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The DM Friendly Initiative

Profile by Jay Watamaniuk

Being a Dungeon Master is hard work. You need to be organized, dedicated, play a 1000 parts to tell your player's story, and somewhere along the way have some fun yourself. It is only natural that, when DMs get together, they work wonders creating content that makes their job easier and improves the game for countless players. The DM Friendly Initiative (DMFI) is a group of DMs that focuses on creating tools to help the poor beleaguered organizer run his adventure with the fewest hiccups and stalls as possible. We spoke to Carlo the DMFI project coordinator:

Where can I go to find more information on the DM-Friendly Initiative (DMFI)?

Carlo: The DMFI website, maintained by guild officer Vendolin - aka Jason Robinson, the author of the popular JHR1: The Vethboro Dragon module - offers one-stop shopping for your DMing needs. In addition to an informative listing of DM-friendly modules, of special note are the linked DMing resources and articles, highlights of which include:

• DMFI 101: So You Want To Be A DM
• DMFI DM Wand Package
• The Neverwinter Connections Community Guide to Dungeon Mastering
• The Role-Player's Guide to Multiplayer Neverwinter Nights
• Creating DM-Friendly Documentation
• DMing in a Persistent World Environment
• Creating a Neverwinter Nights Campaign

The DMFI forums can be found on the BioBoards. The DMFI is one of the oldest active Neverwinter Nights guilds and over time has had some truly impressive people as members. As an NWN community service organization devoted to supporting DM-led gaming, there's a friendly atmosphere and we welcome members' contributions, whether it's sharing DMing tips, helping out with various projects, or just discussing topics of interest.

The DM-Friendly Initiative has been busy. Can you tell us about some of your work over the last few months?

Carlo: Most recently we have been focusing on DM training and on reviewing modules submitted for certification as "DM-Friendly." Both of these we consider vital goals: training helps create new DMs and keeps their skills and ideas fresh, while certifying new modules keeps DMs supplied with high-quality adventures designed especially for them. In addition, we are always looking to improve in-game DM tools, such as the DMFI wands and widgets package (v1.07), and seeking to identify and create new tools as well.

DM training we look at as an ongoing process. None of us knows everything there is to know about the subject and we all benefit from discussing key topics. For example, DMFI-led discussions resulted in our latest published articles, DMing in a Persistent World Environment and Creating a Neverwinter Nights Campaign. And for those just starting out, or wanting to review the mechanics of DMing in Neverwinter Nights, we created the DMFI 101: So You Want To Be A DM module.

Our goal in certifying modules is to ensure that a DM can successfully run a module "out-of-the-box." In other words, DMs shouldn't have to worry about nasty bugs in-game or major gaps in the documentation if they use the module. We've been reviewing both newer and older modules submitted by their authors, the latest ones certified being Ghool's Hall of Fame module S1: Tomb of Horrors and Poetic Colossus' Ravenloft: A Requiem for Jander. Our reviewers examine the documentation and then DM a session of the module in order to best evaluate it. They have a superb track record at constructively working with module authors on any issues that may be discovered, I should mention.

What can you tell me about the "DMFI 101: So You Want To Be A DM" module?

Carlo: So far, it's been very well received by people looking to become a DM, as well as by already-experienced DMs. It takes the player step-by-step through the process of learning how to become a DM and teaches you how to unlock the power of the DM client and the DMFI wands. It's entertaining, self-taught so you can go at your own pace, and in one download package gives you all of the in-game and out-of-game tools you need to begin DMing in Neverwinter Nights. Some guilds and projects have made it their standard DM training tool.

The concept, as far as I can tell, is original; at least, I haven't seen any other tutorial-style modules like it, certainly not for DM training. One really needs to be hands-on in the DM client in order to master it, but it can be intimidating for first-time users. DMFI 101 solves that problem through its in-game tutorial approach, which walks the player through different types of DMing scenarios while demonstrating how DMs can use the tools at their disposal.

DMFI 101 was inspired by the DM 101 course that used to be run by the Fleet Street DMs as a live in-game seminar at Neverwinter Connections. I think these types of seminars are the ideal way to learn because of the interactivity, but regularly running such a seminar requires a large amount of time and organizational effort. We believed that the core DM and DMFI wand functions could be taught effectively via a scripted module and could reach a much larger audience that way, thereby freeing up time for other projects. For example, guild officer Arawen Silverstar is putting together a DMFI 102 course on DMing campaigns, which will be run as a live seminar.

I hear that a new DMFI wands and widgets package is in the works. What are some new features or effects in this latest version?

Carlo: Hahnsoo is working on a 1.08 alpha version of the package. Visit the "Getting back on the Wagon: DMFI 1.08" thread in the BioWare forums to see the full details of the changes and get the current 1.08 download. There are a number of bugfixes, tweaks, improvements, and new features. Just a sample: you can now toggle BioWare standard encounters on/off in an area; destroy single objects or groups of objects more easily; use an additional 9 custom in-game languages, with simple instructions included on how to create your own; and an optional rest system.

What should I read first if I'm new to being a DM?

Carlo: Once you have basic DM skills, having finished DMFI 101 or possessing equivalent experience, I strongly suggest reading the docs included with one of the DM-friendly modules on Neverwinter Vault. Pick one or more modules that sound interesting and see how the author walks you through the adventure; there is also a list of suggested starter modules included in the DMFI 101 documentation. Reading about DMing theory is nice and all, but the real rewards come from the in-game experience. Hopefully you will be excited by the prospect of DMing your chosen module and see a new world open up before you.

Can you tell us about an experience you had being a DM that really shows why the work is all worth it?

Carlo: I run both campaigns and single modules via Neverwinter Connections, the NWN community matching service. DMing is a creative and organizational labor of love; as you say, you should be able to point to experiences which make it all worthwhile.

Here's an example that stands out in my mind. A while ago, before I was a DMFI member, I had the pleasure of DMing guild officer Arawen Silverstar and two other top-flight roleplayers through the module Desperate Measures - a uniquely intense scenario set in a Forgotten Realms death row prison. Here's what she had to say about it at the time:

"Desperate Measures was the best and most intense NWN roleplaying experience I have ever experienced. Carlo One set up a unique scenario in which PCs dealt with love, despair, hope, moral dilemmas, PC relationships, and a high level of game challenge that accorded perfectly with the story. A brilliant one shot game, with vivid, wonderfully played NPCs, great customization around the PCs bios, and high drama."

Another player who went through a separate session commented:

"Almost a year on, and Desperate Measures is still the most immersive experience I have ever had in NWN."

In a nutshell, it's seeing reactions like these that make me want to keep on DMing.

DMs have different interests and like to emphasize different aspects of NWN, along the entire continuum from roleplaying to action. However, all DMs look for the kind of experience that can wow their players, in turn making them feel they've created something extraordinary and watched it bloom. Normally, DMing is fulfilling and allows you the chance to spin tales of adventure and bring worlds to life; when you have an extraordinary experience, it can create memories for life.

Thanks for the opportunity to share our resources and thoughts with the community!

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