D&D (2024) DMG 2024: Is The Sandbox Campaign Dead?
- Thread starter Reynard
- Start date
Paul Farquhar
Legend
These games are very different. Cyberpunk is a largely contiguous city, with a main plot (somewhat less linear than Witcher 3) and a lot of simplistic stand alone side quests. BG3 is a series of compact areas crammed with highly detailed and varied side quests, most of which tie into the main quest in some way.
What’s the bang for your buck though? I’ve heard glowing reviews for the Lore Glossary and the ease of use. How much do you really think you’ll get out a sandbox section in the DMG? If it’s important enough, does it deserve its own book?
My hope? They have something not called DMG 2 (because that's confusing) but still aimed at intermediate and experienced DMs. Perhaps a topic for a separate thread would be what to add.
Yes, I agree, if the loe is important, it deserves its own book. get it out of my DMG and include things like encounter tables, faction guidelines and other sandbox supporting material.
Stormonu
NeoGrognard
I think we've had this discussion (and difference of opinion) of terms before.What you're describing as open world, I think I'd term trail. You can go "off trail" and do what your want or there are multiple paths you can take - but they have specific points you still have to hit. Not as rigid as a railroad, but not a sandbox either.
So once again, we've just reached the same point of "You have X number of pages in this book, you have to cut something, and someone's gonna be upset because the thing they think is more important than the thing the other person thinks is important was the thing that got cut."
I think the lore glossary was a good idea, there's a tendency for people who have been with the hobby for a while (not just grognards) to make references to a lot of things. Heck, the modules and core books make such references on a regular basis. It's hard for someone who has been playing for years just how intimidating not knowing anything at all about D&D or it's history can be.
Reading a lot of things about D&D can feel like the following for people new to the game
yes. In this case, I think it is because giving new DMs advice for running more than one style of game is significantly more valuable than giving them a lore dump, especially considering that there is an example setting in the DMG (which, by the way, I think is a good idea).
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