π² A game master is not just a storyteller; they are conflict designers in tabletop role-playing games.
π² In tabletop role-playing games, the game master designs the conflicts, players decide how to approach them, and dice determine the outcomes.
π² Railroading, or forcing players down a preconceived path, should be avoided in favor of allowing player autonomy and choices.
π² Dice rolls ultimately determine success or failure in tabletop role-playing games, and respecting the randomness of the dice is important.
π² Game masters can't plan too far in advance because they don't know if the players will live or die, so they focus on designing the next session.
π² The veiled society campaign is based on the classic module "The Veiled Society" by Zeb Cook, set in a city with warring merchant families and a murder mystery.
π² The campaign is designed to have lots of conflicts between factions, and the player characters interject themselves into these conflicts.
π² The professor uses a random urban scenario generator to create conflict for each session, providing object, antagonist, location, time limit, and reward.
π² The professor presents players with two potential missions and they choose which one to pursue, giving the campaign a sandbox feel.
π² The professor focuses on designing unique encounters and locations, not worrying too much about what will happen in future sessions.
π² The scenarios may have similarities to other stories (e.g., Batman movies or Star Wars), but the players' approach and decisions make them compelling.
π² The amount of prep time doesn't necessarily correlate with the level of fun the players will have; sometimes, quick scenarios turn out to be the most enjoyable.
π² The professor encourages viewers to roll out scenarios using the random urban scenario generator and share their experiences.
π² Links are provided to the Dungeoncraft Facebook group, Patreon, extended video version, and the professor's module "Macdet."