Friday, June 7, 2013

Picked Up On Sensors

Captain's Log Stardate 66013.2

While continuing our survey of the Omega Omnicron Sector, our sensors detecting a tight beam subspace transmission from the Zenopus Star System. I am forwarding that message to you at Starfleet Command. I highly recommend you analyze it fully.


 
 
What I find really interesting about how my friend Blacksteel explains his approach (or rather a possible approach) to getting ideas for Star Trek RPG adventures is how plainly and simply he describes the process, what a Star Trek adventure can entail and how to break it up into the various acts that make it simultaneously a RPG adventure AND an episode of Star Trek.

All too often (as I look back on my own entries on the subject), I think I get a bit too philosphical and 'big picture' minded when giving advice on how to run games in the Star Trek universe. One could say I am discussing theory, the idea behind it, while Blacksteel is addressing practice, the actual 'doing' of it.

Now I know some of my posts have been useful or at the very least interesting, based on both the feedback I've gotten and the fact that I was there when I've run game sessions that utilized my theories and the adventures were well received. At the same time, reading Blacksteel's post made me take an objective and hard look at how I convey things to others. I have knowledge, skill and experience with the subject of running Star Trek RPGs but that doesn't mean I know how to teach those elements to someone else.

Perhaps teach isn't the right word. I basically want to help someone interested in running a Star Trek game to do so. I have done it many, many times myself. How can I impart what I know or have learned about running Star Trek to another?

How indeed. Maybe not the way I have been. Hmmm.

Replicated food for thought today at Barking Alien.

Have a great weekend folks!

AD
Barking Alien





1 comment:

  1. I really have to pay more attention to this kind of thing - kind words on the internet about me deserve more of my attention! Thank you sir!

    At open point earlier this year I had a long post written up for the blog that was a manifesto about the "practicing gamer" vs. the "theoretical gamer" and then I ended up deleting it as I thought it was too ranty. The short version is that I think there is far less "practice" than "theory" online and I think there should be more, so it's been a conscious effort on my part to post more about that this year. More How, less What.

    Aside from those of course there is the Why, which I think you do an excellent job of presenting, from Trek to Muppets to everything else that crosses your keyboard.

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