D&D (2024) DMG 2024: Is The Sandbox Campaign Dead?

[Paul Farquhar]

I still make quite fancy A3 battlemaps with graph paper and coloured pencils for tabletop games but I tend to repurpose stuff from the interwebs for on line games.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Yeah. Mercantile activity. Establishing trade. A huge reason to visit unknown and/or far away lands historically.

Same problem. If my players were interested in running a business they would do that in real life and wouldn’t have time to play D&D.

 

[HaroldTheHobbit]

Same problem. If my players were interested in running a business they would do that in real life and wouldn’t have time to play D&D.

My table usually have two recurring themes during campaigns, no matter what system or genre:

• Establish trade or business with the long-term goal of monopoly.
• Crush the oppressing government, no matter who or what kind of government exist, they manage to construct it as oppressive.

I indulge them and weave their scheming into plots and conspiracies etc, since the above always leads to fun and rich roleplaying and unexpected turns to riff on as a GM.

And none of my players are running a business irl. They are leaning far to the left and are probably living out their shameful capitalistic fantasies in-game ;-)

 

[Paul Farquhar]

My table usually have two recurring themes during campaigns, no matter what system or genre:

• Establish trade or business with the long-term goal of monopoly.
• Crush the oppressing government, no matter who or what kind of government exist, they manage to construct it as oppressive.

I indulge them and weave their scheming into plots and conspiracies etc, since the above always leads to fun and rich roleplaying and unexpected turns to riff on as a GM.

And none of my players are running a business irl. They are leaning far to the left and are probably living out their shameful capitalistic fantasies in-game ;-)

I usually find that people play D&D to do things they can't do in real life. So running a business is pretty much something we could all do if it interested us, and is pretty much a game in itself. I have a family member who likes exploring, so they explore in real life. And the other thing D&D lets them do that they can't do in real life is make the world better.

But running a business, like running a kingdom, if you do it conscientiously, is really just work, very hard work, and no fun at all.

 

[KYRON45]

I usually find that people play D&D to do things they can't do in real life. So running a business is pretty much something we could all do if it interested us, and is pretty much a game in itself. I have a family member who likes exploring, so they explore in real life. And the other thing D&D lets them do that they can't do in real life is make the world better.

But running a business, like running a kingdom, if you do it conscientiously, is really just work, very hard work, and no fun at all.

I play D&D because i love reading pages and pages of rules (some of which are poorly worded), doing math (who doesn't love math?!?) and herding the cats that are my players (at least these cats only bite me emotionally). I love the scheduling, that's really my favorite part. Trying to get a bunch of adults (that want to do this thing) with access to very expensive time pieces and calendars to know what day and time to meet....chefs kiss.

My players love D&D because they love to torture me. All in all its a very stable and healthy relationship.

 

[Remathilis]

I usually find that people play D&D to do things they can't do in real life..

I had a player use this to justify why they play Evil PCs once...

 

[Bae'zel]

I usually find that people play D&D to do things they can't do in real life.

EDIT: I misundersood your post.

I'd argue that this applies to every TTRPG or immersive form of recreational escapism. Not sure why D&D is so specifically called out like this.

You should have seen the odd behaviors back in the day from Vampire: the Masquerade players. Lemme tell ya...

 

[Oofta]

I had a player use this to justify why they play Evil PCs once...

I had a player drop my game because they wanted to "explore their dark side" and I don't allow evil PCs. Not sure I would ever want to play a game with someone "exploring" being a sociopath. To each their own I guess.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Same problem. If my players were interested in running a business they would do that in real life and wouldn’t have time to play D&D.

Not a problem for me. Just another set of rules that enhance the verisimilitude of the setting and can be ignored if desired. More options are always better.

 

[Micah Sweet]

I usually find that people play D&D to do things they can't do in real life. So running a business is pretty much something we could all do if it interested us, and is pretty much a game in itself. I have a family member who likes exploring, so they explore in real life. And the other thing D&D lets them do that they can't do in real life is make the world better.

But running a business, like running a kingdom, if you do it conscientiously, is really just work, very hard work, and no fun at all.

And yet people still play RPGs to be king.