Points per each Game Session? What is average or normal?

[Rupert]

We generally play once a week, for a three-hour session. Given it's fairly short, and the game's been running for a long time, I give out one point per session. I used to give out three, but found with high value characters with really good stats that allowed them to go from unskilled to expert in too many skills too quickly.

[Kesendeja]

For my group, what I do is:

1 to 2 per hour depending on how active it is.
+1-3 for the quality of roleplay
+1-3 for hitting adventure/campaign milestones (including character milestones)
+1 for destroying my careful planning with creative and plausible ideas. (I have some very odd players, who delight in thinking sideways)

Given that our sessions can last 3+ hours every couple of weeks it does add up, but they tend to advance out instead of up so seems to be working.

[bocephus]

Originally Posted by Qoltar

Question for both GURPS GMS/reffs and the writers and designers of the game system :

What is the 'normal' number of points award for each game session?

Two?

Three?

When do you give more? When do you award less than usual?

-Ed C.

I give the points at the end of "chapters" or plotlines. I guess I would say that comes out to 2ish per session (3-4 hours).

For exceptional roleplay or similar I give a point on the spot.

Most of the time the amount of points is based on my feeling (as the GM) on how fast they are progressing relative to where the story is going. I tend to play slower progression games so players get less points.

I've never really been a 5pts per session kind of GM... not against it, I just don't usually play that way.

[Pursuivant]

Originally Posted by Kesendeja

+1 for destroying my careful planning with creative and plausible ideas. (I have some very odd players, who delight in thinking sideways)

On the other side, don't reduce points for plans that fail due to bad dice rolls or logical but faulty assumptions. If the players make reasonable attempts to gather intelligence, but those rolls fail or are subverted by the GM, don't dock points. Clever, logical, but faulty might even be good enough for an extra XP if the players' efforts impress the GM.

Players who insist on going through with a really bad plan, which isn't driven by roleplaying or bad dice rolls to do recon, and which ignores repeated GM warnings both in and out of game, should get docked points for failure.

[malloyd]

I used to aim for something like 1-4 per adventure, which could be every 1 to 3 sessions. This last decade or more, I generally go with 5 (plus or minus 1) per session - because we don't get to play all that often anymore and I don't think "I'm saving for X, so my character hasn't upgraded in a year..." is much fun.

[Kromm]

I famously enjoy high-powered campaigns. Despite that, I find it easy to go overboard. My typical rate is a fairly modest 0.5 point/hour . . . so, if people show up at 18h and we game until 23h or midnight, maybe 2-3 points for that session.

I generally don't link that to pacing. I'm an ad-lib GM and so sometimes use delaying tactics while I cook up ideas in real time. My players have the right to expect character growth regardless of my GMing style. That said, if the players are on the ball and advance the plot much more than I'd anticipated – especially if their actions inspired me to ad lib more fluidly and rapidly – I give out an extra 1-2 points. They'd have earned that anyway if the story had dragged on for more sessions.

I award these points per session, giving out last session's points before we begin this session. I find the game more fun when the PCs can improve a little as the plot marches toward resolution. That lets me increase the threats a little to match, resulting in a higher-stakes climax without an undue risk of splashing the heroes all over the scenery.

Separate from the above, I give awards for concluding storylines. I'm reluctant to use the term "adventure," but there are often missions (which can span several developments that other GMs would term "adventures") and there are always story arcs. Once the heroes' actions set something to rest and clear the way for totally new plots with new motivations, locations, NPCs, etc. (like a new season of a TV show, I suppose), I might throw 5-10 points at each player on top of whatever they earned for the final session where that happened.

Finally, I avoid bonuses or penalties to specific players. I used to do that. It never actually encouraged less-engaged players to engage more. All it did was let certain players race ahead of others, leading to power-level imbalances that inconvenienced me and caused player-player friction. Instead, I take the self-policing approach: You're all in this together, so if you're not earning enough points and you think that's because so-and-so is holding up plot resolution, figure it out among yourselves. I'm not getting involved.

[Kesendeja]

Originally Posted by bocephus

I give the points at the end of "chapters" or plotlines. I guess I would say that comes out to 2ish per session (3-4 hours).

For exceptional roleplay or similar I give a point on the spot.

Most of the time the amount of points is based on my feeling (as the GM) on how fast they are progressing relative to where the story is going. I tend to play slower progression games so players get less points.

I've never really been a 5pts per session kind of GM... not against it, I just don't usually play that way.

I never have, in fact I sometimes give out extra points for how they deal with those messes.

[RedMattis]

Usually 2 points. 1 point for showing up, 1 point for good role-playing.

Our meetings are typically just 2 hours long though, and are remote-meeting arranged weekly.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Kromm

(SNIP)

Finally, I avoid bonuses or penalties to specific players. I used to do that. It never actually encouraged less-engaged players to engage more. All it did was let certain players race ahead of others, leading to power-level imbalances that inconvenienced me and caused player-player friction. Instead, I take the self-policing approach: You're all in this together, so if you're not earning enough points and you think that's because so-and-so is holding up plot resolution, figure it out among yourselves. I'm not getting involved.

I do this, too. Everybody who shows up to play, gets the character points for the session. The only "bonus points" I give out go to those who do something extra -- post journal entries from character POV, draw illustrations, or something similar.

Some of my players are, quite frankly, better role-players than others. But, when they show up, everybody pitches in as best they can.

At this late point in the campaign, I do have some wide point disparities between characters. However, that's because some players have missed fewer sessions than others, or they made extra contributions.

[Kesendeja]

I found that giving out individual experience tends to lead to hurt feelings. So I do it as a group.