Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="jgsugden" data-source="post: 8695188" data-attributes="member: 2629">Please read my response(s) again and think about it.&nbsp; I do not say that every little element is planned in fine detail. I go out of my way to say that you can't prepare for everything and you have to find the way to strike the good balance.&nbsp; Having a sensible plan is what that third DM does.&nbsp; The floor to get into that third tier is to think things through as you build rather than build on the fly.This is about telling stories that make sense across the board, where you have enough preparation to make sure that the stuff you're throwing at the party makes sense.&nbsp; That does not require you to plan out every thread on a carpet in a Robert Jordan-esque tome for each session.&nbsp; It requires you to make a plan, execute on a plan, and make sure that as you build your dungeon/adventure, in advance, you take the time to make sure it makes sense.&nbsp; Look through the examples I've listed.&nbsp; Look at the comments I've made about the differences in what preparation might be.&nbsp; A 'DM 3' might spend 6 hours preparing for a 4 hour session, or they might spend 1.&nbsp; They might have all the stats printed out for the monsters or look them up as they go.&nbsp; They might write everything down or have it in their head.&nbsp; The key is that they're thinking it through.The PCs are hunting for a bandit leader and the DM has decided the bandits are in a cave complex 2 days outside town.&nbsp; Why?&nbsp; What made that location appeal to the bandits?&nbsp; Is it a natural cave?&nbsp; Did they take it from other creatures? Is it in the mountains, a valley, a forest or somewhere else?&nbsp; Can they cart supplies there?&nbsp; If not, how do they get supplies? What is the story about how they arrived there?&nbsp; How long does it take to think that through?&nbsp; Maybe a few minutes.&nbsp; However, if you do, then you have ideas on what to do and how to build the dungeon in a way that supports that story and makes the location make sense to a group of players.&nbsp; That results in a far superior product than deciding the bandit leader's chamber in the cave will be the last one the PCs find and letting them randomly explore a Nethack-esque complex of caves that you place as they encounter them.&nbsp; Folks - there is a reason they give you maps and story around the dungeons you find in good prepublished adventures.&nbsp; They're doing this work for you.&nbsp; It is a fairly universal good thing.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="jgsugden, post: 8695188, member: 2629"] Please read my response(s) again and think about it. I do not say that every little element is planned in fine detail. I go out of my way to say that you can't prepare for everything and you have to find the way to strike the good balance. Having a sensible plan is what that third DM does. The floor to get into that third tier is to think things through as you build rather than build on the fly. This is about telling stories that make sense across the board, where you have enough preparation to make sure that the stuff you're throwing at the party makes sense. That does not require you to plan out every thread on a carpet in a Robert Jordan-esque tome for each session. It requires you to make a plan, execute on a plan, and make sure that as you build your dungeon/adventure, in advance, you take the time to make sure it makes sense. Look through the examples I've listed. Look at the comments I've made about the differences in what preparation might be. A 'DM 3' might spend 6 hours preparing for a 4 hour session, or they might spend 1. They might have all the stats printed out for the monsters or look them up as they go. They might write everything down or have it in their head. The key is that they're thinking it through. The PCs are hunting for a bandit leader and the DM has decided the bandits are in a cave complex 2 days outside town. Why? What made that location appeal to the bandits? Is it a natural cave? Did they take it from other creatures? Is it in the mountains, a valley, a forest or somewhere else? Can they cart supplies there? If not, how do they get supplies? What is the story about how they arrived there? How long does it take to think that through? Maybe a few minutes. However, if you do, then you have ideas on what to do and how to build the dungeon in a way that supports that story and makes the location make sense to a group of players. That results in a far superior product than deciding the bandit leader's chamber in the cave will be the last one the PCs find and letting them randomly explore a Nethack-esque complex of caves that you place as they encounter them. Folks - there is a reason they give you maps and story around the dungeons you find in good prepublished adventures. They're doing this work for you. It is a fairly universal good thing. [/QUOTE]

Verification