This is something I've noticed about my DM style with D&D primarily, but I've found it to be true with other system iterations (such as Pathfinder).
I've GMed and played a variety of systems lately, including Gamma World, Star Wars, Savage Rifts, Monster of the Week, and Call of Cthulhu. Of those systems, all seemed to handle free-form, episodic structure better than D&D. The party seems free to go "off the rails" and explore the world. The stories seemed faster paced.
I was talking to my fiancee about this. She mentioned that it's because D&D tends to epic storylines. Maybe there is a built-in assumption that a group should strive for a 1-20 campaign. Level progression is slow. Story progression is slow. My last campaign I ran to conclusion was Tomb of Annihilation, and about a year of play was slogging through the same dungeon for so long that the players could barely remember why they undertook the mission.
What are your thoughts?
I've GMed and played a variety of systems lately, including Gamma World, Star Wars, Savage Rifts, Monster of the Week, and Call of Cthulhu. Of those systems, all seemed to handle free-form, episodic structure better than D&D. The party seems free to go "off the rails" and explore the world. The stories seemed faster paced.
I was talking to my fiancee about this. She mentioned that it's because D&D tends to epic storylines. Maybe there is a built-in assumption that a group should strive for a 1-20 campaign. Level progression is slow. Story progression is slow. My last campaign I ran to conclusion was Tomb of Annihilation, and about a year of play was slogging through the same dungeon for so long that the players could barely remember why they undertook the mission.
What are your thoughts?