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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 8327540" data-attributes="member: 6801845">The reasons I have random tables is because I lead very player-driven games and rely on improv a lot (not saying you do or don't one way or another).&nbsp; So if they talk to a random guy on the street, they probably don't get a name unless they ask.&nbsp; But if they decide to go to the deputy of the waste removal department and I realize that I could tie him in to the rest of the story in an interesting way, I want a name. It's just a different perspective, sometimes the decisions of the players take on a direction I never could have expected but that gives me an opportunity to ad-hoc add things in.&nbsp; To me, that's an advantage to having a real DM instead of a computer game.&nbsp; I don't have to think of everything ahead of time; also one of the reasons I prefer in-person games instead of online.Ultimately though, I'm just lazy.&nbsp; I don't want to come up with as many outlines as you indicate because much of the time they won't come into play but something I didn't think of will.&nbsp; Different strokes for different folks and all.&nbsp; I will note that I do my best to never let the players know when I'm using a random table, I just say that I need to check my notes as I pick a name and mark it as used.&nbsp; Some of my most memorable NPCs and locations have started this way.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 8327540, member: 6801845"] The reasons I have random tables is because I lead very player-driven games and rely on improv a lot (not saying you do or don't one way or another). So if they talk to a random guy on the street, they probably don't get a name unless they ask. But if they decide to go to the deputy of the waste removal department and I realize that I could tie him in to the rest of the story in an interesting way, I want a name. It's just a different perspective, sometimes the decisions of the players take on a direction I never could have expected but that gives me an opportunity to ad-hoc add things in. To me, that's an advantage to having a real DM instead of a computer game. I don't have to think of everything ahead of time; also one of the reasons I prefer in-person games instead of online. Ultimately though, I'm just lazy. I don't want to come up with as many outlines as you indicate because much of the time they won't come into play but something I didn't think of will. Different strokes for different folks and all. I will note that I do my best to never let the players know when I'm using a random table, I just say that I need to check my notes as I pick a name and mark it as used. Some of my most memorable NPCs and locations have started this way. [/QUOTE]

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