ONLINE Dungeon Master Skills and Techniques

Tabletop role-playing games (RPG's) are a unique and exciting way to share adventures in fantasy or science fiction-based worlds filled with danger and wonder. Central to this experience is the Game Master (GM) or Dungeon Master (DM). These individuals plan the adventure, set the stage, narrate the action, and portrays friend and foe to the adventuring party. This ONLINE course will teach you concepts like how to plan adventures, create and portray 2-dimensional non-player characters, and lead your players from the ordinary world to the extraordinary.

You will learn:

• Strategies for understanding and balancing the game rules
• How to research, organize, and prepare details for structured yet engaging adventures
• Techniques to understand player stats and manage player dynamics
• Improvisation techniques and how to improve storytelling to get players roleplaying and thinking creatively

Prerequisites:

• No prior knowledge or experience is required

Technical Requirements:

Students must have access to a computer as well as additional hardware and software. Some programs or courses may indicate additional technology requirements, and not all programs are Mac compatible.

• Windows PC or Mac computer
• Display with minimum resolution of 1024 x 768. While it is not mandatory, it is recommended to have a second monitor connected to the computer to extend the desktop. This allows the student to more easily follow what the instructor is demonstrating while concurrently being able to see the software environment that the student is working within.
• Headset with microphone
• Three-button mouse
• Broadband internet connection
• Current, major internet browser (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, or Safari)
• Latest version of Adobe Reader

Orientation Session:

Please note that in order to ensure that students have their home computers set up correctly for the class, and to orientate students to learning in an online environment, there will be a 30-minute scheduled orientation session that will run the week before the workshop is scheduled to start. Information about this will be sent to students by the instructor the week before the start of the workshop.