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<blockquote data-quote="Iosue" data-source="post: 6319763" data-attributes="member: 6680772"><p>I suspect there's also something related to our previous <a href="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?337285-Basic-DMing-The-Advice-of-the-Times" target="_blank">discussion</a> about where the meta-tools fall, and the paradox inherent in D&D. I put greater reliance on random content so as to remove as much as possible the tension between supporting the players while also running their antagonists. And since in B/X the majority of the meta-tools fall on my side, I remove myself from the discussion as much as is necessary to avoid undue influence. Not that this is easy! Nor does it always end well; sometimes the players end up spending lots of time exploring an "uninteresting" area when, with but a nudge from me, they could be exploring a much more "interesting" area! But I put those in quotes because interesting/uninteresting is an a priori judgement that I only I can make, seeing the whole picture and imparting my own biases. As an exploration game, <em>exploring</em> an empty room can be just as interesting as "getting right to the action".</p><p></p><p>Mileage varies, of course.</p><p></p><p></p><p>Probably my approach to this is, "No result does not make sense." I rely on random content generation, including random reactions. Time and time again I see people demur this style because of "results that don't make sense." Reading the Pulsipher and (and to a certain extent, the Musson) thread, I felt that they took this attitude, and a lot of their advice involved avoiding results not "according to logic" (Pulsipher), or "fighting-and-looting" games that result from a random stocking approach (a subtext I got from Musson).</p><p></p><p>I understand that impulse, but I've come to reject it personally. No matter what the result, I see my job to make it make sense. And this is certainly part of the affect on the game I have that I mentioned to Umbran. Doesn't feel like control, though! More like set dresser working for a capricious and zany producer. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> IMO this helps cut down on a "fighting and looting" mentality, because the players (and I!) are often surprised.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iosue, post: 6319763, member: 6680772"] I suspect there's also something related to our previous [URL="http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?337285-Basic-DMing-The-Advice-of-the-Times"]discussion[/URL] about where the meta-tools fall, and the paradox inherent in D&D. I put greater reliance on random content so as to remove as much as possible the tension between supporting the players while also running their antagonists. And since in B/X the majority of the meta-tools fall on my side, I remove myself from the discussion as much as is necessary to avoid undue influence. Not that this is easy! Nor does it always end well; sometimes the players end up spending lots of time exploring an "uninteresting" area when, with but a nudge from me, they could be exploring a much more "interesting" area! But I put those in quotes because interesting/uninteresting is an a priori judgement that I only I can make, seeing the whole picture and imparting my own biases. As an exploration game, [i]exploring[/i] an empty room can be just as interesting as "getting right to the action". Mileage varies, of course. Probably my approach to this is, "No result does not make sense." I rely on random content generation, including random reactions. Time and time again I see people demur this style because of "results that don't make sense." Reading the Pulsipher and (and to a certain extent, the Musson) thread, I felt that they took this attitude, and a lot of their advice involved avoiding results not "according to logic" (Pulsipher), or "fighting-and-looting" games that result from a random stocking approach (a subtext I got from Musson). I understand that impulse, but I've come to reject it personally. No matter what the result, I see my job to make it make sense. And this is certainly part of the affect on the game I have that I mentioned to Umbran. Doesn't feel like control, though! More like set dresser working for a capricious and zany producer. :) IMO this helps cut down on a "fighting and looting" mentality, because the players (and I!) are often surprised. [/QUOTE]
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