A few weeks back, my group played a Stargate SG-4 session that was based around a time loop — think Groundhog Day (or from Stargate SG-1, “Window of Opportunity”), but with a very short cycle.

It was a very fun night, and one that really felt like the TV show. Don, our GM, also did something very clever to make the time loop concept work: he created a system-neutral game mechanic that balanced roleplaying social encounters with the desire to not have to roleplay them every time we looped. I asked him if he’d mind writing it up for his blog, Abulia Savant, and he was kind enough to oblige (thanks, Don!).

As it turned out, though, it wasn’t something he could explain without providing plenty of context, and the resulting post covers a lot more than just crafting a time loop adventure — it’s essentially a primer for writing TV-episode-style adventures using the three act model (and bending it when necessary), and a damned fine one at that.

This campaign is on my list of all-time favorites, and Don really hits what he aims for with it: a game that’s not only fun, but feels like the show. It’s fascinating for me to peer under the hood and see how he makes that happen, and I think you’ll enjoy it as well.