Preparing for my first game (still 2 months away)

[jb.teller4]

I'm planning on running my first BW game fairly soon. My group is currently playing another campaign (run by the other GM in our group using his homebrew system) that I expect to continue for another 6-12 weeks, so I have some time to prepare.

So my question is what's the best way to be preparing? Because of the sort of unspoken social contract of having two rotating GMs, I can't be talking up the game to my group in earnest, though I have mentioned it and answered a few questions. Also, I want to do a campaign-burning session before we start, so I'm limited in what I can/should prepare ahead of time as far as setting goes.

I've been reading and re-reading the rules. I've burned probably 30 characters of widely varying types and number of life paths to get a good feel for the system (and because it's fun for it's own sake). But even though I've read the rules a couple times, I haven't been able to actually try any of them out. A lot of things (like scripting) don't seem like I can really do them against myself and really get how it's supposed to flow.

Maybe I just need to wait until I actually start, so I can come back with details and ask for help then (which I'm sure I'll be doing). Still, I'm really excited about BW now and also I'm hoping to be able to get past as much of the learning curve as possible before the wheel hits the road in play.

I do plan on starting them off by running The Sword scenario (and possibly the Gift after that?), but that has more to do with easing them in and teaching them the system than with my preparations.

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!
John

[Dwight]

Do you know what the setting and campaign tone is going to be? I usually come up with 3 different pitches for what I want to run. Together we pick one. Then I review source material (reading, watching) for that general premise. Getting inside the head of it. Then I'm a fountain of knowledge to help everyone make informed choices when it comes to answering the campaign 100 questions.

Sure you can script against yourself, just quickly write down each side (Go with your gut!). It actually makes it easier to say "what if". The big part of the practice is going through the resolution rules, becoming comfortable with them. There is also the Arena forum here.

[Z-Dog]

spend some time imagining what you'll do when people fail rolls, try to think up interesting failure/twists

start paying attention to movies and books and watch how the author gets the protagonists into trouble (I was going to also say watch how he gets them out, but heh, that's the player's job)

[Verrain]

If you can get together with one of the members of your group to run a few Fights and Duel of Wits that would be worthwhile. That gives you two people at the table familiar with some of the mechanics and that smooths out the learning curve for the group.

[dsellars]

I've burned probably 30 characters of widely varying types and number of life paths to get a good feel for the system (and because it's fun for it's own sake). B

That's more than I did and considering how long char gen took us I perhaps should have at least run through a few characters!

[jb.teller4]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

-John

[Drozdal]

I've been reading and re-reading the rules. I've burned probably 30 characters of widely varying types and number of life paths to get a good feel for the system (and because it's fun for it's own sake).
If you came up with some really rad character do not hesitate to post them on BW Wiki (http://www.burningwheel.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Characters)

But even though I've read the rules a couple times, I haven't been able to actually try any of them out. A lot of things (like scripting) don't seem like I can really do them against myself and really get how it's supposed to flow.A lot of mechanics in general do not make sense if you haven't used them in actual play or if you're trying to use them out of context.

Testing is bland dice rolling, it has no situation that involves the characters you care about, no substance, no story - thus legions of people complaining about BW mechanics, the mechanics that actually work quite well in AP, but sook silly (silly - like anything you've ever seen before and I bet if I haven't seen it before it must be borkened silly) on paper.