We are nearing the end of the campaign with a few sessions left (~2) and then a larger two-session capstone, which will be a large ball. It will end the longest I have ever run a game since returning to the hobby or even when I played long, long ago.
It has been a great experience and I can’t recommend running a game enough as it helps you be a better player and also helps with general soft skills like public speaking, creativity, organization, and storytelling; all skills that how use throughout your work and personal life.
I hope to have a longer post when I am done through my high-level thoughts on running a game (by no means in order):
- Have a Session 0: We only play once a week for a few hours and I wanted to be efficient. Running a session 0 helps set the frame for the entire chapter, campaign, etc.)
- Character Transparency: Having the players not know the other characters works for a streamed game, but having the players build their characters so they know each other helps the game start smoothly (especially if less than 4 players).
- Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of starting. Just run the game.
- Don’t hold onto the exact story too tightly. Whatever you come up with the players will only make better with their characters adding a twist or zigzag.
I will add more once the game is done, but the above covers my overall thoughts on running the game as a returning player and newish DM.