High Level Session Planning

These higher level planning techniques can be very useful if you are stuck for how to progress your adventure next, but can be a major timesink. It can often be more efficient just to go with something, and play off how your players react. Balance, as always, is key.

• What do you want to happen by the end of the session?
• What value should your session offer?
• What general
• What do you want your players to experience or feel during the session?

• Develop parts of your session based on what your goals are
• What properties should the session have to help you achieve your goals?
• Aesthetics, tropes, environments, characterisations

• Time allocation, both within this session and other sessions
• General pacing
  • Set up acts or general portions of the session
• What major plot points or climaxes do you want your session to have?
• While it is not generally a good idea to railroad the course of the game, it can be a good idea to identify key events which will occur over the session no matter that the players do
  • In order to speed up or slow down (by adding helpful tools/hints or extra challenges), you need to know what structure you generally want.
  • Work forwards and backwards from these events to develop possible scenarios and ways things might play out. Instead of developing a 'plan', develop a 'toolbox' of outcomes to allow you to build on the actions of your players.