By sheer coincidence I did also just send out an Investment Questionnaire for a murder mystery adventure set in my homebrew world's version of Waterdeep. Here's what I sent out. - What's your name? - What's your job, and why do you do it? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it? - What was your part in the Last War? In particular, on the Last Day, when the whole city was under attack? - How do you feel about the city's ancient laws and customs? Are they outdated? Do they need to be changed? Or are these customs all that separate us from the likes of the Enemy? - Do you have a side hustle? What do you do in your free time? Are you a member of a guild? - They say Waterdeep is governed by a compromise of three factions: Guilds, Nobles, and Law (represented by the Lords of Waterdeep). Through which faction do you consider yourself most aligned?
- Finch, the timid war centaur - Fletcher (makes arrows), because adoptive father was one. Likes that it reminds him of the old man. Doesn't like that it makes weapons. - Was busy passing out from blood loss, left arm went MIA. Got taken in by a druid in a far away forest and stayed there for ~20 years. / Wondered into an old man's hut, deep into some other forest. Became their companion and apprentice, until the man died from old age. / If neither of those fit the time frame, let's just say wandering. In short, I wasn't there. - Just arrived (or almost arrived), only know what I've heard from travelers on the road. - Yesn't. Carving wooden toys and figurines. No. - Would like to get to know the crafting guilds and learn more skills. PS: My job is also my class, a non-magical Atificer specialized in woodwork; expertise in arrow making. The little secret is that my late adoptive dad left me a special prosthetic arm as a parting gift. There is a folding longbow in it. May or may not start the game, still looking for someone to attach it. May or may not have a free cast of goodberry (from the ~20 years spent with a druid part of the backstory), if the DM oks it. TL;DR: We playin Sekiro, but as a centaur attempting a lawful good pacifist run, with many contradictions trying to stop him.
This channel popped up out of nowhere. I can really see the effort going in, from the release strategy of launching with 5 videos to the production value and considered, concise writing! Looking forward to where this channel is headed : )
I love session zero! With friends, it's a good excuse to bring them over, grab some drinks, talk about the setting, and steal their ideas. Plus, if you get a new person, you can check if they mesh well with your group and their sense of humor.
YO, man you are a godsend. to answer your question, I think TH-cam shorts are the worst. They suck you in, and you lose hours of time endlessly scrolling through mostly crap, to find a funny or interesting clip. They are like cursed loot boxes of, mostly, nonsense. I decided to stop watching them all together.
@@Custos43 Just to hop in here, it has quite some downsides, but disabling watch history disables the Shorts and the Home. Took a small while to get used to, but man it saves me so much times and provides the essential 'does watching this help me/is it actually useful' moment.
Also, I feel like shorts wouldn't be very effective for this kind of channel, anyway. I love how he goes into depth with every topic and thoroughly explains them. With shorts, you just don't get the same type of content.
The life saver for me on this was installing uBlock and selecting the Shorts frames on the pages and having it block them from showing them to me haha!
Bonus points if you also run a mini-session for each individual player covering some or all of their backstory. That way they get to work out the kinks of how their character acts in conversation or otherwise, but without the pressure of potentially screwing up the party's first impression of their character. This worked especially well for me in a campaign I've been running in the Destiny setting, where each of the player characters have been resurrected as Guardians - super-powered beings without their memories. We've seen the past lives of a few Guardians in the game, enough to understand that they still act pretty much the same post-resurrection even if they don't remember anything. Thus; having my players play out a few moments before and including their deaths allowed them to feel that history, meaning they immediately relate to the empty feeling their characters have because they don't remember anything.
I love running those sorts of games! My long-term on-going campaign started with 38 individual sessions with players either alone, or paired up, playing through whole adventures before meeting the full crew at Session 39. - Daði
I do both talking and session 0. Most of my campaigns, i talk with my players and have them come up with 3 high level concepts. Then with session 0 (sometimes done over discord) it is spent between the players deciding which archtypes they think would have interesting dynamics with, if anyone wants to have joint back stories. This gives the session 0 the feel as if they played a bit. This also means that they will have time to build secrets before the start of the campaign. I think this is primarily a difference in dming style as well
Caught you by the gods on your first set of vids, You're making an absolute lord level of content! And to answer your final question- I think shorts would be a terrible way to fully appreciate the wonderful amount of stuff that your teaching here on this platform
It's always the "simplest" solutions you don't even consider, huh :D Session zero also tends to be stressful for me as the GM 'cause it's *one day* where you have to go through *everything*
This is the channel, I was waiting for. There is so much info on DnD rules and technical understanding but so little on the immersive storytelling, player guidance and writing. I would really love to know how you prepare a new adventure. Do you write a rough story? Are there milestones? Do you prepare where player can find clues or improvise? How do you prepare the NPCs?
My country mentioned 🇳🇱! All jokes aside: great video again. Good to hear we both have the same take on this subject. I like to give them some information on regional organizations, so they can already hook their characters to those. I also like to play a text-based mini session with every willing player that they can respond to at will. This mini plot leads them to the start of session 1 and gives them a chance to get a feel for their character. Definitely recommend it
I do this! It's an amazing way to hype the campaign and make a worldbuilding info dump in a digestible and fun way. I also run a session 0, but that's just because we use it to build the characters together and have a lighthearted gathering to ease ourselves into the routine of the campaign.
I've done both in the same campaign, but I definitely feel the digital stuff is way more helpful than the actual session itself. I've also learned to keep my handouts down to a page.
I think your videos are fantastic. I would say it would depend on what kind of shorts you do. I think short tidbits of advice or information would be great. Especially if its about a topic that doesn't need a full video. Maybe an adventure hook or plot point, a type of battle or event.
I agree with this, session zero does not need to be a PROPER SESSION, it's topics can be handled along the week(s) previous to session one. Scheduling is hard past some age, to lose one session to this makes no sense. If you manage to schedule one session, let it be the start of the campaign already, please haha. Plus this allows the DM to talk with each player about it's character separately, allowing to know it's secrets without the other players knowing, maybe even do a little mini-session to set off it's story.
honestly, the most effective TH-cam Shorts Ive seen are those that clip a single thought from a larger video and then has a link to that video in the description, like a teaser for the video. A few creators I subscribe to use that method: - Matt Colville does it to recycle old videos that are still relevant - Welch Labs uses it to build hype before releasing the video proper - 3 Blue 1 Brown uses it to pose a question to the audience that is explored and answered in the video proper, etc
I agree with getting things started away from the table, but also think that a short session zero time that takes 1-2 hours of the first session so you get everyone talking together is also important for collaborative ideas. So maybe a mix of these ideas. Loving your videos! Keep them coming!
All of your videos have been consistently high quality and I’ve really enjoyed them! With that said, doing what an audience wants you to do rather than what you want to do is a dangerous path that often leads to burn out or loss of the soul of the channel. If you want to make YT shorts, if the idea makes you excited, then do it! If you do it only because the audience asks or because you believe it is the “right way” to have a TH-cam channel, I’d counsel against it. People come for your passion and quality, so focus on doing what makes you excited!
Shorts are the cheap entertainment stuff, but your channel has been providing such useful, crunchy note-worthy info that every time I find myself writing summaries. PLEASE don't let shorts come at the expense of the material; you guys are seriously producing banger after banger 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Here we go, yet another thought-provoking video! For my current 8 player in-person campaign that just hit the one year milestone we approached the introduction similarly. Most of the announcements, teasers, polls and character creation happened asynchronously on Discord. In addition to that, I held an in-person presentation about the prompt, character creation guidelines, scheduling concept, house rules and a few quirks of the Star Wars themed 5e offshoot we are using. While that presentation could have happened online, it was a convenient opportunity to gather the full group for the first time, since we hadn't played in that constellation before. Oh and grabbing some snacks and drinks is always a plus. According to the feedback from my players, this was the right approach for them. Regarding TH-cam shorts: I like short-form teasers that lead up to a linked long form video. Thank you for the awesome content, appreciate it
I watch a lot of DM's advice on yt, and after a while i keep seeing different people talk about the same things and I feel like i don't learn a lot of new stuff nor do I challenge my way of thinking the game very often, but your channel is a breath of fresh air in this! I really like the way you guys choose rather original subjects or bring a new approach to some already talked about in length, as it is the case here! Well done and thank you!!! (Also kinda unrelated but I love Nordic culture and i'm using Icelandic as the draconic-substitute in my homebrew setting haha)
First off, just want to say I'm loving this channel. The videos you guys make are fun and informative, and I really enjoy your perspective on running the game. As much as I enjoy what you're pitching here, it unfortinately doesn't work all that well for my group. We do have a shared Discord server to discuss the game between sessions, but participation is very hit-or-miss. I have one player who is willing to interact with me through Discord just about anytime, but we're all adults with varying levels of free time between sessions due to other obligations. For some members of my group, it can take several days to get a response to a simple question, and they may outright forget until the start of the next session. A formal Session 0 is helpful for us because it's the only time I know for sure I have my players' full attention and commitment. We've carved out time specifically to sit down and discuss the game. Definitely going to still keep some of these tips in mind moving forward though. I may find a use for them someday. Thanks for everything you do, and keep up the good work! P.S.: My summer shirt isn't doing anything to ward off winter either.
Another great video. Thanks, Dadi and girlfriend (you should really introduce her too!). It's funny to think about session zero, being someone who's been playing DND since 1981. Our session zero was always, "I'll be a cleric; I'll be a fighter; I'll be the M-U". Everything is so produced nowadays. But I guess that's what happens when a game has evolved over 50 years. I think the one thing that I would add to this conversation is that S0 seems to be so loaded with expectations. How will my character fit in with the "theme"? How will my character gel with the other players' characters? What is my character's motivation? (Oh Lordy, we've all become actors now!) What I find is that the character I THINK I'm going to play, going into a campaign, ends up changing in pretty significant ways after I have a few sessions to get to know him. It's almost like the character's voice emerges through play, and this is something I think might get lost in S0 preparation.
Another video I just HAVE to watch, keep uploading Mystic Arts, I love your videos. Having watched the video: Very insightful video, for my session 0 I never thought to ask radical questions about topics I'm gonna use, so for future "session 0"s this is going to be useful. On shorts: I don't really watch a lot of shorts, I really love long form content, but if you can sum up topics and keep the content as useful and insightful as in normal videos, I think it would be a great idea.
Love the tips. Getting ready to run my first Fate campaign and this is really solid advice. Fate already incorporates a session zero-esque process of group character creation, but this seems like it’ll really streamline the process (no players um-er ing while in character creation). Would’ve loved to see some examples of your PDFs; even just flashed up on the screen while you’re talking. You’re definitely one of my favorite new channels.
I respectfully disagree. Before session zeroes, my campaigns (and the ones I was in without them) were more likely to have things come up that someone had issue with that would end up with the party making characters that other people at the table didn’t like/clashed inherently against. I don’t treat session zero just as setting expectations but for the whole party to have an idea, not everything, but an idea of everyone’s character concept. I also tend to add elements from each character to weave into the campaign, making their history the world’s history and like having at least a week to plan that stuff before the first session.
Awesome video, loving your guys' stuff. The two of you came out of nowhere and started making the best DND advice videos I've seen. Keep it up! I don't watch shorts personally but understand they have become cornerstone of building a channel on TH-cam. I would say make shorts that are clips from the long video but never make short exclusive content 😊
I was planning to comment to say just about the same thing. I know I am likely an odd one out, but I exclusively use desktop TH-cam. Shorts just aren't optimized for it, and tend to get lost in the rest of the space. They also don't show up in the subscriptions, which makes it hard to interact with certain content creators.
That’s how I’ve been doing it too. Most recently for Imperium Maledictum. I actually sat down with every player individually, giving them context, relevant lore nuggets and spoiler-free advice on what design choices probably wouldn’t be paying out short term, as they are going for a longer warp travel to begin with. As our real session zero we had an actual game night, which aimed to provide a video-game-like tutorial that got the newer players up to speed on the setting, the tone and the mechanics, while already playing at low stakes and with a reasonably clear path forward. Can’t wait to release them into the chaotic sandbox I have prepared for them.
Honestly, I agreed recently with Angry GM on safety tools. Using lists of requirements from players to GM 1. Radically expands type of stuff players are about to mark off just because they aren't sure about if they are ok with that 2. Puts unrealistic expectations on DM due to the list vastness. Approaching in person and in one-on-one conversation saying that you have a strong reaction to something is much more human and shows explicitly that you are asking for a favor from a DM. Because that is what it is: a favor. Just saying to my players "In terms of descriptions I run games like Game of Thrones minus all stuff related to intercourse" kinda solved all the problems and I think with lists my games would be just worse.
I play over Discord, as I'm sure MANY of you do. When we start to get towards the end of our current game, whoever is DMing the next game creates posts for lore, character creation, tone, proposed homebrew, etc. This is usually a month or two ahead of time so we can adjust as we go. Writing this comment before watching to see how close we are.
@@nightdweller2902 my group also plays over discord. We've been having lots of issues transitioning between DMs so I can only imagine that increasing the tension vs having a definite start time for a new game setting. Having someone trying to wind down their game and the next up DM already openly prepping their game would be distracting I think.
@secretlyaslug2325 My group has been playing together for a long time. We're on our 3rd campaign, and the current DM has already stated that we'd finish before Christmas. We had decided earlier on that I would run the next game. We haven't even gotten to our yearly Christmas oneshot. We also have someone who runs oneshots whenever we are down players as to not progress major story threads without them. Hasn't ever been a problem for us.
I 100% agree, I get session zero being super necessary for certain groups but you can just as effectively communicate what you need to over text! Also I have often forgotten to mention very important details or parts of sessions zeroes so this process is just more pragmatic.
First off, your videos are amazing. I found you like a week or two ago and realized your content is new!!! Amazing job with the videos and keeping up the great work. Second, I'd love to see a video on prepping NPCs. What information would you have written down to be able to rp an NPC well. I struggle with keeping in mind what information an NPC would know and tend to divulge too much if my players pressure them. As for shorts, I try to stay away, but I'd happily watch yours!
I happened upon your channel last week while searching for 5 Room Dungeon inspiration. I had soon watched all of your videos. Great stuff so far. Your delivery definitely reminds me of Matt C which is a complement.
Greetings from Germany and a big big shoutout to your (plural) videos! They are a great inspiration to me and make me think in different ways i used to. So thank you both, you and your girlfriend so much. According to your question: I prefer long vids with deeper thinking…especially on the RPG topic.
To answer your questions, IMO shorts are only good if you make plenty of them. And frankly i think it would be a waste of time and energy. Your videos are too good of a quality and perfectly timed already ! (If you make shorts i'll watch them all obviously)
I want to first start off by saying I love your videos! And that their format and topics are awesome and can get creative juices flowing as a long time DM. So my response is just my perspective on this. This idea works well for running one-shots or mini-campaigns, but I’ve found it less effective stand alone for long-term campaigns. The main issue? People don’t read. No matter how detailed or concise my messages are, it often doesn’t matter if players don’t take the time to read them. For long-term games, I also need to ensure that my players can build good relationships with one another, since we’ll be spending a lot of time together. So, it's helpful to observe how they interact in voice as well as treat each other Additionally, text posts can feel intimidating for new players. They might not be familiar with the established lingo of the game, which can make it harder for them to engage. Sitting down with everyone in person (or virtually) helps me assess where everyone stands in terms of experience, playstyle, and character interests. I don’t require them to fully create their characters in a Session 0, but we use that time to establish their ideas and roll stats. It also helps me if I have a new player to the game helping them build their character and help give suggestions on classes and races that fulfill their idea of a character. If a player needs help creating a character or wants lore for their backstory, I find that talking through it is much more efficient than relying on text. Written messages can get buried in a group chat or misinterpreted, especially when there’s a lot of context to absorb. Plus, many people simply don’t have spare time to prep on their own. Setting aside dedicated time to work on characters ensures they can sit down, focus, and get it done. Once again thank you for taking the time to make an awesome video! I will get off my soap box now 😆.
Hi, Dadi, I’m an absolute newbie. I’m just beginning preparing to run our first adventure with my family. Yours is the only DM channel I subscribe to but I also keep an eye on Bob World builder, and sly flourish. I never watch shorts.
I enjoy shorts when I browse them directly within the video lists from my favorite creators. I despise them when they try to loop you into a mindless scroll of crap from people you've never heard of. All in all, if it's not a heavy lift for you, I think shorts can add good content and engagement for your channel, but don't sacrifice your normal video routine for them.
Hi, your videos are awesome. It’s really good to hear advice from someone who has actually studied game design and writing. I always look forward to your videos. Your channels gonna be big I can tell, keep up the good work!!
If you are running with a group that you've already played it, and people that are well-acquainted with the system you are using - yeah this sounds fair enough, I also ADORE the idea of the Investment Questionnaire, I might use that one! Though I do think it is to be said that for people new to the system you are using, or with strangers, it may be easier to relay the words in person and be there when they are making the characters in real time. Perhaps its reliant on how well you can communicate in text vs. over voice, but to me I feel it may stick better when engaging over voice. But if this is Your DnD Group that you've played at least a few campaigns with and understand the system, session 0 can probably be heavily shortened or indeed skipped altogether.
You're probably right about Session Zero being better for first time groups, but even then I'd want to make sure we played on that session. Which isn't what people normally talk about when they say Session Zero. That's more like Session One, and first half is character creation and second half we roll initiative and do the goblin ambush. - Daði
I find TH-cam shorts to be gimmicky. But I grew up before the internet. If they help you grow, power to you, as more people seeing what you have on offer is for the best. Eagerly awaiting each video!
This takes two things for granted (imo); 1) making characters and setting up the world together IS part of the game. I find this helps get the players invested and actually caring to some degree. 2) 100% taking for granted people's willingness to use another/new communication platform. Yea it may seem so ubiquitous now that we may assume everyone uses Discord or Slack, but that just isn't true. I've had dozens of players that absolutely loved playing the game but, for some unknown reason, actual communication about the game seemed to only ever occur about 15 minutes before and after (and during of course) our actual game time. Maybe that sounds weird to some groups but it has unfortunately been the norm for me. Especially with brand new players and people in their late 30s haha.
Dare I say, getting people to communicate reliably and consistently on any platform, let alone several, especially when relatively self-paced, is often an executive in herding cats. And gamers and roleplayers are the least reliable people I have ever known.
To my understanding TH-camrs will often take portions of their videos, like your chapters outlined in the video above and turn them each into TH-cam shorts that link to the original video. It seems to work great for their engagement and you could even insert parts of the video that you felt didn't flow into those shorts as one-offs! Perhaps describing an example of a mixture of the boss fight and the puzzle for your different combat types videos could be one. Idk, hope it was a little helpful, looking forward to seeing where you guys go from here!
Interesting timing on this topic. A month back I did a session zero with a group that I've been playing with for a few years. We're kicking off a new campaign using a new game, so I figured a session zero was the thing to do, so I did it. The experience felt a little flat. I think I'll take your advice next time around!
I knew you were icelandic. I’m Icelandic too, but in the US. I’m about to start running therapeutic DnD campaigns and your videos are so helpful for getting organized. Be well and thanks!
Great video! On TH-cam Shorts: They'll make you money and get your channel attention. I hate them. I think they destroy attention spans. They feel like a sellout whenever I see a channel making them. But, YMMV. Please keep making these great full length videos, I really appreciate them!
TH-cam shorts are good for getting people to check out your channel - they might not watch a ten-minute video from someone they’ve never heard of, but can probably spare one minute. It’s definitely worth trying. Our game group doesn’t use Session Zero. During the final session of our last campaign, we discussed character creation for our new campaign, and our DM communicated some ground rules and followed up in our group chat. After that, each of us communicated via private Facebook messages to refine the character to fit into the DM’s world. He occasionally vetoed things, but mostly let us do what we wanted. It worked quite well.
As much as I am loving your content, this is your first take that wrankled my nose a bit. Questionnaires and "dosing out" pre-campaign group prep aside (good things btw!), the core concept of this video seems to be "gain an extra session worth of time by doing things through text chat". If I'm wrong on that, that's on me. Just like the #2 rule of your youtube chat rules states, D&D is games, not one game. How each group runs things is invariably unqiue to that group. The clickbait title and leadup to your thesis runs against this. Suggesting to try doing Session 0 via text or Discord is a fantastic idea! I am a fan of extending a session zero over multiple instances, and digital communication is great for that. That said, the terse "flyer" format you suggest for reeling players in combined with a lack of in-person discussion has, in my experience, lead to needless miscommunication. Not only does an in-person session allow for much more fluid discussion that can be followed along by everyone, it forces everyone to devote their attention to the brainstorming at hand (see a previous comment about people not reading). Again, this is going to vary greatly with the kind of game you plan on running. Public one-shots, short/medium/long campaigns, newbie vs veteran players, friends or strangers; no one approach is "best". To wrap up: I am of the opinion that the length of a session zero will vary greatly depending on context. I've had some "session zeros" go for months, and others a few minutes. I think texting/online chatting is a great method, but doing things in person can head off a lot of potential miscommunication. Finally, and I apologize if this sounds snarky; if you can't get your players on-board to meet up for a session zero in person, what does that say about their respect for you and their actual game session attendance? 😂. But I get it, it's tough. Apologies for the rant, and I look forward to your next video!
TH-cam shorts are great way to gain more views. I personally like longer videos, but a lot of times I have found channels via shorts, so I think you should definately do it!
@@Mystic-Arts-DMbest application of short ive seen in blockyboxguy's sonic shorts. They take a snippit of the video, edit it to be made for shorts and then change the ending to say "more stuff like this in the full video click link in description". Something about it made him the only channel where i stopped watching shorts to go to the full videos.
TH-cam shorts are a definite plus in building an audience as it gets your channel out there. Shorts are like the buffet table. They let you sample to see if you like something at minimal investment.
Just hit my 1-year of DM'ing. Mostly Call of Cthulhu and Delta Green, but we started our D&D campaign last weekend, and I just wanted to let you know that I've really enjoyed your content. Keep up the great work.
Love this radical idea. In one group we created a Discord channel called “Fireside Chat”. As when we are together we want to play the game and often times this doesn’t involve heavy role play because it’s the least of our favourite game style. So we came up with this fireside chat, where we have conversations as our characters in the channel. Worked great!
Insane take, can't believe you said all that aloud. Genuinely had no idea where you were gonna go with this but I once I watched, I gotta say, I think you are completely correct. Nice opinion piece, loved the practical tips, great video as always
Brilliantly put. As it happens, I ended up doing all this kind of by accident with my latest group before we started. I wanted to do a session zero, but I had been so efficient about getting all this information out to the players early to help them build their characters before we started, backstories and all. We were all ready to go before the first session, and session 0 became session 1!
They've gone and done it again-again, again!! But seriously you guys are a godssend, I'm trying to improve my DMing and your videos are really helping I think (We'll find out on Saturday when I finally run the damn thing) As for shorts, I personally dislike them, but they are very usefull for creators and probably fit your style quite well, so go ahead!
Man, I'm so lucky youtube recommended one of your vids to me like 2 weeks ago. Every day since you've been putting out quality content and I'm just so happy seeing your subscriber count rise by 1k every time I see something new from you. Keep going my friend, you'll make it far :) PS: Maybe a video about your home DnD setup could be nice? :D
Love your content. Shorts have their place, but I think they're a bad place for informative content. They're great for memes, because content is fast paced and sucks you in. By the end of shorts, I barely remember what I watched. Whereas, I clicked this video intentionally and feel like I walked away with more information that I could easily recue if I forget anything.
I sort of did this with my new group. I started with an open ended questionnaire to get a sense of what kind of game everybody was interested in and get people thinking about game ideas. Things like "What is your favorite thing to do in a role playing game?" and "What do you hate doing in game?" as well as questions about setting and what level to start at. Through this I got the sense that most people were pretty new or hadn't played in a long time. Given this feedback, I decided to do a session 0 since I knew there would need to be a lot of guidance for character building.
I think if you really want to grow this channel, TH-cam shorts are a great idea. You guys are amazing and great and I’ve given me so many ideas on how to improve my dm style. Can’t wait to see what you guys make next.
This is exactly how I handled session zero before my newest campaign. I also had them do a short encounter with their characters to see if they actually wanted to play with their characters before committing.
I'm planning a DnD one/multi-shot with some friends who are brand new and very excited to play, and this is excellent advice. Session Zeros are great, but there's nothing better than giving my players something to think about while they're on their lunch break. Plus, it's so much more natural. Players can shoot you messages at any time of day, when the ideas are fresh and exciting. You can send map sketches, share locations names, and just have conversations about cool fantasy stuff. It's fun!!
Well, as someone who runs via VTT exclusively these days (hoping to get back to running IRL, eventually), I find it really useful to get my players into a VC to get to know each other before the first session. It's usually not too difficult to simply message people about the other things you mentioned, but I really like see how people are going to interact before the first session starts. As someone quite extraverted and pretty socially skilled relative to many in the PF1 community, I've found that many of them tend to have various issues with interpersonal communication, so managing personalities and identifying potential problems ahead of time is really useful. Probably not nearly as applicable for people like yourself who are successful, squared away professionals, but this hobby is full of...interesting characters. Testing their social skills and making sure they gel with one another in advance, at a minimum, is highly advised in most contexts.
The problem with TH-cam Shorts is that I always want to hear more from you. A Short could be a standalone tease or BTS or annotation to a longer video, but there aren't many RPG topics I can think of that could be solidly addressed in a minute or less. I may absolutely be wrong, I mainly want you to know that you have immediately become one of the few channels I really look forward to. And for what it's worth, I'm a GenX forever-DM who lives in the the Northwoods of the American Midwest...so happy winter, and please wear more sensible shirts. ;) Edit: Also, your girlfriend's inclusions always make me smile. Gold.
I like to simply use E-Mail for a first campaign announcement. I think it's the best medium to convey a great amount of fundamental information to all my players, and the easiest to attach further documents to, like maps, charts, house rule lists etc. Of course, the E-Mail closes with an invitation to a direct conversation on Discord or Teamspeak to discuss details and individual questions. But in fact, in some way I always considered this to effectively be a Session Zero 😄
I'd love to see a video and hear your thoughts on building party cohesion. Before the campain starts: encouraging creation of shared backstory elements (especially without a session zero); running prelude sessions with 1-3 players before everyone comes together (probably for a larger group). Early on in the campain with building shared goals and motivations for both the party as a whole and interpersonal relationships.
For shorter adventures, I use the Investment Questionnaire alongside some handouts that explain the premise. It tends work well. For longer campaigns, it's a campaign of solo adventures. I'll have to save that for a future video, because oh my god do I have a lot to say! - Daði
When tiktok gets axed by congress (i know us centric) a lot of the short form audience is going to move to instagram reels and youtube shorts. Being primed for that traffic could be good for the channel. That said, I'm not sure what kind of content would do well there. Dndshorts and D4 can do quick little rules exploity builds (said with love, i don't care lol) in 60 seconds, but a lot of the benefit of this channel is the time and attention it gives that would be lost in short format. Like it needs to be its own series that fits with that format, like "DM's corner" or "Moment to consider" if its in the vein of DM/storyteller advice and in the niche of helping us check our blindspots and consider new angles or like simple fixes to common dm problems. Just my perspective, wish you nothing but success.
Very valid points indeed, I Just wanna add: Do The pré-talk AND The sess0. Tell that you Will not be dming, then when sheets are done, start narrating, shove them inside The history without warning. Have been doing this for many campaigns now and its always a blast when one Second They are your friends talking about The week and The characters and stuff, and in The other They ARE The characters. Helps immersion a Lot.
I call it a session .5 :) Similar to you. I've already set up 90% of stuff before the game starts. I love rolling stats as a group, so i build the character with them before hand and then at the first session, we roll stats and start the story, first hour is getting ready and then the rest is jumping right in. Players are SO excited when they have those stats finally, they REALLY want roll more dice than just stats that day :) Thank you for another great Video!
So I‘m about to run a one shot with 4/5 completely new to the game players. I basically plan on doing a session zero helping them to create their characters. In our group chat we already discussed the type of genre they would enjoy and I gave them a bit of inspiration in terms of what classes exist or what races to pick. So I think this will be a combination of both. The character creation will be way faster so we actually get to play the game on this session zero. Texting with your players beforehand definitely enhances the experience for everyone involved. For my experienced player campaign I would only text them individually talking about their character and how they would fit into my world and it worked splendidly, no session 0 needed. Communication is definitely key. A party will always be better when you now the occasion beforehand and what to expect. Good video 👍🏼
In the process of preparing for a new campaign right now, new players and all! Your videos have been a delight to watch and have helped me to refocus my energy, even as I consider myself a veteran DM. Your advice is NOT just for the uninitiated, it's salient and well delivered. Thank you for sharing your passion, I only have notifications turned on for 2 channels and you're one of them
Shorts? Yes, absolutely! Maybe some insights on fun character backstories / lore you have seen in your game or some unique builds that players pulled out together? Something that can be both short(huh) and engaging and doesn't need much baskstory. Like a peasant railgun
YES THIS. I don't know why there aren't many videos about this. I noticed this is more effective for my group as well. We always have a week or two before session 1 where we all just chat in discord about our characters and what we want and the players have their own channels if they want to keep some info secret from the others. It just really hypes people up for the campaign. Extend this concept to between sessions too. Its also good practice now with online groups to keep interest going outside of actual game time. The worst groups i find are the ones that don't interact with each other outside the once a week we meet. It doesn't have to be a big thing just tease some art or share some memes related to your characters or the session. My favorite groups are the ones that find commonalities and can work together by establishing that rapport outside sessions.
TH-cam shorts a good way to hook casual viewers, and as corridors crew just proved it’s a great way to build subscribers, the more subs you get the more people you reach and the more you’re able to help people and pass on your knowledge and tips for our hobby….oh, and the extra money helps too 😜. Outside of your question, I like the format you’re using, easy to understand and well presented….1 new subscriber added.
So true. I do a different thing, but that's just because I can. My players usually just come to my work place and we sit down and go through character creation. Then, if there are questions, we communicate via text messages and keep it private. I do love the secrets and the feeling when they describe their character and then looking at their reaction after I bring their secrets, bonds and flaws into the limelight.
YES to TH-cam shorts. Bite-sized re-enacting of some wild or funny moments in D&D. Or re-enacting moments when you learned something tremendously useful as either a player or dungeon master.
I love session zero, although the pre-campaign forum is a great alternative. I think session zero really shines in campaigns where the GM invites the players to help develop the setting. At the outset of a Chill campaign (modern investigative horror) I asked what mysteries and urban legends are known in the town where the PCs live. They came up with great stuff and I made sure to put a twist on each idea or connect them in unexpected ways. That kind of idea riffing is easier for me when everyone is together and can talk and share real time. I can see how for a story that’s more defined from the outset, an online hub for the pregame development would work really well.
I did a "prequel". We had festival games and a minor encounter to get newer players accustomed to the format while doling out minor prizes to winners. It gave them a reason to be together and got them playing.
My friend, you are 100% correct except in one critical case, which I feel may be more common than the assumptions of this video let on, and that is if you have two or more new players! If your whole table is experienced -- definitely. But 7 of my 9 current players had played fewer than four sessions leading up to our campaign. In that case, in-person character creation is not only essential because... well, they have no idea what they're doing, but it also helps new players see they're not the odd one out and that it's okay to be inexperienced. I've always felt that Session Zero is primarily for players who don't already know what to expect from gameplay, moreso than simply "Don't make a meme character if all of us are playing noir". Not to mention in-person simply being a million times easier for teaching folks how to build a character!
Excellent ideas. We use Discord during a collaborative character creation process, but I will still use a short session 0 (or a couple of them to make scheduling easy). It gives my tables the opportunity to tell me not just what their lines and veils are but what each of them enjoys in a campaign. A player might decide the interests at the table are not really what they wanted and decide to leave, but that hasn't happened to date. Instead, they tend to adjust their expectations to give everyone, including the GM, some part of their personal joy. We roll a stat set that all players will use during their character creation. It also gives them an opportunity to run character ideas past the whole group if they want. If they are a strategic group, they often try to balance their coverage of capabilities across their characters. And it gives the players a chance to ask more detailed questions that are important to them about the campaign pitch, including a setting description, I give them initially when we connect about playing a campaign. Mostly a similar approach, I suspect. And you've convinced me to try to make the session 0 a remote meeting, so that there isn't travel time to get together just for a preamble. When we get together to play, we should play!
The lightsaber arm at the end had me rewind and chuckle quite a few times. I am loving the videos you guys have put up so far. They have inspired many ideas for my campaign. For shorts I would think giving examples about an idea from a video would be great. It would invite people to watch the longer video. I think the examples shouldn't be directly from the video but in addition to it so it would give people like me a reason to watch your shorts.
By sheer coincidence I did also just send out an Investment Questionnaire for a murder mystery adventure set in my homebrew world's version of Waterdeep. Here's what I sent out.
- What's your name?
- What's your job, and why do you do it? What do you like about it? What don't you like about it?
- What was your part in the Last War? In particular, on the Last Day, when the whole city was under attack?
- How do you feel about the city's ancient laws and customs? Are they outdated? Do they need to be changed? Or are these customs all that separate us from the likes of the Enemy?
- Do you have a side hustle? What do you do in your free time? Are you a member of a guild?
- They say Waterdeep is governed by a compromise of three factions: Guilds, Nobles, and Law (represented by the Lords of Waterdeep). Through which faction do you consider yourself most aligned?
Don't mind me, kindly stealing this
- Finch, the timid war centaur
- Fletcher (makes arrows), because adoptive father was one. Likes that it reminds him of the old man. Doesn't like that it makes weapons.
- Was busy passing out from blood loss, left arm went MIA. Got taken in by a druid in a far away forest and stayed there for ~20 years. / Wondered into an old man's hut, deep into some other forest. Became their companion and apprentice, until the man died from old age. / If neither of those fit the time frame, let's just say wandering. In short, I wasn't there.
- Just arrived (or almost arrived), only know what I've heard from travelers on the road.
- Yesn't. Carving wooden toys and figurines. No.
- Would like to get to know the crafting guilds and learn more skills.
PS: My job is also my class, a non-magical Atificer specialized in woodwork; expertise in arrow making.
The little secret is that my late adoptive dad left me a special prosthetic arm as a parting gift. There is a folding longbow in it. May or may not start the game, still looking for someone to attach it. May or may not have a free cast of goodberry (from the ~20 years spent with a druid part of the backstory), if the DM oks it.
TL;DR: We playin Sekiro, but as a centaur attempting a lawful good pacifist run, with many contradictions trying to stop him.
@@Alpha.Phenix Oh my god, they lost an ARM!
@@Mystic-Arts-DM At least they still have four hooves!
@@Alpha.Phenix omg I've never heard of a non-magical artificer before. That sounds amazing!
This channel popped up out of nowhere. I can really see the effort going in, from the release strategy of launching with 5 videos to the production value and considered, concise writing! Looking forward to where this channel is headed : )
Yeah he absolutely figured out the algorithm, and Im excited to see his channel grow!
I love session zero! With friends, it's a good excuse to bring them over, grab some drinks, talk about the setting, and steal their ideas. Plus, if you get a new person, you can check if they mesh well with your group and their sense of humor.
YO, man you are a godsend. to answer your question, I think TH-cam shorts are the worst. They suck you in, and you lose hours of time endlessly scrolling through mostly crap, to find a funny or interesting clip. They are like cursed loot boxes of, mostly, nonsense. I decided to stop watching them all together.
@@Custos43 Just to hop in here, it has quite some downsides, but disabling watch history disables the Shorts and the Home. Took a small while to get used to, but man it saves me so much times and provides the essential 'does watching this help me/is it actually useful' moment.
Also, I feel like shorts wouldn't be very effective for this kind of channel, anyway. I love how he goes into depth with every topic and thoroughly explains them. With shorts, you just don't get the same type of content.
The life saver for me on this was installing uBlock and selecting the Shorts frames on the pages and having it block them from showing them to me haha!
@@Shampoo2024 It does? hang on I gotta go shut that off ASAP!
Agreed
Bonus points if you also run a mini-session for each individual player covering some or all of their backstory. That way they get to work out the kinks of how their character acts in conversation or otherwise, but without the pressure of potentially screwing up the party's first impression of their character.
This worked especially well for me in a campaign I've been running in the Destiny setting, where each of the player characters have been resurrected as Guardians - super-powered beings without their memories. We've seen the past lives of a few Guardians in the game, enough to understand that they still act pretty much the same post-resurrection even if they don't remember anything. Thus; having my players play out a few moments before and including their deaths allowed them to feel that history, meaning they immediately relate to the empty feeling their characters have because they don't remember anything.
I love running those sorts of games! My long-term on-going campaign started with 38 individual sessions with players either alone, or paired up, playing through whole adventures before meeting the full crew at Session 39. - Daði
It is sometimes very difficult to get people to agree to do this but it is an idea I like.
One of my GMs ran smaller sessions in pairs for us to hook us in and they were awesome. Pre-session 1 mini sessions are great
That is one of the things I've seen done okay but ultimately have never found it worth all the time it takes.
"When I put on this summer shirt to convince myself winter hasn't started yet" my god, same man hahaha. Video is great, really like your content
As long as I don't leave the house and never look outside a window, it'll work right? Right!? - Daði
@@Mystic-Arts-DM Haha true, though it is still warm enough here to go outside once in a while :) Hope your channel takes off, greetings from Belgium !
Thanks! That is not the case here, it's a blizzard outside at the moment! - Daði
As for the Shorts, I generally don't watch them, unless it's a topic that really interests me. I'd rather watch a complete detailed video.
I do both talking and session 0. Most of my campaigns, i talk with my players and have them come up with 3 high level concepts. Then with session 0 (sometimes done over discord) it is spent between the players deciding which archtypes they think would have interesting dynamics with, if anyone wants to have joint back stories. This gives the session 0 the feel as if they played a bit. This also means that they will have time to build secrets before the start of the campaign.
I think this is primarily a difference in dming style as well
I'm running my first campaign that is starting in February 2025 and these videos have been AWESOME.
Ey! Great job and good luck! - Daði
Caught you by the gods on your first set of vids, You're making an absolute lord level of content! And to answer your final question- I think shorts would be a terrible way to fully appreciate the wonderful amount of stuff that your teaching here on this platform
It's always the "simplest" solutions you don't even consider, huh :D
Session zero also tends to be stressful for me as the GM 'cause it's *one day* where you have to go through *everything*
This is the channel, I was waiting for. There is so much info on DnD rules and technical understanding but so little on the immersive storytelling, player guidance and writing. I would really love to know how you prepare a new adventure. Do you write a rough story? Are there milestones? Do you prepare where player can find clues or improvise? How do you prepare the NPCs?
My country mentioned 🇳🇱! All jokes aside: great video again. Good to hear we both have the same take on this subject. I like to give them some information on regional organizations, so they can already hook their characters to those.
I also like to play a text-based mini session with every willing player that they can respond to at will. This mini plot leads them to the start of session 1 and gives them a chance to get a feel for their character. Definitely recommend it
Sounds fun, I really love that sort of build-up and lead up. - Daði
I do this! It's an amazing way to hype the campaign and make a worldbuilding info dump in a digestible and fun way.
I also run a session 0, but that's just because we use it to build the characters together and have a lighthearted gathering to ease ourselves into the routine of the campaign.
I've done both in the same campaign, but I definitely feel the digital stuff is way more helpful than the actual session itself. I've also learned to keep my handouts down to a page.
I think your videos are fantastic. I would say it would depend on what kind of shorts you do. I think short tidbits of advice or information would be great. Especially if its about a topic that doesn't need a full video. Maybe an adventure hook or plot point, a type of battle or event.
I agree with this, session zero does not need to be a PROPER SESSION, it's topics can be handled along the week(s) previous to session one.
Scheduling is hard past some age, to lose one session to this makes no sense.
If you manage to schedule one session, let it be the start of the campaign already, please haha.
Plus this allows the DM to talk with each player about it's character separately, allowing to know it's secrets without the other players knowing, maybe even do a little mini-session to set off it's story.
honestly, the most effective TH-cam Shorts Ive seen are those that clip a single thought from a larger video and then has a link to that video in the description, like a teaser for the video. A few creators I subscribe to use that method:
- Matt Colville does it to recycle old videos that are still relevant
- Welch Labs uses it to build hype before releasing the video proper
- 3 Blue 1 Brown uses it to pose a question to the audience that is explored and answered in the video proper, etc
@@kadmii they are effective, but they're the worst when I'm already following the channel. They're hard to get rid of.
I agree with getting things started away from the table, but also think that a short session zero time that takes 1-2 hours of the first session so you get everyone talking together is also important for collaborative ideas. So maybe a mix of these ideas.
Loving your videos! Keep them coming!
All of your videos have been consistently high quality and I’ve really enjoyed them! With that said, doing what an audience wants you to do rather than what you want to do is a dangerous path that often leads to burn out or loss of the soul of the channel. If you want to make YT shorts, if the idea makes you excited, then do it! If you do it only because the audience asks or because you believe it is the “right way” to have a TH-cam channel, I’d counsel against it. People come for your passion and quality, so focus on doing what makes you excited!
Shorts are the cheap entertainment stuff, but your channel has been providing such useful, crunchy note-worthy info that every time I find myself writing summaries. PLEASE don't let shorts come at the expense of the material; you guys are seriously producing banger after banger 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Here we go, yet another thought-provoking video! For my current 8 player in-person campaign that just hit the one year milestone we approached the introduction similarly. Most of the announcements, teasers, polls and character creation happened asynchronously on Discord. In addition to that, I held an in-person presentation about the prompt, character creation guidelines, scheduling concept, house rules and a few quirks of the Star Wars themed 5e offshoot we are using. While that presentation could have happened online, it was a convenient opportunity to gather the full group for the first time, since we hadn't played in that constellation before. Oh and grabbing some snacks and drinks is always a plus. According to the feedback from my players, this was the right approach for them. Regarding TH-cam shorts: I like short-form teasers that lead up to a linked long form video. Thank you for the awesome content, appreciate it
Exactly how I prefer to run my beginning campaigns!
I watch a lot of DM's advice on yt, and after a while i keep seeing different people talk about the same things and I feel like i don't learn a lot of new stuff nor do I challenge my way of thinking the game very often, but your channel is a breath of fresh air in this! I really like the way you guys choose rather original subjects or bring a new approach to some already talked about in length, as it is the case here! Well done and thank you!!!
(Also kinda unrelated but I love Nordic culture and i'm using Icelandic as the draconic-substitute in my homebrew setting haha)
First off, just want to say I'm loving this channel. The videos you guys make are fun and informative, and I really enjoy your perspective on running the game.
As much as I enjoy what you're pitching here, it unfortinately doesn't work all that well for my group. We do have a shared Discord server to discuss the game between sessions, but participation is very hit-or-miss. I have one player who is willing to interact with me through Discord just about anytime, but we're all adults with varying levels of free time between sessions due to other obligations. For some members of my group, it can take several days to get a response to a simple question, and they may outright forget until the start of the next session.
A formal Session 0 is helpful for us because it's the only time I know for sure I have my players' full attention and commitment. We've carved out time specifically to sit down and discuss the game.
Definitely going to still keep some of these tips in mind moving forward though. I may find a use for them someday.
Thanks for everything you do, and keep up the good work!
P.S.: My summer shirt isn't doing anything to ward off winter either.
It really is a matter of doing what works for your group, specifically.
You guys need a patreon! My friend and I love your content and want to support it
*smacks table* THANK YOU!!
Another great video. Thanks, Dadi and girlfriend (you should really introduce her too!). It's funny to think about session zero, being someone who's been playing DND since 1981. Our session zero was always, "I'll be a cleric; I'll be a fighter; I'll be the M-U". Everything is so produced nowadays. But I guess that's what happens when a game has evolved over 50 years.
I think the one thing that I would add to this conversation is that S0 seems to be so loaded with expectations. How will my character fit in with the "theme"? How will my character gel with the other players' characters? What is my character's motivation? (Oh Lordy, we've all become actors now!) What I find is that the character I THINK I'm going to play, going into a campaign, ends up changing in pretty significant ways after I have a few sessions to get to know him. It's almost like the character's voice emerges through play, and this is something I think might get lost in S0 preparation.
We totally should introduce her too! Next video: girlfriend name reveal!
THIS!
Exactly how I made (and am working thru) my first campaign! I keep asking ppl...why..not...just...talk to your players??
Another video I just HAVE to watch, keep uploading Mystic Arts, I love your videos.
Having watched the video: Very insightful video, for my session 0 I never thought to ask radical questions about topics I'm gonna use, so for future "session 0"s this is going to be useful.
On shorts: I don't really watch a lot of shorts, I really love long form content, but if you can sum up topics and keep the content as useful and insightful as in normal videos, I think it would be a great idea.
Love the tips. Getting ready to run my first Fate campaign and this is really solid advice. Fate already incorporates a session zero-esque process of group character creation, but this seems like it’ll really streamline the process (no players um-er ing while in character creation).
Would’ve loved to see some examples of your PDFs; even just flashed up on the screen while you’re talking.
You’re definitely one of my favorite new channels.
I respectfully disagree. Before session zeroes, my campaigns (and the ones I was in without them) were more likely to have things come up that someone had issue with that would end up with the party making characters that other people at the table didn’t like/clashed inherently against. I don’t treat session zero just as setting expectations but for the whole party to have an idea, not everything, but an idea of everyone’s character concept. I also tend to add elements from each character to weave into the campaign, making their history the world’s history and like having at least a week to plan that stuff before the first session.
I've been a DM for 5 year but god your tips just revolutionazed my way of thinking about rpg, thanks a lot and please continue the good work
Awesome video, loving your guys' stuff. The two of you came out of nowhere and started making the best DND advice videos I've seen. Keep it up!
I don't watch shorts personally but understand they have become cornerstone of building a channel on TH-cam. I would say make shorts that are clips from the long video but never make short exclusive content 😊
From our perspective it's you folks who came outta nowhere!
I was planning to comment to say just about the same thing. I know I am likely an odd one out, but I exclusively use desktop TH-cam. Shorts just aren't optimized for it, and tend to get lost in the rest of the space. They also don't show up in the subscriptions, which makes it hard to interact with certain content creators.
That’s how I’ve been doing it too.
Most recently for Imperium Maledictum.
I actually sat down with every player individually, giving them context, relevant lore nuggets and spoiler-free advice on what design choices probably wouldn’t be paying out short term, as they are going for a longer warp travel to begin with.
As our real session zero we had an actual game night, which aimed to provide a video-game-like tutorial that got the newer players up to speed on the setting, the tone and the mechanics, while already playing at low stakes and with a reasonably clear path forward.
Can’t wait to release them into the chaotic sandbox I have prepared for them.
Honestly, I agreed recently with Angry GM on safety tools.
Using lists of requirements from players to GM
1. Radically expands type of stuff players are about to mark off just because they aren't sure about if they are ok with that
2. Puts unrealistic expectations on DM due to the list vastness.
Approaching in person and in one-on-one conversation saying that you have a strong reaction to something is much more human and shows explicitly that you are asking for a favor from a DM. Because that is what it is: a favor.
Just saying to my players "In terms of descriptions I run games like Game of Thrones minus all stuff related to intercourse" kinda solved all the problems and I think with lists my games would be just worse.
I agree with Angry on most stuff ttrpg stuff, though.
I play over Discord, as I'm sure MANY of you do. When we start to get towards the end of our current game, whoever is DMing the next game creates posts for lore, character creation, tone, proposed homebrew, etc. This is usually a month or two ahead of time so we can adjust as we go. Writing this comment before watching to see how close we are.
Right on the money!
@@nightdweller2902 my group also plays over discord. We've been having lots of issues transitioning between DMs so I can only imagine that increasing the tension vs having a definite start time for a new game setting. Having someone trying to wind down their game and the next up DM already openly prepping their game would be distracting I think.
@secretlyaslug2325 My group has been playing together for a long time. We're on our 3rd campaign, and the current DM has already stated that we'd finish before Christmas. We had decided earlier on that I would run the next game. We haven't even gotten to our yearly Christmas oneshot. We also have someone who runs oneshots whenever we are down players as to not progress major story threads without them. Hasn't ever been a problem for us.
I 100% agree, I get session zero being super necessary for certain groups but you can just as effectively communicate what you need to over text! Also I have often forgotten to mention very important details or parts of sessions zeroes so this process is just more pragmatic.
First off, your videos are amazing. I found you like a week or two ago and realized your content is new!!! Amazing job with the videos and keeping up the great work. Second, I'd love to see a video on prepping NPCs. What information would you have written down to be able to rp an NPC well. I struggle with keeping in mind what information an NPC would know and tend to divulge too much if my players pressure them. As for shorts, I try to stay away, but I'd happily watch yours!
I happened upon your channel last week while searching for 5 Room Dungeon inspiration. I had soon watched all of your videos. Great stuff so far. Your delivery definitely reminds me of Matt C which is a complement.
Greetings from Germany and a big big shoutout to your (plural) videos! They are a great inspiration to me and make me think in different ways i used to. So thank you both, you and your girlfriend so much. According to your question: I prefer long vids with deeper thinking…especially on the RPG topic.
We love your work, you and your gf are awesome!
To answer your questions, IMO shorts are only good if you make plenty of them. And frankly i think it would be a waste of time and energy. Your videos are too good of a quality and perfectly timed already ! (If you make shorts i'll watch them all obviously)
Haha, thanks! - Daði
I want to first start off by saying I love your videos! And that their format and topics are awesome and can get creative juices flowing as a long time DM. So my response is just my perspective on this.
This idea works well for running one-shots or mini-campaigns, but I’ve found it less effective stand alone for long-term campaigns. The main issue? People don’t read.
No matter how detailed or concise my messages are, it often doesn’t matter if players don’t take the time to read them. For long-term games, I also need to ensure that my players can build good relationships with one another, since we’ll be spending a lot of time together. So, it's helpful to observe how they interact in voice as well as treat each other
Additionally, text posts can feel intimidating for new players. They might not be familiar with the established lingo of the game, which can make it harder for them to engage. Sitting down with everyone in person (or virtually) helps me assess where everyone stands in terms of experience, playstyle, and character interests. I don’t require them to fully create their characters in a Session 0, but we use that time to establish their ideas and roll stats. It also helps me if I have a new player to the game helping them build their character and help give suggestions on classes and races that fulfill their idea of a character.
If a player needs help creating a character or wants lore for their backstory, I find that talking through it is much more efficient than relying on text. Written messages can get buried in a group chat or misinterpreted, especially when there’s a lot of context to absorb. Plus, many people simply don’t have spare time to prep on their own. Setting aside dedicated time to work on characters ensures they can sit down, focus, and get it done.
Once again thank you for taking the time to make an awesome video! I will get off my soap box now 😆.
Hi, Dadi, I’m an absolute newbie. I’m just beginning preparing to run our first adventure with my family. Yours is the only DM channel I subscribe to but I also keep an eye on Bob World builder, and sly flourish. I never watch shorts.
I enjoy shorts when I browse them directly within the video lists from my favorite creators. I despise them when they try to loop you into a mindless scroll of crap from people you've never heard of.
All in all, if it's not a heavy lift for you, I think shorts can add good content and engagement for your channel, but don't sacrifice your normal video routine for them.
Hi, your videos are awesome. It’s really good to hear advice from someone who has actually studied game design and writing. I always look forward to your videos. Your channels gonna be big I can tell, keep up the good work!!
iceland represent!
Also, ran a semi-random 5 room dungeon on a whim for a visiting college buddy and it was awesome!
That's awesome!
If you are running with a group that you've already played it, and people that are well-acquainted with the system you are using - yeah this sounds fair enough, I also ADORE the idea of the Investment Questionnaire, I might use that one!
Though I do think it is to be said that for people new to the system you are using, or with strangers, it may be easier to relay the words in person and be there when they are making the characters in real time. Perhaps its reliant on how well you can communicate in text vs. over voice, but to me I feel it may stick better when engaging over voice. But if this is Your DnD Group that you've played at least a few campaigns with and understand the system, session 0 can probably be heavily shortened or indeed skipped altogether.
You're probably right about Session Zero being better for first time groups, but even then I'd want to make sure we played on that session. Which isn't what people normally talk about when they say Session Zero. That's more like Session One, and first half is character creation and second half we roll initiative and do the goblin ambush. - Daði
I find TH-cam shorts to be gimmicky. But I grew up before the internet. If they help you grow, power to you, as more people seeing what you have on offer is for the best.
Eagerly awaiting each video!
This takes two things for granted (imo); 1) making characters and setting up the world together IS part of the game. I find this helps get the players invested and actually caring to some degree.
2) 100% taking for granted people's willingness to use another/new communication platform. Yea it may seem so ubiquitous now that we may assume everyone uses Discord or Slack, but that just isn't true. I've had dozens of players that absolutely loved playing the game but, for some unknown reason, actual communication about the game seemed to only ever occur about 15 minutes before and after (and during of course) our actual game time.
Maybe that sounds weird to some groups but it has unfortunately been the norm for me. Especially with brand new players and people in their late 30s haha.
Dare I say, getting people to communicate reliably and consistently on any platform, let alone several, especially when relatively self-paced, is often an executive in herding cats. And gamers and roleplayers are the least reliable people I have ever known.
Got on a random video that looked interesting and got surprised by very new channel with only absolute great videos!!! loving the content man
To my understanding TH-camrs will often take portions of their videos, like your chapters outlined in the video above and turn them each into TH-cam shorts that link to the original video. It seems to work great for their engagement and you could even insert parts of the video that you felt didn't flow into those shorts as one-offs! Perhaps describing an example of a mixture of the boss fight and the puzzle for your different combat types videos could be one. Idk, hope it was a little helpful, looking forward to seeing where you guys go from here!
Thanks, that might be the way to go. 🤔 - Daði
This might be good if all your players are familiar with rpgs, rules, character creation, etc. Session 0 is a must for me even with txt and discord
PLZ no shorts keep up the long and high quality content structure…❤
I don’t watch TH-cam shorts but I’ll be damned if I wouldn’t watch yours.
Interesting timing on this topic. A month back I did a session zero with a group that I've been playing with for a few years. We're kicking off a new campaign using a new game, so I figured a session zero was the thing to do, so I did it. The experience felt a little flat. I think I'll take your advice next time around!
I knew you were icelandic. I’m Icelandic too, but in the US. I’m about to start running therapeutic DnD campaigns and your videos are so helpful for getting organized. Be well and thanks!
Takk fyrir!
Great video! On TH-cam Shorts: They'll make you money and get your channel attention. I hate them. I think they destroy attention spans. They feel like a sellout whenever I see a channel making them. But, YMMV. Please keep making these great full length videos, I really appreciate them!
No matter what, these videos aren't going anywhere. We love making them, it's why we started because we really wanted to make these kinds of essays!
TH-cam shorts are good for getting people to check out your channel - they might not watch a ten-minute video from someone they’ve never heard of, but can probably spare one minute. It’s definitely worth trying.
Our game group doesn’t use Session Zero. During the final session of our last campaign, we discussed character creation for our new campaign, and our DM communicated some ground rules and followed up in our group chat. After that, each of us communicated via private Facebook messages to refine the character to fit into the DM’s world. He occasionally vetoed things, but mostly let us do what we wanted. It worked quite well.
As much as I am loving your content, this is your first take that wrankled my nose a bit. Questionnaires and "dosing out" pre-campaign group prep aside (good things btw!), the core concept of this video seems to be "gain an extra session worth of time by doing things through text chat". If I'm wrong on that, that's on me.
Just like the #2 rule of your youtube chat rules states, D&D is games, not one game. How each group runs things is invariably unqiue to that group. The clickbait title and leadup to your thesis runs against this.
Suggesting to try doing Session 0 via text or Discord is a fantastic idea! I am a fan of extending a session zero over multiple instances, and digital communication is great for that. That said, the terse "flyer" format you suggest for reeling players in combined with a lack of in-person discussion has, in my experience, lead to needless miscommunication. Not only does an in-person session allow for much more fluid discussion that can be followed along by everyone, it forces everyone to devote their attention to the brainstorming at hand (see a previous comment about people not reading).
Again, this is going to vary greatly with the kind of game you plan on running. Public one-shots, short/medium/long campaigns, newbie vs veteran players, friends or strangers; no one approach is "best".
To wrap up: I am of the opinion that the length of a session zero will vary greatly depending on context. I've had some "session zeros" go for months, and others a few minutes. I think texting/online chatting is a great method, but doing things in person can head off a lot of potential miscommunication.
Finally, and I apologize if this sounds snarky; if you can't get your players on-board to meet up for a session zero in person, what does that say about their respect for you and their actual game session attendance? 😂. But I get it, it's tough.
Apologies for the rant, and I look forward to your next video!
TH-cam shorts are great way to gain more views. I personally like longer videos, but a lot of times I have found channels via shorts, so I think you should definately do it!
Yeah, I'm the exact same. Wondering how to strike that balance. - Daði
@@Mystic-Arts-DMbest application of short ive seen in blockyboxguy's sonic shorts. They take a snippit of the video, edit it to be made for shorts and then change the ending to say "more stuff like this in the full video click link in description". Something about it made him the only channel where i stopped watching shorts to go to the full videos.
TH-cam shorts are a definite plus in building an audience as it gets your channel out there. Shorts are like the buffet table. They let you sample to see if you like something at minimal investment.
Just hit my 1-year of DM'ing. Mostly Call of Cthulhu and Delta Green, but we started our D&D campaign last weekend, and I just wanted to let you know that I've really enjoyed your content. Keep up the great work.
Love this radical idea. In one group we created a Discord channel called “Fireside Chat”. As when we are together we want to play the game and often times this doesn’t involve heavy role play because it’s the least of our favourite game style. So we came up with this fireside chat, where we have conversations as our characters in the channel. Worked great!
My new favorite channel. Love your content!!!
Just realized I don't remember the last time I did a session zero because having a continuous conversation throughout the week is just so much better.
Insane take, can't believe you said all that aloud. Genuinely had no idea where you were gonna go with this but I once I watched, I gotta say, I think you are completely correct. Nice opinion piece, loved the practical tips, great video as always
Brilliantly put. As it happens, I ended up doing all this kind of by accident with my latest group before we started. I wanted to do a session zero, but I had been so efficient about getting all this information out to the players early to help them build their characters before we started, backstories and all. We were all ready to go before the first session, and session 0 became session 1!
They've gone and done it again-again, again!!
But seriously you guys are a godssend, I'm trying to improve my DMing and your videos are really helping I think (We'll find out on Saturday when I finally run the damn thing)
As for shorts, I personally dislike them, but they are very usefull for creators and probably fit your style quite well, so go ahead!
Man, I'm so lucky youtube recommended one of your vids to me like 2 weeks ago. Every day since you've been putting out quality content and I'm just so happy seeing your subscriber count rise by 1k every time I see something new from you. Keep going my friend, you'll make it far :)
PS: Maybe a video about your home DnD setup could be nice? :D
We just filmed a video about the set-up we have, coming soon!
Love your content.
Shorts have their place, but I think they're a bad place for informative content.
They're great for memes, because content is fast paced and sucks you in. By the end of shorts, I barely remember what I watched.
Whereas, I clicked this video intentionally and feel like I walked away with more information that I could easily recue if I forget anything.
I sort of did this with my new group. I started with an open ended questionnaire to get a sense of what kind of game everybody was interested in and get people thinking about game ideas. Things like "What is your favorite thing to do in a role playing game?" and "What do you hate doing in game?" as well as questions about setting and what level to start at. Through this I got the sense that most people were pretty new or hadn't played in a long time. Given this feedback, I decided to do a session 0 since I knew there would need to be a lot of guidance for character building.
I think if you really want to grow this channel, TH-cam shorts are a great idea. You guys are amazing and great and I’ve given me so many ideas on how to improve my dm style. Can’t wait to see what you guys make next.
This is exactly how I handled session zero before my newest campaign. I also had them do a short encounter with their characters to see if they actually wanted to play with their characters before committing.
I'm planning a DnD one/multi-shot with some friends who are brand new and very excited to play, and this is excellent advice. Session Zeros are great, but there's nothing better than giving my players something to think about while they're on their lunch break.
Plus, it's so much more natural. Players can shoot you messages at any time of day, when the ideas are fresh and exciting. You can send map sketches, share locations names, and just have conversations about cool fantasy stuff. It's fun!!
Well, as someone who runs via VTT exclusively these days (hoping to get back to running IRL, eventually), I find it really useful to get my players into a VC to get to know each other before the first session. It's usually not too difficult to simply message people about the other things you mentioned, but I really like see how people are going to interact before the first session starts. As someone quite extraverted and pretty socially skilled relative to many in the PF1 community, I've found that many of them tend to have various issues with interpersonal communication, so managing personalities and identifying potential problems ahead of time is really useful. Probably not nearly as applicable for people like yourself who are successful, squared away professionals, but this hobby is full of...interesting characters. Testing their social skills and making sure they gel with one another in advance, at a minimum, is highly advised in most contexts.
The problem with TH-cam Shorts is that I always want to hear more from you. A Short could be a standalone tease or BTS or annotation to a longer video, but there aren't many RPG topics I can think of that could be solidly addressed in a minute or less. I may absolutely be wrong, I mainly want you to know that you have immediately become one of the few channels I really look forward to.
And for what it's worth, I'm a GenX forever-DM who lives in the the Northwoods of the American Midwest...so happy winter, and please wear more sensible shirts. ;)
Edit: Also, your girlfriend's inclusions always make me smile. Gold.
Shorts are ok, but these videos are plenty short to begin with...
Thanks again for another great video
I like to simply use E-Mail for a first campaign announcement. I think it's the best medium to convey a great amount of fundamental information to all my players, and the easiest to attach further documents to, like maps, charts, house rule lists etc. Of course, the E-Mail closes with an invitation to a direct conversation on Discord or Teamspeak to discuss details and individual questions.
But in fact, in some way I always considered this to effectively be a Session Zero 😄
I'd love to see a video and hear your thoughts on building party cohesion. Before the campain starts: encouraging creation of shared backstory elements (especially without a session zero); running prelude sessions with 1-3 players before everyone comes together (probably for a larger group). Early on in the campain with building shared goals and motivations for both the party as a whole and interpersonal relationships.
For shorter adventures, I use the Investment Questionnaire alongside some handouts that explain the premise. It tends work well. For longer campaigns, it's a campaign of solo adventures. I'll have to save that for a future video, because oh my god do I have a lot to say! - Daði
When tiktok gets axed by congress (i know us centric) a lot of the short form audience is going to move to instagram reels and youtube shorts. Being primed for that traffic could be good for the channel. That said, I'm not sure what kind of content would do well there. Dndshorts and D4 can do quick little rules exploity builds (said with love, i don't care lol) in 60 seconds, but a lot of the benefit of this channel is the time and attention it gives that would be lost in short format. Like it needs to be its own series that fits with that format, like "DM's corner" or "Moment to consider" if its in the vein of DM/storyteller advice and in the niche of helping us check our blindspots and consider new angles or like simple fixes to common dm problems. Just my perspective, wish you nothing but success.
Very valid points indeed, I Just wanna add:
Do The pré-talk AND The sess0. Tell that you Will not be dming, then when sheets are done, start narrating, shove them inside The history without warning.
Have been doing this for many campaigns now and its always a blast when one Second They are your friends talking about The week and The characters and stuff, and in The other They ARE The characters. Helps immersion a Lot.
I call it a session .5 :) Similar to you. I've already set up 90% of stuff before the game starts. I love rolling stats as a group, so i build the character with them before hand and then at the first session, we roll stats and start the story, first hour is getting ready and then the rest is jumping right in. Players are SO excited when they have those stats finally, they REALLY want roll more dice than just stats that day :)
Thank you for another great Video!
So I‘m about to run a one shot with 4/5 completely new to the game players. I basically plan on doing a session zero helping them to create their characters. In our group chat we already discussed the type of genre they would enjoy and I gave them a bit of inspiration in terms of what classes exist or what races to pick. So I think this will be a combination of both. The character creation will be way faster so we actually get to play the game on this session zero. Texting with your players beforehand definitely enhances the experience for everyone involved. For my experienced player campaign I would only text them individually talking about their character and how they would fit into my world and it worked splendidly, no session 0 needed. Communication is definitely key. A party will always be better when you now the occasion beforehand and what to expect. Good video 👍🏼
You really do quality stuff, I enjoy watching your videos!
thank you. This video was very inspiring for my upcoming Privateers of Jamaica game
In the process of preparing for a new campaign right now, new players and all! Your videos have been a delight to watch and have helped me to refocus my energy, even as I consider myself a veteran DM. Your advice is NOT just for the uninitiated, it's salient and well delivered. Thank you for sharing your passion, I only have notifications turned on for 2 channels and you're one of them
Shorts? Yes, absolutely!
Maybe some insights on fun character backstories / lore you have seen in your game or some unique builds that players pulled out together? Something that can be both short(huh) and engaging and doesn't need much baskstory. Like a peasant railgun
YES THIS. I don't know why there aren't many videos about this. I noticed this is more effective for my group as well. We always have a week or two before session 1 where we all just chat in discord about our characters and what we want and the players have their own channels if they want to keep some info secret from the others. It just really hypes people up for the campaign.
Extend this concept to between sessions too. Its also good practice now with online groups to keep interest going outside of actual game time. The worst groups i find are the ones that don't interact with each other outside the once a week we meet. It doesn't have to be a big thing just tease some art or share some memes related to your characters or the session. My favorite groups are the ones that find commonalities and can work together by establishing that rapport outside sessions.
TH-cam shorts a good way to hook casual viewers, and as corridors crew just proved it’s a great way to build subscribers, the more subs you get the more people you reach and the more you’re able to help people and pass on your knowledge and tips for our hobby….oh, and the extra money helps too 😜. Outside of your question, I like the format you’re using, easy to understand and well presented….1 new subscriber added.
So true. I do a different thing, but that's just because I can. My players usually just come to my work place and we sit down and go through character creation. Then, if there are questions, we communicate via text messages and keep it private. I do love the secrets and the feeling when they describe their character and then looking at their reaction after I bring their secrets, bonds and flaws into the limelight.
YES to TH-cam shorts.
Bite-sized re-enacting of some wild or funny moments in D&D. Or re-enacting moments when you learned something tremendously useful as either a player or dungeon master.
I love session zero, although the pre-campaign forum is a great alternative. I think session zero really shines in campaigns where the GM invites the players to help develop the setting. At the outset of a Chill campaign (modern investigative horror) I asked what mysteries and urban legends are known in the town where the PCs live. They came up with great stuff and I made sure to put a twist on each idea or connect them in unexpected ways. That kind of idea riffing is easier for me when everyone is together and can talk and share real time. I can see how for a story that’s more defined from the outset, an online hub for the pregame development would work really well.
Your videos have been insightful and helpful!
I did a "prequel". We had festival games and a minor encounter to get newer players accustomed to the format while doling out minor prizes to winners. It gave them a reason to be together and got them playing.
My friend, you are 100% correct except in one critical case, which I feel may be more common than the assumptions of this video let on, and that is if you have two or more new players! If your whole table is experienced -- definitely. But 7 of my 9 current players had played fewer than four sessions leading up to our campaign.
In that case, in-person character creation is not only essential because... well, they have no idea what they're doing, but it also helps new players see they're not the odd one out and that it's okay to be inexperienced. I've always felt that Session Zero is primarily for players who don't already know what to expect from gameplay, moreso than simply "Don't make a meme character if all of us are playing noir". Not to mention in-person simply being a million times easier for teaching folks how to build a character!
Love the longer format videos. Thanks for the great content!
Excellent ideas. We use Discord during a collaborative character creation process, but I will still use a short session 0 (or a couple of them to make scheduling easy). It gives my tables the opportunity to tell me not just what their lines and veils are but what each of them enjoys in a campaign. A player might decide the interests at the table are not really what they wanted and decide to leave, but that hasn't happened to date. Instead, they tend to adjust their expectations to give everyone, including the GM, some part of their personal joy.
We roll a stat set that all players will use during their character creation. It also gives them an opportunity to run character ideas past the whole group if they want. If they are a strategic group, they often try to balance their coverage of capabilities across their characters. And it gives the players a chance to ask more detailed questions that are important to them about the campaign pitch, including a setting description, I give them initially when we connect about playing a campaign.
Mostly a similar approach, I suspect. And you've convinced me to try to make the session 0 a remote meeting, so that there isn't travel time to get together just for a preamble. When we get together to play, we should play!
Oh shi, the sub boxes actually worked today!
Praise the algorithm! - Daði
The lightsaber arm at the end had me rewind and chuckle quite a few times. I am loving the videos you guys have put up so far. They have inspired many ideas for my campaign. For shorts I would think giving examples about an idea from a video would be great. It would invite people to watch the longer video. I think the examples shouldn't be directly from the video but in addition to it so it would give people like me a reason to watch your shorts.