planning a Panel

It’s a little nerve racking to think I could run a panel. I am hardly an expert at anything (even what I went to college for). If others wish to glean what knowledge or experience I have in the subject, I am willing to share, just don’t quote me on it.

When we finished up a convention this past spring, I let those who put it all together know I was willing to run a panel about RPGs. Now they are working on putting together their schedule of panels and workshops. I have talked it out with my group and decided to go ahead and put in a form to add me to their schedule (not just wait for them to have an unfilled slot). Of course, I have a lot to say about many things, hence this blog, but what do I talk about for an hour?

Of all the things I chat about, I find I am most passionate about rules. Many of these GM Corners are about being flexible with the rules. Regardless of system, they are only guidelines that provide a reference for character creation and social interactions, but are mostly for combat. RPGs stem from the old war games mixed with our imaginative play from childhood. This combination provides a plethora of situations that are impossible for any system to cover, so they give rules for generalized scenarios and hope for the best.

Some systems have gone too far, in my opinion, providing rules on whether or not the first test was successful and by how much. Even these systems give autonomy to the GM though. On occasion, I’ve been known to just roll d100 and say there is a x% chance of success or failure. I save this for a quick response most of the time and I would call it a homebrew rule.

If you are sitting around a table, you have homebrew rules. Some of them are discussed and decided upon by the whole group, while others just happen. Most of them relate to game play, while a few are probably about table etiquette. However you choose to play, even if it is strictly by the rules, if you and your group are having fun, that is what matters most.