ers , but perhaps a game like Battle Zoo Eldamon with less complex systems and younger thematic elements might be a better choice for the middle school group . Additionally , not all groups have the same taste — the same group that might have a blast playing space pirates in Starfinder might bounce off Kill Shakespeare ’ s literature themed world entirely . Always make sure to share what game system you ’ re wanting to use — that way the interested parties won ’ t have their expectations betrayed like old King Lear !
ESTABLISH AND PROVIDE THE TOOLS
REQUIRED FOR THE GAME SYSTEM Some games utilize proprietary dice to play , while others focus on a classic set of gamer dice and a drawn tactical map . Others just use six-sided dice , and still others use tokens or a playing card deck .
Each game system will have different requirements . Using Pathfinder and Dungeons & Dragons as an example , mostly what is needed is the core rulebook , a character sheet that reminds the player what their characters are good at ( and tells them what dice to roll and numbers to add ), pencils , and a set of gaming dice ( containing different sided dice with 20 , 12 , 10 , 8 , 6 , and 4 sides respectively ).
Check the specifics on the game your group is playing — most rulebooks say what is needed in the first few pages . And , of course , in terms of library space , ensure you ’ ve got a section in the library where it ’ s okay if people are excited ! If things are going well , then there ’ s probably going to be some laughter , cheers , and even groans involved .
Section 3 : Promotion and Play
GETTING THE GAMES STARTED After you have determined the game , you would like to showcase , it ’ s time to recruit potential players ! Don ’ t worry if the first couple of games aren ’ t at capacity . It can take some time for a group to build momentum , especially if everyone doesn ’ t know each other beforehand . For open groups and new campaigns , posting flyers in branches or local areas is a good start — there are a lot of people interested in RPGS and usually not enough games to go around !
Another way of getting people in the door and interested is to host a character creation night , where a staff member helps people make their characters for future games . Try to provide the basic supplies and include that you ’ re doing so in the promotional material — that helps pique potential players ’ interest . Hang up flyers in schools , community spaces , and post on social media — people of all ages can get drawn in . Do highlight the age demographic for which you ’ re creating the game . Finally , it ’ s usually a good idea to develop a relationship with the local game store as well — many of them host RPG nights and some might even be willing to volunteer to run games .
TIPS FOR STARTING A NEW GAME It ’ s tempting to jump right into a game , but there are some tricks to getting started on the right foot .
• For drop-in play where everyone ’ s new to each other , a quick icebreaker game or quiz is a way to get people comfortable and laughing with each other . An example is shown at the end of this document .
• For longer running campaigns it ’ s important to set proper expectations with a session zero , where everyone meets each other ’ s characters and the Game Master discusses the specifics of the game , just to make sure there won ’ t be any issues with the content .
• There are numerous ideas for different approaches to a session zero available online — just search the term and see what ideas you would like to incorporate in your games .
If some of your players leave the game to start their own , don ’ t worry ! You ’ re accomplishing part of what RPGs set out to do — inspire creativity ! The hope is that everyone who plays makes the hobby their own . They in turn become facilitators of new RPG players , perhaps inspiring more people to come to the library or investigate the hobby as they share their new adventures .
Since every system has slightly different requirements , there ’ s no one-size fits all approach for the exact materials you ’ ll need , but here ’ s a list of starting items that are a must !
• Basic rulebooks for the game system being played .
• A space to gather and roll dice where being excited is acceptable .
• Pencil and paper for everyone to take notes and adjust their character sheets .
• Character Sheets for the game system to help the players understand how to play the game and keep track of the relevant information .
Your first meeting with prospective players and Game Masters is known as session zero , where ground rules for behavior are established , the setting is explained , and expectations for the type of game being played are set .
• D & D
• Pathfinder
• Starfinder
• Dungeon Crawl Classics
• Battle Zoo Eldamon ( family-friendly )
• Lionwing
• Kill Shakespeare
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• GURPS ( The Generic Universal RolePlaying System )
• Call of Cthulhu
• Apocalypse World
• Kids on a Bike
• 13th Age
• Blades in the Dark
GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL — WHERE TO LEARN MORE ? GenCon is one of the best places to learn about both up and coming games and veterans of the industry — keep an eye on this remarkable convention in Indianapolis and you might find a new game that your group will fall in love with . ( https :// www . gencon . com /).
Twitch has a number of creators that stream their games live — if you want to get a feel for how to play by watching others then search for “ actual play ” or “ live play ” games , which are broadcasts of game sessions intended to keep as much of the original experience as possible . There are groups who play professionally , so learn from them — just make sure to keep in mind that many of these creators are professional actors or players , so don ’ t worry if the voices you do for characters aren ’ t as perfect as theirs ! The most popular of these would be Critical Role , which gives a pretty good feel for the pattern of playing a traditional D & D or Pathfinder game . ( https :// www . twitch . tv / criticalrole / videos )
24 24 diamondbookshelf . org