Get your players on board from the get-go by establishing your world as a group.
There are a million ways to conduct a session zero, and a lot of them will work. The basic thing to keep in mind is getting everyone on the same page, and the more we learn, the more we realize this means so much more than telling your players what the game's gonna be. In the effort to continue our education, we have an awesome guest joining us for this episode. David Rae, a talented comedian, improv performer, and DM, shares with us how he goes about getting his players invested.
In the Strategy Stateroom, we run through what we think are the three phases of a solid session zero. Phase one, The Foundation, is all about setting expectations from safety tools to a mild social contract, to deciding on the crucial details of your story like theme and media influences. Then in phase two, collaborative worldbuilding, we narrow our focus a bit and establish things like the cultures that make up our game world. This is an area David shines in, and he shares with us all his techniques to create rich, interesting cultures from scratch with his groups. Then in phase three, character creation, we create interconnected characters that are all working towards a common cause, giving them a sense of cohesion.
Then we get onto the Heroes Stage where we get to know David a bit more, from his experience running a DND-themed improv show to his work as a member of a comedy group out of Edmonton. Their latest project is an actual play TTRPG podcast called Quantum Kickflip, based on the soon-to-be-released game Slugblaster. Based in an alternate '90s with advanced tech like hoverboards and interdimensional travel, it's all about teens trying to pull off the sickest tricks.
Check out Slugblaster and David Rae:
On their website, quantumkickflip.com
On twitter @quantumkickflip, and @thedaverae
Facebook @quantumkickflip
Patreon patreon.com/quantumkickflip
Tiktok @mrdavidrae
As always, huge thanks to the support for making this episode a reality.
Steven Van C., Alan E., Matthew T., Felix R., Chris F., The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Tyler G., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R, Aldrost, Leprecan, and Will H-P.