GM Tips: Setting Immersion

For our first-time GM girls, here's something that will be a big help with your campaign setting: the more detail you give your players, the better... up to a point. You don't want to bombard them with pages and pages of text about the world's history and what language all the races speak, but there are a few things you can give them that help them understand the world without much effort.

Maps. If you have the time to either find or draw up a map of your world, do so. It's invaluable to your players to have a sense of place and identity in the world and a map can help. When your characters travel to new places, they can calculate travel times, distance and have a good idea of how far they have to run to get out of that dragon's territory.

In addition to maps, a few other things can also help you along. Giving your players a calendar can help them understand the passage of time in the world. Giving them a timeline can help illustrate the history of the world without making them read all the notes that you painstakingly typed up. Those notes are great--for a GM, but a little omission can help the process. Try giving your players some basic information and they'll probably come back to you for more.

Girl Gamer Attire

Are you out of the gaming closet? Want to show off your nerd-cred to the world? Here are my favorite clothing options for being a gamer girl:


I fight Like a Girl from JINX


Prime Cuts of Unicorn Babydoll from ThinkGeek

If you look around, I bet you can find some other fun things. I have yet to find underwear with dice on them, I but I swear they're out there...

Character Generation Programs

We're well into the digital age now, and it seems like everyone has their laptops around the gaming table. Surprisingly, we still keep our character sheets with our pencils and paper, though. Here're some more technological options if you're still waiting to get out of writing out your characters by hand.

d20 Systems:
DM Genie and Player Genie are two compatible programs developed for the 3rd Edition and 3.5 Edition of Dungeons and Dragons, but are easily modifiable for any d20 game of the same era. Since 4.0 has little open licensing content for independent companies, it's likely we won't see anything for 4.0 anytime soon, unless it is from Wizards of the Coast.
PCGen is another d20 character generator, one I have no personal experience with, but it comes with good recommendations.

d10 Systems:
EdExalted was my go-to for Exalted character generation, but the updates are infrequent, and it's a little clunky to use when trying to integrate player-generated content. A good staple if you're only playing the basic game.

World of Darkness Toolkit for WoD folks. On it's 3rd edition, doesn't include all of the WoD supplements, but has the basics.

Another handy way to keep track of your characters are editable .pdf sheets which you can find for almost any game with a little searching. With luck, you'll be able to keep tabs on your character easily and you won't have to worry about erasing through the paper when your character keeps taking damage.

Custom DM Screens

If you've progressed from being a girl gamer to a girl GM, then the first thing you should look at (once you've designed your campaign, of course), is a custom DM screen. Whether you print out your favorite tables on computer paper and paperclip them to your current screen, or find someone who has a little artistic talent to make up an entirely new one, there's a lot of benefits to be had.

First off, most DM screens have some information you want--but not all of it. There's bound to be more than a few tables and charts that you use in your games more than others and it's really handy to have them right where you can see them. Plus, it saves a lot of time flipping through books.

Secondly, if you do shell out the money to have an artist do the front of it, your players will have the pleasure of seeing their characters whenever they sit down to game. It's great for atmosphere (and your players' egos).

Having a custom DM screen is a wonderful tool for gaming--not entirely necessary, but fun to have.

Non-Traditional Female Miniatures

Reaper Miniatures


Reaper Miniatures


Reaper Miniatures


Reaper Miniatures

Why Roleplay a Stereotype?

I've mentioned before that stereotypes are a good way to improve your gaming, and I wanted to expand a little on my position. There's nothing wrong with wanting your character to be unique, but a little stereotyping goes a long way into helping you get into your character's head.

The best example I have are dwarves. The Lord of the Rings films only prove this point: Gimli is a giant stereotype. He drinks ale by the gallon, he fights with an axe, he speaks with a Scottish accent. He is the quintessential dwarf. And that's why, if your dwarf acts in a similar manner, the other players in your party will immediately accept and react to him as a dwarf. Since these things have come to represent dwarves in our minds, it actually helps establish your character as a dwarf to the other players.

The easiest way to do this with nearly every character concept is to cultivate an accent. Even if you only lower or raise the pitch of your voice, it will be easier for other players to see that you are in character, or out of it. There are other ways you can incorporate stereotypes into characters, and as long as you use them appropriately, they can really improve your roleplaying.

One of the Guys: How to Blend In

One of the largest problems with being a girl gamer, is, well... being a girl gamer. In a hobby that's dominated with men, it's often more than a little uncomfortable to be the only female in the room. Especially since the stereotype that gamers are socially inept is occasionally true.

If you're tired of the guys at your table trying to stare down your shirt every time you walk by, try a little subtlety. First, don't wear low-cut shirts. I know, it's a terrible crime to cover up your gorgeous pair, but it's the best way to keep everyone from staring at them. If you're really interested in becoming a little more intimate with someone in your gaming group, invite them on a date so you'll really get a chance to dress up. There's no need to suffer through the uncomfortable stares at the gaming table to attract only one pair of eyes.

Secondly, and this one is nearly as hard, be flexible and don't let much shock you. The guys in your group will use your squeamishness against you if they can, so it's best to cultivate a thick skin fast. The less you react, the less they'll go overboard. Being a girl gamer can be hard, but it's usually worth it in the long run. If you can convince the boys that you're not going to faint at the mention of blood and guts, you're good to go.

Character Ideas: Fighters

Fighters are one of the easiest classes to start out with (in terms of learning game mechanisms), although they get more complicated as your character levels. There are plenty of starting points for fighter of the female persuasion, so feel free to take some of these ideas and run with them.

Bandit Leader
Swordsmith
Soldier
Palace Guard
Amazon (fun with loincloths)
Barbarian Queen
Orphan Gang Leader
Wandering Swordsman
Pitfighter

Dice Bag Alternatives

If you don't want to carry around the traditional Crown Royal bag or satchel made out of chain mail, here are some fun (and stylish alternatives)!


Something to Sing about bag from Modcloth


Mini Pouch from Tago Design


Pink Daisy Keepsake Box by Fiorella Designs

More Miniatures That Won't Embarrass Your Mom

Outcasts, Wyrd Miniatures


Reaper Miniatures


Reaper Miniatures

The Case for Conventions

Why should you go to a gaming convention? The first and most obvious reason is to get out of the basement (kidding!). Conventions are great ways to network, get some new ideas for games, and buy a ton of things you didn't know you wanted until you saw it. When D&D 4.0 first came out, our group went to a con to check out a demo and talk to folks who were playing it already (we then unanimously agreed to boycott it).

You can try new systems, games and even genres. I never knew I liked cooperative board gaming until I tried it at a convention. Most gaming cons also have war gaming rooms set up so you can ooh and aah over other gamers prized scenery and skill at terrain building and mini painting (and maybe show off your own).

The main reason I go, though, is for the merchandise. I live in a place where gaming gear is hard to come by, so going to a convention is pretty much like walking into paradise. It's always fun to see the newest accessories for your gaming table and bring them home to your group. We've acquired magnetic bases colored for different spell effects, spell radius grids, and a host of other little gadgets that we now use pretty constantly.

If you're really brave, you can even host your own sessions and have the chance to play with some new folks! So don't be shy--you might even enjoy it.

Unusual Animal Companion/Familiar Miniatures

Animal miniatures are often the last thing you buy when gaming, but here are some pretty compelling ones for your next character:


Who doesn't want a dire crocodile?


Or a Giant Foo Dog?

There's a host of other options, from tiny faeries to zombie chihuahuas. Chances are you'll find something to inspire you.

Gaming Accessories: It's in the Details

One of the coolest things I've ever seen done by a GM for his players was years ago in a Sigil 3.5 campaign I was in. The GM was using poker chips as a counter for hero points that we could use if things got desperate and he made us all custom bags to keep them in as we accumulated a few.

The bags were small velvet dice bags and he'd added small metal lettered charms that spelled out the character's names on the bag strings. They were very a very sweet and personal touch that we all appreciated.

Two Strategies for Gaming Meals

There are lots of different ways to satisfy your hunger while gaming, but after a while having a few bags of chips and a player who shares their fries gets pretty stale. Here are two different solutions to the problem:

One: Have a common pool every session to which everyone contributes 5 dollars for take-out. This works well if you order different types of cuisine every time. We alternated sandwiches, Chinese, pizza, soups and salads and Italian. Any leftover money was saved in the dice box until the next session.

Two: Have one person cook for the group every session and have a rotation. This method is good if you want to eat a little healthier, but can cause some problems if people can't cook, or someone forgets it's their turn.

The 10 Most Useful Things To Have While Gaming

- Laser Pointer

- Wet-Erase Markers

- Dice Bag

- Superglue

- Mechanical Pencils

- Ruler

- Caffeine

- Notebook (for writing down NPC names and loot!)

- MP3 Player or CD Player for gaming music soundtracks

- Take-Out Menus

Gaming Room Porn

Check out these sweet rooms and use some of them for your own ideas:


Ultimate RPG Game Room


Gospog's Flickr Stream


My very own gaming room!

Gamer Girlfriends

Anyone who has gamed for any length of time has run into the problem of gamer girlfriends. Don't get me wrong, I love having girls try gaming for the first time and it's even better when they decide to continue playing afterward. The gamer girlfriend, however, is an entirely different beast. This is a long-suffering girl, dragged along to gaming by her significant other, who has promised that this time will be different, that if she just gives it a try, she'll understand why her beau spends nearly every waking hour walking, talking, and breathing gaming. The gamer girlfriend doesn't want to understand, which is what makes this such a headache for everyone involved.

The gamer girlfriend is not a gamer herself, which is the main problem for all involved. She dates a gamer, and is therefore dragged to everything the gamer attends in the hope that she will magically fall in love with his pastimes as well as with him. I have a few guidelines (garnered from many, many bad experiences) that will hopefully make this experience less painful for everyone involved.

Guidelines for the Gamer Girlfriend:
-If you don't want to play, say so. The problem arises when you get dragged into the game against your will. There's nothing wrong with liking different things when you're a couple and respecting the fact that your interests differ makes your relationship stronger.
-If you're mildly curious, sit in on a session without playing. If you like it, there's plenty of time to ask the GM to join afterward and if you don't, you haven't alienated the other players by being miserable/bored/angry the whole time because you aren't enjoying yourself.

Guidelines for the Gamer with a Girlfriend:
-Don't make your girlfriend game if she isn't interested. Respect her feelings and don't tell yourself that she'll eventually like it.
-Don't make your girlfriend a character. If she really wants to play, she'll make it herself.
-Before you bring your girlfriend to a session, ask the GM and other players first. There's nothing worse for a gaming group than having someone assume that bringing in a new player is okay with everyone.
-If you bring your girlfriend to a session with you, reciprocate by trying one of her hobbies as well. This way, you'll both gain an understanding of one another, even if you decide you don't like the activities involved.

Guidelines for Other Players:
-Be nice. Don't ignore, mock or complain about the new addition to the group, you'll only make her experience worse.
-Be patient. Even if the girl in question would clearly rather be somewhere else, it's best to suffer in silence and raise your concerns to the GM afterward.

Guidelines for the GM:
-If the girl in question clearly doesn't want to be there, say no. There are a myriad of excuses you can come up with to turn them down without hurting their feelings (and chances are, she'll be relieved rather than upset). Asking someone to sit in on a session before playing also helps.
-Talk to the player involved and make your expectations known. As the moderator, your job is to make sure that everyone has fun, which can be difficult with someone who's been forced to play. If one session doesn't work, another go at it will probably not work either.

Miniatures You Can Stomach

Here's a few lady miniatures for your gaming that don't wear thongs (and a few that do). Enjoy:


Warlord, Reaper Miniatures


Master Series, Reaper Miniatures


Chronoscope, Reaper Miniatures


Outcastes, Wyrd Miniatures


Guild, Wyrd Miniatures

Inner Party Romance

Inner Party Romance can be a touchy subject for a lot of gaming groups and with the wrong group of players, it can be disastrous in real life, as well. It's important to tread lightly when approaching romantic encounters in game, but with a little maturity on the part of the players, it can be fun and rewarding.

First of all, make sure everyone is comfortable with the idea. It's all too easy for a romantic scene to devolve into sex jokes, and you need to be sure that everyone is on board. Speak to your GM first, and get their opinion on whether or not what you're imagining will work with your particular group. The GM can also help you work out what to do (and you might give them a few ideas for a story hook, too).

When the opportunity arises in game, be mature yourself. There's no need to go overboard with detail when a few light details will suffice. Until you're absolutely sure everyone is comfortable, it's best to avoid getting hot and heavy. Quite a few people won't speak up if they're uncomfortable with that level of detail, so it's really for the good of the group to make any description brief and gloss over the finer points.

On the other hand, if your group is up for it, some serious romance can be quite fun. Your campaigns can benefit from all sorts of romantic entanglements to liven up the story and give your characters a little more depth.

To Glitter or Not To Glitter: Dice Options

My personal preference is that dice should be pretty. Now, this may not be true for everyone, but here're some of the best options you can get from Chessex.


Borealis Royal Purple with Gold


Gemini Black/Copper with White

There are tons and tons of styles of dice, which is pretty nice, considering that I like to purchase a set for every character I play (for long campaigns, anyway).

Gaming Accessories: Skins

It's pretty much a given that anyone who plays table-top games also has a few other nerdy pastimes as well. As a girly-girl, I have a serious need to decorate pretty much everything in my house. The solution? Skins for every console I have.


PS3 Skin


iPod Nano Skin

Check out Gela Skins to see some pretty sweet ideas to fancy up your gaming gear.

Help, My Character Needs a Name!

If you're one of those people who waits until the very last second to name your character, I have some things to help you out. Naming a character is one of the most important parts of character creation and it's easy to overlook what becomes a pivotal part of your experience.

First, make the name easy to say. If your character is named Xylophrantix, chances are that the other players and GM won't ever refer to you as that. If your character absolutely must have a strange and hard to pronounce name, give them a nickname as well that is short and simple.

Second, there's no shame in using stereotypes. Your character may be a special snowflake, but it actually helps people engage in and understand the world if most characters go with the flow and follow naming conventions for their race/type. This goes for role-playing your character as well... if you have a stereotype to base your characters speech and actions off of, other players will respond more and it will be easy to stay in character.

Here are some name generators to help you get started:

Seventh Sanctum: Pretty much useful for anything you could think of. I'm a fan of the tavern/ship name generators as a GM--it's very helpful to have these sorts of things at your fingertips to make gaming go faster.

Voidstate's Exalted Name Generator: If you're an Exalted player, you've already realized that Exalted names are hard. This should make them easier.

D&D Name Generator: This one is particularly helpful, as it narrows the naming down by Race/Class/Gender.

Gaming Room Advice

Putting together your own gaming room is a pretty daunting task, but eventually it's something that most serious gamers desire. There comes a point where sitting around a card table in the garage or crowding around the coffee table in a living room starts to really become unappealing. If you have the space and the drive to set aside a room for gaming in your house, it can be very rewarding. The internet is a great place to find ideas, but don't type in "fantasy dungeon" when searching for them. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

What Your Gaming Room Needs:
-A table that fits at least 6 people comfortably
-A Hex or Grid Map (preferably one that works with wet-erase markers)
-A Communal Dice Box for players who forget/don't own their own dice
-Shelves to store minis, gaming books, character sheets and terrain
-An internet connection/wireless

What Your Gaming Room Wants:
-A Mini Fridge
-Windows
-A sweet gaming table (Like this one)
-A Microwave
-Atmosphere

You Don't Have to Wear a Chainmail Bikini

(But You Can If You Want To)

It always seems as if this is the first stereotype that girl gamers run up against when making characters. There are so many examples of this in fantasy art and literature that it seems like a daunting task to come up with an inspiration that isn't a half-undressed trollop plastered against some warrior's feet. Fortunately, there are plenty portrayals of women who are just the opposite, if you are willing to spend a little time looking for them.

If you're searching for a basis for your character that isn't rooted in some serious chafing, try a few of these places first:

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones. Okay, you probably saw the Miyazaki film based off this book, but the novel holds a wealth of inspiration for strong female characters.

The Discworld Books by Terry Pratchett. First off, shame on you if you've never read these. They include a host of female characters who are independent, brave and incredibly sympathetic. Who wouldn't like to play a character based off of Granny Weatherwax? And if playing old ladies isn't to your taste, there's always Angua, Tiffany or Susan to look at.

Kill Bill. Come on, hasn't everyone wanted to play a character like this at least once? (My personal favorite is Elle Driver)

Now for the other side of the argument: there is nothing wrong with wanting to play a character like Red Sonja. Or Lara Croft. Or Xena. If you want to play a sexy, scantily dressed girl, go right ahead. You might want to be aware that there will be some good-natured teasing (especially if you're the only girl in your group), but don't let it stop you. Gaming is all about having fun, and if you like the idea of running around in a loincloth with a giant sword, go for it. It might be the best session of your gaming career.

Accessories Every Gamer Girl Needs

I spend an awful lot of time surfing the web for gamer-related things and a recent search turned up something I just adore: dice jewelry. World of Dice makes pretty simple jewelry (and since I dabble in jewelry making myself it's pretty tempting to order a whole bunch of these dice and jazz them up a little, as they're a bit plain) that is super affordable and best of all--customizable. Since I'm a White Wolf fanatic, I was super-excited to see that I could get d10 earrings in pretty much any style I wanted. It looks like they use Chessex, but I can't find a credit for them on this site.

Anyway, check it out:

Advice for First Time Gamer Girls: Part I

If you're one of those girls who has always toyed with the idea of hanging out in a basement or the back of a comic book shop rolling dice and are just now thinking about doing it for real, this is for you. There are some good rules to follow if you'd like to fit in as much as possible to make it fun for everyone involved.

After you find a game to join (the internet has some great resources on where to find other gamers), the first rule of thumb is to come prepared. If you're not familiar with the particular game that you'll be playing, read up on it ahead of time and make sure that you have a good grasp of the basics. Yes, the other players will probably be willing to help if you get stuck, but no one likes sitting around a table hearing the new player say "Um... how do I do that?" every five minutes. The best thing to do is contact your Dungeon Master ahead of time and have them spend a few hours with you going over the game and how it's played.

Being prepared means a few other things as well, most importantly that you make your character ahead of time. When you do sit down with the DM, get some help with making your character sometime before the game starts. This can mean either weeks, days or hours before the game session begins, but it will keep the other players from resenting having their gaming time shortened or interrupted by someone who's not ready to go.

Lastly, bring your own equipment. If you don't know how serious you're likely to get at first, it's okay to borrow books from the other players, but there are three items that are absolutely essential: a pencil, notepaper, and your own dice. Not all groups have communal dice and your fellow players will definitely put it as a point in your favor if you show up toting your own. Borrowing dice can be tricky--some players are especially attached to theirs and there are lots of gamer superstitions about luck rubbing off on them so it's better to avoid any misunderstandings.