> This post is about preparing for play (a more generic phrase than
> writing a scenario) because there was some interest expressed in `how
> I do it' in response to my comments on focusing on the `gears and
> levers'.
This seems pretty similar to the way I run things, and there's really not many points on which I'd differ. OTOH, 'gears and levers' is also a fair description of my approach (such as it is) to preparing for play, and I don't see much of a contrast between the two. Indeed, they seem to mesh pretty well, in my experience, although that I can see that wouldn't necessarily be the case.
One of the most difficult elements of the process, though, at least for me, is figuring how to start. What is the key element that starts us off, the basic mystery to be unravelled, or problem to be solved? Coming up with such ideas is often pretty hard, and then there's a lot of detail to be put in - all those gears and levers - as we work out what the NPCs are trying to achieve and why. And, if the NPCs are trying to do something that the PCs are likely to want to stop, we have to make sure that their plan is at least potentially thwartable, even if we don't know what approach the players will actually take.
Once I've somehow got that skeleton, it becomes much easier. I can throw in complications, allow for some likely schemes that the PCs will come up with, and generally muck about with stuff until it all works. Pretty much all I ever have written down is a bunch of short-form NPC stats and a few maps or building plans.
I rarely design scenarios from scratch any more - the last time I tried, I gave up after a few weeks in frustration. Largely, I'm trying to figure out to adapt pre-written scenarios to my campaign. I could give an example of how I do that, if anyone's interested... but it's probably not hugely relevant, or anything very inspiring.
Which means that there isn't really much I can say as a counterpoint to Ian :)
-- Trotsky Gamer and Skeptic ------------------------------------------------------ Trotsky's RPG website: http://www.ttrotsky.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
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