Legends and Lore 11/15/2011 - Out of Bounds

Mark CMG · Nov 19, 2011

Dungeons & Dragons Roleplaying Game Official Home Page - Article (Out of Bounds)

Odd not to see a thread about this, so here's one to further discussion. Monte is back. I'm not sure if we'll keep seeing this column switch back and forth between Monte and Mike, or with others, but this week it is Monte. (Kurtomatic points out below that this was likely a typo or copy/paste error and that Monte is now credited with writing this article.) The premise is this -

Game design theory is filled with dichotomies. Game versus simulation. Complexity versus simplicity. Sandbox versus storylines. And so on. Among the more interesting, as it pertains to D&D, can be expressed as a simple question with complicated implications:

Does the game present players with challenges that have pre-made solutions?

avin · Nov 19, 2011

There's a thread on 4E forums, it seems.

Mark CMG · Nov 19, 2011

avin said:
There's a thread on 4E forums, it seems.

That is strange since it doesn't seem to be a 4E specific column. Still, I suppose it doesn't hurt to have two threads as long as they aren't both in the same forum.

GSHamster · Nov 20, 2011

The thought I had when I read this column was that if you don't map out some solutions ahead of time, you tend to get surprised when the players solve your challenge with a single spell.

The classic example is a murder mystery and then someone pulls out Speak With Dead or similar.

So if you don't want your challenge to be essentially nullified by a single spell, you have think about how the players are going to solve it. And when you're thinking about that, you are implicitly thinking about what methods you will "allow" to solve the problem, and what methods you will cut off.

Asmor · Nov 20, 2011

Haven't read the article, so I apologize if this is off-topic, but here's my naive answer to the emboldened question:

At the end of the last session, the PCs discovered the rowboat they were in was sabotaged to be leaving a trail of blood. Right after they noticed that, it exploded.

They're now stuck in the nicely-chummed waters...

...and I have no clue how they're going to get out of it.

I make it a point of pride to put the PCs in situations where I can't see how they'd survive. They always manage something.

But the point is, if I made the situation, and I don't know the solution to the situation, how can the situation have had a pre-made solution?

Wednesday Boy · Nov 21, 2011

Mark CMG said:
That is strange since it doesn't seem to be a 4E specific column.

I actually had an impeccably good reason for putting it in the 4E forums, specifically. But I'll PM you about it so I don't bog down this thread.

Bedrockgames · Nov 21, 2011

I agree with his final sentiment.

Anselyn · Nov 21, 2011

Bedrockgames said:
I agree with his final sentiment.

Who he?

Bedrockgames · Nov 21, 2011

Anselyn said:
Who he?

Monte's

Mark CMG · Nov 21, 2011

Monte has just announced on Facebook that he is packed and moving back to Seattle (from Milwaukee), FWIW.

Legends and Lore 11/15/2011 - Out of Bounds

Mark CMG

Creative Mountain Games

avin

First Post

Mark CMG

Creative Mountain Games

GSHamster

Adventurer

Asmor

First Post

Wednesday Boy

The Nerd WhoFell to Earth

Bedrockgames

Legend

Anselyn

Explorer

Bedrockgames

Legend

Mark CMG

Creative Mountain Games

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