So, I'm new to Gm'ing...

[Count Gensokyo]

I'm in a multi-fandom rp and plan to play every character in a pre-defined universe.


The starting location is the same for everyone due to in-universe reasons.


The problem?


I've got six eager newcomers who want to explore this universe. To what degree should I influence their actions, and to what degree should I let them react to things?


Basically, all of them start in a large house where 3 characters already live. Once I "open the gates", persay, they're all free to be let loose in the world.

 

[Bacon is fluffy]

Most of this hinges on two things:


How much you intend on influencing things


How proactive are they


My preferred approach would be to set up scenarios for them to explore and then let them decide the bigger details. Generally you can tell whether a group is going to need a carrot and a stick or if they'll be running their own track by what they do when you give them a setting to go nuts in. If you're the type of gm who plans on guiding the rp into an actual plot, then you should really limit it to a small scale early and then expand it as your guided path widens. Essentially open it up incrementally so that they don't go and kill some fandom universe villian or start a fandom war too soon.  

 

[Count Gensokyo]

I was thinking about them interacting with the characters in the house, but only one will be guiding them for a bit before they end up meeting the other 2 characters.


Even then, it'll be a 6:3 ratio, which means I think splitting them all up eventually (into pairs at max) is the key to making this bearable before I turn them all loose into different corners of the land. 


@Bacon is fluffy

 

[Bacon is fluffy]

I was thinking about them interacting with the characters in the house, but only one will be guiding them for a bit before they end up meeting the other 2 characters.


Even then, it'll be a 6:3 ratio, which means I think splitting them all up eventually (into pairs at max) is the key to making this bearable before I turn them all loose into different corners of the land. 


@Bacon is fluffy

Sounds like you got this.  

 

[Grey]

How well-developed is your setting, and do you have some ongoing plot-threads or events?


They probably will spend a little while with those initial characters, which helps, and if after that you have a clear picture in your head of the world reacting to their actions should be pretty comfortable.  That way you're not influencing them directly; you're leaving breadcrumbs to follow as they please, according to their characters.  You can even find ways to manipulate the players and characters by identifying possible interests or ambitions of the characters, and leaving bait out.


Personally, I find splitting the group is more work, but that's because I feel the less players I have in a scene, the better my writing needs to be.


I imagine you've seen all my tutorials about GMing and stuff so I won't link 'em again unless asked.