For my annual Halloween game I ran Dread.  It's billed as a Forge game but isn't.

The game replaces numbered statistics with a character questionnaire and builds tension through a Jenga tower.  Basically, instead of the GM calling for a roll, s/he calls for a "pull."  The book itself is full of advice, but for a long time gamemaster such as myself there's a steeper learning curve than I thought.

Pacing was really an issue.  The book says that in an average four hour game, there should be one pull every five minutes!  I thought I could handle that, but I was wrong.  I averaged one pull every 7-10 minutes, and the game was pretty slow.  I guess I'm not really good at suspense type games.  I'll have to work on it.

The players liked the game, or at least the story resulting from the game, but weren't particularly wowed by the system.  They all said they'd play it again, and I'd like to run it again...but next time I'll probably use one of the premade adventures in the book.

I was kind of let down by this game as I was really excited about it, but it taught me a few things a GM.  The best lesson it taught me was that in a suspenseful game, the tension has to be constantly added to...in Dread, the game relies on constant pressure being applied on the PCs, they can't stop for breath (unless they're pulling, that is).  It also taught me that sometimes it's better to be really hard on players, especially when their are no dice on the table.  I can't blame a bad roll on the PC getting hosed, they just have to trust me to hose them.

I cannot imagine liking this game if I played it at a con.  I just can't.

Quote from: joewolzFor my annual Halloween game I ran Dread.  It's billed as a Forge game but isn't.

Where is it billed as a Forge game?

QuoteIt also taught me that sometimes it's better to be really hard on players, especially when their are no dice on the table. I can't blame a bad roll on the PC getting hosed, they just have to trust me to hose them.

This seems comment particularly relevant to my thread .

Also can you give us a brief summary of the adventure, if/when the tower fell, how the players were about pulling, etc.?

It is particularly relevant, I wish I had read it before.

I'm happy with Dread still, but my game was kinda flat to me.

You put that down to pacing mainly?

Is that one pull every five minutes (or one option to pull?) either seems pretty frantic really. I can see why it might have been a bit flat if the pressure isn't more constant.

Were your players willing to pull even when things were trivial or when the tower had a real wobble?

Quote from: BagpussYou put that down to pacing mainly?

I think the number one problem I had was pacing.  

Quote from: BagpussIs that one pull every five minutes (or one option to pull?) either seems pretty frantic really. I can see why it might have been a bit flat if the pressure isn't more constant.

It says in the text that you should have one pull every five minutes...I didn't think it was that frantic until I played it and realized that we don't roll that often in a normal game, so my pacing was off.  

The option to not pull is implied, but you're supposed to really hose a player who refuses to pull.  The book goes into that a lot.  If the PC doesn't pull, you can do anything short of removing the PC from the story.

Quote from: BagpussWere your players willing to pull even when things were trivial or when the tower had a real wobble?

Actually yes, they were.  I have really good players who understood that the game was about risking your life, so they were all good sports.  It was also a one-off game, so they were much less apprehensive about that.  Going to the tower to pull is kind of a rush, especially when it's wobbly.  It makes everyone hold their breath...it's a really good mechanic for suspense.

Quote from: joewolzActually yes, they were.  I have really good players who understood that the game was about risking your life, so they were all good sports.  It was also a one-off game, so they were much less apprehensive about that.  Going to the tower to pull is kind of a rush, especially when it's wobbly.  It makes everyone hold their breath...it's a really good mechanic for suspense.

Dread seems to be strictly a one-of game. It's a bit like the Russian Roulette championships where the defending champion is the only vetern as well as last year's Rookie Of The Year.

Quote from: blakkieDread seems to be strictly a one-of game. It's a bit like the Russian Roulette championships where the defending champion is the only vetern as well as last year's Rookie Of The Year.

It doesn't have to be really, but there are no rules for advancement other than supplemental questionnaires.  It's really designed to be a one off game though.

Quote from: joewolzI cannot imagine liking this game if I played it at a con.  I just can't.

I can confirm your suspicion.  I didn't like it.  I believe the creator ran it for me and my buddies a few Gen Con's back (1-2 years ago).  We played for 4 hours. The Tower. Did. Not. Fall. Once.  We were drawing fairly frequently. He ended up knocking it down towards the end. Wheeeee.

THe tower seemed like a gimmick to me.  The tower didn't create much tension, and was a wierd binary/exponential decision making device.

Quote from: rcsampleI can confirm your suspicion.  I didn't like it.  I believe the creator ran it for me and my buddies a few Gen Con's back (1-2 years ago).  We played for 4 hours. The Tower. Did. Not. Fall. Once.  We were drawing fairly frequently. He ended up knocking it down towards the end. Wheeeee.

THe tower seemed like a gimmick to me.  The tower didn't create much tension, and was a wierd binary/exponential decision making device.

Did the game feel paced wrong?  And he knocked it down?  That sucks!  He broke the rules of his own game!  It says nothing happens when the Host knocks the tower over.

The tower didn't fall for us toward the end, but at an appropriate moment.  I wouldn't pay a horror game at a con anyway...no way to influence mood.

The tower built tension for us, but not enough...I had set mood lighting and such, kept the game scary.  The tower worked as described in the book for us, the pacing was just off.

Quote from: joewolzDid the game feel paced wrong?

It felt like the tower wasn't really adding to the game.  It's an outcome determination device, but it's an odd one...I guess I'd describe it as, no effect, no effect....hours pass...HUGE EFFECT. Strange.

It felt like I was playing two games a diceless story telling game and while that was going on, we were playing Jenga on the side.  Disconnected, for the most part.  Yeah, ok, you can "ramp up" tension by having people draw multiple pieces instead of just one. Or increase the frequency of the draw.  It just seems to stop play everybody plays Jenga for a few minutes, and then you have to pick up where you left off.  Didn't do it for me.

Quote from: joewolzAnd he knocked it down?  That sucks!

I should clarify, he did that purposely at the end of the game to show how the GM would work the effect of the tower falling into the game.  Not really a problem, more like a demonstration.