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Gaming session lessons: why moving slow is important all the time, and the kid learns kiting
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<blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 6543740" data-attributes="member: 97077"><p>I'm not sure exactly how we got here from where we started, but I agree that some of the stuff you describe is boring when done poorly. My ideal game experience sees bold adventurers confronting deadly perils in worlds of sword and sorcery. Transition scenes, where there is meaningful character interaction, are important though and I do my best to keep it focused and on task. When the dramatic question of such a scene is answered, then it's time to generate action again by describing the environment and asking "What do you do?" This is evident in <a href="http://community.wizards.com/forum/product-and-general-dd-discussions/threads/4176781" target="_blank">my actual play transcripts</a>, if you care to take a look.</p><p></p><p>To answer your questions, when I refer to the chance to explore, I mean what the Basic Rules say on the matter (page 5): "Exploration includes both the adventurers’ movement through the world and their interaction with objects and situations that require their attention." I describe, they interact, and they perhaps find things relevant to what's going on. As to whether I'm creating an adventure on the fly? I have my prep, but I also improvise, like anyone else. If the players make erroneous deductions about what they discover and go in a direction away from the adventure location, then I'll just continue doing what DMs do: Place interesting genre-appropriate obstacles in their way to be overcome as they seek to achieve their goals. The story arises out of what they do in the face of what I present.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I don't make it my agenda to have players make any particular decision except for those that lead to everyone having a good time and to creating an exciting, memorable story as a result of play. But the players are aware of these goals of play at the outset and endeavor to make choices accordingly that are also in line with the context of the situation and their established characterization.</p><p></p><p>The first example you give isn't very interesting. The latter one is better (but not great) because it invites the players to engage with the exploration pillar of the game. I'm not very interested in hiding adventure locations, preferring to "cut to the chase" as you say above. And since my players know the shortest route to achieving the goals of play is to be bold adventurers confronting deadly perils and check interesting things out. This doesn't mean they have to - after all, they can go some other direction and I'll provide them with fun conflict as well. I see my role as helping the players to define their characters' goals, then placing engaging conflicts between them and their goals. If I'm running a plot-based adventure, I talk to the players beforehand, get their buy-in, and ask them to work together to establish goals that coincide with the expected events of the storyline.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I don't consider this to be an example of the DM railroading. You presented an adventure hook and they made a choice. They could easily have just said, "What a weird dream I had last night - must've been the ale" and struck out for the dungeon or whatever instead. Presuming that's appropriate for your group's social contract.</p><p></p><p>Somewhere in this discussion we've gotten a little off track I think. To bring it back around, what I want to do is present a fair game with meaningful choices. I consider something fair when the players have a chance to hear what I describe and take steps to rob randomness of its power and turn things in their favor if they're equal to the task. I consider something a meaningful choice when, one way or another, what the players choose impacts the game in some measurable way. I would say that the ankheg encounter didn't live up to my standards in this regard; however, it bears mentioning that how I see it and how the OP sees it is not necessarily right or wrong but a matter of preference.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="iserith, post: 6543740, member: 97077"] I'm not sure exactly how we got here from where we started, but I agree that some of the stuff you describe is boring when done poorly. My ideal game experience sees bold adventurers confronting deadly perils in worlds of sword and sorcery. Transition scenes, where there is meaningful character interaction, are important though and I do my best to keep it focused and on task. When the dramatic question of such a scene is answered, then it's time to generate action again by describing the environment and asking "What do you do?" This is evident in [URL="http://community.wizards.com/forum/product-and-general-dd-discussions/threads/4176781"]my actual play transcripts[/URL], if you care to take a look. To answer your questions, when I refer to the chance to explore, I mean what the Basic Rules say on the matter (page 5): "Exploration includes both the adventurers’ movement through the world and their interaction with objects and situations that require their attention." I describe, they interact, and they perhaps find things relevant to what's going on. As to whether I'm creating an adventure on the fly? I have my prep, but I also improvise, like anyone else. If the players make erroneous deductions about what they discover and go in a direction away from the adventure location, then I'll just continue doing what DMs do: Place interesting genre-appropriate obstacles in their way to be overcome as they seek to achieve their goals. The story arises out of what they do in the face of what I present. I don't make it my agenda to have players make any particular decision except for those that lead to everyone having a good time and to creating an exciting, memorable story as a result of play. But the players are aware of these goals of play at the outset and endeavor to make choices accordingly that are also in line with the context of the situation and their established characterization. The first example you give isn't very interesting. The latter one is better (but not great) because it invites the players to engage with the exploration pillar of the game. I'm not very interested in hiding adventure locations, preferring to "cut to the chase" as you say above. And since my players know the shortest route to achieving the goals of play is to be bold adventurers confronting deadly perils and check interesting things out. This doesn't mean they have to - after all, they can go some other direction and I'll provide them with fun conflict as well. I see my role as helping the players to define their characters' goals, then placing engaging conflicts between them and their goals. If I'm running a plot-based adventure, I talk to the players beforehand, get their buy-in, and ask them to work together to establish goals that coincide with the expected events of the storyline. I don't consider this to be an example of the DM railroading. You presented an adventure hook and they made a choice. They could easily have just said, "What a weird dream I had last night - must've been the ale" and struck out for the dungeon or whatever instead. Presuming that's appropriate for your group's social contract. Somewhere in this discussion we've gotten a little off track I think. To bring it back around, what I want to do is present a fair game with meaningful choices. I consider something fair when the players have a chance to hear what I describe and take steps to rob randomness of its power and turn things in their favor if they're equal to the task. I consider something a meaningful choice when, one way or another, what the players choose impacts the game in some measurable way. I would say that the ankheg encounter didn't live up to my standards in this regard; however, it bears mentioning that how I see it and how the OP sees it is not necessarily right or wrong but a matter of preference. [/QUOTE]
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