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General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Different philosophies concerning Rules Heavy and Rule Light RPGs.
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<blockquote data-quote="hawkeyefan" data-source="post: 9601822" data-attributes="member: 6785785"><p>And the reasons for those differences should be communicated to the players. If two chasms are similar and the conditions are similar (weather, space to run, terrain, etc.) then the DCs should be the same or at least very close to the same.</p><p></p><p>If the conditions are different such that the DC for the second chasm is higher, then that should he made clear to the players.</p><p></p><p>Personally, I just state the DC and tell them how I calculated it. I know some folks prefer not to tell the players the actual numbers for some reason, but at the very least the GM should share the factors that affect the DC. Something like “You’ve made similar jumps before but the recent rains have left the ground slick, and there are powerful wind gusts that could make jumping more dangerous”.</p><p></p><p>I mean, this is one of the basic functions of running the game.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>No one is talking about the same thing over and over. We’re talking about two instances that are very similar. It could be a pair of chasms, it could be two doors within the same structure, it could be two windows leading into a structure, two guards with similar dispositions… or any number of other things. There is plenty of this kind of stuff in an RPG, and it’s beneficial as a game to maintain consistency when needed.</p><p></p><p>To clarify, no one is saying that all chasms should be the same, or all doors or guards or what have you. But consistency is helpful for portraying these things to the players. It gives them a baseline of expectations from which they can then approach the situation.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I would suggest at least listening to people when they describe play that’s different from yours and not immediately characterizing it as some cartoonish version of what they’re saying.</p><p></p><p>It comes across as if you can’t understand that there are other ways to do things than the way you do them.</p><p></p><p>And maybe listening to some of these comments will lead to a better understanding of different views about gaming. Which then… maybe… will help you in dealing with your players who you’re always complaining about.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>See this is the kind of cartoonish description that does you no favors. Sharing information is not “holding the players’ hands”. It’s what the DM has to do for the game to work.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>What would you say a dungeon is in the terms of a game?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I would argue that in most cases, the characters would be aware of much more than of what they wouldn’t be aware.</p><p></p><p>I provide players with an abundance of information. That doesn’t mean I don’t withhold key unknown details. But what I don’t do is make them pixelbitch for every scrap of information, especially things that would he readily apparent to the characters.</p><p></p><p>As either a player or GM, there’s nothing I dislike more than the game bogging down as the players slowly try to guess the GM’s secret detail that will allow play to continue.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I didn’t comment on the abilities or magic of an enemy. Though I still would say you can probably share more details than you likely are. If an enemy has full plate and a shield and some kind of magic defense, you can describe all that and let the players know he has a high AC. Personally, I’d just say the AC because there’s nothing to be gained from withholding it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="hawkeyefan, post: 9601822, member: 6785785"] And the reasons for those differences should be communicated to the players. If two chasms are similar and the conditions are similar (weather, space to run, terrain, etc.) then the DCs should be the same or at least very close to the same. If the conditions are different such that the DC for the second chasm is higher, then that should he made clear to the players. Personally, I just state the DC and tell them how I calculated it. I know some folks prefer not to tell the players the actual numbers for some reason, but at the very least the GM should share the factors that affect the DC. Something like “You’ve made similar jumps before but the recent rains have left the ground slick, and there are powerful wind gusts that could make jumping more dangerous”. I mean, this is one of the basic functions of running the game. No one is talking about the same thing over and over. We’re talking about two instances that are very similar. It could be a pair of chasms, it could be two doors within the same structure, it could be two windows leading into a structure, two guards with similar dispositions… or any number of other things. There is plenty of this kind of stuff in an RPG, and it’s beneficial as a game to maintain consistency when needed. To clarify, no one is saying that all chasms should be the same, or all doors or guards or what have you. But consistency is helpful for portraying these things to the players. It gives them a baseline of expectations from which they can then approach the situation. I would suggest at least listening to people when they describe play that’s different from yours and not immediately characterizing it as some cartoonish version of what they’re saying. It comes across as if you can’t understand that there are other ways to do things than the way you do them. And maybe listening to some of these comments will lead to a better understanding of different views about gaming. Which then… maybe… will help you in dealing with your players who you’re always complaining about. See this is the kind of cartoonish description that does you no favors. Sharing information is not “holding the players’ hands”. It’s what the DM has to do for the game to work. What would you say a dungeon is in the terms of a game? I would argue that in most cases, the characters would be aware of much more than of what they wouldn’t be aware. I provide players with an abundance of information. That doesn’t mean I don’t withhold key unknown details. But what I don’t do is make them pixelbitch for every scrap of information, especially things that would he readily apparent to the characters. As either a player or GM, there’s nothing I dislike more than the game bogging down as the players slowly try to guess the GM’s secret detail that will allow play to continue. I didn’t comment on the abilities or magic of an enemy. Though I still would say you can probably share more details than you likely are. If an enemy has full plate and a shield and some kind of magic defense, you can describe all that and let the players know he has a high AC. Personally, I’d just say the AC because there’s nothing to be gained from withholding it. [/QUOTE]
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