Sly Flourish's Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
Game masters and dungeon masters, the folks who run your local table-top role playing game, have a lot to do before game night: plan encounters, figure out NPCs, determine the next set of challenges for their players. It can be a lot. Perhaps overwhelming.
Shea provides a succinct guide to running games that many of the games’ books are missing: how to plan effectively and efficiently. Instead of pre-planning every move, Shea encourages game masters to plan enough to cover the next night’s game. Ask players where they intend to go next, so the game master can plan appropriately. And avoid over-preparing or even planning out a story, because the players’ actions make the story based on how the react to events the game master presents.
That’s all solid advice. But the thing that’s sticking with me is Shea’s advice, when pressed for time, to prepare the items that provide the most value to your game, and to be willing to drop from his suggestions items that don’t provide great value. I appreciate that, because I wonder what items I include in planning for work projects that aren’t necessary. That are low to no value to me and my colleagues. Or what about home projects? Basically, that’s solid advice for any project, games or not.
The book’s advice is timely and valuable. If you’re a game master and find yourself pressed for time, stressed, or nearing burn-out, consider taking a break, reading this book, and coming back to your game with a new outlook on preparation. I think you, and your players, will benefit.