I hope the new "Dungeon Master Guide" talks extensively about playstyles.

[pemerton]

Some campaigns exist where the world revolves around the player's and then there are campaigns where the world is living and breathing and continues to function regardless of the PC's success or failure.

And there are even campaigns where the world is living and breathing and the PCs are protagonists and the primary function of the setting is to be a vehicle for the players' protagonism via their PCs.

 

[Stormonu]

It's not that the DMG doesn't devote chapters to that sort of thing already, it's the problem that the adventures don't follow that advice.

Yeah, it's great information for the new DMs, but how many new DMs sit down and read those sections off the bat? My guess is a good many struggle just to learn the basic rules and turn to those sections down the road when they have the time or when they're trying to figure out why their game is going south.

And I don't know about others, but after nearly 30 years of playing this game, sitting down and reading that stuff isn't something I come into a new version to do. Between 5 distinct editions of D&D, Dungeoncraft articles in Dungeon and Out on a Limb articles in Dragon I'm sick of reading the same ol' stuff. So while you can fill the DMG with information for newcomers, to us veterans it's old hat information so don't devote too much to it.

If you want to convey a certain playstyle, mention it up front in the adventure. Is it a sandbox? Is it a timed adventure? Is it story-based or hack'n'slash?

 

[drjones]

I hope it talks extensively about playstyles... in particular which ones are wrong and terrible so that I can use it as leverage to denigrate people on the internet! This whole 'just have fun and play how you want' thing has got to stop! WE WILL PURGE THE UNBELIEVERS!

 

[Ranes]

Yeah, it's great information for the new DMs, but how many new DMs sit down and read those sections off the bat? My guess is a good many struggle just to learn the basic rules and turn to those sections down the road when they have the time or when they're trying to figure out why their game is going south.

And I don't know about others, but after nearly 30 years of playing this game, sitting down and reading that stuff isn't something I come into a new version to do. Between 5 distinct editions of D&D, Dungeoncraft articles in Dungeon and Out on a Limb articles in Dragon I'm sick of reading the same ol' stuff. So while you can fill the DMG with information for newcomers, to us veterans it's old hat information so don't devote too much to it.

Maybe I'm in the minority then but, despite reading much as you have done for a similar amount of time, I always read these sections as I come to them in a new DMG. I want to know what the designers are trying to convey to people new to the game. I want to know how they envisage or even want to encourage games of this or that style being played with the new edition.

If you want to convey a certain playstyle, mention it up front in the adventure. Is it a sandbox? Is it a timed adventure? Is it story-based or hack'n'slash?

I'm completely on board with that. That's adventure writing advice I think all writers should follow. I know it helps me as a DM. The one caveat is that I wouldn't want such a notice to use jargon like 'sandbox'. I'd want the writer to assume that the reader might not be familiar with such terms. I'd want them to state clearly what kind of adventure was in front of the reader. But yes, saying, "This adventure is primarily an investigative mystery," or, "This is for players who primarily enjoy combat," is very helpful, I think.

 

[Crothian]

This doesn't need to be in the DMG it is better off as a blog post. It needs to be somewhere that can be accessed by players and DMs and no one needs to buy a book to get access to it. It also is a topic that does not need to be limited by page or word count. Play styles can be a very complex topic especially when you get into taking an adventure and looking at it through different play style glasses.

 

[Ranes]

Many new players will have the DMG as their primary source for instruction on how to run a game. Perhaps a section on play styles should link to a blog that can explore these in greater depth.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

I would rather see blog/reviews for published articles that get into the author(s) framework of what sort of adventure they are building. Having a key-word on the front would be nice as a short-cut, but the difference between 'House on Griffon Hill' {Ravenloft II} and 'The Coils of Set' are significant in detail while still basically the same play-style.

And a HUGE want.. published adventures that follow the advise given!

I know, I know. I am insane....

 

[Hussar]

I hope they have a rather lengthy dissection on DM styles as well. There are a ton of articles and books out there talking about different player styles and the strengths and weaknesses thereof. But, there is very little literature talking about DM's themselves.

 

[TrippyHippy]

I’m hoping for an extra large, fold out, full colour, interactive 3D map of Scarlett Johanssen…..


….but we can’t always get what we want….