Daggerheart "Description on Demand" a GM DON'T

[zakael19]

My example was extreme to point out its flaws. Even reasonable players will give themselves an edge (even a slight one) when given the opportunity.

No, they won't, if they're engaging with teh game the way it exhorts them to engage with it. It presents a player agenda and principles for a reason. If your players can't bring themselves to be honest brokers in creating an engaging and dramatic narrative with each other and the GM, don't play this game.

I don't think the proposition is that it happens in "every room". It is a tool, like any other, that the GM can leverage to engage players and fill in the world and maybe give themselves some breathing room.

Must be harvest season from the amount of straw men being constructed in this thread.

 

[Emerikol]

And I find DMing where I have to describe everything about every situation and just have the players listen to me often tedious.

Where does that leave us, other than we’d be better off not playing the same systems or types of games?

A good DM is not making it up on the spot. A good DM details the adventure and the world ahead of time.

And yes, if you really like narrative mechanics then you should pursue those kinds of groups and games. I am always very up front about my position on various issues prior to the start of a campaign. One, I don't like wasting people's time including mine. Two, I want to attract players who embrace the same playstyle I do.

Edit:
I had a player tell me once that my campaign was unlike most of the ones he played in. He said the whole group felt that way. To them, my world felt like it was real. That is my goal!

 

[cranberry]

And I find DMing where I have to describe everything about every situation and just have the players listen to me often tedious.

Where does that leave us, other than we’d be better off not playing the same systems or types of games?

I just give a general description of the room, and let the players initiate a request for further details. That's part of exploration that is on the shoulders of the players.

 

[TiQuinn]

I think having to fill in the gaps for every room or encounter would start getting tedious after a while for most people. The novelty of this approach would wear off rather quickly.

I think if you play D&D (as an example) one way, and then attempt to do a 180-degree pivot and play this style without resetting expectations or reviewing how play is supposed to occur, sure - it's not going work well. But then none of the rules in D&D really support this style of play. In the cases where I've played this, it's been with a Forged in the Dark based game. The mechanics of that game are totally different from a class based system. In all cases, the description had to be linked to something in the character's background or something that had already been established in game, i.e. there are still guard rails on it, not to mention ultimately the GM still calls for rolls to determine if actions succeed or not. The idea of a Rod of Seven Parts in such a system really doesn't exist.

 

[cranberry]

If your players can't bring themselves to be honest brokers in creating an engaging and dramatic narrative with each other and the GM, don't play this game.

Yep, we've decided to try Draw Steel tonight.

 

[TwoSix]

A good DM is not making it up on the spot. A good DM details the adventure and the world ahead of time.

Making strong normative statements is a great way to end up on people's ignore lists. Just an FYI.

Edit:
I had a player tell me once that my campaign was unlike most of the ones he played in. He said the whole group felt that way. To them, my world felt like it was real. That is my goal!

Grats?

 

[zakael19]

Making strong normative statements is a great way to end up on people's ignore lists. Just an FYI.


Grats?

We’re about to retread 300 pages of the Conservative D&D Players thread here.

 

[TwoSix]

My example was extreme to point out its flaws. Even reasonable players will give themselves an edge (even a slight one) when given the opportunity.

And? If you're playing that game, the point of the gameplay is to generate interesting narratives, not to win a challenge.

Having an edge is pointless for that style of play.

 

[zakael19]

Yep, we've decided to try Draw Steel tonight.

It sounds cool! I’d like to try it sometime, the Delian Tomb adventure book really impressed me with its content.

 

[Emerikol]

Making strong normative statements is a great way to end up on people's ignore lists. Just an FYI.


Grats?

You can always put "in my opinion" in front of everything I say. It is tiresome and bad English. And no, I don't mind a bit if you enjoy different things. I don't dislike you for it or think less of you for it. I just like what I like. When I describe how things affect me, I'm speaking from experience and that does not mean it affects you the same way.

I guess I need a signature to this effect.