Two Hour Sessions

[Christopher Kubasik]

Hi,

For those who were at Demon Con:

Can someone review the styles/habits/techniques/tools/whatever that folks at DemonCon used to run effective games in two hours?

How did this style of play compare and contrast with other sessions you've been in?

Can you give specific examples of these styles...whatever from play?

Thanks,
Christopher

[Valamir]

Well I think it partially has to do with your personal gaming preferences.  2 hour slots leave very little time for a gradual escalation of events or a complicated plot that needs to be unraveled.  If it wasn't for some timely reminders about time I think our CoC game slot would have ended without a single supernatural event occuring because the GM was using a more typical gradual build up of strangeness.

I think 2 hour slots are perfect for demos of rules light to rules medium games.  They may work for more rules dense games too, I wasn't able to get into the RoS game, so I can't say first hand how that went, but it seemed to work ok.

Advantages of a two hour slot for demos:  If you can't sell your game in 2 hours...you can't sell your game period.  If the game turns out to suck, you've only wasted 2 hours and not more.  It forces the action to proceed fairly rapid fire with less sitting around wondering "what should we do".

On the other hand, the games by definition are going to be rather focused.  There is one thing and one thing only that is going to get the spotlight shown on it.  There just isn't time for creative and interesting subplots.  There isn't time for grandiose schemes and such.

So my verdict is this.  If its a demo game that you're trying to check out and see if its fun...2 hours works...you can hit the system highlights in 2 hours enough to know if you want to pick the game up.  If you are actually going to a con because you want to really role-play with some meat to it the way you might do at home only with new people.  4-6 hour slots are much better for that.

[Christopher Kubasik]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Now, it was implied that these time slots weren't just demo game sessions (or did I miss something).  Did anyone have a different impression of the two hour slot -- 'cause if it's just about hitting the demo-stretch, then I know all about that.

Anyone else?

Thanks,
Christopher

[Mike Holmes]

I think that the games were meant as demos, and that Ron chose the length wisely for that purpose. Not to say they weren't fun, but, well, what Ralph said. I think the intent of the Con was to get some awareness going of gaming in general in that locality, and to demonstrate a few games so that people might broaden their horizons. Or something like that. You really can't hope to accomplish more in one short day.

Mike

[Christopher Kubasik]

Okey-Dokey.

Christopher

[Valamir]

I should probably point out that both Mike and I are the sort of player who will gleefully game for 12 straight hours without ill effect, so we likely have a little built in bias when it comes to 2 hour slots.

[Ron Edwards]

Hey,

I'm not sure anyone really managed to answer Christopher's basic question. And I don't buy the dichotomy of (1) play the game superficially in two hours or (2) play the game with depth & content in six-plus hours (or multiple sessions). Although, granted, really solid play requires more time for fairly obvious reasons, the two-hour session can yield a lot of insight and much more than a "vague impression" if it's properly prepared.

That proper prep includes the following:

1) Provide pre-generated characters, or nearly so. I have observed some con games to spend over two hours in character creation for the group.

2) Identifying the distinctive features of the game and presenting conflicts that demand those features be used in play. This is a pretty general comment, and it's modified by the next point, but as a general rule, focus on (a) player-engaging issues provided by both character and setting, (b) especially fun or empowering aspects of the resolution system, (c) tactically-effective applications of the Currency, and (d) lots of equally-fun choices (ie give'em lots of room).

3) And yet, in full knowledge of #2, also realize that the purpose of short-session play is not to showcase all of the nuances of the system/game. If there's setting material that's not relevant to the game, don't go into a twenty-minute tangent monologue about how cool it is except that you aren't using it. (I've seen this.) Don't use the complex combat/etc options that rely on full knowledge of the basic system (e.g. TROS' maneuvers). Don't keep careful track of all Endurance/Fatigue type variables. For some kinds (notably D20), use a customized character sheet design that includes only the variables that will be tracked during play, or use a standard character sheet with areas blocked out.

You are primarily providing an opportunity for fun play, not a seminar on all the features of a given game.

Best,
Ron

P.S. had to edit this - I'd forgotten to fill in (d) in my little list, didn't see it until I'd visited again.