D&D 5E A Sense of Wonder in 5E

[TarionzCousin]

As such, the only way to bring about a sense of wonder is to ensure the ignorance of the gamer - by constantly releasing novel ideas.

Which is the exact opposite of the current direction.

If it's a tradeoff between a sense of wonder and a well-planned, heavily playtested, fun game, I'll take the fun.

 

[howandwhy99]

Magic requires engaging with the unknown. It can be horrific, it can be awe inspiring, it can be wonderful. With all of the multiple styles they are trying to incorporate in D&Dn I think puzzle design is the best bet for bringing this aspect in. Fresh material unknown to the players follows after that, be it spell, magic item, monster, trap, setting, characters, situation, or whatever.

 

[Endur]

Magic requires engaging with the unknown. It can be horrific, it can be awe inspiring, it can be wonderful. With all of the multiple styles they are trying to incorporate in D&Dn I think puzzle design is the best bet for bringing this aspect in. Fresh material unknown to the players follows after that, be it spell, magic item, monster, trap, setting, characters, situation, or whatever.

THis post and the other posts above do a good job of talking about the issue.

We need our adventure to include "FANTASY". The unknown, puzzles, fresh material, etc.

Try to avoid being captured by rules.

And try to avoid the endless character design issue.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Right now I think 5E carries with it a huge sens of wonder. As in "I wonder what they're going to do?"

Frankly, I hope they don't release it -- it's more fun speculating on what they might do. Once the game it released all sense of wonder will be destroyed.

 

[Quickleaf]

I have lots of wonder in my games, and I'm 31 and began with the red box in 1986. Still have it playing 4e. I think that's part of role-playing, wonder is baked in to the players not knowing what the DM is going to throw at them, and the DM not knowing how the players will respond. And sometimes vice versa!

"Sense of wonder" reminds me of the Planescape boxed set which listed it alongside gold & glory, long-term objectives, and theme as the reasons for adventuring.

 

[I'm A Banana]

1. Limiting Knowledge. Start small. Introduce more mysteries than can be solved. Constantly extrapolate. Suggest more than you show.
2. Go random. Surprise comes from not knowing the outcome ahead of time. The less you know, the more potential for amazement there is.
3. Become incalculable. Once something can be codified and understood, it is less wonderful. Violate expectations.

That's the handy short list of what you need to do to help create a sense of wonder.

It's a playstyle thing, but mechanics can reinforce it. The more codified, exacting, detailed, and fiddly a mechanic is, the less potential there is for limiting knowledge, productively randomizing, and freely violating expectations. Not impossible, o'course, just less organic, natural outgrowth of it.

 

[Savage Wombat]

I have lots of wonder in my games, and I'm 31 and began with the red box in 1986.

Mind you, everything can have a sense of wonder when you're six...

 

[Quickleaf]

Mind you, everything can have a sense of wonder when you're six...

And it's going strong in my 30's! I've just more refined tastes now. And, uh, a dirtier sense of humor...

 

[am181d]

I mostly look to the DM and the campaign setting to provide a sense of wonder.

 

[Incenjucar]

If it's a tradeoff between a sense of wonder and a well-planned, heavily playtested, fun game, I'll take the fun.

There is no such trade off.

The "wonder" of old games is mostly in the novel settings and the optional rules. It's all about discovery.