Describing things to players

[dreaded_beast]

When I describe things to my players, I want to give them enough information that they can form their own picture of what I am describing, but not too much that they get bored and start looking at the clock as I am describing something.

What are the key elements that you focus on when describing things to players?

 

[Hand of Evil]

A picture is worth a 1000 words and today you can find them everywhere, download and print and say this is what you see.

Monsters: Size, number of legs, common animal referance (man/dog/oxen/lizard/bird) fur/scales color. You see a large forest green two legged scaled man-like creaute, it has a long tail and is carriing weapons... You see a dog-sized grey/brown six legged lizard...

Objects/locations - I try to do 25 to 50 words, general size, what general object it looks like, lighting, noise, smell. The item looks like a staff made of metal, one end is a craved statue of a wingless dragon, down the shaft is cravered runes, it is heavy in your hands and not very balanced. Your torch lights up the room, it is small, you could cross it in three steps, their is a damn musk smell in the air, a door is across from you...

Order of things:
...Light/color
...general size
...Special Feature
...then detail if asked

Also, list of common things players would know in the world for reference: pilliar, oxen, wagons, lenght of a persons forearm, columns/pillars, kettle, bucket, wood axe, horse, dragon...

 

[the Jester]

One thing I find always helps with vivid descriptions is to reference at least two senses. Yeah, talk about how it looks, but also mention the stink of the monster's breath, or the thick musky smell of its lair, or the strange scrabbling sounds its claws make as they carry it across the gravel.

 

[Timeboxer]

I have to admit that I really like it when the descriptions in the adventures I buy have lines for every sense: sight, sound, taste, touch, smell. I really should emulate this for my normal descriptions, but haven't yet gotten 'round to it.

 

[yennico]

A picture is worth a 1000 words and today you can find them everywhere, download and print and say this is what you see.

But for printing a colored image you need a color printer.
For monsters do not use the images from the MMs because some players know the weaknesses, stats, etc. of this particular monsters because they are also GMs.

 

[Hand of Evil]

But for printing a colored image you need a color printer.
For monsters do not use the images from the MMs because some players know the weaknesses, stats, etc. of this particular monsters because they are also GMs.

Yep, I dislike that they do but for objects and locations a great tool, even in black and white.

 

[Torm]

Ever played any Infocom games? (Zork, Enchanter, Planetfall, etc.) That's my approach - give the players a fairly brief description with any essentials (like, "the ceiling looks unstable") when they enter a new area, and then leave specific detail information for when they ask questions. I don't bore them (at least, I hope I don't) with longwinded narratives, and it allows me to let the players miss minute (but key) details if they don't ask...

 

[Torm]

For monsters do not use the images from the MMs because some players know the weaknesses, stats, etc. of this particular monsters because they are also GMs.

Penalize them for using this knowledge in game without a successful Knowledge (Dungeoneering) check.

 

[DarrenGMiller]

Try to reference an odor with which the players are familiar. The sense of smell brings the strongest association. Sounds also help bring the scene alive. I often use sounds in my descriptions and sound effects at the table if practical.

DM

 

[Munin]

This is without doubt one of the core skills necessary for a good GM.
On a post-it write down the 5 (or 6) senses and stick it to the inside of your screen. Refer to it often.

I follow the 'brief description at first but detailed as they ask questions' camp.

Here's a funny aside:
One of my players was running a game and described a scene in which there was a cow in the middle of a field. For some reason the players clung to the notion that this cow was a critical plot element, and barraged my friend with numerous questions, even casting spells to see if it was polymorphed.
Finally, after about half an hour, he threw up his hands and yelled out, 'Dude! It's just a cow!'

So now, if at any point during the game someone gets hung-up on a piece of 'flavor text', I can just lean over and say 'it's just a cow man, let it go.'