|
|
Post by wizardmaster on Jan 27, 2011 22:09:23 GMT
I know not sure if this has been asked but I am a member of a local Doctor Who group. I mentioned that I purchased the Doctor Who RPG set at a convention and they are interested in playing that. I have DMed Dungeons and Dragons for many many years and I am comfortable with that. I would love to run Doctor Who and my concern is coming from switching to a different system (ie Doctor Who).
I love the fact that DW is a light rule system but my concern is how much knowledge of the Doctor Who universe is required? I watch the show with the others but there are those that have A LOT more knowledge and background information on DW than I do. My fear is that well to be honest I may let them down. I am going to WikiPedia to get a summary of the episodes from the 9th doctor onwards so I reinforce my basic knowledge and understanding of the episodes. But I am wondering if there are others that have the same dilemma as I?
Another topic is from what I sense from the players they would like to play the companions. My concern also is which doctor or a different Time Lord? Another concern is for example if I choose the 10th doctor and do not play him correctly then I may ruin it for the players.
Is there resources on the web for novice DW game masters? Also, is there already link that has a summary / timeline of DW events?
Decisions decisions......
Tks/Dave
|
|
|
|
Post by Craig Oxbrow on Jan 27, 2011 22:57:26 GMT
Hello, welcome aboard! If someone at the table knows the Whoniverse inside and out, you can (a) remind them that the setting will change, "time can be rewritten" and all that or (b) recruit them as a 'consultant' and ask before (and possibly during) the game what they know on a given topic. I play fast and loose with continuity, introduce new monsters, massively alter old ones, blithely ignore setting points... and so does the show. Equally, a player who can give a potted history of the Dalek Empire without notes could be great if they wanted to play a character with a lot of Ingenuity and Knowledge to bring their out-of-game knowledge in-character. Possibly a good choice to play a Time Lord. If the idea is for a one-shot game, pregenerated existing characters is a good idea. Even though it takes me about ten minutes to get a new player to generate a character from cold - maybe fifteen for an alien or Time Lord or somesuch - that's still ten minutes for each player, fine if there are only two or three, and fine for the first session of a series, but a one-shot lets you decide who can do what, tie the characters into the plotline and setting, and the like. Sound out the players about Doctors, Time Lords, Companions and other character types in advance. If none of the players want to be "in charge" like a Time Lord or other owner or pilot of a time machine, then an NPC like that who takes more of a hands-off role in the adventuring, like the First Doctor, might suit them better than a charge-in-and-sort-things-out hero like later incarnations. An NPC saving the day would be in-character for plenty of Doctors, but would not be so cool at the gaming table. Equally, you could forego such an NPC and have a MacGuffin like a semi-sentient TARDIS or other uncontrollable time-travelling effect that drops them into adventures and picks them up at the end. (You could also forego the travelling in time and space part and run something set in a particular location, but that's definitely something to discuss with the players before starting.) For the timeline, try TARDIS INDEX FILE for a terrifyingly thorough breakdown of everything ever. I also prattle on about possible game types HERE in my rambling Whoblog. Some of it may be helpful, I hope. One of these days I'll write up a convention or new group-friendly one-shot game and post it online. In the meantime, the adventure book in the rules has two, and there are more to find here on the forum. Good luck! let us know how you get on. |
|
|
|
Post by elbarre on Jan 28, 2011 5:20:42 GMT
There is no real continuity to doctor who, I mean there is and there isn't lol, like if you take in the books like the virgin novels or the bbc books from the 90's your gonna kill yourself because everything clashes with itself. The best thing to do is just get down the basics, Tardis Timelord all that junk and heck man throw out the rest. My group has played through 4 incarnations of our Timelord and not once did I have to worry about continuity. I think good adventures come down to good storytelling and who cares if you get something wrong like... alien x comes from y planet. For me personally the more I prepare the more rigid and boring my adventures become cause Im too worried about getting it right, so I've been free flowing some stuff and it turns out great.
Heck make a new timelord, make it your own, before this game I would make my own timelords in other games, i think its great that cubicle 7 didnt limit us to just playing the doctor. To my players and I it gives us a chance to make intresting back stories, new villains and have heroes that could behave differently because they are not bound to being played by an established character like the doctor. Just have fun with it!
|
|
|
|
Post by apseudo on Jan 28, 2011 23:41:31 GMT
I'm a new GM, too, so I won't claim to be the best resource for that specifically. However, from my limited experience I can say this: continuity from the show is much less important than internal consistency and tone within your own adventure.
I've been a player for a few years in various other RPGs, but this is the first game I've ever felt like running. Admittedly, that was at least partially because I have seen the entire series (shows or reconstructions) both classic and new, as well as some of the other media. Yet, it was equally due to the tone and flexibility. Tone is more or less built in, with intellect and romance overcoming brute force and cynicism. DW is a platform that can handle almost ANY type of story. If you can give a plausible sounding reason for something and it works for the story you're trying to tell, then go with it. The nicest part of the system, once you get a good group use to it, is that it's very based in group storytelling. As GM, you act as a guide, but if a more knowledgeable player wanted you to bring in something from the series, s/he could talk to you and you could research it. Communication is very important within your group. Honestly, as long as you work for the right tone, include some of the major mainstays like daleks, and have fun, I don't see how anyone could be let down.
|
|
