Recent content by Scott Christian

No offense, but that is kind of the response I expected from you. You asked for specific examples, supposedly out of an open-mindedness. You asked: I predicted your reply, because I didn't really believe you were being open-minded. You just wanted something to try and pick apart. That is why in...

Here are a few examples of how running other games helped me improve my DMing: 1. Early on in my gaming career, I fell in love with Rolemaster, and all its complex tables and crit charts. But some of my friends were not so enamored, no matter how much I poured into GMing the game. What I...

This has been my experience too. However, I can say, in my experience only, the best DMs I have had were also players, not just experienced running other systems.

I guess this leads to the question of: Is a person a better DM if they also have experience as a player?

Expectations are in-line with the eight DMs I have played with over the past 20 years, myself included. And the language I use is not discouraging. I specifically started my statement with: But if we go there. New DMs are sub-par compared to experienced DMs who have taken the time to make sure...

I am not talking about beginners running a game and not having fun. The quote I responded to was: "DMing is not that hard." And, like I said, DMing is not hard. But to do it well is hard. This doesn't mean groups can't have fun with an ok or sub-par DM. They can. But, if as a player, you are...

I disagree with the premise that it doesn't matter. I think it matters on a few fronts. But each of those distills to one thing - the players caring about the game. Lore matters greatly if the questline involves the lore. Exploring, such as puzzles and new locations, matter more if the lore...

DMing is not hard. DMing well is hard. DMing a great interconnected campaign is extremely difficult. You would be silly to think that there is no difference between a polished DM who is prepping and working hard, and a person who is not.

Ha! My bad. If there was an emoji of me smacking my forehead, I would post it here.

I get. Like I said in my above post, wanna run a crazy dungeon? Go for it. Have fun. But the literal title of this thread is: Mapping, How Do You Do It? Therefore, I feel the need to express some sort of specific reasoning behind my mapping process. These are logic and geology. I often ponder...

Yes, I know. ;) But if you have a spell, such as stoneshaping, that is part of logic. And don't you want it to have some sort of semblance to reality. I mean, fantastical is all well and good. Running Alice in Wonderland session? Great! Go for it. Yet, if you have a group of kobolds who have...

There isn't a difference. They combine to make a skill. A PC that has zero athletics or acrobatics, but is actually a climber in real life, can often weave a narrative that helps them. A simple, "You roll with advantage) is just as good as being proficient.

My belief is they will make everything more vague (which I stated several years ago), and make everything a tiny bit stronger (which I stated 9 years ago).

The only way to map it is to make it logical if it's based on geo-formation (and even then?), and make it historical if it is based on societal-formation.

Thanks. I get it. I was just reading your original definition like this: With the word "almost" allowing room for deviation, albeit slight. And the word "'wrong'" in quotes, as if to say, they could have a morally plausible reason, but their actions are evil. Thanks for taking the time to...