A couple of you said that you wanted me to keep you posted on how it was going, so I jotted down this summary of my second session.

This second session went much better than the first, and I believe I have you all to thank.

Before I go headlong into it, to clarify a few things about my initial post- I didn’t find out that particular player had been playing D&D with another group until that first session. And the type of little things that I forgot last session were, for example, when the face character was hashing out the terms with the imperial officer, he had also dropped his blaster, but I missed/forgot him saying he picked it back up, it’s typically things like that- small but often important. Going back and looking at what I said, it wasn’t just one rank in adversary that had my player riled up, it was three.

Considering I am going to talk about them more here than I had before, my party of three consists of a Twi’lek –Face, named Prell. A Chadra-fan -Gun-Lugger, named Jub. And a Nikto - Melee fighter, named Gunk.

Starting off, the party regrouped and did their best to hide and set up a camp for them and their remaining crew, deciding against going into the city with all of them, thinking it would be too conspicuous. They spent a lot of time deliberating here, whether they were going to return to the crash site and try and reclaim it, or whether they were going to sneak into the city, just the three of them, eventually deciding to do the latter.

So here’s a brief lore dump for what’s happening on the planet, the city is currently having a week-long festival celebrating the start of the spring season, but the governor of the planet has shut down the spaceport due to the murder of his daughter in the hopes of preventing the killer’s escape, this has left the city in a state of halfhearted festivity, with many frustrated spacer types left stuck on the planet unable to leave.

Now enter the party, not being aware of any of this yet. They disguised themselves as best they could with a kit that Prell was carrying. Once inside the city they head straight to a spaceport cantina looking for someone, hopefully with rebel sympathies, to take them off world. They were initially puzzled by the responses, but eventually Jub met a Gran repo-man who found him funny, being a little guy with big guns, who started to explain that the spaceports were on lock down.

I didn’t understand this decision entirely, but being frustrated with his inability to actually help them Prell (purposefully) insulted the Gran and proceeded to do so until I decided the Gran had enough and went to sucker punch him. Despite the Gran winning the initiative and getting a triumph and a few successes, I thought that a simple knockdown and some strain damage would suffice. Prell, being the face, tried to convince someone that he was being attacked and to come to his aid, in an attempt for levity the way the stranger came to his aid was to simply call over from his seat “Don’t kill the bar dude.”. Still fuming though the Gran paid his tab started to leave, on his way out Prell decided again to insult the Gran, who walked out and didn’t escalate any more than that; however I wish I, like telltale, had said “he will remember that”.

The party walked over to the stranger who “helped” Prell and struck up a chat. He was in a group of three; but he had started talking and mockingly suggested to talk to the Governor about their problem, This next part I feel a little bad for, because I got a phone call from my boss half way through and completely lost the flow so the conversation fizzled and didn’t work out the way I wanted it to, but my intent was that these scummy characters were going to try and steal the governor’s personal Craft on the last day of the festival (three days from then), and to somehow get the party involved. But instead they decided they were going to talk to the Governor and see if they could work something out.

During the Spring Festival the Governor host’s part of the celebration at his residence, it is here that the party has their meeting. Just before they are about to talk to him The Imperial Officer who had been at the crash site approaches him and explains to him that she is being reassigned and she is as a courtesy requesting (but really demanding) that he grant exception to the lockdown for her and her men. She offers condolences for his daughter but reiterates that she is preparing to leave by the end of the week (three days from then).

Prell, when he talks with the Governor he uses his grief to try to strike up a deal. To describe this scene a little bit, the player playing Prell uses very flowery verbose language when he is trying to charm people. I had decided the Governor was a sort of kindred spirit, so the entire conversation that took place was done with very eloquent long winded sentences. The result of this conversation was the governor promising to repair/replace the crashed ship and give it to Prell, in exchange for his daughter’s murderer being brought to him alive. The governor was suspicious of Prell, but with his men and the imperials being unable to find the killer, he is thinking more of revenge than of his deal with a potential rebel. And that’s where the session ended for the night.

I don’t know if any of you read it, but a fair bit of Timothy Zahn’s ‘Scoundrel’s’ somehow slipped into this portion of the plot, which gave it a much more Edge feel than I meant it to have, as opposed to the Rebellion feel.

I realize, however, after writing this, Prell’s player takes up the spotlight a lot, and Jub, while playing in support in most scenes, only starred in a few scenes, while Gunk barely interacted this session in any but a supportive role. My initial assumption for this is because it was a comparatively talking heavy session, most of my players deferred to the face character to win the rolls for them, not wanting to risk failing a charm/negotiate check on something that seems important, but that’s only a guess.

When I see someone taking the spotlight, I actively ask for another character to do something and create circumstance for that. Sometimes said check is not even the players strong point and another player will say "Oh I have 3 yellow for that can I..." and I will cut them off saying "I asked for Ch'la to do the check." This especially becomes apparent in social circumstances, I will look around the table and if I want someone in particular to respond I will let my eyes linger on them as I finish the question, usually they do and that may influence the check I ask them to make. If a player makes an offhand comment while in a conversation, call for a check, even if they say "I didn't mean for him to hear that!" "In that case give me a stealth or deception check please using charisma as a base characteristic."

As the GM you kind of have control over the spotlight, and if someone keeps stepping in the way, force the spotlight onto someone else at a time when the spotlight hog cannot help...this can be flipped the other way though, give them the spotlight and hit them in the dump stat, they will soon stop hogging it when they fail a check at their lowest skill.

Speaking of skills...players will try and use their best skill to solve EVERYTHING.

I once had a slicer who believed that because they worked computers they could do almost anything, and when I wouldn't allow an idea because it was an absurd and impossible idea, the person got very frustrated, and rightfully so, I lacked experience at the time in how to run the slicer. However the player themselves also had an expectation of computers and slicing that isn't equivalent to our own universe. Computers aren't the all knowing and controlling things that are connected in Star Wars as they are in our universe. A console on the bridge can direct the ship and maybe control the power output, but it does not have complete control over the engine, to shut it down you need to contact engineering and tell them to shut down the engine and or reactor, you can't do that from a computer or console anywhere but engineering.

Man that was a tangent, glad you had a better session, and I'd have a word with your players about where they want things to go, if they'd prefer to go the Edge route than the Age route, let them.

As the others have said, you're just a new GM. I don't know how long you've been running other RPGS, but even veteran players can stumble and trip in their first outing as a GM. I know my first couple sessions as a GM weren't anything to write home about, and probably are best forgotten, The fact you ran this first session without using a pre-written module is a big step, and if anything it's almost to be expected that your first outing is going to have some difficulties. But from what I've read, you did a pretty good job as a novice GM on your initial outing.

While I've not read the opening post in detail, it does sound like the main part of the problem is with the players' expectations. They appear to have been expecting something more along the lines of "D&D in Space," which this system certainly isn't. Maybe have a chat with them on a non-game night to get a feel for what they're expecting out of an RPG. As much as I love this system, it's not going to be for everyone, and I've got some friends that loathe this system because it's got more of a narrative focus and that being able to "game the system" on a consistently reliable basis is nigh-impossible; a stark contrast to D&D where points in the right areas and the right combination of skills/feats/powers made it near-impossible for you to fail certain tasks no matter how badly you rolled. It may just be that for some of your players, this isn't a system they'd be interested in playing in the long term. That's not necessarily a fault of the players or the system; after all there are folks that hate eating spicy food while others are saying bring on the heat.

It's also worth sometimes simply not rolling a social check for an encounter, but letting all the members of the party take part in the discussion as and when is relivent to them. Let the check come at the end of this discussion after the facts have been lain down, modifying the overall depending on the compelling narrative of the arguement. That way the Face is still the important guy (because he has invested significantly in talking to the exclusion of other activities.) but it gives the option for others to get involved depending on relivent expertise; sometimes the face might be the mediator while a character gives a professional opinon on a subject, thus compensating for a lack of social tact with the face giving his facts the creditability it deserves/shouldn't deserve. XD

I just recently took over as GM for a Force and Destiny game, and I’m learning quickly how very little I know about GM’ing from the other side of the table.

That said, I like to try to keep the discussion of what the players want to do separate from the rolls. Once they’ve described what they’re trying to do overall, and done appropriate role-playing, then we start talking about appropriate rolls that could be made. And I’ll actively encourage them to suggest ideas of appropriate skills to use, bonusses to be applied due to circumstances, etc…. That applies for everyone at the table, all the time, and usually the players themselves come up with the best ideas for how to structure things or explain them.

That’s a general approach I learned from Stuart, who was the previous GM for this group, and I think it has worked pretty well.

For me, the goal is to focus on what the PCs or NPCs are trying to achieve, and then try to figure out the most logical way to let the dice help us figure out how successful they were — or not. It’s a group effort on both sides of that process.

And when I run into something that I can’t explain or figure out, I say that to the players and ask for their help.

If I find out later that I goofed (like giving someone a 4500cr lightsaber attachment thinking that it would be a relatively cheap item that I could let them get as a minor reward), and that error was in the favor of the players, then I let that stand, but I also tell them that the situation will be different in the future.

If the error went against the players, then I am more likely to modify the result to be more in line with what I should have done.

Overall, it sounds to me like you’re doing a pretty good job, and you’ve identified some areas where you want to improve.

Sounds like a winner to me!

By the sounds of your campaign idea I think you will be a great GM, I'd be in your group.

I think everyone will agree that the first time they started GM'ing wether it be Star Wars or D&D or any RPG, they made mistakes.

I'm new to SW as a GM and I make mistakes everysession! But I learn a little bit more as I go as do my players.

It would seem I think your players are being a little unfair on you, they seem to have unrealistic expectations on what is involved which you may need to have an honest chat about.

Your players rebuke about not using a battle map sounds like there's an issue with how the players see the battle environment from your description. Although iI myself don't use a Large battle map I have drawn map's on Squared paper just so the players have a reference.

Maybe sit down with your players discuss any issues they are having and the issues you're having, once they realise how difficult it is for you they may ease up and work more with you in the future.

I

I'm new to GMing myself. The two things I would say have really helped me are:

1) Doing exactly what you're doing - asking questions on this forum. Reddit is also a good resource. If you're not sure of something, just ask - there's loads of helpful people here. (Also a few less helpful people, but they are, in my experience, in the minority).

2) See how other GMs do it . If you can find another game you can sit in with for a few sessions, that'd be the best, but if not then there's several Youtube videos and podcasts of SWRPG being played. Listening to the Order 66 podcast is also massively helpful - I'm sure some people here will be able to recommend the best episodes, but there was one that I think is called "the List" that is great.

If you want to get a more general sense of GMing in other other games, you can watch Titansgrave or Critical Role over on the Geek and Sundry site. Critical Role is D&D, and the GM there (forgotten his name) is really fantastic. Titansgrave uses the Fantasy AGE system: Wil Wheaton is a good GM but has a tendency to railroad his players...because he's producing a web series that has to remain entertaining for viewers. Admittedly both these shows have really good players, so the GM's life is made easier, but I've still found them very helpful.

When I see someone taking the spotlight, I actively ask for another character to do something and create circumstance for that. Sometimes said check is not even the players strong point and another player will say "Oh I have 3 yellow for that can I..." and I will cut them off saying "I asked for Ch'la to do the check." This especially becomes apparent in social circumstances, I will look around the table and if I want someone in particular to respond I will let my eyes linger on them as I finish the question, usually they do and that may influence the check I ask them to make. If a player makes an offhand comment while in a conversation, call for a check, even if they say "I didn't mean for him to hear that!" "In that case give me a stealth or deception check please using charisma as a base characteristic."

As the GM you kind of have control over the spotlight, and if someone keeps stepping in the way, force the spotlight onto someone else at a time when the spotlight hog cannot help...this can be flipped the other way though, give them the spotlight and hit them in the dump stat, they will soon stop hogging it when they fail a check at their lowest skill.

Speaking of skills...players will try and use their best skill to solve EVERYTHING.

I once had a slicer who believed that because they worked computers they could do almost anything, and when I wouldn't allow an idea because it was an absurd and impossible idea, the person got very frustrated, and rightfully so, I lacked experience at the time in how to run the slicer. However the player themselves also had an expectation of computers and slicing that isn't equivalent to our own universe. Computers aren't the all knowing and controlling things that are connected in Star Wars as they are in our universe. A console on the bridge can direct the ship and maybe control the power output, but it does not have complete control over the engine, to shut it down you need to contact engineering and tell them to shut down the engine and or reactor, you can't do that from a computer or console anywhere but engineering.

Man that was a tangent, glad you had a better session, and I'd have a word with your players about where they want things to go, if they'd prefer to go the Edge route than the Age route, let them.

Ahh, those were the days.....

I would have a simple reply to the original poster... in my opinion and general experience.. any GM that would take the time to ask if they are a bad GM has already proven that they are not. If you are concerned enough about the group, their enjoyment and how you are doing at running the game to ask the question then you are not a bad GM. Now, you may not be the right GM for a particular group but that doesn't make you a bad GM. My thoughts on a bad GM would be the GM that wants to tell their story how they want it and railroads the PCs into following that to the point of implementing arbitrary rulings to accomplish what he wants rather than letting the players take a hand in shaping the story together.. that and GMs that have the Me vs The Players mentality and actively seeks to see if they can 'win'.

If you listen to your players, care about their enjoyment of the game and try to take their suggestions and concerns under consideration then you have all the important traits of a good GM.