Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Novem5er" data-source="post: 4969876" data-attributes="member: 57859">I find that boxed text in modules is usually only cursorily listened to by players. They listen once for any CRITICAL information (dragon... treasure... orc horde, etc) but the details are tuned out. Inevitably I have to repeat all the details  multiple times, in different words, so that all of the players get it.Still, not all players hate it. I find that older players like it, I think because it gives a structure to the game that is reminenscent of older editions, while I think younger players ignore it due to many combinations of factors.However, a few months ago I did something kind of neat. A particular evening of adventuring had a spooky, alien setting and I wanted to really portray a sense of mystery and isolation. Since my past narrative descriptions had been constantly interrupted by questions, jokes, or comments, I decided to try something completely different.Before the adventure, I wrote out several descriptive "scenes" using just a few sentences each. Then, I printed a copy for each player, cut them out, and handed them out during the adventure when the scenes arrived.I asked all players to hold their comments until everyone signaled they were done reading. It worked brilliantly and most everyone loved it. My descriptions were more vivid because I put extra thought into them (instead of winging it like I usually do). Also, the solo reading kept the table quiet, let everyone absorb the info at their own pace, and the silence really added to the sense of alien isolation I was going for.Since the players were literally on the Dark Side of Selune... it was great!I haven't done it since then, but I do try to write little descriptive "snippets" for certain scenes. I find that I often dont read these snippets word for word to the players, but the simple act of writing them down ahead of time really helps me deliver them more naturally, and from memory, than if I had just winged it.</blockquote>

Verification