The other day on G+ I proposed the idea of changing from one-shots to slightly longer story arcs (RPGs) and even focusing on longer playing wargames. There was a short, but great discussion there and I hope this article spurs on more conversation.

The last two years I have spent many, many gaming hours playing a huge variety of one-shot RPGs with a smattering of slightly longer games mixed in. I have enjoyed the vast majority of those one-shot games. As you can image there were some that I didn’t much care, but that is to be expected when you play 28+ new (to me) systems each year!

Over the course of this coming year, I am going to slow the pace down quite a bit. Why, you ask? It’s simple, I want to focus on playing RPGs that are longer than a one-shot. The reason for this is two-fold. First, One-shots are good for trying a system out, but they lack the ability to really explore the rules, themes and tensions that can only exist in longer running games. Second, I want to capture more of the camaraderie that builds over the course of several (3+) sessions of a game.

As you may already know, I am going to run to concurrently running Call of Cthulhu: Horror on the Orient Express campaigns this coming year. Each starts in its own right this week. I am already thinking of other games I would like to run or play over the course of three or more sessions this coming year. I am also dipping back into the wargaming well too. I have a regularly scheduled Thursday night game where we are currently slugging it out on the streets of Stalingrad in Turning Point: Stalingrad. There are four RPGs specifically on my radar: King Arthur Pendragon, Mouse Guard, Dungeon World and Torchbearer. With regards to wargames I’d like to play this year, that is really going to depend on the availability of opponents and time. It all comes down to available time, now doesn’t it!

Throw off the one-shot mantel, even if only temporary, and be regaled by the awesomeness that only comes from campaign-centric games! Join me in the quest to get more out of every game session!

~ Modoc

Join the Boxcar Nation on G+ or on Twitter