Disclaimer: This is not about hidden stuff, lighting and senses or detailed investigations or those kinds of things. This is about stuff that are by any normal in-game reasonable presentation noticed.
So, recently have seen games where the GM starts describing a room or scene thrn stops, waiting for PC response after giving a detailed description of one or two things but leaving a lot of stuff out that are there.
Example...
You enter the room and see a pit 10' widein which blah blah blah pit descriptions What do you do?
Is there anything else in the room I see?
Describe stuff like tables shelves.
Are there any exits or is this is?
Yeah, there is a corridor across the way leading to a staircase. There is a lever over there.
***
Now maybe it's me but I try and describe at least the big obvious "things you can interact with" in my initial descriptions before stopping for player interaction. Not great detail on any one but at least a laundry list of the "stuff that might matter".
For instance, I tend to focus on priorities like
Obvious dangers to you now (creatures, moving effects, etc.)
Obvious dangers other than those ( pits, broken floors, crumbling roof.)
Exits and entrances
Major furnishings
Anything "active"
Typically I also try to hit sights, sounds and smells in that initial pitch.
Likely a few other things but touch on these and then go into other details when asked.
How do you handle the basics of describing "after opening the door..."
What tips on those initial descriptions would you give yo less experienced GM?
So, recently have seen games where the GM starts describing a room or scene thrn stops, waiting for PC response after giving a detailed description of one or two things but leaving a lot of stuff out that are there.
Example...
You enter the room and see a pit 10' widein which blah blah blah pit descriptions What do you do?
Is there anything else in the room I see?
Describe stuff like tables shelves.
Are there any exits or is this is?
Yeah, there is a corridor across the way leading to a staircase. There is a lever over there.
***
Now maybe it's me but I try and describe at least the big obvious "things you can interact with" in my initial descriptions before stopping for player interaction. Not great detail on any one but at least a laundry list of the "stuff that might matter".
For instance, I tend to focus on priorities like
Obvious dangers to you now (creatures, moving effects, etc.)
Obvious dangers other than those ( pits, broken floors, crumbling roof.)
Exits and entrances
Major furnishings
Anything "active"
Typically I also try to hit sights, sounds and smells in that initial pitch.
Likely a few other things but touch on these and then go into other details when asked.
How do you handle the basics of describing "after opening the door..."
What tips on those initial descriptions would you give yo less experienced GM?