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<blockquote data-quote="Wik" data-source="post: 5041487" data-attributes="member: 40177"><p>Keep things hidden. You don't need to give the PCs information, at all. If they want to go explore, let them - PCs have plenty of resources available to them that will say whether or not this is a bad idea. If the area is REALLY out of their league (ie, 21st level monsters against 1st level PCs), there's a problem - but then, why are the monsters so close to the PCs to begin with?</p><p></p><p>If, however, the area is dangerous, let it be dangerous. In most situations, if the PCs wander into your island and encounter the harpies, they'll take damage, but they should be able to escape. Maybe a PC will fall, maybe not. Odds are, your PCs will blow all their dailies after they decide to retreat. If they don't retreat, well, they'll know better next time they make PCs. That's part of the FUN of sandboxing.</p><p></p><p>To have them learn info in a tavern, or hear stuff through local gossip, can be okay... but if there is really enough information for your players to put two and two together, they'll start to wonder why the villagers haven't already. Really, by doing so too much, you start to give the game the feeling of a normal RPG campaign, as opposed to a sandbox - which will hurt the PCs. After all, they were given information about what's in the area... that means they should go there!</p><p></p><p>Plus, giving away info means the PCs lose the sense of discovery when they do get to the mists. Not to mention that there's no buildup for things. Imagine if the PCs have no idea what's on the island, and make their way in. They get to the island, and are terrified of what lurks in the mist. They find a deer on the beach, that's been torn open... but it seems to have died from a fall... AS the PCs explore, they start getting clues... and then the harpies attack. This is much more fun than "Okay, guys, we're pretty sure there are harpies on this island, so everyone put this wax in your ears so we can resist their song".</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Wik, post: 5041487, member: 40177"] Keep things hidden. You don't need to give the PCs information, at all. If they want to go explore, let them - PCs have plenty of resources available to them that will say whether or not this is a bad idea. If the area is REALLY out of their league (ie, 21st level monsters against 1st level PCs), there's a problem - but then, why are the monsters so close to the PCs to begin with? If, however, the area is dangerous, let it be dangerous. In most situations, if the PCs wander into your island and encounter the harpies, they'll take damage, but they should be able to escape. Maybe a PC will fall, maybe not. Odds are, your PCs will blow all their dailies after they decide to retreat. If they don't retreat, well, they'll know better next time they make PCs. That's part of the FUN of sandboxing. To have them learn info in a tavern, or hear stuff through local gossip, can be okay... but if there is really enough information for your players to put two and two together, they'll start to wonder why the villagers haven't already. Really, by doing so too much, you start to give the game the feeling of a normal RPG campaign, as opposed to a sandbox - which will hurt the PCs. After all, they were given information about what's in the area... that means they should go there! Plus, giving away info means the PCs lose the sense of discovery when they do get to the mists. Not to mention that there's no buildup for things. Imagine if the PCs have no idea what's on the island, and make their way in. They get to the island, and are terrified of what lurks in the mist. They find a deer on the beach, that's been torn open... but it seems to have died from a fall... AS the PCs explore, they start getting clues... and then the harpies attack. This is much more fun than "Okay, guys, we're pretty sure there are harpies on this island, so everyone put this wax in your ears so we can resist their song". [/QUOTE]
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