A detailed town in the DMG: your preference?

[BryonD]

I've no doubt this poll will be overwhelming yes.

Have another poll in 2 years asking how much use people got out of the town. You'll get a very different result. I'd wager that half the people who say "yes" now would end up saying "I wanted a town, but I didn't want it the way they did it."

 

[SpiderMonkey]

I think they should have one in there not only for new DMs, but for me to crib ideas from, and see some of the new principles/assumptions in working context.

The key word here is "detailed." I don't think it should eat up too much page space, and I don't really need to know how many hit points the blacksmith's daughter has. Give me some flavor and NPCs (in broad brushstrokes), give me the local monster holes (and perhaps a brief sample one, at that), and suggestions for a shady local conspiracy and I'm a happy guy. I don't think this would require more than half a dozen pages at the *very* most.

 

[BryonD]

Sorry you were stunned. I didn't mean read your comment with any scope. The names "Players Handbook" and "Dungeon Master's Guide" can have a connotation that doesn't describe what you're saying. Perhaps they should call the books "DnD rules" and "DnD Starter Guide" or something like that.

I am also boggled by the sudden consensus redefinition of what the DMG is supposed to be.

I can not ever recall anyone saying that the DMG was about being a beginner's guide to gaming. I know people will point to the dungeon example in the old DMG. But I've never heard anyone describe that book as new-player friendly. To the contrary, it could be downright new player hostile.

 

[The Lost Muse]

Sample Town?

First off, any poll including FNORD as a response should be multiple choice. And open. Seriously. Fnord.

Secondly, I would be very interested in having a town in the DMG. I have used the locations from the (admittedly few) modules I have purchased, moving from Hommlett (RTTOEE) to Freeport to Bluffside to Sharn to Ptolus. I love having the locations and denizens detailed so that I can focus on plot and action! Having a sample location gives me a ready made base, so I can spend my prep time on those things I enjoy.

 

[tenkar]

4 to 6 pages for the town would be the perfect size IMHO.

The Dungeon Master's Guide is, I assume, a book meant to "guide" DM's both old and new in the art of DM'ing. Rules and tools for DMs should be in such a book... a sample town is a useful tool.

Maybe some dogs believe they are too old to learn a new trick... I've been playing and DMing since 1980 so and I still find myself learning new tricks

 

[Cadfan]

I think that a DMG should, 1) teach the reader how to be a DM, and 2) provide tools to make being a DM easier.

I don't think this is controversial. My post pointed out that an example town gives me a tool as a DM, and will help newer DMs learn what makes a good town tick.

I haven't read the lengthy thread already up on this subject. Is my opinion somehow controversial? Is there some other resource that new DMs should reference?

 

[tenkar]

I am also boggled by the sudden consensus redefinition of what the DMG is supposed to be.

I can not ever recall anyone saying that the DMG was about being a beginner's guide to gaming. I know people will point to the dungeon example in the old DMG. But I've never heard anyone describe that book as new-player friendly. To the contrary, it could be downright new player hostile.

I've yet to see a DMG labeled "Experienced Gamers Only! This Product is of Little Use to Those New to Gaming or Game Mastering... Please Spend Your Money Elsewhere!"

Seriously, if the plan is to release new PHs, DMGs, and MMs yearly the early releases SHOULD be newbie friendly. I expect the new DMG to be about half crunch and half fluff (DMing advice and such)... especially with the dependence on magical items (and their page count) being greatly reduced.

 

[Wormwood]

Sorry you were stunned. I didn't mean read your comment with any scope. The names "Players Handbook" and "Dungeon Master's Guide" can have a connotation that doesn't describe what you're saying. Perhaps they should call the books "DnD rules" and "DnD Starter Guide" or something like that.

Are you trying to claim that the term "Dungeon Master' is somehow indicative of actual mastery?

 

[gizmo33]

I love having the locations and denizens detailed so that I can focus on plot and action!

Me too. I love having handy adventures when I don't have ideas. I like decent-sized crystal dice. Good players enhance my gaming enjoyment. A battle mat, some miniatures, and a bag of candy corn would rock too.

Sorry, I get carried away. What was I talking about? Oh yea, the DMG. Maybe that should just be a guide for Dungeon Masters. Forget the candy corn.

 

[gizmo33]

Are you trying to claim that the term "Dungeon Master' is somehow indicative of actual mastery?

No. I'm a minimalist (that's not a character class). Paradoxically, while I am unusually strong, I don't like showing that off by carrying around a bunch of stuff to gaming sessions that I don't use. A sample town in the DMG is probably something that 50% of my players will have read. Now I could cannibalize it for ideas and rework the ideas to be unrecognized, but I could do the same with the umpteen other town settings that I already own. I doubt any town setting they publish is going to be some monumental achievement in game design.

I like the idea of the module, and I think it should be revisited in this case. If WotC is really hurting for material that would be more appropriate for a core Dungeon Master's Guide, then I really have a bad feeling about this.

Most likely a town setting is going to sit in my book and get in my way when I'm trying to find the condition summary. If I was a real dungeon Master, I'd probably have the condition summary memorized.