I want to say that I am having some of the best sessions of my entire life running my current campaign.

I have 4 players one of whom is only really a part time player due to obligations of being a husband & father with young sons, but I knew that going in. This is by far my smallest group of players in 25 or so years of DMing. I always thought 6 was ideal, but lately I thought my DMing has been suffering because I couldn't concentrate on the Characters involved in my campaign. A lesson I learned from early on was that if a player doesn't think his actions count he won't like the campaign and I want my players engaged in the setting.

Entire sessions of my campaign have had my players taking their PC's to libraries just to do research and they have reacted with trepidation and even fear of the information they have found in curious books. My players want to know what's going on, they want to see the forces putting wheels in motion and understand their place in the world. And they love getting to kick ass and be objects of fear themselves.

This is the most complete campaign I've run in a while and I have been enjoying this game more and more. Its a campaign epic in scope with a world very much in motion with the players doing their level best to keep from being swept away in the currents of history.

The setting is the Shadow World and the setting has a "metaplot" the creator even has a novel set in the Shadow World. The main protagonist in the novel is the son of a Duke and its also one of the PC's in my game therefore guarenteeing that the metaplot will not be followed since not one of my players knows anything about the setting OOC. They've made a few of the same mistakes, but for the most part as time goes on they deviate more and more from the metaplot, but they have a real sense that the world is reacting to their actions. Since it is.

Just wanted to share my happiness with my players and with Shadow World in general and to let people know that instead of arguing over the definitions of what is & is not good gaming sometimes you just have to go out and do your best. Sometimes best you can do is more than good enough.

Well, Shadow World is one of the cooler settings out there, absolutely.

Best of wishes for your campaign!

Quote from: The Ent;684354Well, Shadow World is one of the cooler settings out there, absolutely.

Best of wishes for your campaign!

Yes ever since I first read the 2nd ed. Master Atlas I found the setting compelling.

I always associate the setting with two other media from that time. The first is Black Hole Sun which was a big hit the year I went to Gen Con & had to choose between buying out the entire Harn line at the Columbia games booth or buying out the Shadow World line from the ICE booth. I chose epic setting over detailed maps. The other media product was Babylon 5 I always thought the settings resembled each other. The Althans & K'ta'viiri resemble the Vorlons & Shadows. While the Loremasters and Loari are like the Minbari and the Rangers. The whole time the younger  races remain unaware thet they are playing out the final acts of a drama that started 100 millenia earlier.

I also like that the gods of the setting have very real limits to their powers.

That's awesome! Are you using Rolemaster with it, or have you ported in another system?

Sounds like a great campaign!

I never got to do Shadow world; was going to use rolemaster with it.

In regards to smaller number of players allowing you to concentrate on involvement, I tend to agree. It can quite a challenge with a party of 8 compared to 4.

Even when the game is going well, most people are more interested in their own characters spotlight; it's human nature.

Quote from: Kyussopeth;684349I always thought 6 was ideal, but lately I thought my DMing has been suffering because I couldn't concentrate on the Characters involved in my campaign. A lesson I learned from early on was that if a player doesn't think his actions count he won't like the campaign and I want my players engaged in the setting.

I wonder how many other GMs have had similar realizations, as the years went on.  I used to prefer 6-7, and would immediately fill any of my groups that fell under six, but now I'm really comfiest with four, and I think five strains the amount of attention I can give.

Anyway, good for you.  I started playing a MMORPG based on Shadow World, many years ago, and have great fondness for the setting.

Quote from: Kyussopeth;684349*snipped*

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