MORE GMS, MORE GMS

MORE GMS, MORE GMS

MORE GMS, MORE GMS

I want more GMs. I talked about that this week’s Podcast, but let me reiterate: I’m here to work with anyone who has thought about running games for The Gauntlet Hangouts (or anywhere online). We’re opening up new high-level Patreon spots end of the month, so we’ll have more room and opportunities for GMs next year.

I’ll be glad to talk with you one-on-one to…figure out technical issues; go over what you’re thinking about running; discuss technique; get advice about running online; break down your planning; look at online tools; tell me about what you dig about GMing; or talk you down from the panic ledge.

If you want advice, I’m glad help—but if you just want someone to listen, I’ll do that. I may not have all the info or specific game advice, but I’ll do my level best to help and direct you to folks who do have that.

The best place to start, obviously, before you run games for The Gauntlet is playing our games. That way to get a sense of the table culture, structure, and approach. But once you do that and start thinking about running, I want to help. I want other people to be comfortable and have as great a time with the Gauntlet as I have.

You can email me or hit me up on Slack if you have questions or want to talk.

52 thoughts on “MORE GMS, MORE GMS”

  11. I’m tempted. I’ve run hundreds of games, but I worry about life stuff getting in the way. I’ve run hundreds of games, but I worry that I’m not very good at online gaming. I still run them, though.

  12. I’m tempted. I’ve run hundreds of games, but I worry about life stuff getting in the way. I’ve run hundreds of games, but I worry that I’m not very good at online gaming. I still run them, though.

  13. Lowell Francis No. Only started listening to Gauntlet and Discrern Realities recently. I have done a few hangout sessions of PbtA with my own group, but most of my experience is face to face gaming. — A long history of following Vincent’s work, including getting in on the Forge scene back in 2001. I was in the play test group for Primetime Adventures.

  14. Lowell Francis No. Only started listening to Gauntlet and Discrern Realities recently. I have done a few hangout sessions of PbtA with my own group, but most of my experience is face to face gaming. — A long history of following Vincent’s work, including getting in on the Forge scene back in 2001. I was in the play test group for Primetime Adventures.

  15. Alan Barclay Awesome. I’d definitely recommend playing some sessions with us before running, so you can get a sense of the play culture at the table. I was glad I’d done that before I did my first sessions here.

  16. Alan Barclay Awesome. I’d definitely recommend playing some sessions with us before running, so you can get a sense of the play culture at the table. I was glad I’d done that before I did my first sessions here.

  17. Lowell Francis Any hints on getting into a hangout game? I’ve checked the signups for all the gauntlet games all the way into january and there are no openings. I’m not ready to up to th $7 level. Any alternatives?

  18. Lowell Francis Any hints on getting into a hangout game? I’ve checked the signups for all the gauntlet games all the way into january and there are no openings. I’m not ready to up to th $7 level. Any alternatives?

  19. I’d encourage you to add yourself to the waitlist if you see an upcoming game you really want to play. I’d say one in two or one in three of my games, I have someone drop before session one. I’m betting we’ll have more sessions added to the calendar soon. The holidays make for a weird scheduling time. Keeping an eye on the Gauntlet Hangouts community’s a good way to track that.

    River Williamson has also mentioned doing Mandatory Fun Club again which brings people interesting in running together for some trial games.

  20. I’d encourage you to add yourself to the waitlist if you see an upcoming game you really want to play. I’d say one in two or one in three of my games, I have someone drop before session one. I’m betting we’ll have more sessions added to the calendar soon. The holidays make for a weird scheduling time. Keeping an eye on the Gauntlet Hangouts community’s a good way to track that.

    River Williamson has also mentioned doing Mandatory Fun Club again which brings people interesting in running together for some trial games.

  23. I’m interested, especially given that I’m in a time zone that has traditionally had lower representation in our games (Australiasia). The imposter syndrome is real though. The Gauntlet has an amazing crew of players and GMs and my experience playing with 25 different people at Gauntlet Con was that they were all amazing, and caring, and funny, and sharp.

    It’s a pretty intimidating bar to be set. How do I even begin to approach that?

  24. I’m interested, especially given that I’m in a time zone that has traditionally had lower representation in our games (Australiasia). The imposter syndrome is real though. The Gauntlet has an amazing crew of players and GMs and my experience playing with 25 different people at Gauntlet Con was that they were all amazing, and caring, and funny, and sharp.

    It’s a pretty intimidating bar to be set. How do I even begin to approach that?

  25. Mark Causey Generally want want GMs to post their events several weeks beforehand. So that requires commiting time a ways in advance. So right now folks are posting January games and a few December events. We’d like GMs to have played in some Gauntlet games before running; I think that’s important to help the GM figure out the group culture. Otherwise GMs can run one shots, two shots, four shots, etc. You could run one or two sessions to see how it works for you.

    Generally we do short games, with the idea that anyone can drop in or out. I have a boilerplate statement, “attendance at all sessions is encouraged, but not required.”

    So commitment-wise, just playing with us first, posting an event listing several weeks out, and then running the sessions.

    Does that seem cool?

  26. Mark Causey Generally want want GMs to post their events several weeks beforehand. So that requires commiting time a ways in advance. So right now folks are posting January games and a few December events. We’d like GMs to have played in some Gauntlet games before running; I think that’s important to help the GM figure out the group culture. Otherwise GMs can run one shots, two shots, four shots, etc. You could run one or two sessions to see how it works for you.

    Generally we do short games, with the idea that anyone can drop in or out. I have a boilerplate statement, “attendance at all sessions is encouraged, but not required.”

    So commitment-wise, just playing with us first, posting an event listing several weeks out, and then running the sessions.

    Does that seem cool?

  27. Lowell Francis It does! I ran a couple of games for Gauntlet Con, does that count, in your mind, for having played and absorbed some of the culture, or would you prefer playing in the games posted outside of the con? I’m fine either way, just curious.

  28. Lowell Francis It does! I ran a couple of games for Gauntlet Con, does that count, in your mind, for having played and absorbed some of the culture, or would you prefer playing in the games posted outside of the con? I’m fine either way, just curious.

  31. Sidney Icarus It’s all good. Seriously– on my worst nights, it’s the players who pull things together for me. They want you to win and they support that. I’m a person with anxiety issues. Running for The Gauntlet helped me get better about those. And I learned a ton doing that. If you need help or support, we’re here to give that to you. Give it a try, run for one or two sessions and see if you dig it.

  32. Sidney Icarus It’s all good. Seriously– on my worst nights, it’s the players who pull things together for me. They want you to win and they support that. I’m a person with anxiety issues. Running for The Gauntlet helped me get better about those. And I learned a ton doing that. If you need help or support, we’re here to give that to you. Give it a try, run for one or two sessions and see if you dig it.

  35. Mark Causey I think Richard Rogers, Jason Cordova, and others can speak to this as well.

    Since players sign up in advance, when you get to the sessions, you’ll usually get a sense of who will be in which sessions. More often than not, you’ll have the same crew across all of those. I plan loosely– its why PbtA works well for these kinds of games.

    Usually if I have a new player come in, we just take a short time at the start to orient them and have everyone reintroduce themselves. Then, if possible, I’ll throw them the first pitch to get them into the game, usually paired up with one of the vets. I talk meta about it to the group to acknowledge the sitch as well.

    The only times I’ve had problems with this is when I’ve planned a little too much. As a concrete example, for the final session of World Wide Wrestling, I though too much about the booking and matches for the show beforehand. I plotted it out– so when we had one player no-show, it threw me waaaay off my game. I do better when I sketch and leave room. There’s a law in gaming that if you plan massively around someone, that’s the week they don’t show up.

  36. Mark Causey I think Richard Rogers, Jason Cordova, and others can speak to this as well.

    Since players sign up in advance, when you get to the sessions, you’ll usually get a sense of who will be in which sessions. More often than not, you’ll have the same crew across all of those. I plan loosely– its why PbtA works well for these kinds of games.

    Usually if I have a new player come in, we just take a short time at the start to orient them and have everyone reintroduce themselves. Then, if possible, I’ll throw them the first pitch to get them into the game, usually paired up with one of the vets. I talk meta about it to the group to acknowledge the sitch as well.

    The only times I’ve had problems with this is when I’ve planned a little too much. As a concrete example, for the final session of World Wide Wrestling, I though too much about the booking and matches for the show beforehand. I plotted it out– so when we had one player no-show, it threw me waaaay off my game. I do better when I sketch and leave room. There’s a law in gaming that if you plan massively around someone, that’s the week they don’t show up.

  39. So, i’ve got two games in mind i want to run.

    I’ve spoken to Lowell Francis about World Wide Wrestling but i also want to give running the new Star Trek system a try.

  40. So, i’ve got two games in mind i want to run.

    I’ve spoken to Lowell Francis about World Wide Wrestling but i also want to give running the new Star Trek system a try.

  43. I’m lucky in that i live in the same city as the guy who wrote the game and got to play in a playtest or two.

    I really enjoyed the game and i’m looking forward to bringing people the continued adventures of the U.S.S. Gauntlet

  44. I’m lucky in that i live in the same city as the guy who wrote the game and got to play in a playtest or two.

    I really enjoyed the game and i’m looking forward to bringing people the continued adventures of the U.S.S. Gauntlet

  45. Not too sure if anyone would be interested but I’d really like to run Mouse Guard at some point. It’s really mission based so should do well with an online setup.

  46. Not too sure if anyone would be interested but I’d really like to run Mouse Guard at some point. It’s really mission based so should do well with an online setup.

  49. Someone sent me a message yesterday about wanting to run, having played with us, and wondering what the next step is. I managed to misplace that contact in my exchanges. If you did so and haven’t heard back from me, send me an email at edige23 at gmail.com.

  50. Someone sent me a message yesterday about wanting to run, having played with us, and wondering what the next step is. I managed to misplace that contact in my exchanges. If you did so and haven’t heard back from me, send me an email at edige23 at gmail.com.

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