Advice for my First GM Session Options

[thegrymone]

I'm running my first session of Shadowrun since SR2 was still new and am looking for any advice, encourgement, things to keep in mind, etc etc for SR4?

Its a group of 3 players (4 including me).
I'll be running the "On the Run" adventure from FanPro.

I think I'm starting to get that nervous/anxious "I'm-gonna-be-GMing-for-the-first-time-in-a-long-time" bug.

[WhiskeyMac]

Write notes about the important parts of the run.

Read, re-read and then re-read the adventure so that you can tell the players what's happening without having to read it verbatim out of the book.

Print out the player handouts beforehand, not during the game (guilty :( )

Bring a pad of graph paper for maps and maybe some figurines if you have them, even army men work.

Ummmm ... Make sure you know the rules or can at least look them up fast enough. Don't let the players use you as a doormat!

[GrinderTheTroll]

I'd let your players know your a little rusty so things might be a little slower this first time. Otherwise, have fun!

[James McMurray]

Make sure you're expecting the same type of game as your players. On the Run is not designed with min-maxed characters in mind. If the players show up with characters tweaked out you'll probably need to up the challenge level if you don't want it to be a cakewalk.

[CradleWorm]

As a new GM I would come up with a three adventures, one that highlights each of your characters. I would also make all three adventures of the "Rail Road" type.

That way you won't have to guess about how NPCs would react and can just plow through each encounter one at a time. Also, since all your encounters are scripted you can have the rules that apply right in front of you.

Finally, if time is an issue for you, guess that any major combat you get into will take at least an hour simply because you and your players are unfamiliar with the rules.

When in doubt... you can always make more characters.

[jklst14]

Welcome back to SR!

I put my thoughts on "On the Run" below because they contain's spoilers for that module.

[ Spoiler ]

If your players act like professionals, they might not be interested in investigating the contents of the disc after they acquire it. If so, they'll miss out on the a lot of stuff in the module(e.g. going to Carrion Studios, visiting Marli Bremerton, visiting the BTL woman - I forget her name, the fight at the graveyard etc).

This happened to my group of players. I had prepared for this possibility and I was going to have the Johnson ask the characters to help him decode the contents of the disc (thus sending them to Carrion studios and on to the rest of the adventure).

However, things never work out as planned and one of the runners decided that the disc rightfully belonged to Loomis. So he stunballed Mr. Johnson and the rest of the team and he and Loomis fled to Australia.

Crazy but true.