When first starting a game, you normally will sit down and maybe get an idea of what you want to do, but do you plan things out? or do you wing it by the seat of your pants?
I know I personally like to sit down and hammer out some of the background, the rules and the set up of the story along with the names of the key NPCs. I may or may not write down the focal point of the story, the “McGuffin” of the story if you will.
From here, I will just run with the campaign, taking it session by session, always reacting to what the players do with their characters.
Based upon this information, I will jot down a note on a sticky so I remember it or write it in a DM Journal, so I know next session, I want to branch off of this and it worked really well.
What say you?
Maybe I don't fly by the sea to my pants, session by session, but I do try to keep multiple "potential" storylines open and as one closes, (whether the PCs do it or that damn merchant finally hired enough caravan guards to leave town), some more opportunities open up.
I've also been known to pull old modules out to fit the vibes I'm getting from my players. Better to realize early that NO ONE wants that dwarven pirate story arc, but I still have time and a perfect location to fit in Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth.
Hey Eric, how ya been?
That sounds like a solid plan, though I wish I could pull out the old modules and make use of them, I am such a on the fly guy, that even when I write my own stuff down, I never follow it either. I go based on the mood and actions of the group.