As Game Master it’s vital to not think of every player as identical. They don’t have the same abilities. They don’t have the same level of education. They don’t have the same needs as you, the Game Master.
In fact, everyone is unique. Some people have difficulties that might hinder their enjoyment of the game. As their Game Master, it’s up to you to adjust for those needs and make sure all your crew has a wonderful time when gathered around your table.
First, the Star Trek Gamemaster’s Guide suggests being aware of players who have sensory differences. They might be overwhelmed by too many people talking, too many distracting things in the gaming space or even have problems keeping straight everything described in a scene.
I can relate to this. Rarely have I ever been a player at a gaming convention. Instead, I wear the badge of Game Master. I get rattled by all the people in the room moving about and talking, cheering, getting excited about their games. It distracts me from the story I’m participating in telling at my own table
Anyone who’s been to GenCon can relate to being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of gamers present, even in a single gaming hall.
Imagine having this experience with smaller tables, not even conventions. Having a couple cell phones on and a television being used to produce ambience via YouTube, might be too much for a person with sensory differences to handle.
The Game Master’s Guide suggests relocating the gaming space to a place with less stimuli, asking the players to not all talk on top of one another and even using maps and miniatures to help with visualization.
Next, the Guide talks about gamers with short attention spans. One way to address this is to break up your group into Bridge Crew and Away Team. When one team is “in the spotlight,” the other team steps away from the table to discuss what they’re going to do next.
This way, the person with the short attention span doesn’t have a chance to space out while the other players do their thing, while her character isn’t in the scene.
Next, the Guide discusses the sensitive issue of players with different levels of education. People with difficulty doing basic math may be embarrassed and not want to let the Game Master know they have a problem.
An alert Game Master will pick up on the problem. Perhaps he’ll ask the person sitting next to the player who struggles with the math of the game to be a resource for the player, aiding him when needed.
The last thing anyone wants is for the player with the lower level of education to feel stupid in front of her friends and lose enjoyment in the session. Having someone as an assistant for these moments will help everyone enjoy the game without sacrificing their dignity.
As Game Masters, we focus on story and characters. Too often we forget about the real people behind the characters. We forget about the players’ needs and don’t address them. This could make a very successful session not go over as well as we hope.
By aiding the players through their special needs the Game Master can ensure a successful mission for all players in the crew.
