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4e modules and lack of empty space
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<blockquote data-quote="WizarDru" data-source="post: 4589490" data-attributes="member: 151"><p>Hear, hear!</p><p></p><p>In my group, we use certain phrases as short-hand. Non-essential details that aren't worth valuable play time to enumerate are generally called 'torch issues'. Which is to say, "<em>do we have enough torches?</em>" or "<em>who is carrying the torch</em>" are questions only rarely asked because unless they are immediately relevant, they waste play time and have the opportunity cost of more engaging story or combat sequences. My group are not simulationists and care little for the minutia of that kind of play.</p><p></p><p>Similarly, we have a running gag taken from the "Forge of Fury", which we refer to as "<em>1d4 pieces of broken furniture</em>". Specifically that there are a bunch of rooms in FoF that feature that exact information...and they are boring and time-wasting. We now reference that phrase when using canned modules...."<em>OK, this room looks like it might have been the sleeping quarters of those goblins you fought. There's only a couple of piles of hay and a make-shift privy. You check the room and find 1d4 pieces of broken furniture. Moving on....</em>"</p><p></p><p>My point being that relatively featureless rooms may make sense, from a meta standpoint, but can be (though by no means have to be) wastes of a gaming group's time. It follows the same ideas as placing too many traps in a dungeon in otherwise non-noteworthy places; the classic example is that of the 10' pole and timid players now crawling by a snail's pace, checking for pit traps at every turn. It may be logical or realistic, but it's also a fun-killer, overall.</p><p></p><p>Empty rooms have a place...but a dungeon full of meaningful encounters does, as well. And it's generally easier to subtract content from a module than to inject it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WizarDru, post: 4589490, member: 151"] Hear, hear! In my group, we use certain phrases as short-hand. Non-essential details that aren't worth valuable play time to enumerate are generally called 'torch issues'. Which is to say, "[i]do we have enough torches?[/i]" or "[i]who is carrying the torch[/i]" are questions only rarely asked because unless they are immediately relevant, they waste play time and have the opportunity cost of more engaging story or combat sequences. My group are not simulationists and care little for the minutia of that kind of play. Similarly, we have a running gag taken from the "Forge of Fury", which we refer to as "[i]1d4 pieces of broken furniture[/i]". Specifically that there are a bunch of rooms in FoF that feature that exact information...and they are boring and time-wasting. We now reference that phrase when using canned modules...."[i]OK, this room looks like it might have been the sleeping quarters of those goblins you fought. There's only a couple of piles of hay and a make-shift privy. You check the room and find 1d4 pieces of broken furniture. Moving on....[/i]" My point being that relatively featureless rooms may make sense, from a meta standpoint, but can be (though by no means have to be) wastes of a gaming group's time. It follows the same ideas as placing too many traps in a dungeon in otherwise non-noteworthy places; the classic example is that of the 10' pole and timid players now crawling by a snail's pace, checking for pit traps at every turn. It may be logical or realistic, but it's also a fun-killer, overall. Empty rooms have a place...but a dungeon full of meaningful encounters does, as well. And it's generally easier to subtract content from a module than to inject it. [/QUOTE]
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