Anyone got any helpful tips to running a successful Call of Cthulhu game? I'm running my first one in a couple weeks and would greatly appreciate any pointers.
Just tips in general?
- Don't show the monster/weirdness too early. Let it build up. Don't be afraid to confuse your players by omitting information, but also don't brag about how tricked you have them. (is just bad form)
- Try to build atmosphere by speaking about subjective traits, not objective ones. Avoid naming things or giving numerical details unless the player asks or would be aware of that fact. For example, a 10x10 foot room with bare stone walls is "A cramped, claustrophobic room, with barren walls devoid of any mark or artistic intent." The shoggoth is not "a shoggoth", it is "a black slimy mass that pulsates down the hallway after you. Flashes glint off of what might be tiny, moving eyes."
- If it is critical to the game that a mystery go unsolved to a point, make sure not to drop
any relevant clues before that point. If there are mi-go in the bar, have them find napkins, not a matchbook from the bar.
- Make an effort only to kill a player when it benefits the story. If they die anyways that's fine, but it's better to get some mileage out of their murder.
I would also refer you to this thread:
http://slangdesign.com/forums/index.php?topic=520.msg8638#msg8638It's full of great suggestions from this forum, including Ross' pointers and references to his games that exemplify the CoC ideals. I put my own tips on running investigative games there too.
