Recent content by Crimson Longinus

Right. Go with the flow. If the players think the sewer goblin is interesting, then make them meaningful. And if there is some big plot you're desperate to run, then loop the goblins back to that. Like the sewer goblins are upset that the big bad has been dumping toxic waste caused by his undead...

Hours of inconsequential freeform RP just is not a thing I see happening. Like sure, there can be sometimes five or ten minutes of talking to a shopkeeper or catching up with old acquaintance that do not really lead to anything, but most of the in-character RP is driving the action. It is either...

I can't decide it. But it is a difference of people watching a sad scene in film or just being told "now pretend to be sad." The chances are the former will produce far more genuine feeling than the latter. And it does not need to be any specific feeling, but some feeling. Mediocre GM thing...

Oh, absolutely! Most of combats in CR are dull and pointless. They are super easy, there is no real danger, and attention does not matter as they take long rests so often. Easily the worst part of the show.

I don't think I have gone into much detail about how much time I expect to spend on this beyond "some." Yes. But then they will care, so there is no problem. And it is not necessarily about whether the characters accept the quest at all, it is about giving emotional context which will inform...

But seriously, to me it seems people are mostly just throwing around disconnected bits of mechanics. I think one needs to start by nailing down the fiction that is to be represented by these mechanics first. If psions and spellcasters are different, then what that difference is in the fiction...

Non-magical psions are easy, we have plenty of examples of such psychics from the real world. They just need expertise and other boost for their bluff skill, so that they can con people into believing that they have supernatural powers whilst they actually do not.

Then, in my opinion, they can never be more than mediocre GM at best. It is such a crucial aspect of the GM that I do not think you can neglect it. For reason to have real emotional weight, it need to be backed by something. It is unlikely that this can be done in a sentence. And I am not...

Well, if the situation is that dire then the GM certainly needs all practice they can get and they should do more of such scenes! To give context to why we are even doing this at all! Action without reason seems narratively rather pointless to me. Not specific emotion. Some emotion. Perhaps...

Yes, but it is an actual interaction and not just passively watching one, which makes it more personal. What other way? By narrating the situation dramatically? But the same objection can be raised, the average GM is not a professional author or narrator either. Ultimately you somehow need to...

I really don't see how it is less effective in an RPG. If anything, I think it more effective as the players are directly interacting with the NPCs via their characters. Now you don't need to frontload all of this in the beginning of the adventure, NPCs affected by the situation can also be met...

That certainly happens too. But checks or rules are not required for a scene to have objective, stakes or consequences. It should be rather obvious that a conversation can have all of these, and indeed regularly do both in fiction and in the real life.

Free roleplay is to get to know the situation and the NPCs. It does not need to be "recruited at the tavern" that is very basic, but I think the thematic and emotional connection to the events is better, if the players actually interact with the people. Like if you need to save a princess from...

I think this is really weird thing to say. I think this sort of roleplay is the best way to establish the stakes so that they have actual emotional weight. And of course it can have consequences too, you do not need rules for that.

Even if the the likely outcome of the roleplayed scenes is that the characters pick up the quest and head to the dungeon/haunted castle/etc, I think that it is usually worth playing it rather than just skipping directly to the "adventure location." The roleplaying is important for establishing...