Running a Game for Kids

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devlin1
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Running a Game for Kids

Post by devlin1 »

So... it looks like I'll be running a game for a group of super-smart, home-schooled 13-year-olds, and being paid to do it. Week after next I'm doing a one-shot as a sort of audition for the parents, but assuming that goes okay it'll be a weekly thing.

Originally, they were married to 3.5 but I managed to talk the lead mother into doing Savage Worlds instead, which is a relief.

Anyway, what advice do people (especially The Zerneeak) have for me? The last time I ran a game for 13-year-olds, I was one.

For the one-shot, I'm bringing pre-gens tailor-made to the plot, but it's the longer game that has me thinking. After all, these parents expect a somewhat educational experience in addition to occupying their kids' attention for a few hours once a week. The mother I spoke with said I should introduce elements of something I'm passionate about besides RPGs (uh...), so I'll try to work music, literature, and whatever bullshit pseudo-history I can in there, but I already know I'm not going to be able to match a past neuroscientist GM they'd hired who ran the kids through a braincrawl instead of a dungeoncrawl, or another guy who kept a keyboard at the table and would improvise mood music to heighten the drama. (Man what?)

She gave me a few guidelines that seemed so common-sense I was shocked she even felt the need to mention them -- no suicides, no "potty humor," etc. -- but it seems they've had some interesting GM experiences in the past, so I guess it's a "Warning: Contents are hot" kinda thing.

A couple things I know I'm already going to institute:
* Create the PCs as a group of people who work together as a matter of course. No lone wolves and no meet-in-a-tavern scenarios.
* To that end, the tone is unabashedly one of heroic adventure. The PCs are problem-solving heroes, and the problems are both plentiful and obvious, with clear goals.
* Offer non-violent means of conflict resolution whenever possible, but don't short-change the combat monsters.
* Morality is pretty black and white. No orc babies.
Mike Olson
‎"In this economy, it's not easy to feed a growing family. So we eat Haunkkah gelt for dinner and look at a picture of broccoli." --Paul F. Tompkins
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Dragonkin
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Post by Dragonkin »

The trick here is the fact that these kids are home-schooled. As such, they're not the pop-culture repositories that we gamers tend to be, and so, their thought patterns may be a bit . . . alien to what you're used to. While it's something I tend to do anyway, here I'd use the first session (or two) to really get a feel for these kids' interests. As we all know, parents like to think they know everything about their kids, and as such, you may get some wrong information.

Be ready to roll with the punches. These kids are more like than not to come up with solutions or ideas that will totally shine the plans you had. Supreme flexibility, bub.

Finally, as I know you're likely to be sleep deprived, Mr. New-Papa; patience. LOTS. OF. PATIENCE. Even the most even-tempered of us can be exceedingly bear-like when tired and flustered.

All that said, I wish you the best of luck, and (with luck) an excellent game!
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cczernia
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Post by cczernia »

I found that running kids isn't that much different from running adults. One rule I have is called PC protection. No PC may attack/damage/ or do something harmful to another PC. The reason for this is kids can be cruel and will kill each other if given the chance.

The other rule is called NPC protection. Any player can give a NPC protection that treats them as a NPC. NPC protection is revoked if that NPC attacks another PC or there is a 2/3 vote. The reason for this is that you'll have a player who wants to talk with a NPC and another player will kill the NPC because he thinks it is funny or is pissed at the PC.

I think Savage Worlds is a great idea. One of the podcasters from Fear the Boot runs games for his son and his friends and recently switched to SW. He reported nothing but good results.

Other than that keep it simple. Morality is black and white is good as is straight forward plots. I railroad a lot more for kids to get them in the setting and know their goal. I then ask them what they want to do.
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Skyman
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Post by Skyman »


[quote="cczernia"] One rule I have is called PC protection. No PC may attack/damage/ or do something harmful to another PC. The reason for this is kids can be cruel and will kill each other if given the chance.


[/quote]


The Lord of the Flies:smash:

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devlin1
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Post by devlin1 »

Thanks for the advice, all. Here's what's happening with this thing now:

Another mother contacted me about running a game for her home-schooled son -- a one-on-one thing, so it's kinda part gaming, part tutoring, and part babysitting. This one's also super-intelligent, and he's also, coincidentally enough, the grandson of a band director I worked down in Chula Vista about five years ago. Small world. I'm meeting with them on Thursday.

That kid's currently making a comic strip that his mother described as "sci-fi/fantasy/adventure," so my plan is to check that out and use it as the basis for a game. I'll have to see what kind of system appeals to him, but ultimately what I'd like to do is sample a few different systems, then work with him to make his own game, if he's interested. He's only nine, but if he's as smart as he sounds, he might enjoy the challenge. Plus, making a game involves a lot of critical-thinking skills and numeracy, so I'm going to pitch it as abstractly educational, which seems to be very popular among this crowd.

That Savage Worlds one-shot is on the calendar for next Friday. Three kids, aged 11 to 14 (IIRC). Assuming that goes well, that'll be a weekly thing. I'm currently working on a dirt-simple, fun-looking character sheet using GIMP.
Mike Olson
‎"In this economy, it's not easy to feed a growing family. So we eat Haunkkah gelt for dinner and look at a picture of broccoli." --Paul F. Tompkins
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mordraine
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Post by mordraine »

Mike the professional GM! I think that's going to become the next show on the USA channel.
Hey man, I'm slinging volume and fat stacking benjies, you know what I mean? I can't be all about spelling and shit!
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Post by jimmy corrigan »

i'll direct the abortive first season of that show.

expectations are important!!!
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devlin1
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Post by devlin1 »


[quote="jimmy corrigan"]expectations are important!!![/quote]
I think we have a title.

Mike Olson
‎"In this economy, it's not easy to feed a growing family. So we eat Haunkkah gelt for dinner and look at a picture of broccoli." --Paul F. Tompkins
Spirit of the Blank: A blog.
Roll Some Dice: Another blog.
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