I’d pick a hazard that has to do with exploring the wilderness.
Thoughts?
The one – conv players are pecuilar sort – or at least they were when I ran my games (a long time ago). The prepared list is a good idea – you don’t have enough time to do “first session”, world building and such, so you need to prepare them in advance. Also, nothing wrong with having a vision of story, just don’t be too attached to it and allow players to decide.
I’d be interested in hearing people’s thoughts as well. I’ve run Epyllion several times at cons, but I’ve always run from a pre-prepared scenario.
That being said, Epyllion always seems to attract great players at cons, and it’s a great game to enjoy with new people. Good luck and have fun!
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Are there any scenarios that you would say run best for a con game?
Jessica Figas How long is your game scheduled to run?
Don Bisdorf 4 hours with a 10-20 minute break.
I can clean up the notes from my 4-hour scenario and share them. They might be useful as inspiration. I’ll do my best to have those legible sometime tomorrow.
I don’t want to discouraging you from improvising, though. I’m a prep addict and I tend to run from pre-prepared scenario notes, but if you’re more comfortable collaborating and creating on the fly, go for it! Epyllion is great for inventing situations and obstacles quickly.
Jessica Figas If it helps at all, my scenario notes for my 4-hour con game are here:
docs.google.com – Epyllion: The Undying Star
I used mostly-pregenerated characters so that we could get right into the action, and had enough material to fill the whole slot.
I also had this for a 2-hour slot at a different con:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iH37jkZMw58hSlxdUGjWkVJ25I9q-KEtASgE7jmnQmI/edit?usp=sharing
That was another game I started with pregenerated characters. There may not be enough material there to fill a 4-hour slot, but there might be some useful inspiration in there somewhere.
In any case, good luck and have fun! Epyllion was the first game I ever ran at a con, and I’m sure it was the right choice.
Don Bisdorf Thank you so much!
Jessica Figas How did it go?