A game that happens entirely through verbal communication

[ThirdWizard]

This is something like it would run in my game:

DM: You see a skeleton covered in leaves. His skull is smashed open, and he was probably some kind of adventurer or solder in life, as you can tell by the various equipment he has around him, including a sword and shield.

PC: I poke it with a stick.

DM: *sigh* He does not rise and try to kill you.

PC: Are you sure? I poke some more.

DM: Still no rising nor killing.

PC: I cast detect magic.

DM: The shield glows magically.

PC: I pick up the shield using a cloth so I don't actually touch it and place it into my bag of holding.

 

[Janx]

Quas brings up the major problem with how DM's describe encounters and locations. 3e tries to help with Search and Spot checks, but even still...

Here's the methods I try to employ:

when a PC enters a room, describe all the obvious things (that is, not hidden or blocked):
threats (nobody misses the dragon in the middel of the bedroom)
exits (when you enter a room, you usually want to leave eventually)
furniture (PCs would interact more with the environment, if it was described to them before the fight)
obvious valuables (PCs notice gold, I notice the TV in your living room)

You might do spot checks for anything else that is sitting out that the PCs might want to use (presumably in the fight, or to fight for). This would include secrets and hidden things, as well as items laying in sight, but not the center of attention (I assume all eyes are on the dragon).

Once the threat is gone, assuming the party lingers (aka, doesn't run out the door). Spot checks are in order for all the hidden/concealed stuff (that which is detectable if one looks in the right direction. It'll take search checks or spoken command to find anything that is INSIDE of something else (desk drawers, under mattresses). I assume that saying "I search the desk" or "I search the room" or "I open all the drawers" to be pretty much the same thing (though a direct command to look under the mattress where the money IS, should always yield success). I would also lump in trap searches with this. The rogue is ALWAYS looking for traps. If they fail to find the trap, it must be because they got too hasty, and describe it as such.

As a GM, the Spot skill is used to alert the PCs of anything that isn't obvious. The PC doesn't actively spot. It's just a measure of their ability to see everything in the scene with attention to detail.

The Search skill is used to summarize examining everything in an area, rather than making the player state every drawer he looks into. Once again, it's a measure of attention to detail. Failing the roll (and missing something), basically means they weren't paying close attention, or were not thorough enough.

You can observe this phenomenon in the kitchen by asking someone to hand you the oregano (or other spice) that you know is in the cabinet.