Comments on: The 4 stages of a RPG team’s development: Storming http://chattydm.net/2007/09/21/the-4-stages-of-a-rpg-teams-development-storming/ Like Hanging at the Cash Register of your Favorite Game Store Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:55:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: ChattyDM http://chattydm.net/2007/09/21/the-4-stages-of-a-rpg-teams-development-storming/#comment-314 ChattyDM Sat, 06 Oct 2007 10:34:00 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=61#comment-314 Thanks for the comments Seth.<br/><br/>While I was writing this series, I was pulling from my experiences with various gaming groups. Initially, it Struck me how similar to a workplace team a RPG group could be. But as I was progressing in the series it became downright eerie how fitting the 4 stage model applied to RPG groups. <br/><br/>Oh, and thanks a bunch for adding this here blog to the TV Tropes Wiki. I was wondering where all the referrals came from. Thanks for the comments Seth.

While I was writing this series, I was pulling from my experiences with various gaming groups. Initially, it Struck me how similar to a workplace team a RPG group could be. But as I was progressing in the series it became downright eerie how fitting the 4 stage model applied to RPG groups.

Oh, and thanks a bunch for adding this here blog to the TV Tropes Wiki. I was wondering where all the referrals came from.

]]> By: Seth http://chattydm.net/2007/09/21/the-4-stages-of-a-rpg-teams-development-storming/#comment-292 Seth Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:00:00 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=61#comment-292 This strikes so true to home it's scary. I've had campaigns where this went on so long that it devolved into an in game fight between two players (Yes i was one of them).<br/><br/>It actually resolved it though, we were fighting because our characters would naturally hate each other (An ex soldier who distrusts magic and a man whose backstory says his power comes from demonic possession). When he was forced to reroll a new character, the back stories didn't clash and we got along fine. This strikes so true to home it’s scary. I’ve had campaigns where this went on so long that it devolved into an in game fight between two players (Yes i was one of them).

It actually resolved it though, we were fighting because our characters would naturally hate each other (An ex soldier who distrusts magic and a man whose backstory says his power comes from demonic possession). When he was forced to reroll a new character, the back stories didn’t clash and we got along fine.

]]> By: ChattyDM http://chattydm.net/2007/09/21/the-4-stages-of-a-rpg-teams-development-storming/#comment-140 ChattyDM Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:37:00 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=61#comment-140 Good call Greywulf. <br/><br/>Burnout is a bummer and that's exactly what happened in our Iron Heroes game last spring. We took a break for summer and started a fresh campaign last month. Good call Greywulf.

Burnout is a bummer and that’s exactly what happened in our Iron Heroes game last spring. We took a break for summer and started a fresh campaign last month.

]]> By: greywulf http://chattydm.net/2007/09/21/the-4-stages-of-a-rpg-teams-development-storming/#comment-138 greywulf Sun, 23 Sep 2007 10:56:00 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=61#comment-138 By your definitions, my group Stormed two thirds of the way through our last Ptolus campaign. It had started so well too, with loads of player enthusiasm, lots of coo-ing over the (amazing, franky) material and a real buzz for playing D&D. That buzz continued for session after session.... then began to wane, bigtime.<br/><br/>After a while, we here just a bunch of guys sitting around munching snacks and tossing dice. The illusion had gone. We were suffering from D&D burnout.<br/><br/>So we did what any sensible gamer group should do in a situation like this. We put that game on hold, and started another one, using a different system. We ran a few scenarios using my own <a HREF="http://home.greywulf.net/m20" REL="nofollow">Microlite20</a>, hopping between genres in one-shot sessions like crazy (fantasy, then spoof modern spy, then post-apocalyptic), a mini-campaign of hardcore WWII gaming using GURPS, then onto four-colour superheroics in Mutants & Masterminds. It's been a blast.<br/><br/>Now, we're ready, and refreshed. <br/><br/>We're just getting ready to start D&D again, with a complete back-to-basics dungeon crawl.<br/><br/>The Storm is over :) By your definitions, my group Stormed two thirds of the way through our last Ptolus campaign. It had started so well too, with loads of player enthusiasm, lots of coo-ing over the (amazing, franky) material and a real buzz for playing D&D. That buzz continued for session after session…. then began to wane, bigtime.

After a while, we here just a bunch of guys sitting around munching snacks and tossing dice. The illusion had gone. We were suffering from D&D burnout.

So we did what any sensible gamer group should do in a situation like this. We put that game on hold, and started another one, using a different system. We ran a few scenarios using my own Microlite20, hopping between genres in one-shot sessions like crazy (fantasy, then spoof modern spy, then post-apocalyptic), a mini-campaign of hardcore WWII gaming using GURPS, then onto four-colour superheroics in Mutants & Masterminds. It’s been a blast.

Now, we’re ready, and refreshed.

We’re just getting ready to start D&D again, with a complete back-to-basics dungeon crawl.

The Storm is over :)

]]> By: ChattyDM http://chattydm.net/2007/09/21/the-4-stages-of-a-rpg-teams-development-storming/#comment-133 ChattyDM Fri, 21 Sep 2007 20:09:00 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=61#comment-133 Thanks for the strong positive feedback Ronin. 12 months ago I was witnessing my RPG group falling from the Performing stage back to Storming and and I was struggling with all that. Thanks for the strong positive feedback Ronin. 12 months ago I was witnessing my RPG group falling from the Performing stage back to Storming and and I was struggling with all that.

]]> By: Ronin http://chattydm.net/2007/09/21/the-4-stages-of-a-rpg-teams-development-storming/#comment-132 Ronin Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:52:00 +0000 http://chattydm.net/?p=61#comment-132 Wow I have so been in the storming faze before. I've never seen it laid out like that. Holy crap. Where were you like 12 months ago! Thank god we moved out of it. It did take an understanding of common rules and expectations. We (As my buddy Bungee was GMing the group too.) wrote up a social contract. By contract I mean written contract. The real help with the stabilization was when the comic shop we held it in closed. One of the problems was the owner. He always held the trump card of get the hell out. When he became little people like the rest of us. It changed his world veiw for the better. Also the group was quite large. Bungee broke the group up into two seperate nights for his game (3.5 D&D). While I pretty much seperated the wheat from the chaff. So there were only the people who want to play. No feelings of obligation or any of that. I think some of the people came to the game because, its what you did on mondays. Even that group has went through a little evolution. Dropping a problem guy and gaining a guy whose a good roleplayer. Both of Bungees nights have had some personnel shake ups as well. Definitly changing things for the better. Wow I have so been in the storming faze before. I’ve never seen it laid out like that. Holy crap. Where were you like 12 months ago! Thank god we moved out of it. It did take an understanding of common rules and expectations. We (As my buddy Bungee was GMing the group too.) wrote up a social contract. By contract I mean written contract. The real help with the stabilization was when the comic shop we held it in closed. One of the problems was the owner. He always held the trump card of get the hell out. When he became little people like the rest of us. It changed his world veiw for the better. Also the group was quite large. Bungee broke the group up into two seperate nights for his game (3.5 D&D). While I pretty much seperated the wheat from the chaff. So there were only the people who want to play. No feelings of obligation or any of that. I think some of the people came to the game because, its what you did on mondays. Even that group has went through a little evolution. Dropping a problem guy and gaining a guy whose a good roleplayer. Both of Bungees nights have had some personnel shake ups as well. Definitly changing things for the better.

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