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Help with campaign

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
manglemart
Jul 10, 2007 0:51:14 Hey guys, I was wondering if you had any tips on how to keep players excited/scared in ravenloft? the guys I play with are used to goofing off and joking with NPC's and such. Im not against having fun, but I would like to keep the theme in mind, and take things some what serious.
any advice?
#2
kwdblade
Jul 10, 2007 2:02:20 Theres a few ideas in an earlier post here:

http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=870869
#3
sptjanly
Jul 10, 2007 21:09:44 You could always take advantage of the joking. Not in a mean way, but it seems they are just playing normal characters who aren't always doom and gloom. The theme of horror (strictly from a players perspective) is all about the good times that go bad.
#4
johnjohn
Jul 10, 2007 21:18:05 When I had a problem way back when I did two things...

Mood music. Put on something kinda quiet but eerie

There are also some CDs out there that are nothing but sound effects. If you have access to a CD player at the gaming table you can play around with it. Clicking the CD to track..think it was 17 and having wolves howl in the night always got their attention and they would get quiet quick.

Everybody needs to at least once play ravenloft by candle light. Add in the mood music and the players get quiet.

Some peoplke think this is all silly but I have found most find it an interesting experience The table talk tends to become hushed whispers and every time I reached for the cd player a hush came over the characters
#5
humanbing
Jul 10, 2007 22:47:25 Talk to your players. Let them know this is a chance for them to play a horror game, and to "ham it up" with swooning maidens, cackling villains, and seat-of-the-pants escapes from haunted houses. Let them know that you want them to have fun, and that they should feel totally comfortable getting into character and really acting out the fear or horror.

A good house rule I played with was this: The DM made it clear to us that he was going to use Fear and Horror checks, but if we adequately role played the character freaking out, then he wouldn't force anything on us. This was clearly a mechanism to get us into the game and into the mood of vulnerable characters who really do fear death... and with good reason!, but without clobbering us over the head with dice rolls for no reason.

Remember as the DM you have to entertain your players. Let them know that they have to "buy into" the game premise as well and do their part to keep the plot and feel of Gothic horror roleplaying.

Good luck!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 manglemart Jul 10, 2007 0:51:14	Hey guys, I was wondering if you had any tips on how to keep players excited/scared in ravenloft? the guys I play with are used to goofing off and joking with NPC's and such. Im not against having fun, but I would like to keep the theme in mind, and take things some what serious. any advice?
#2 kwdblade Jul 10, 2007 2:02:20	Theres a few ideas in an earlier post here: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=870869
#3 sptjanly Jul 10, 2007 21:09:44	You could always take advantage of the joking. Not in a mean way, but it seems they are just playing normal characters who aren't always doom and gloom. The theme of horror (strictly from a players perspective) is all about the good times that go bad.
#4 johnjohn Jul 10, 2007 21:18:05	When I had a problem way back when I did two things... Mood music. Put on something kinda quiet but eerie There are also some CDs out there that are nothing but sound effects. If you have access to a CD player at the gaming table you can play around with it. Clicking the CD to track..think it was 17 and having wolves howl in the night always got their attention and they would get quiet quick. Everybody needs to at least once play ravenloft by candle light. Add in the mood music and the players get quiet. Some peoplke think this is all silly but I have found most find it an interesting experience The table talk tends to become hushed whispers and every time I reached for the cd player a hush came over the characters
#5 humanbing Jul 10, 2007 22:47:25	Talk to your players. Let them know this is a chance for them to play a horror game, and to "ham it up" with swooning maidens, cackling villains, and seat-of-the-pants escapes from haunted houses. Let them know that you want them to have fun, and that they should feel totally comfortable getting into character and really acting out the fear or horror. A good house rule I played with was this: The DM made it clear to us that he was going to use Fear and Horror checks, but if we adequately role played the character freaking out, then he wouldn't force anything on us. This was clearly a mechanism to get us into the game and into the mood of vulnerable characters who really do fear death... and with good reason!, but without clobbering us over the head with dice rolls for no reason. Remember as the DM you have to entertain your players. Let them know that they have to "buy into" the game premise as well and do their part to keep the plot and feel of Gothic horror roleplaying. Good luck!