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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jeff Wilder" data-source="post: 4969576" data-attributes="member: 5122">I think boxed text is fantastic for a beginning DM and beginning players, because even if the writer of the text isn't a better writer than the DM, the writer usually has a clear visualization of the scene and a clear understanding of what needs to be conveyed.  It also, when done well, serves as an example of how to engage all of the PCs' senses.On the other hand, boxed text does tend to break immersion for us as experienced players.  (One thing I do as a player that tends to help keep this from happening, BTW, is actually close my eyes and "paint" the scene as my DM describes it.  Give it a try ... you might be surprised how much it can add to immersion.)What I've been doing in my own adventures -- especially those intended for other DMs, such as the game I ran at GenCon -- is to begin any encounter are with a list of sensory hooks.  (I try to use at least three or four senses in any area.)For example, in a caravanserai scene, for "Hooks," I'd write something like: "The smell of animal sweat and manure; the creaking of harnesses and ungreased axles; the shouting and darting from place to place of caravan personnel; mud underfoot; the sun breaking over the east gates."From this any competent DM can tell what the atmosphere of the place is, and weave the hooks into the description, whether paraphrasing or inserting them verbatim.I find that this keeps many of the benefits of boxed text, while eliminating the "let's wait for the DM to finish reading" aspect of it.Remember, there is no save against boxed text! (Apologies to whomever, whose sig I stole that from.  It's become a running joke at our table.)</blockquote>

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