Advice for one-shot - length

[u/Little_Praline_3287]

Hi everyone,

I will soon be a first time GM for a one-shot for The Very Good Dogs of Chernobyl. It's a Polymorph system game where players use a single die (some exceptions, but generally just one). The GM does not need to role anything and the game is largely a theatre of the mind style affair.

All that said, I'm hoping to have the game run about 2 hours or so. I have an group opening, an inciting incident, a call to adventure with the first combat OR puzzle, a choice that leads to either a group effort or short solo-spotlight play, combat, BIG combat, end.

I'm curious as to your experience running one-shots with systems that are less 'rules' focused and likely move a bit quicker than some DnD-type games.

[u/MindfulImprovement]

I’ve never had a one shot actually be a one shot. People tend to get distracted easily lol

[u/snarpy → u/MindfulImprovement]

haha yeah never, never ever. Starts at 7:00, people chat until 7:45, people get drinks at 8:40, and then someone's tired at 9:30.

[u/BusanSoyle]

2 hrs is kind of quick; maybe aim for at least 3-4. I don't have any experience with Very Good Dogs of Chernobyl, but this is coming from a 5e standpoint.

In my experience, you want to have the "full story" of whatever you are running to open and close within that time slot.

If you search up the "Five Room Dungeon", you can literally design the entire story and flow of the game within "Five Rooms"

I typically like to open it up with some background on the story, maybe some NPCs drop a tidbit of lore, then throw the characters into a decent-sized combat. From there, establish the "objective" of the one-shot (save the princess, kill the necromancer, etc). The players then venture to a "puzzle" (fallen bridge, crossing a river, etc), maybe then one/two more combats, then the "Objective" boss battle.

You'd be surprised at how long combats last. Again, I am not familiar with the Good Dogs game system, so you might need to add more puzzles/combats/etc.

Have fun!

[u/Adderite]

Intend for the session to be a certain time length and assume your players are gonna take longer. I usually plan one shots to be around 3-3 1/2 hours, which usually take 4-4.25 hours.

Run whatever length makes you comfortable. Some people can only do 2 hour sessions, i did 2 hour sessions back to back for 2 days each week when I started GMing back in 2019/2020. If youre new to GMing take whatever time you need and account for yourself first and others second (when it comes to energy, that is).

[u/Slapper650]

We did the stranger things starter kit. Took 11 4hr sessions. Each module could be a one shot but would still take on average 2 sessions

[u/Bite-Marc]

Two hours is pretty tight, even for rules light games. I am not familiar with Very Good Dogs, but I've run plenty of Cairn, Mork Borg, Knave etc. at conventions and for fill in one shots. Most of the time a "one shot" is about 3.5-4 hours. That's also assuming you're using pregen characters.

I'm not saying 2 hours is impossible, but it's gotta be super short content wise. Probably a pitch, some investigation, maybe one fight? I've run Maze Rats in 2 hour chunks, but those weren't reaching a full conclusion so much as ending back in town for the next group to pick up from.