Putting your Pride Aside · Game Master's Laboratory

Putting your Pride Aside

TLDR: I ran 9 systems in 72 hours at a con and the only thing that made it possible was super helpful players.

So I found my limit this weekend at a con when it comes to running too many systems. I was at Lugcon which was a brand new convention in Duluth Georgia by Level Up Games. Having run games at Origins and Gencon this year, it was a fun time being at a small con, that by the end I didn't need any introductions I had had each person as a player at least once prior.

I had cold called (well in this case emailed) Lugcon off of their Table Top Events page, and we worked out a deal where I would be likely the only out of town DM that would be running enough games to earn a free hotel room. Since this is a game store putting on the con, we worked out offerings of games that they sell, and being the mad man I am I ran 9 different systems in 72 hours. If I was a smarter man I would have front loaded the systems that I knew the least about early, when I still had the energy, but Instead at my 8th game, which was lancer, I was tapped.

I take a lot of pride in presenting not only a good narrative but a good tour of the rules in one shots. But Having run so many other games that weekend, all my instincts for Lancer were just wrong. I had forgotten how different the action economy was, and just generally was failing ( in my eyes) at presenting the rules. Then two of my players really stepped up. They helped other players get to know their various mechs well, and helped them work towards independence before the end of combat. It's a delicate balance between teaching a new player how to understand a system, and playing their character for them.

I was really down on myself and then those two same players came to my final game as well. I think I ran Cyberpunk much better but it was still nagging at me that maybe I didn't do my best. That I should have presented a more confident , and competent experience. In reflection I realized I needed to give myself grace and know that even if i was only running a single system, and it was anything less than perfect, the players are there to help everyone have a good time as well. I think learning that being a good gm is not always being the ultimate rules authority but also being able to accept when you need help to keep the game going is the GM growth I didn't know I needed but was glad to expericne this weekend.

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