Sometimes life inspires art. Sometimes art inspires life.
Sometimes stupid pictures on the internet inspire blog posts.
I've really had few opportunities to Co-GM, the definition of that for the sake of this post is either side-by-side game masters at the table, or a more liberal "troupe" style game, where one GM runs a game and when that storyline is over, a differernt player takes up the GM reins in the same world.
The style does work. One of the greatest conventions games I've witnessed (and one partook in) was the Bi-Annual "Drow Game" at Mepacon. A simple plot hook and provide pre-gen Drow characters and just sit back and watch the political carnage unfold would be a first description to many passer-by. But that game always ran best with at least two, sometimes three, players. One for the story, one for the mechanics, and if there was a third, one to tie in the political back-stabbing intrigue of the 8-12 players.
And yes, sometimes the players were more back-stabby than the characters would ever be.
Back in last years #RPGaDay, I mention the TORG game that ran through the Bogglecons, Lehicons, and even GenCons of the 90's. Russ and Todd ran the much more polished, far family friendlier version of a "Must Play" con game than the Drow Guys, but they also had the multi-genre wonders of TORG to keep some spice in the game. Still, one GM tended to control at least the current portion of the story, while the other performed mechanical, player guidance, and even some book keeping support.
Personally, I have only done one true "two GM at a table" game, and that was the infamous "Cthulhu Comes to Springfield" TOON game I did with "Dr Bob" of my Call of Cthulhu 1920's campaign fame. It was a simple concept: three, maybe four, one-hour "episodes" with with a rotating cast of characters and typical cartoon amnesia throughout. Bob controlled the stories, while I kept the 6-8 people at the table entertained, and hopefully reined in.
The only problem? Despite a familiarity with the stories, once Bob left for an extended break one session, I took over full control and that particular episode sort of petered out.
I will point out that when I've run "Cthulhu Comes to Springfield" as a solo GM, I rehash a lot of the old episodes, but not the one I botched.
The only other instance near Co-GMing was my World of Georic spinning-off multiple game with different GMs.
Those first D&D in college drew a pretty big crowd, and as some players got to talking, Saturday nights were not quite alright for combat for all of them. Pretty soon, my next-door dorm neighbor TOWN (The Other White Nate) had his own Friday night group with a mixed group of regulars and new players... but they were still playing in Georic.
We were playing in the Kingdom of Crosedes for my game, and with no real intention of leaving there for awhile, I gave TOWN all my notes on the land of Emron (basically a knock-off of Glantri for the initiated) and gave him free reign.
It can be debated that, until he was forced to drop out of school, TOWN's Emron games were far more successful that my campaign.
Other players have tried to take on the basic structure of the campaign and run with it, any my buddy Hoyce is currently running one that makes me feel at home reading it.
Things might not be all in the same spot, and names might be changed, but I can still see my 20 years of characters inhabiting some corner of his world.
Sometimes stupid pictures on the internet inspire blog posts.
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| If one of you is running a mission from God, the other better not run the Penguin in a completely opposite way. |
The style does work. One of the greatest conventions games I've witnessed (and one partook in) was the Bi-Annual "Drow Game" at Mepacon. A simple plot hook and provide pre-gen Drow characters and just sit back and watch the political carnage unfold would be a first description to many passer-by. But that game always ran best with at least two, sometimes three, players. One for the story, one for the mechanics, and if there was a third, one to tie in the political back-stabbing intrigue of the 8-12 players.
And yes, sometimes the players were more back-stabby than the characters would ever be.
Back in last years #RPGaDay, I mention the TORG game that ran through the Bogglecons, Lehicons, and even GenCons of the 90's. Russ and Todd ran the much more polished, far family friendlier version of a "Must Play" con game than the Drow Guys, but they also had the multi-genre wonders of TORG to keep some spice in the game. Still, one GM tended to control at least the current portion of the story, while the other performed mechanical, player guidance, and even some book keeping support.
Personally, I have only done one true "two GM at a table" game, and that was the infamous "Cthulhu Comes to Springfield" TOON game I did with "Dr Bob" of my Call of Cthulhu 1920's campaign fame. It was a simple concept: three, maybe four, one-hour "episodes" with with a rotating cast of characters and typical cartoon amnesia throughout. Bob controlled the stories, while I kept the 6-8 people at the table entertained, and hopefully reined in.
The only problem? Despite a familiarity with the stories, once Bob left for an extended break one session, I took over full control and that particular episode sort of petered out.
I will point out that when I've run "Cthulhu Comes to Springfield" as a solo GM, I rehash a lot of the old episodes, but not the one I botched.
The only other instance near Co-GMing was my World of Georic spinning-off multiple game with different GMs.
Those first D&D in college drew a pretty big crowd, and as some players got to talking, Saturday nights were not quite alright for combat for all of them. Pretty soon, my next-door dorm neighbor TOWN (The Other White Nate) had his own Friday night group with a mixed group of regulars and new players... but they were still playing in Georic.
We were playing in the Kingdom of Crosedes for my game, and with no real intention of leaving there for awhile, I gave TOWN all my notes on the land of Emron (basically a knock-off of Glantri for the initiated) and gave him free reign.
It can be debated that, until he was forced to drop out of school, TOWN's Emron games were far more successful that my campaign.
Other players have tried to take on the basic structure of the campaign and run with it, any my buddy Hoyce is currently running one that makes me feel at home reading it.
Things might not be all in the same spot, and names might be changed, but I can still see my 20 years of characters inhabiting some corner of his world.
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