Description in "boxed text"

[Quasqueton]

Which of these descriptions to be read as “boxed text” is better?

Example A

The large room is lined with shelves of dark wood, containing many books and scrolls. The floor is covered in an ornate carpet, and a crystal chandelier hangs from the center of the domed ceiling. Plush chairs and heavy tables and desks have been pushed to the edges of the room, leaving the center an open area. A dozen orcs and a pair of ogres, all standing in the cleared center of the chamber, stop arguing and turn to look at you with dark annoyance in their expressions.

DM note: The orcs and ogres will immediately recognize the party as invaders, and so unless given reason not to, will move to attack.

Example B

A dozen armed and armored orcs and a pair of ogres with spiked clubs, standing in the center of the chamber, stop arguing and turn to look at you with dark annoyance in their expressions. The large room is lined with shelves of dark wood, containing many books and scrolls. The floor is covered in an ornate carpet, and a crystal chandelier hangs from the center of the domed ceiling. Plush chairs and heavy tables and desks have been pushed to the edges of the room, leaving the center an open area.

DM note: The orcs and ogres will immediately recognize the party as invaders, and so unless given reason not to, will move to attack.

Quasqueton

 

[Seeker95]

I voted Other.

I prefer this:

As soon as the party enters the room, read this aloud:

A dozen armed and armored orcs and a pair of ogres with spiked clubs, standing in the center of the chamber, stop arguing and turn to look at you with dark annoyance in their expressions.

The orcs and ogres immediately attack, unless quickly given a reason not to.

When the battle allows time for further observation, read this aloud:

The large room is lined with shelves of dark wood, containing many books and scrolls. The floor is covered in an ornate carpet, and a crystal chandelier hangs from the center of the domed ceiling. Plush chairs and heavy tables and desks have been pushed to the edges of the room, leaving the center an open area.

A combat encounter has immediate combat observations first, and other observations come after that. Immediate combat observations tend to revolve around your opponents. The PC that wants to be concerned with environment observations can announce so, whether to look for environment advantage, or to get a jump on the looting.

 

[Wystan]

I agree with option C.

 

[Vorput]

I agree with option C.

I think me too... of the two though, I liked B more... I tended to focus a bit more on the description once I knew there was going to be a battle... made me start looking for something to help in what was coming up, or some clue to what these creatures are there for.

Option A left me glossing over the description, and being surprised by the battle... As a PC, though, it's often hard for me to concentrate on boxed text with my full attention... heck, even when I DM sometimes.

Vorp

 

[ThirdWizard]

I don't like Option C at all. It doesn't let the PCs know where they are. They open a door and fight. Where? What's the room like they're fighting in? How big is the room? Are there obstructions in the room? Anything they can use to their advantage? What's the context of the fight? It gives nothing, its just a bland fight with some bad guys.

Option B is my favorite overall. It gives information in an order that the PCs would process it. The first thing you would notice in the room is the people. The second thing would be the room itself. It flows nicely. I hate descriptions that go into detail about a room and then add in the creatures in the room as almost an off hand remark that was almost forgotten

 

[DragonLancer]

I voted for option A. It lets the players know the rooms layout and that they have X opponents to deal with.

Option B just feels wrong. Room description then monster description reads better.

Option C doesn't let the players know where they are or whats around them.

 

[Henry]

I'm more Option C, but between the two, Option B is the better. As Seeker95 said, immediate actions and threats are the first thing one notices. Appreciating the color of the wood, or the ornateness of the carpet are secondary to the big honkin' orcs and ogres in the room (immediate threat). If I walk into the library and someone has a bomb strapped on his chest, I'm not even going to process that there are BOOKS there, much less anything else.

 

[Quasqueton]

Does reading the description (as is the only option for presentation here) make a difference compared to hearing the description (as would be the method in an actual game)?

What if instead of "turn to look at you with dark annoyance in their expressions", the orcs and ogres "turn to look at you, and then they grab their weapons and charge". Would that make a difference with how the description is ordered?

A dozen armed and armored orcs and a pair of ogres with spiked clubs, standing in the center of the chamber, stop arguing and turn to look at you, and then they grab their weapons and charge. The large room is lined with shelves of dark wood, containing many books and scrolls. The floor is covered in an ornate carpet, and a crystal chandelier hangs from the center of the domed ceiling. Plush chairs and heavy tables and desks have been pushed to the edges of the room, leaving the center an open area.

DM note: The orcs and ogres will immediately recognize the party as invaders, and so unless given reason not to, will move to attack.

Quasqueton

 

[Quasqueton]

The PC that wants to be concerned with environment observations can announce so, whether to look for environment advantage, or to get a jump on the looting.

Maybe the wizard wouldn’t throw a fireball if he knew books and scrolls were in the room. Maybe the rogue would like to use the furniture for sneaking around behind the enemies. Maybe the archer would like to use the furniture for cover.

Are you saying that the Player must prompt the DM to give info on the environment? Wouldn’t this bog down play? Would you tell them if there was another door on the other side of the room, from which reinforcements might come?

I’m just asking for clarification.

Quasqueton

 

[ThirdWizard]

I don't see how denoting NPC combat actions in boxed text could ever be considered a good thing.