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Encounters Confusion
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<blockquote data-quote="Coredump" data-source="post: 6711432" data-attributes="member: 6939"><p>For the general question, I think Expeditions are a much easier intro, because the tend to have very little 'story' involved, and the research tends to be pretty linear and easy. Its just enough to get you from one combat to the next. It feels more like a CRPG that way.</p><p></p><p>Encounters is a more 'complete' experience of a TRPG, it allows you more options and time to experience the story, the social, and the exploration aspects. Thus it is 'harder' for some people to take part....more options means more decisions, which means more chances to just stare at your character sheet looking for answers.</p><p></p><p>It takes a solid DM to be able to pull these folks into the scene. Have the NPC approach them, or put them on a work detail in an area, and see what they do. (I admit, I screwed this part up when I did it. I left it too open ended, and they didn't engage as much as I would have liked.)</p><p>New people should be great at this part; experience in DnD doesn't really apply to this. But they need help getting started.</p><p></p><p>I think I understand the 'escape chance' you are talking about, and it is an option in the book, but there are other possibilities. Did you guys go on work details? Did you try anything else? Do you have *any* gear with you? Does magic work? Have you tried getting out? Do you know what the NPCs are capable of?</p><p>Even the method you are talking about.... I managed (almost by accident) to give enough info to the players that *they* actually initiated that method. I was surprised, but players can be damn surprising.</p><p></p><p>If the DM was making you 'work' to get info, or playing the "did you ask the right question the right way" game... it will be a painful first episode. I assumed that most of the NPCs would be willing to talk, and some info the PCs would have already gathered on their own.</p><p></p><p>What I discovered, is that a 'sandbox' can easily lead to stagnation. A DM needs to keep the players moving and engaged, by the PCs interact with NPCs and the environment, they get more chances of a 'spark' igniting to get them going. But if you let them just sit around in a cage.... they likely will just sit around and sit in a cage.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Coredump, post: 6711432, member: 6939"] For the general question, I think Expeditions are a much easier intro, because the tend to have very little 'story' involved, and the research tends to be pretty linear and easy. Its just enough to get you from one combat to the next. It feels more like a CRPG that way. Encounters is a more 'complete' experience of a TRPG, it allows you more options and time to experience the story, the social, and the exploration aspects. Thus it is 'harder' for some people to take part....more options means more decisions, which means more chances to just stare at your character sheet looking for answers. It takes a solid DM to be able to pull these folks into the scene. Have the NPC approach them, or put them on a work detail in an area, and see what they do. (I admit, I screwed this part up when I did it. I left it too open ended, and they didn't engage as much as I would have liked.) New people should be great at this part; experience in DnD doesn't really apply to this. But they need help getting started. I think I understand the 'escape chance' you are talking about, and it is an option in the book, but there are other possibilities. Did you guys go on work details? Did you try anything else? Do you have *any* gear with you? Does magic work? Have you tried getting out? Do you know what the NPCs are capable of? Even the method you are talking about.... I managed (almost by accident) to give enough info to the players that *they* actually initiated that method. I was surprised, but players can be damn surprising. If the DM was making you 'work' to get info, or playing the "did you ask the right question the right way" game... it will be a painful first episode. I assumed that most of the NPCs would be willing to talk, and some info the PCs would have already gathered on their own. What I discovered, is that a 'sandbox' can easily lead to stagnation. A DM needs to keep the players moving and engaged, by the PCs interact with NPCs and the environment, they get more chances of a 'spark' igniting to get them going. But if you let them just sit around in a cage.... they likely will just sit around and sit in a cage. [/QUOTE]
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