I’m interested in a more in-depth how-to guide on running a game driven by player character Beliefs, Instincts, and Traits.

On a similar note, one of my GMing tenets is to keep in mind what’s relevant to the players. I am at heart a worldbuilder, and it’s easy for my imagination to spin off into the distance with a dozen new ideas, but I try to keep in mind how players will interact with the material.

People have limited attention spans and ability to keep track of things. As a player I try really hard to take notes and understand what the GM is putting out, but as a GM I really mind legibility. Sometimes the players are just clueless and you have to explicitly say your secrets.

I find it’s a lot like teaching.

The social contract of the table: We’re here to have fun, together.

I’m leery of summoning mechanics for this reason, since they increase player options but can take a lot of table time. At least they’re interactable by the other players and GM. I’ll admit to having occasionally summoned eight wolves (D&D 5e) or whatever, but this is the situation to roll before your turn or use digital dice.