Gaming Resolutions for 2018

I originally posted these five things on Twitter, but I decided I wanted a better place to record them and wanted to say more about them than Twitter allowed. So here goes…

This next year, I’m wanting to be more intentional about my entertainment, both electronic and tabletop. To that end, I’ve been thinking about things I definitely want to do and recording those for myself so that I can keep myself on track in the next year.

1 – Run one-shots of Star Wars/Genesys

I really want to introduce more people to how great this system can be. I’ve been running an online campaign for a couple of players and we’ve been having a lot of fun with it. This system has just the right mix of crunch and narrative elements for me and now that I have a more solid handle on it, I want to introduce it to more people. Whether I do this online or in-person doesn’t matter to me, I just want to get more people into the system.

2 – Run a 1st Edition AD&D campaign set in the Forgotten Realms

This one’s both important to me and the one I’m least sure how to do. My responsibility to my monthly group is currently being fulfilled by a Pathfinder game that we’re already happy with and I don’t have another group on deck to start another campaign with. I’d be just as happy running this one online, but we’ll have to see. I’ll consider this one achieved if I can get the campaign started before the end of the year.

This one comes up because I’ve been reading a lot of older D&D and AD&D material. I have access to quite a few modules that would chain together pretty well given some effort. I would like these things to get some use and I’ve been wanting to do some old school gaming again.

3 – Finally run that Star Wars game my daughter has been asking for

My daughter turned 11 this year and she’s been asking for me to run Star Wars for her and her mother. I’ve been putting it off because I’m not exactly sure what sort of story to write for them. Since this will also be her first experience actually participating in the hobby, I want the experience to be a good one. I need to get off the fence though and just do it this year.

4 –  Continue to experiment with my Pathfinder campaign to make the system more my own

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been running a Pathfinder game for my monthly group. I’ve been taking an experimental approach with this campaign, folding in both official Paizo rule modules (like rituals and the mythic character rules) and making changes inspired by outside rule sets (like using Star Wars/Genesys’ initiative slot system). So far, everyone is really enjoying both the story and the game so I must be doing something right. I want to continue experimenting though and pushing the boundaries on the game to make it exactly what I want it to be.

5 – Try to be a more conscientious player at the table

The last one is a bit of self improvement. While the other four resolutions are focused on being behind the screen, this one is focused on the other side of the screen. In 2018, I want to be a better player. I need to get better about being ready for my turn in combat to help keep things flowing. I need to get better at accepting the flow of the game and not getting frustrated when the dice stop behaving. I also need to get better about speaking up when things aren’t working for me. All of these things are aimed at helping me make the most of my limited time as a player, but they also are meant to help the games I’m in run more smoothly for the GM.

So that’s the five things I’m planning to work on for my tabletop gaming in 2018. I’d be interested to see what other people have that they’d like to work on next year, because I’m sure there’s something. If there is, share it in the comments or get a hold of me on Twitter at KnightOfTheWolf.