Comments on: Pre-Campaign Player Questionnaire

By: Thunderforge

Thunderforge — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:07:16 +0000

You’re right about a different demographic. I suppose that it could be pretty easily changed for a university demographic if someone wanted to.

When I’ve given it out, only the most experienced players have been able to finish the Ten Minute Character Background in… well… ten minutes. That’s really my only concern with it: it’s poorly named. So I usually just ask players to bring it back to me next week, which works well enough for me since that gives them plenty of time to think. Even new players have been pretty responsive to that sheet and really like it, they just need some time to formulate an idea of who they are like.

By: newbiedm

newbiedm — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:09:15 +0000

@thunderforge: Yeah, the questions are aimed more at people that have played D&D before, you are right. Also, keep in mind my particular demographic, 30+, married with kids.

The guy in my position is probably the one who would use this more I think, although that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.

I like what you linked to, but you are asking new players to RPG’s to think in character quickly, that’s not that easy to do… is it?

By: Thunderforge

Thunderforge — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:57:18 +0000

I play role-playing games (all systems) at university , so some of your questions wouldn't apply (like pets). Additionally, we get a lot of players who are new to role-playing and would have no idea whether or not they like DM vs. PC games, for instance. I can't see myself ever using this, but if it works for you, great! Before each campaign, I do hand out to my players a modified version of the Ten Minute Character Background. It's a quick way for the players to create a backstory in such a way that helps me figure out how the players view their characters and to give useful backstory plot hooks.

By: Wyatt

Wyatt — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:29:48 +0000

I tend to do something like this if I’m playing online in a new community. When you’re hosting a play-by-post in an unfamiliar forum, something like this is an extra layer of protection from, and understanding of, the less fortunate elements of the place that might be disagreeable to you.

By: Wyatt’s Pre-Campaign Player Questionnaire « The Spirits of Eden

Wyatt’s Pre-Campaign Player Questionnaire « The Spirits of Eden — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:18:57 +0000

[...] to the NewbieDM for the [...]

By: newbiedm

newbiedm — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:34:56 +0000

You are correct, that wasn’t the intention.

It should have read “no non-playing significant others at the table”.

By: DrOct

DrOct — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:39:56 +0000

On the whole I like it. Not sure though how I feel about the “no wives or girlfriends at the table” question though, just because it assumes that all the players will be male, which may be the case for a lot of people but is by no means something I think should be assumed. My current group has a female player, and used to have two, and I know a lot of other groups that include at least one if not more women. Perhaps changing it to “no significant others” or something like that? I get what the actual intent of the question is, but the way it’s phrased it seems to assume that women don’t play D&D.