Maintaining focus as a Game Master can be difficult. It starts with game preparation which helps you focus on the elements of the game system you are playing like #SavageWorlds and using them to full effect. The Battle for Brigandy Bay in #Returnto50Fathoms was enhanced by knowing the Large-Scale Mass Combat Rules inside-out before I started the game. The visual elements that I added through #DramaScape's #SkullCove map as a battleground as well as ships from #LettersofMarque by #FantasyFlightGames and #TerraNova workers as infantry also added to the scene. These figures were used as tokens but had a much more powerful visual effect than mere poker chips. Overall, it was the best mass-combat scene I've done in Savage Worlds.
Game preparation is only a quarter of the focus battle though, the Game Master has to be very focused on game day battling through brain fog and other things in order to completely focus on the game. If you are exhausted or sick, it is almost impossible to summon up the mental energy and concentration to run a proper game. Better to cancel and reschedule in that case. Because we've only focused on half the concentration battle, the GM. The other half of the focus equation is to herd cats...er players. Players often wander off into their own thoughts, play with their phones, color, and other things as they become distracted or disinterested. Another part of the GM's game day job is to keep the players focused on the game by playing fast, furious, and fun and keep the action flowing in combat scenes and the narrative flowing outside of the action scenes. If you can pull all of this off and keep the focus on the game, you can have a great session and with many great sessions, an excellent campaign.
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