I mean I obviously have a general idea, but I’ve been spending hours writing stories, and such. I let the players go in another direction if they want to… But do most GMs just wing it… Or do they write stories pre-hand.
A Game Master is a player and for that reason she just plays the game. What game are we talking about? Mouse Guard? What is it that the rules of this game tells you to do? Your job is not to tell a story, no pre-write it, no wing it. The book is clear about the GM and the Players funtions. Just do what the book tell you to do.
You have to have missions, twists, and turns no? You have to think of the information on the sample missions… That’s the kinda information I’ve been writing. And of course I’m talking about Mouse Guard… This is the Mouse Guard forums.
You can’t tell me that everyone just uses the sample missions…
I’ve been writing NPC dialoges and such prehand for some time… If that’s wrong… I’m not sure I want to be right.
…You have made me very confused… Lol
LH have you read any of the Missions forum. You may find some useful examples there. Mission design is really simple. I write an intro description of the mission, with two obstacles and two twists. Decide what tests they represent at what Ob. And that’s about it. I’ve never written NPC dialogue, for example.
You said you’ve been writing stories. Mouse Guard is not about write stories. (But you can do it just for fun, of course.) A mission is not a story. It’s kinda like: “Someone stole the secret map of Lockheaven and fled in the direction of Ironwood. Go after him and catch him.” You know that you need at least two Obstacle, so you can write the Obstacles in advance or you can invent these on the fly. Now you know that you need two more Obstacles in case the patrol fails to overcome the first two. Again, you can write this Twists in advance or you can just invent these on the fly.
Sample mission:
Mission: Someone stole the secret map of Lockheaven and fled toward Ironwood.
Ob 1: Find trails of the thief. (Has been snowing.)
Ob 2: The thief has allies. (A whole gang of thieves and spies. Fight for your life!)
Tw 1: They don’t find the thief (yet) but an animal. The animal attacks the patrol. (Run!)
Tw 2: The weather worsens. (A storm begins.)
That’s all that you need to write. (And it’s even too much.)
When you play the mission, you have to give colorful descriptions of the surroundings, the landscapes, the people. And ask a lot of questions to the players, about the surroundings, the landscapes, the people… Whatever they tell you, use it in your own descriptions later. Together, you build an interesting environment worth of exploring through dialogue.
This is another example (and, in my opinion, extensive) mission I wrote: Find the Missing Girl
Here is like 1/4th of a story I wrote for our first game…
Assign Mission
Each of you walk into the Gwendolyn’s mission room. Gwendolyn is the matriarch and architect of the Mouse Guard, and she has called you all together for a mission. Some of you walk in together having known met long before, or even on the way here, but for the most part before this is your first time meeting.
You take your place, standing around the table. On the table is map of the area, with wooden pieces representing guard locations.
"I have assembled all of you to preform a certain investigation for me. There will be a time for introductions, but there is an urgent problem we must attended to. I have placed [-] in charge of this group. Among you [he/she] has the most experience, and will be most equipped to lead. We have seemed to have entirely lost communication with our Guard in Copperwood. We had Guard stationed there that hadn’t reported back in weeks, I have chosen you to investigate the cause.
You [num] are a team now. Remember your oaths, and good luck to you."
As you are walking out of the room, she picks up a new wooden piece, and places it on the road to Copperwood.
Write Session Goals…
GM’s Turn
The party ventures out on the trek to Copperwood.
[Each player must make an obstacle 1 Health test, failing will result in the party being slowed down, and the character that failed will gain the Tired status]
(Slowed Down) The group is but a half hour’s walk from the town when it starts raining… The rain is cold and wild. [Each player must roll against nature failure will result in sickness.]
The party enters Copperwood, (Not Slowed Down) [it begins to rain.]
There is a building in the town which belongs to the Guard. The Guard members should be inside. This is a matter of urgency it is not advised that you wait idle while fellow Guard may be in danger.
You enter the building, it appears empty… Suddenly three hooded mice jump from behind furniture, through an open window, and out of a door, armed with bows, ready to fire. The bandits are obviously tired.
[The party may take aggressive action, take obstacle 4 persuasion check to convince the mice to stand down, or if someone has resources 5 or more, they can instead take an obstacle 3 persuasion check as you attempt to bribe the attackers.]
Treat the hooded mice as Bandits armed with bows (pg. 195.)
FAIL (bribe): The attackers refuse to take the money. One shouts out, “How about we kill you, and then take your money!” goto FAIL
FAIL: (The hooded mice are obviously unaffected by your attempts to persuade them) The mice lose their grips of the bows’ strings, twang. Each player must take an obstacle 1 nature test to dodge the projectile, hide behind cover, or block the arrows. Then fight three mice armed with bows. All those that failed the test now have the injured status and cannot participate in this fight. Due to the nature of the situation, each character has a ranged weapon, they may take either a fighting or hunting obstacle 2 check to automatically to kill one of the bandits. A bandit is distracted, select one character, that character takes a fighting or nature obstacle test, to leap and kill him, The remaining bandits focus, it’s time to fight. If all allies that participated in the fight have died, then those who were injured are also slain.
PASS (bribe): A hooded mouse looks at the money, and his eyes widen, they all flee with the money.
PASS: The hooded mice one by one let their weapons slack, eye you for a moment and quickly escape. What ever you said must have been quite convincing.
DEFEAT THEM: You have bested, and killed the hooded mice. Their mangled corpses lie static on the ground…
The actual guard mice may still be in the building, each of you will take a difficultly 4 nature test to find them. If all of you fail, take the test again. But remember, time is precious…
Then it went on with punishments for lost time, and rewards for finishing things early… But we had fun… These were just notes, I let the players go in different directions, or find there own ways to solve problems. But maybe you guys are right, lol. I’ll try… The right way.
Okay, some guidance at this point. What’s happening that’s causing all these easy health tests? Watching everyone roll to beat a one is not exciting. Instead, say something like "the roads are covered by a late winter snow. It will be an Ob 5 Pathfinder test to find your way to Copperwood safely (Ob 5 because of the factors nearby, overgrown or washed out road). Saxon, you going to blaze the trail? Is anyone helping?
If they fail you can roll in with the rain catching them as a twist and then call for Health tests to make it through the rain. Give anyone who fails a Condition and move on to Copperwood.
Remember, if they get a Condition they always get what they wanted. You can’t give them a Twist and a Condition on the same roll. So, don’t say you’re slowed down and one of you is Tired.
Some more thoughts. I hope they’re helpful.
Two thoughts here. First, You don’t need a Skill or Ability at a certain level to attempt a test. Second, I would make this a versus test against the bandit leader with the other bandits helping.
FAIL: (The hooded mice are obviously unaffected by your attempts to persuade them) The mice lose their grips of the bows’ strings, twang. Each player must take an obstacle 1 nature test to dodge the projectile, hide behind cover, or block the arrows.
This should really just be a fight Conflict.
Also, try not to make failing a roll equal doing something poorly. Don’t make their persuade attempts ineffective. Their attempts should be awesome, and just at the wrong moment…a Twist!
Then fight three mice armed with bows. All those that failed the test now have the injured status and cannot participate in this fight.
Not such a good idea. The injured Condition has a specific mechanical effect. It causes a -1D penalty to Nature, Will, Health and skill tests. It does not “take a guard out of action, but [reduces] his overall effectiveness (page 124).” Besides, you don’t want a bunch of players not able to play.
Due to the nature of the situation, each character has a ranged weapon, they may take either a fighting or hunting obstacle 2 check to automatically to kill one of the bandits. A bandit is distracted, select one character, that character takes a fighting or nature obstacle test, to leap and kill him, The remaining bandits focus, it’s time to fight. If all allies that participated in the fight have died, then those who were injured are also slain.
You don’t need to invent all these rules. Just break out with either a versus test or a Conflict.
writing stories doesn’t hurt, but if the GM writes it all in, that reduces player inclusion. Consider some of the posted missions in the Missions forum threads. Most are limited in the description of exact actions, but are largely open for players to inject their own flavor.
When you are just beginning, having a strong hand in telling the tale helps you learn the system and about offering options. However, as you get more accustomed to the system, you’ll need to help players see how much their choices lead to new directions. In that case, you can begin to describe the scene and the obstacle which must be faced, then allow the players to think of how to overcome it. Sometimes it will conincide with your expectations and sometimes it may be totally opposite.
While you are just beginning, having a detailed description and exact required checks and consequences of those checks is probably helpful, but will lead to burnout. Get accustomed to a strong structure of the obstacles you are going to present, what you expect them to accomplish to overcome the obstacle, and the conditions or twist of failed dice (remembering that attempting at all probably means success with conditions, or success until the twist). Don’t worry about too much detail of the exact actions required, think it terms of the skillset needed to face an obstacle.
As you develop a personal style, you might continue to have a detailed structure, but permit for more improvisation when players present an interesting choice on the part of their mouse’s actions. Let yourself become accustomed to a structure of what obstacles you’ll present and the possible twists or conditions, but let the players inject how they expect to overcome the obstacle. Let go of the exact actions required and encourage players to think of the skillset needed to face an obstacle.
(emphasis mine)
That is exactly the sort of GMing that allows Mouse Guard to flourish; players will often look at the situation with a very different outlook than a GM. That open mind and improvisation helps the game move collaboratively.
Seeking out the Guard mice which might still be in the building ought to be a Scout check rather than Nature. Only one member of the patrol should make the test to represent the group effort. Once a test is passed or failed, move forward; don’t let them test again for the same obstacle.
I am starting to see. All of the posts here have helped. But I’m still finding it hard to see how like… People write two problems, and two twists and that becomes 2 hours. So the GM gives the group… Like a really vague problems? And the majority of the time spent is player discussion?
That’s actually a common fear. I had it before I ran the game. Heck, I still have it every time I run the game. In another thread I pointed you to a game I ran at a local con called The Shipment. That’s from a that game lasted over two hours. Here’s the full mission write up, including some NPCs. Some things are missing, like test obstacles, because I just used the Factors from the skill list during play to figure them out.
The Shipment
The last year has been a hard one for the Territories. Disease and famine had ravaged the land, weakening their defenses and leaving them open to attack. Yet, as the time past and the lessons of the Weasel War faded, old enmities were begun again. Border disputes and ancient feuds turned one town against the other. Through it all, the Guard prevailed. Lockhaven opened its stores of food and much needed medicine in order to keep the peace. Desperate to replenish its stocks before the coming winter, Lockhaven sent to the scientists of Sprucetuck and caravan of medicine was sent forth. But it did not arrive.
The patrol is languishing in Shaleburrow, grounded by a Fall flood.
WILDERNESS OBSTACLE:
Fall (5) swollen streams have flooded the land below Shaleburrow, turning it into a dangerous mud-filled marsh. Complex hazard. Pathfinding, Boating, Resources/Circles, Scout.
WEATHER TWIST: FALL STORM (5).
MICE OBSTACLE: Delegations from Barkstone and Elmoss have converged on the site each with several hired thugs. Each side wants the shipment and neither side wants to recognize the Guard’s authority over this part of the Territories.
Barkstone demands the right of salvage, claiming this territory belonged to their forebears. Surely the Guard’s authority ends at their borders.
Vernon the Warrior
Raw Abilities Rating Special Abilities Rating
Nature (Mouse) 3 Resources 6
Will 5 Circles 6
Health 4
Skills: Fighter 4, Orator 3, Haggler 4, Instructor 3,
Soldier-wise 3
Traits: Defender (2)Elmoss claims the land as their own, from long use and possession and argues that they need the medicines to treat the sick in the town, which lay dying in tents outside the city.
Paul, Mayor of Elmoss
Politician
Raw Abilities Rating Special Abilities Rating
Nature (Mouse) 3 Resources 5
Will 6 Circles 6
Health 3
Skills: Orator 5, Haggler 4, Administrator 3, Halftruth-wise, 4
Traits: Quick-Witted (1), Extrovert (1)
Tuk the Bandit
Raw Abilities Rating Special Abilities Rating
Nature (Mouse) 4 Resources 2
Will 2 Circles 3
Health 5
Skills: Scout 5, Fighter 4, Deceiver 3
Traits: Young (1), Driven (1)The Merchant, Firbean of Sprucetuck is trying to get the best deal for his goods. He cares not for anything but lining his pockets.
Firbean of Sprucetuck
Raw Abilities Rating Special Abilities Rating
Nature (Mouse) 4 Resources 10
Will 6 Circles 6
Health 4
Skills: Haggler 5, Administrator 4, Persuader 3,
Coin-wise 4, Trade Route-wise 3
Traits: Early Riser (2)Muscle
Raw Abilities Rating Special Abilities Rating
Nature (Mouse) 5 Resources 1
Will 2 Circles 2
Health 6
Skills: Fighter 5, Haggler 2, Hometown-wise 4
Traits: Tall (1), Bigpaw (2), Bodyguard (1)
So, I started them in Shaleburrow with a problem “How to get through the flood.” They chose to use Circles and I brought in Tuk’s gang with the enmity clause. From that point it was complex hazard to help guide the group, weather twist leading to fight storm conflict, arrive at the scene for some some mouse on mouse versus action. Then I threw in an animal twist with a badger attack just to go out with a bang.
Wow, I played the game how you are actually supposed to, and it is the best game ever…
Win! 
That post just made my day.
Awesome. If you get a chance share a personal highlight or two from the game with us!
This gives me hope. I have similar fears to what you had expressed in your earlier posts. Coming from D&D, with most of my group primarily preferring 4th Edition, I’m used to “scripting” most of my sessions/encounters as well. Doing free-form missions/sessions gives me a lot of anxiety as well.
It’s a great game when you get it down.
I’ve only played a couple of times, and only one game I consider to be “official,” but I already consider it the finest tabletop RPG I’ve ever played. And I come from over 30 years of D&D.
I know that once I get the details dialed in (making sure the players note test results, figuring out obstacle difficulty ratings, getting the rhythm of the conflict system, esp. in non-combat situations), I’ll be kicking butt. This is what a REAL role-playing experience is, and it’s a far richer game than any of those that reward characters with new levels and +5 vorpal swords.
I know! Well I don’t know due to this being my first tabletop RPG. But I do know that this game is great.
As others have pointed out, many of the current mainstream games have put training wheels on being a GM. “Read this text. Roll these dice. Show this map. Read this text.” etc. Games like Mouse Guard take them right off. And that’s the way it should be.
Like Etsu Riot mentioned, the GM is a player in this game. He or she just happens to have narrative control for some of it. Remember that the players don’t have scripts, they’re all doing it totally improv too.
Winging it can be tough. Improv is a skill that almost anyone can do, and almost anyone can be really good at, with practice. But just like the advancement system in MG - you’ll have to rack up a few Passes and a few Failures before you improve.