D&D 5E Why does WotC put obviously bad or illogical elements in their adventures?

[Tormyr]

And the pièce de resistance has to be the gathering of giant leaders with no explanation for their presence (and while the hill giant is absent - though that actually dovetailed neatly with events for me) but still, the ordning is broken and yet giants are still sitting down to tea together (effectively) - why?! No reason... but of course my players ask that obvious question, leaving me to scramble for some plausible answer!

Area 14's description explains why the other giants are there. Whether or not a DM feels that explanation is sufficient, the motivation for the meeting was not ignored.

EDIT: Sorry, quoted the wrong post at first.

 

[robus]

Area 14's description explains why the other giants are there. Whether or not a DM feels that explanation is sufficient, the motivation for the meeting was not ignored.

EDIT: Sorry, quoted the wrong post at first.

You're right! It's hard to read clearly when all you can see is red!

 

[LordEntrails]

...
My greatest issues with these big APs is that they are in books. After running my home brew campaign for two years, which I create and run in RealmWorks, it is painful to have to flip through pages, cross referencing not only content in the AP book but the core books. Not having stats for encounters place in context. Not having content cross linked. Not having maps that I can click on to bring up the room description.

Event though I play and in-person, at-table game, I am thinking of getting Fantasy Grounds for running my Curse of Straud game.....

Based on what you were saying, that was going to be my exact suggestion. IMO, linking is one of FG's strengths. Haven't run COS so can't say how well it is linked, but I can say I would have had to do a dozen or more hours additional prep for PotA if I had been using a book and not FG for it.

 

[Satyrn]

I am interested, however, in seeing what AP content looks like in DnD Beyond. That may be a better format for my play style. But I've not seen them preview anything that looks like I'll be able to click on a map and see the content related to that area. Having to constantly type in searches to bring up content may be worse than using a well-bookmarked book.

Using the adventures through it is totally my biggest - pretty much only - interest in Beyond. I'm hoping the adventures will have hyperlinked maps, that would be superhandy.

But even if not, they have said we'll be able to download jpgs of the maps, so I'll be able to put the maps on one tablet while reading the encounter key on another. (It's fun DMing like I'm swapping between a stack of Star Trek datapads)

 

[iserith]

As a counterpoint, while I'm nowhere near finishing the Critical Role series, I've yet to witness an encounter where the players are confronted by something as illogical as stupid Hill Giants guarding a princess in a palace. Matt's world seems to be quite logically populated. Cue the examples countering this observation

Whenever a player makes an observation that something doesn't make sense I just say "Of course, you're a [their character race]. This must be beyond your understanding. Maybe if you were a [NPC race/monster] you could see why it is perfectly reasonable and consistent."

 

[Ovinomancer]

Whenever a player makes an observation that something doesn't make sense I just say "Of course, you're a [their character race]. This must be beyond your understanding. Maybe if you were a [NPC race/monster] you could see why it is perfectly reasonable and consistent."

You tell a player they don't understand something because of the character they play? Ug, no thank you, keep the dismissive lampshading for yourself.

 

[iserith]

You tell a player they don't understand something because of the character they play? Ug, no thank you, keep the dismissive lampshading for yourself.

The obvious joke appears to be lost on you.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

The obvious joke appears to be lost on you.

Prolly cuz of the lampshade.

 

[schnee]

Prolly cuz of the lampshade.

 

[Hussar]

Let's be honest, though. The reason WotC adventures aren't great is simple: their goal isn't to make great adventures, their goal is to make money.

Hang on a tick. While WotC previously has been pretty hit or miss with their adventures, 5e has really seen a turn around on this.

I'll hold up Curse of Strahd to pretty much anything. Fantastic module.

Although, I'm kinda curious how you make money on producing bad modules.