D&D 5E The Larger Failure of "Tyranny of Dragons"

[Jd Smith1]

low sci fi is the primary difference, but also the lack of an invulnerable hero is another. In Nolan's trilogy being a hero hurts and not just physically.

Only because the writers don't let the bad guys think.

Of the 3 I quoted it is admittedly the most predictable. And while most Hollywood films are indeed formulaic there are still some good shockers IMHO.

Looper is another one that pulled the old switcheroo on me.

I saw Looper coming, but I did enjoy it.

I mostly watch lower budget films, because with less money comes (I hope) greater writer and directer freedom. The Butterfly Effect was a solid work.

I have more love for HBO, Showtime, etc, series. You see some unshackling of plots.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Only because the writers don't let the bad guys think.

Fair enough.

I saw Looper coming, but I did enjoy it.

Spoiler

You knew going in it was going to switch form standard timey whimey sci fi story to believable supervillian origin story? I absolutely did not see that coming. Oh sure the payoff was predictable but that wasn't the twist

mostly watch lower budget films, because with less money comes (I hope) greater writer and directer freedom. The Butterfly Effect was a solid work.

I have more love for HBO, Showtime, etc, series. You see some unshackling of plots.

Agreed. Shows these days are lot more willing to throw the dice.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Spoiler

You knew going in it was going to switch form standard timey whimey sci fi story to believable supervillian origin story? I absolutely did not see that coming. Oh sure the payoff was predictable but that wasn't the twist

Spoiler

Sure: once I saw the time-travel aspect, and the two top bills were a young actor and an older actor, what else was going to happen? The two stars were the same guy, and the hero always stands alone against the Evil Corporation/Government. How else could it play out from Hollywood? Once you cross a certain dollar figure, they stick to the formula. For Hollywood, organizations are always evil.

Shutter Island threw me, and the one about transliterating through dreams, but that one was just weird.

 

[billd91]

My way of gaming is not wrong.

Who can guess what storytellers do? I'm a gamer.

Indeed, it is not. Neither is Paul's. And that doesn't make him not a gamer (the "No True Scotsman" comment aside).

 

[Jd Smith1]

Indeed, it is not. Neither is Paul's. And that doesn't make him not a gamer (the "No True Scotsman" comment aside).

I never mentioned Scotsmen.

 

[BookBarbarian]

Spoiler

Sure: once I saw the time-travel aspect, and the two top bills were a young actor and an older actor, what else was going to happen? The two stars were the same guy, and the hero always stands alone against the Evil Corporation/Government. How else could it play out from Hollywood? Once you cross a certain dollar figure, they stick to the formula. For Hollywood, organizations are always evil.

Spoiler

evil corporations? that's just background junk. When did you know that the older "hero" though his child murdering was going to create the future supervillain? The seeds were there before you even met the future supervillan but I didn't see it coming. I'll admit that once you knew that, knowing what the younger "hero" would do was easy but no less satisfying

Anyway I'd be very curious to know your opinion of Memento if you ever see it.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Spoiler

evil corporations? that's just background junk. When did you know that the older "hero" though his child murdering was going to create the future supervillain? The seeds were there before you even met the future supervillan but I didn't see it coming. I'll admit that once you knew that, knowing what the younger "hero" would do was easy but no less satisfying

Anyway I'd be very curious to know your opinion of Memento if you ever see it.

You know, I forgot about that aspect of Looper. Yes, that twist caught me by surprise.

I'm going to look for Memento on Amazon Prime.

A good example for your side would be Breaking Bad: from Episode 1 you knew the ending, but the path made the journey.

Which is why I prefer series: you have the time to make a journey of it, and they can throw in plot twists.

 

[Umbran]

The main thing stopping me having a go at publishing is I write in a sort of shorthand. I know what I mean, but if I had to explain my ideas so someone else could use them it would be a massive amount of additional effort.

Well, yeah. I run Ashen Stars a lot - for that, I can go into a game with five bullet points of notes, and the rest develops in play. I don't know what the adventure contains until after the sessions run!

 

[hawkeyefan]

I didn't say that there are no stakes beyond PC death. That is your misinterpretation.

I said that without the possibility of PC deaths, there was no drama, no stakes, no tension. The GM is just telling a story, and the players are an audience.

That’s wrong. There can be all of those things wether PC death is possible or not.

And I don’t know if I’ve misinterpreted anything...it’s certainly possible. The above comments again seem fairly contradictory. It’s also possible you’ve been unclear.

But we’re not going to get anywhere discussing it are we?

 

[hawkeyefan]

Well, yeah. I run Ashen Stars a lot - for that, I can go into a game with five bullet points of notes, and the rest develops in play. I don't know what the adventure contains until after the sessions run!

This is pretty much true of everything I GM, even D&D. Although in some cases I may have some maps and some NPCs/enemies ready to go. But I don’t go anywhere near the lengths that a published module goes.

I find it’s even more true the more time goes by. I don’t find the impact on gaming to be all that great with increased prep. I don’t find the juice to be worth the squeeze, so to speak. At least not for all things.