Pregame Prep Talk

what's your social contract?

Have you experienced a game where expectations varied wildly? Did you have sessions where things went awry because the GM failed to mention some important information about the game?

I've found that a pre-game talk is necessary to establish the ground rules for the game as well as provide a guide for player activities. Here is a list of topics to discuss with the rpg group before the dice fall.


Theme, Genre, Flavor
What's the game about? Do not take it for granted that your definitions are the same as your players'. Someone's fantasy is another players horror. Be as specific as possible without giving away too much information. Don't be too afraid of spoiling the surprise for your players. You may find that what you're planning is not the kind of surprise they want.

Game Length
How long is a campaign? Is it something that goes on forever? Ten years? Even a ballpark will help get people into the right mindset. You may find some people saying "So when do we see the ending?" Conversely, some people may find a "short game" too short.

Group Interplay
Are you expected to play in a party or as a troupe? The typical game puts characters in a team that functions as a unit. Troupe play, as used in the old White Wolf games, means players can take the role of supporting characters when their PCs are not in a scene. Play dynamics will differ.

Conflict Resolution
This is my favorite part and heads off a lot of problems. Agree on a method for resolving intergroup or interparty conflict. I go one step further and tell players if this game can actually handle conflict or not. If it can withstand conflict I give guidelines as to how much. This is simply because I also have preferences.  If I don't feel like GMing a particular style of play then I wont. It also becomes easier to see which character and player violated the group agreement. That also makes remediation easier.

Play Style

How do you like to play? Is there a focus on power over role playing? Which aspect of roleplaying do you focus on? Better let everyone know before hand  or rather... before things get out of hand. 

Houserules
Tell your players about any non-standard mechanics you use or alterations to flavor. This might be the least of your problems unless it impacts someone's character design.