All those tables...

[Hogscape]

Hi folks,

I'm just about to start a game with the regular crowd (they don't know what I have in store for 'em - Sailors on the Starless Sea).

I can't help worrying that I'll struggle with all those tables. OK spells won't be an issue for zero level characters but what do you do after that?

I have one copy of the hard-cover rule book and no other play aids. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[finarvyn]

Hey, Mike, I got your back here.

First thing you do is scurry over to this thread:
http://www.goodman-games.com/forums/vie ... 60&t=14791

First post, fourth item down should be "reference sheets." Download 'em. What I did was to print them out booklet style and put some covers on them and hand them out to my players. The reference sheets have all of the important stuff you need, such as crit and fumble tables. I also put together an index to the reverence table booklet and printed it out for in-game reference.

While you are in the thread, look around. Other good stuff there, too.

Let me know if you have additional questions or issues.

[beermotor]

Put a colored "flag" sticky note on the page with the background profession table, and put another one on the equipment table. That's all you need tabbed to start the game.

I printed a 30-some-odd page of cheat sheet tables prepared by someone else that I found online, it's got the critical and fumble tables in it. That's really all you need for 0-level play.

So, 4 tables, total? What're you fretting about?!

[sheriffharry]

My own rule book has a sticky note on the fumble/crit page (p.80+) in Combat and another on Monsters Fumble (p.392)

That solve most of the page flipping during the game...

[Vanguard]

What I've done for people new to the game is hand out those mini-character sheets, 3d6 and tell them to roll the stats for all of their characters at once. When the entire group is finished, I do professions. Have your players call out their rolls one at a time and circle around the table until all are finished. Repeat for the random equipment and luck tables, and get adventuring. Shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes and it's really a lot of fun.

Edit: And definitely grab the reference sheets.

[Raven_Crowking]

First post, fourth item down should be "reference sheets." Download 'em. What I did was to print them out booklet style and put some covers on them and hand them out to my players. The reference sheets have all of the important stuff you need, such as crit and fumble tables. I also put together an index to the reverence table booklet and printed it out for in-game reference.

+1d

That little booklet makes running the game a lot easier!

Also, consider making yourself some good Judge's Screens. Mine were made with cardboard, printed pages, and clear packaging tape. I printed some of the art from the DCC books for the player side, and important tables for my side. I did several versions, 'cause there is a lot of cool art to display, and a lot of good tables to have available.

I am also working on a screen where both sides use pockets, so that the exterior art and interior tables can be changed when I want. For this screen, I Googled a lot of pulp fantasy art and Heavy Metal album art....I really just looked for pictures appropriate to the genre. Then I printed them in full colour!

Best of luck!

Daniel

[Harley Stroh]

Welcome, Hogscape!

When your PCs start getting spells, I'd suggest photocopying the spell tables for them. (Or printing from the PDF, if you have it.) The players can bind their own spell books, they have a cool prop, and it takes some of the work off your plate. (Plus there is a real sense of accomplishment as the physical spell book grows as they acquire more spells.)

When I run higher level games at cons, I usually bring a "spell book" for each of the casters. Even if it is only their first DCC game, players catch on pretty quickly.

//H

[Skyscraper]

Welcome, Hogscape!

When your PCs start getting spells, I'd suggest photocopying the spell tables for them. (Or printing from the PDF, if you have it.) The players can bind their own spell books, they have a cool prop, and it takes some of the work off your plate. (Plus there is a real sense of accomplishment as the physical spell book grows as they acquire more spells.)

When I run higher level games at cons, I usually bring a "spell book" for each of the casters. Even if it is only their first DCC game, players catch on pretty quickly.

//H

This is a cool idea.

[beermotor]

Welcome, Hogscape!

When your PCs start getting spells, I'd suggest photocopying the spell tables for them. (Or printing from the PDF, if you have it.) The players can bind their own spell books, they have a cool prop, and it takes some of the work off your plate. (Plus there is a real sense of accomplishment as the physical spell book grows as they acquire more spells.)

When I run higher level games at cons, I usually bring a "spell book" for each of the casters. Even if it is only their first DCC game, players catch on pretty quickly.

//H

This is a cool idea.

Cooler to hand-copy it into a journal! More personal prop.

[Harley Stroh]

That's pretty hardcore, BM. I like it.

//H

[Hogscape]

Thanks for the link Vinarvyn, and the excellent tips from everyone else.

I have some sticky tabs and I'm ready to mark up my book.

While I'm here, does anyone know if the PDF is cheaper if you already have the physical book?

Thanks heaps

[finarvyn]

While I'm here, does anyone know if the PDF is cheaper if you already have the physical book?

No "bundle" or print+PDF deals as far as I know.

If you're thinking of printing off spell pages, you might consider the Beta PDF as your source.
1. Most spells seem to be about the same in the Beta as the final version (although the final version has more of them).
2. The layout of the Beta is (mostly) one spell per page.

I picked up some "parchment" paper with the intent of printing out spell pages, and rather than copy-paste-reformat I decided just to use the Beta spells. Has worked pretty well for me so far...

[beermotor]

There's a lot of statistics that show that you remember stuff much better when you write it out (even more than typing). I'd encourage them to recopy the spell information in their own words, too, tables and all. I mean, you don't get that many, right? Plus you get a cool prop and stuff. Even if a 100 page bound journal is mostly blank, I think it's cooler than a "spellbook" of 3 printed pages.

Plus, let's say PC gets whacked somewhere. You can later have another PC recover the spellbook, and hand them the prop. Oooh, ahhh...

[TheNobleDrake]

There's a lot of statistics that show that you remember stuff much better when you write it out (even more than typing).

As a big fan of learning styles, and a bit of a statistical anomaly in that regard as well, I'd like to just add that those statistics only apply to people that have that learning style...

I, for example, near-completely forget everything I write (by hand or machine) the instant I have finished writing it - my brain only holds on to the information by remembering where I wrote it down.

Every other method of learning, though, I have high proficiency with (hearing, seeing, doing, and reading).

[beermotor]

Interesting, never heard that. Well, writing it certainly works for me, much better than typing. Which is weird. Probably because I type like I talk.

[Semi-Retired Gamer]

What I've done for people new to the game is hand out those mini-character sheets, 3d6 and tell them to roll the stats for all of their characters at once. When the entire group is finished, I do professions. Have your players call out their rolls one at a time and circle around the table until all are finished. Repeat for the random equipment and luck tables, and get adventuring. Shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes and it's really a lot of fun.

Edit: And definitely grab the reference sheets.

I will be using this method myself.