Advice/Help What would you consider the makings of a good DM/GM/SLL and a SL/SB?

[DarkNerd]

Greetings all. I realize this is an open-ended question with few (if any) set opinions that are applicable across the board. That said, what, in your mind, is the making of a good dungeon master/game master/storyline leader and a good storyline/board in general?

 

[rae2nerdy]

So I can only speak to forum based roleplay groups.

1. For the GM you want someone who is organized, strict, and fair. They need to have clear expectations for their players and also the ability to keep the story moving forward in a timely manner. This is usually accomplished by rules, post schedules, and time skips. They have to be able to enforce whatever standards they set in a fair and consistent manner. So basically someone who isn't going to get bullied into backing down because they don't want people to dislike them.

2. I think storylines are a bit harder. Assuming we're stalking specifically about group storylines in forum based roleplays than I would say the best thing is something that has forward momentum (time skips) to keep things interesting.

 

[DarkNerd]

So I can only speak to forum based roleplay groups.

1. For the GM you want someone who is organized, strict, and fair. They need to have clear expectations for their players and also the ability to keep the story moving forward in a timely manner. This is usually accomplished by rules, post schedules, and time skips. They have to be able to enforce whatever standards they set in a fair and consistent manner. So basically someone who isn't going to get bullied into backing down because they don't want people to dislike them.

2. I think storylines are a bit harder. Assuming we're stalking specifically about group storylines in forum based roleplays than I would say the best thing is something that has forward momentum (time skips) to keep things interesting.

Thank you for the insight. In your opinion, how have you normally kept the flow of roleplay among discordant scheduled and such?

 

[rae2nerdy]

Thank you for the insight. In your opinion, how have you normally kept the flow of roleplay among discordant scheduled and such?

I would ask players what their hours of availability are and their time zones. Then I would break people up into groups that are on at the same time.

 

[DarkNerd]

I would ask players what their hours of availability are and their time zones. Then I would break people up into groups that are on at the same time.

Thank you once again!

 

[Gowi]

A good GM recognizes player chemistry and what pace is effective for them. My successes have been a mix of that understanding and keeping people engaged whether it is in future plot threads or OOC banter.

 

[Idea]

Ah, such a broad question. I always feel like I'm forgetting something with one of these. Oh well.

After some thought, the first thing that came to mind as an overall criteria for a good GM is simply the obvious: providing a good experience from the roleplay. However, that's still a bit too vague for an answer I feel, so I would say, that broadly my answer boils down to "making me want to stay in your roleplay". The implications are relatively simple, things which keep players in are the makings of a good GM, things which push the player's out are the makings of a bad one. I believe the effort I put into laying out things as clearly as possible, in trying to work with my players on compromises on conflicts and thought put into how everything is structure are good points about my GMing, because when players see this it makes them want to stay more and feel more secure in the experience. Simulatenously though, my strictness when it comes to character sheets and the overly harsh tone I often adopt even without meaning are bad points about my Gming, because it pushes players away.

Here are a few categories I highly value and how they fit into that more general idea.

1.Envolve me: As a player feeling envolved is one of the most important things for me. An RP where I'm just a token, and my character could be replaced by anyone else with virtually no changes to anything is one RP I want to quit. What's the point if I'm just replaceable, or worse, if the only thing I get to do is sit by sidelines when the big story moments come? As a player I do have the duty to attempt to find myself interaction and design my character properly, but the one with control of the GM, who can incorporate things in order to make my character have some importance to it, some purpose to serve in it, is ultimately the GM.

2.Let me trust you: If you are my GM I need you to have rules and I need you to stick to those rules. I need you to have criteria as you review the characters rather than just whim. I need you to think about the good of the roleplay not just what would be cool. Because even if it feels cool to you, to the others it might horrible. Because how can I stay in a roleplay, if I feel like the GM at any moment can just pull the rug from under me and destroy or undermine all the hard work I put into roleplays? It'd just be a waste of my time.

3.Work with me not in spite of me: Whenever I review, say, the special abilities of a character in one of my roleplay, my general principle is "unless the ability is absolutely fundamentally irredimable, I may ask for changes, but I will not ask them to change their core concept". If an ability produces objects I will often ask that the player add a "cannot produce complex objects" clause so that they can't pull the exact item they need for the exact situation I put them on, otherwise I would run out options as GM too quickly.
If a player wants to plot something, a similar principle applies. "Can this work, physically?" If so, let them do it. If it brings upon them bad consequences, it was their choice to do it.
The general idea is much like that. Forcing a player to completely abandon their ideas off the bat, without first trying to work some way which fundamentally is still what they wanted out of the thing without infringing upon the needs of the roleplay, will only result in the player feeling discouraged. This takes adaptability from the GM, but it's a must-have skill for a GM.

4.Be able to handle the slow moments: Throughout an RP, there's something inevitable, and that's slow/low moments. Times when there is no particular action or event, or when the OOC is suddenly quiet, or when a player leaving has left the others in a bit of an awkward position. Being able to get out of this funk is simultaneously one of the most important and most difficult skills for a GM to acquire. It means helping players getting afflicted by the lack of momentum and consequently losing hype and motivation regain those things in a way that is smooth and sustainable. Seldom have I seen a GM that can pull such a thing on their own, but a few good players can really help here.

5.Know your targets: I would say this is the exception that proves the rule, as it is the one factor in which I think a good GM should actively push away players. A good GM should know what kind of players they want, and who or what to push back against. There are two main times when this happens. The first is during the interest check and character stages, when who will participate in the roleplay to begin with is still being picked up. A GM establishing rules and reviewing characters in accordance with not just the needs of the roleplay, but which works best for the kinds of roleplayers the GM wants participating in their RPs is very important towards the GM giving said players the best experience they can, instead of being overrun. The other time for this is when players misbehave or want something they can't get during the RP- a GM knowing to enforce their rules and say "No" when needed is vital as well.

And you know, there's just being nice and not a prick, which also helps.

I do, as a last note, want to make an important distinction between a good GM and a successful GM. In the world of GMing, luck has actually a much bigger factor than skill does, as far as the RP living is concerned. This is because most of the time what will kill your roleplay is not in fact anyone being a bad GM or a bad player, but a simple unfortunate combination of life circumstances and poor moments in your RP that whittle down the RP into a zombie state until it finally dies of.


The answer to the story line one is a bit too diverse and has too many branches to properly follow in one go. However, I would broadly suggest potential, this is the ability for a story to ramify and expand beyond the premise on its own, and direction are the two main features of a good starting plot.

Potential is needed for your story to be sustainable at all. Slice of life or episodic type RPs may be able to create random new elements, but a better story has those elements always be as linked as possible and lead to one another right from the getgo.

A direction is where the story, characters etc... are aiming for. It's not necessarily where the story ends up as it can change over time, but when one isn't there, the story tends to wander aimless, become contrived or boring or both.


In any case, I hope this helps. Best of luck and happy RPing!

 

[DarkNerd]

Ah, such a broad question. I always feel like I'm forgetting something with one of these. Oh well.

After some thought, the first thing that came to mind as an overall criteria for a good GM is simply the obvious: providing a good experience from the roleplay. However, that's still a bit too vague for an answer I feel, so I would say, that broadly my answer boils down to "making me want to stay in your roleplay". The implications are relatively simple, things which keep players in are the makings of a good GM, things which push the player's out are the makings of a bad one. I believe the effort I put into laying out things as clearly as possible, in trying to work with my players on compromises on conflicts and thought put into how everything is structure are good points about my GMing, because when players see this it makes them want to stay more and feel more secure in the experience. Simulatenously though, my strictness when it comes to character sheets and the overly harsh tone I often adopt even without meaning are bad points about my Gming, because it pushes players away.

Here are a few categories I highly value and how they fit into that more general idea.

1.Envolve me: As a player feeling envolved is one of the most important things for me. An RP where I'm just a token, and my character could be replaced by anyone else with virtually no changes to anything is one RP I want to quit. What's the point if I'm just replaceable, or worse, if the only thing I get to do is sit by sidelines when the big story moments come? As a player I do have the duty to attempt to find myself interaction and design my character properly, but the one with control of the GM, who can incorporate things in order to make my character have some importance to it, some purpose to serve in it, is ultimately the GM.

2.Let me trust you: If you are my GM I need you to have rules and I need you to stick to those rules. I need you to have criteria as you review the characters rather than just whim. I need you to think about the good of the roleplay not just what would be cool. Because even if it feels cool to you, to the others it might horrible. Because how can I stay in a roleplay, if I feel like the GM at any moment can just pull the rug from under me and destroy or undermine all the hard work I put into roleplays? It'd just be a waste of my time.

3.Work with me not in spite of me: Whenever I review, say, the special abilities of a character in one of my roleplay, my general principle is "unless the ability is absolutely fundamentally irredimable, I may ask for changes, but I will not ask them to change their core concept". If an ability produces objects I will often ask that the player add a "cannot produce complex objects" clause so that they can't pull the exact item they need for the exact situation I put them on, otherwise I would run out options as GM too quickly.
If a player wants to plot something, a similar principle applies. "Can this work, physically?" If so, let them do it. If it brings upon them bad consequences, it was their choice to do it.
The general idea is much like that. Forcing a player to completely abandon their ideas off the bat, without first trying to work some way which fundamentally is still what they wanted out of the thing without infringing upon the needs of the roleplay, will only result in the player feeling discouraged. This takes adaptability from the GM, but it's a must-have skill for a GM.

4.Be able to handle the slow moments: Throughout an RP, there's something inevitable, and that's slow/low moments. Times when there is no particular action or event, or when the OOC is suddenly quiet, or when a player leaving has left the others in a bit of an awkward position. Being able to get out of this funk is simultaneously one of the most important and most difficult skills for a GM to acquire. It means helping players getting afflicted by the lack of momentum and consequently losing hype and motivation regain those things in a way that is smooth and sustainable. Seldom have I seen a GM that can pull such a thing on their own, but a few good players can really help here.

5.Know your targets: I would say this is the exception that proves the rule, as it is the one factor in which I think a good GM should actively push away players. A good GM should know what kind of players they want, and who or what to push back against. There are two main times when this happens. The first is during the interest check and character stages, when who will participate in the roleplay to begin with is still being picked up. A GM establishing rules and reviewing characters in accordance with not just the needs of the roleplay, but which works best for the kinds of roleplayers the GM wants participating in their RPs is very important towards the GM giving said players the best experience they can, instead of being overrun. The other time for this is when players misbehave or want something they can't get during the RP- a GM knowing to enforce their rules and say "No" when needed is vital as well.

And you know, there's just being nice and not a prick, which also helps.

I do, as a last note, want to make an important distinction between a good GM and a successful GM. In the world of GMing, luck has actually a much bigger factor than skill does, as far as the RP living is concerned. This is because most of the time what will kill your roleplay is not in fact anyone being a bad GM or a bad player, but a simple unfortunate combination of life circumstances and poor moments in your RP that whittle down the RP into a zombie state until it finally dies of.


The answer to the story line one is a bit too diverse and has too many branches to properly follow in one go. However, I would broadly suggest potential, this is the ability for a story to ramify and expand beyond the premise on its own, and direction are the two main features of a good starting plot.

Potential is needed for your story to be sustainable at all. Slice of life or episodic type RPs may be able to create random new elements, but a better story has those elements always be as linked as possible and lead to one another right from the getgo.

A direction is where the story, characters etc... are aiming for. It's not necessarily where the story ends up as it can change over time, but when one isn't there, the story tends to wander aimless, become contrived or boring or both.


In any case, I hope this helps. Best of luck and happy RPing!

Interesting points. Allow me to ask you some things to further dissect/unpack what you mention above:

1) How do you 'maintain' direction? Do you mention the general highlights of a roleplaying scene or allow it to organically happen with some broader highlights in mind?
2) In each new scene, do you discuss what things need to happen in said scene ahead of time or allow for others to know how to move their characters?
3) How would you go about roleplayers who have not been as active and what sort of grace period do you usually provide them?

 

[Gowi]

3) How would you go about roleplayers who have not been as active and what sort of grace period do you usually provide them?

Ultimately, it depends on your groups pace and what you need to do. If your RP NEEDS to move than you need to either NPC those characters or remove them from play.

 

[Idea]

1) How do you 'maintain' direction? Do you mention the general highlights of a roleplaying scene or allow it to organically happen with some broader highlights in mind?

If you want to mantain a specific direction, then always keep the overarching plot the same, and always make sure that the central action of the overall plot continues to be the same. If, for example, your roleplay is about a group fo adventurers going to defeat the demon king, then not creating for instance a sideplot about a neighbouring kingdom that is unrelated to the demon king's plot, or some reason for siding with the demon king are ways to not disrupt your plot. This still doesn't guarantee things, as players are in general pretty unpredicatble though.

More important than keeping a certain direction though, is just having A direction. As a rule of thumb, if the answer to "what am I supposed to do" is "whatever you want" and if the end game is either excessively vague or will come regardless of what the characters do, then the RP better be slice of life because the plot has no direction.

2) In each new scene, do you discuss what things need to happen in said scene ahead of time or allow for others to know how to move their characters?

I am more of a planner, so believe me I would be discussing such things if it were viable in any way shape or form. Turns out, most players aren't very found of a plan that restricts their choices, even if that restriction is because they agreed to do this or that.

3) How would you go about roleplayers who have not been as active and what sort of grace period do you usually provide them?

In my roleplays I have a rule that states
"If the roleplayer hasn't posted for X time, their character will be temporarily be taken over as an NPC." "If X time + 10 days have passed with no presence either IC or OOC from the player, they will be considered to have ghosted."

For my latest RP, X time is a week. The time will vary wildly from roleplay to roleplay, and since I demand very large posts from my players, I in turn try to give them as much time as possible to make their replies (my current post requirement is one post per month).

I also place in big bold letters that any character made for that roleplay is, by being made there, subject to become an NPC should the player leave the roleplay willingly or otherwise.

 

[DarkNerd]

"If the roleplayer hasn't posted for X time, their character will be temporarily be taken over as an NPC." "If X time + 10 days have passed with no presence either IC or OOC from the player, they will be considered to have ghosted."

For my latest RP, X time is a week. The time will vary wildly from roleplay to roleplay, and since I demand very large posts from my players, I in turn try to give them as much time as possible to make their replies (my current post requirement is one post per month).

I also place in big bold letters that any character made for that roleplay is, by being made there, subject to become an NPC should the player leave the roleplay willingly or otherwise.

Hm, I like this idea. Thanks for it. Obrigado.

 

[Idea]

Hm, I like this idea. Thanks for it.

No problem

 

[Gowi]

If it's possible try to leave room for an inactive player to return. There are exceptions but it's good consideration to not be too draconian and absolutist.

 

[DarkNerd]

If it's possible try to leave room for an inactive player to return. There are exceptions but it's good consideration to not be too draconian and absolutist.

Thank you for your response. I agree with that sentiment; I'm not fond of imposing harsh requirements on my players but if they are tasked with a stimulus role, I need somewhat to represent it in case they are unable to provide or act. In the past, I considered merely skipping around until they could; however, turn-based roleplay is not the style which my members have elected to follow, which is fine by me.

I realize there's no such thing as a 'perfect balance' of control and organic flow either. Some people just gotta deal on both sides with the reality or consequence of said action. Some people don't jive well things to be too amorphous, others demand direction and concision or they feel like it's too much like "slice of life." I'm of the personal opinion that roleplays grow and evolve with the organic chemistry of the roleplayers. Some players jive well to one's style, others do not.

Even so, I wanted to pose the question to see what sort of answers I could gather from people who are either a) GMs themselves or b) are players that know what they like and dislike about GMs. All of your inputs thus far have been valuable to me.

 

[Gowi]

Just remember every group is different.

 

[DarkNerd]

Just remember every group is different.

I concur, they are. That's what makes this place and others like it wonderful-- it is a bounty of choices and different permutations of stories, ideas, and outcomes.

 

[Gowi]

Yeah. It can be a double-edged sword though.

 

[DarkNerd]

Yeah. It can be a double-edged sword.

You're not wrong about that.

 

[Gowi]

As for direction? RP is collaborative storytelling that functions on an action-reaction system. Unless you plan arcs and goals loosely with your group they will often show you that you can't railroad them. Plan loose and wide. Figure out options. Think of end goals and benchmarks as opposed to rigidly defining chapter bookends. Every GM has their own style but all the successful ones are collaborative and cautious.

 

[Daisie]

Dropping in a gem of knowledge that one of my RP partners and I have discovered over our many years of RPing in regards to maintaining an interesting story. Of course there's a lot of stuff like keeping the story moving, being able to do timeskips, good communication and relationships between players, ect... That's already all been said.

Sidenote: this is more in regards to CREATING a story rather than running one. I won't be going into detail on what makes a good GM this time, and will instead be focusing on what gets me excited for a plot.

Something I've learned to keep a story pleasant is to find your balance. My friend and I have discovered that, for us, we enjoy a good balance of four key elements in our RPs:

1. Mystery. There has to be something we're just begging to figure out... Some unknown piece of information that we're trying to uncover. We need to crave some big reveal. It provides a goal - an actual motivator - to work towards.

2. Darkness. For some people, this means making a nitty-gritty world where you could die at any corner... And for other people, this just means having a character that is faced with dealing tough times. Grief, sorrow, just some sort of emotional depth. You can't have the light without the dark. This provides a bit of emotional depth to your story, and also serves as a good way to show off your characters at their lowest times.

3. Comedy. If it were all just mystery and darkness, the plot would get pretty heavy pretty fast... Maybe that's your thing? But I find that most people, myself included, need something to break up the seriousness of the plot. 9 times out of 10, good, natural comedy comes from characters that have chemistry interacting together in a light-hearted way. Even in the darkest of times, someone cracking a joke or two people poking fun at each other can be a very refreshing break. This provides a bit of a break to the monotony of constant doom and gloom, and is ALSO a good way to show character development.

4. Adventure. Who doesn't like a good bit of action? Sometimes you just need fast-paced scenes, daring escapes, dangerous infiltrations, or epic battles. You need a story to tell, and a journey to craft it by. Something that brings excitement to your world of mystery, emotional depth, and comedy! This provides a solid journey for your RP to ride along, and provides a bit of excitement when things are starting to come to a lull.


Now, people's preferences will probably vary a lot in how much of each key element is used. Some people don't like a lot of action in their RPs, and would much rather a slow-burn, sandbox-y type of RP. Some people want all doom and gloom, cutting down the comedy to near nothing. Some people just want a lighthearted, fluffy adventure! It all varies from person to person, but these four elements are definitely the most prevelant, and they're what keep me invested in a RP.

Hope this helps!

 

[DarkNerd]

Dropping in a gem of knowledge that one of my RP partners and I have discovered over our many years of RPing in regards to maintaining an interesting story. Of course there's a lot of stuff like keeping the story moving, being able to do timeskips, good communication and relationships between players, ect... That's already all been said.

Sidenote: this is more in regards to CREATING a story rather than running one. I won't be going into detail on what makes a good GM this time, and will instead be focusing on what gets me excited for a plot.

Something I've learned to keep a story pleasant is to find your balance. My friend and I have discovered that, for us, we enjoy a good balance of four key elements in our RPs:

1. Mystery. There has to be something we're just begging to figure out... Some unknown piece of information that we're trying to uncover. We need to crave some big reveal. It provides a goal - an actual motivator - to work towards.

2. Darkness. For some people, this means making a nitty-gritty world where you could die at any corner... And for other people, this just means having a character that is faced with dealing tough times. Grief, sorrow, just some sort of emotional depth. You can't have the light without the dark. This provides a bit of emotional depth to your story, and also serves as a good way to show off your characters at their lowest times.

3. Comedy. If it were all just mystery and darkness, the plot would get pretty heavy pretty fast... Maybe that's your thing? But I find that most people, myself included, need something to break up the seriousness of the plot. 9 times out of 10, good, natural comedy comes from characters that have chemistry interacting together in a light-hearted way. Even in the darkest of times, someone cracking a joke or two people poking fun at each other can be a very refreshing break. This provides a bit of a break to the monotony of constant doom and gloom, and is ALSO a good way to show character development.

4. Adventure. Who doesn't like a good bit of action? Sometimes you just need fast-paced scenes, daring escapes, dangerous infiltrations, or epic battles. You need a story to tell, and a journey to craft it by. Something that brings excitement to your world of mystery, emotional depth, and comedy! This provides a solid journey for your RP to ride along, and provides a bit of excitement when things are starting to come to a lull.


Now, people's preferences will probably vary a lot in how much of each key element is used. Some people don't like a lot of action in their RPs, and would much rather a slow-burn, sandbox-y type of RP. Some people want all doom and gloom, cutting down the comedy to near nothing. Some people just want a lighthearted, fluffy adventure! It all varies from person to person, but these four elements are definitely the most prevelant, and they're what keep me invested in a RP.

Hope this helps!

Thank you kindly for your input. It is much appreciated.

 

[Crayons]

What makes a good GM...

1) Fair and transparent. Be clear at all stages what you expect of the players, what they should expect from the RP. Always give reasons for your decisions.
2) Flexible. Don't railroad, don't treat players like pawns in your own story. Be willing to adapt to where the players take the story. Don't hold on to your plan too tightly.
3) Collaborative and communicative. Talk to your players, consider their ideas and incorporate them. Be approachable.
4) Infinite patience. This one is most important and hardest. XD
5) Plan. Have a loose plan for the first part of the story at least. Make sure you know what the motivations of your bad guys/NPCs are.
6) Prioritise fun. Your role should be to show the players a good time. Give them what they will find most entertaining.
7) Arbitration. Be good at mediating disputes and not inflaming them. Don't be overly draconian, but let your players know that you won't accept shenanigans.
8) Clear. Make yourself clear at all stages before and during the RP. What your scenario or universe like, what you will be looking for in player applications, what type of story it is.
9) Enthusiasm. Want this to succeed and get people excited about it. If you don't give a crap about it no-one else will.
10) Inclusive. Make sure that you give equal time to each of the player characters. Don't leave a character on the shelf with nothing to do, especially if its because you don't like it very much.

That's all I can think of right now!

 

[Hella Downweather]

Throwing my 2 cents here! I'm basing myself more on tabletop RPG gameplay (since I've more experience in that field) so if you find that something doesn't apply, feel free to ignore it.

For me, there are three crucial skills a nice GM/DM must have in order to run a nice game. The last one, flexibility, has been discussed a lot by my peers so I guess you get only two points!

1 - Communication - Good communication is needed at every stage of the game.

In your interest check, character sheet, you want to be able to set clear and detailed expectations for the game. Are you ok with killing off players? Do you find Mary-Sue and Gary-Sue are awesome and you are willing to allow them in your game? Do you have a deep hatred with any elf character because of some Lotr trauma? Or something more nitty-gritty like not allowing blood magic because it simply doesn't work in your setting. That's the moment to say it. It will set the theme, the ambiance, and will prevent a lot of (bad) surprises in the future of your RP. (Ex : As a GM I dislike having games where you simply bash monsters to grind levels, so I usually precise that there will be politics, that characters can die if they are stupid enough to throw themselves at a very obvious trap and I don't allow flying races level 1 (coz it's broken yo) )

Character sheet wise, you want to make compromises, not be an overall tyrant. If you set your expectations correctly, the player won't pick something stupid that will break your game. And if they did because you are not omniscient and did not think of X possibility, say No but. Offer them something similar but not broken. ALWAYS suggest an alternative. It shows you are willing to talk things through and that you have enough knowledge in your game to adapt. And that last point is important because...

As the GM, you have the final word. You have all the power. But because of it, people WILL expect you to know anything and everything about the setting, the plot and that random red string you mentioned once to fluff your post and totally forgot about it. This falls in always be prepared (which I'll bring up later), but also on the attitude you need to have. You are the final judge, the arbiter, the one that is expected to break up fights (fights that WILL arrive whenever people starts arguing about the validity of each other's powers). Sometimes you may be tempted to say : No/Yes, and shut up I'm the GM.

Bad move.

Have a reason. It doesn't have to be flawless, heck sometimes I simply say it's a matter of personal preference. But take some time and explain why you are/are not doing it. It won't make you a pushover, it will make you someone that knows what he is doing.

Lastly, bit of advice, if you have a problem with a player, don't take it in OOC chat, talk to them privately THEN, when everything is settled, address it in OOC. If people ask about it, simply say you are talking with the player and are trying to resolve the issue. Neutral, professional, perfect.

2 - Always be prepared

You will have moments where you won't feel as inspired with the game/RP as in the beginning. Slow times, boring times and as luck would have it it's YOUR job to keep players entertained. Or that one time you mentioned that lady had a fishy smell, and players are convinced there is something behind it when it was simply...you fluffing your post/something you put on a whim. If you don't want to let the story take over, you need to be prepared.

-Have plot hooks ready
Something is boring/slow ? Introduce a minor plot hook! Distract your players and rekindle their enthusiasm. It can be as stupid as having someone pissed off at their antics trying to sabotage them or a little kitty in need of saving. Write them in advance and use them whenever you see fit.

-Have NPC ready
IRL, I usually change my voice to play NPC. It's fun and it allows people to guess their personality and traits. In RP...it's less easy. Have some basic CS ready (basic personality, history and name) so that when a player asks about the NPC opinion on the rise of the price of bread, you kinda know what they would answer. Being consistent is sexy guys.

-Have a relationships notebook
Guys. I know. It's straight from some Otome stuff...but hear me out. It's nice to have plot hooks, NPC fleshed out, but what really matters if how the world reacts to your players. Did one of they say something to piss off an NPC ? Make sure to write a minus next to that NPC relation chart. Is another player really flirty with that same NPC? Make a note of it! (and possibly use this NPC as a damsell in distress later in the story).

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There! Wall of text over. If you have specifics questions or did not understand something, feel free to ask !