[DMing]Prop-use?

[haiiro]

haiiro -- Do you go so far as to name significant items etc. to add a bit of extra flavor? Oh, and have you ever gone so far as to find a nice graphical representation of the item to print off and include on the back of the index card? If so, how did the players respond?

Yep, there are no generic swords +1 in my games -- everything varies at least a little bit, and there's enough behind an item to merit rolling for bardic knowledge.

Anything I put on an index card that's worth representing visually, I draw myself. I can get enough across with pencil or pen and ink to make it worthwhile, and I enjoy doing it. At present, there's a player in my campaign who's a much better artist than I am, and he's been taking my doodles and improving on them -- which is great.

Continued grilling doesn't bother me.

 

[Gnarlo]

Hey Harlock,

nothing too unusual or that you haven't heard of, I'm sure Various movie soundtracks, standard light classical, celtic instrumental collections (especially for in towns and taverns), Wollenveider when they're in elven areas, etc.

One thing I've been using lately is some of the soundscape or environmental cds that I find in the big department stores like Walmart and Target that have tracks on them named rainstorm or forest or seashore, and are a mixture of natural sounds like rain and thunder or surf and gulls with light classical/jazz mixed into the background.

 

[Hypersmurf]

A treasure chest can be nicely represented by an envelope with small slips of paper, each describing an item found within the chest. That's especially fun when one is trapped and set to go off when handled, i.e. when the player reading out the slips says, "And this is a...crap!"

We had a competition in Argentina in '99. A couple of months before we left, we had a training camp - one of the team members had done some research on the country, and told us some of what we could expect.

He'd also acquired an envelope, printed on the outside with a picture and description of a small scorpion native to South America, that purported to contain a preserved specimen. Some of the information was on just how fatally venomous this particular species was, etc, etc.

When the envelope was opened, something jumped out - the person opening the envelope just about keeled over on the spot.

Closer examination revealed a pair of pencil stubs, perhaps two inches long each, connected by a rubber band and twisted tightly, so that when the envelope is opened, they rapidly unwind.

I don't know how effective it would be without the blurb about the highly poisonous scorpion, but people jump when it goes off...

-Hyp.

 

[Storminator]

haiiro -- Do you go so far as to name significant items etc. to add a bit of extra flavor? Oh, and have you ever gone so far as to find a nice graphical representation of the item to print off and include on the back of the index card? If so, how did the players respond?

Sorry for the continued grillnig folks, but I am really wanting to learn as much as I can about this style of DMing because I think i need a shot in the arm to help improve the atmosphere in our games.

I do this with V_Shane's Artifact of the Arcane. Sweet pics of various treasure bits, which I print on card stock and crib on the back.

PS

 

[Storminator]

Some great ideas so far. I especially liked...



I am certainly considering stealing this one.

Also, Storminator, what are tree stands?

<SNIP> Thanks!

A tree stand is a small, painted, cardboard or styrofoam hill, with a few trees glued to it. Instead of making a big forest, you make a bunch of tree stands, and clump them together to represent larger woods.

Example attached. It has a deer (much to small for D&D) because we were using it for Reaper's CAV game last weekend.

PS

 

[francisca]

For my game, I give lotsa handouts, any item which is even remotely significant gets put on an index card and tossed into the party folder, with the handouts, maps, and party log.

Otherwise, it's a battlemat or DragonTiles and a mixture of cheap minis, FDP and Dragonscale counters.

I'm torn between making more elaborate props. I think it would be neat, first of all, and it may help everyone get more into it. On the flip side, I'd hate to trample on someone's mental image of the game. Every campaign I've played in I've developed a mental picture complete with mood, sound, smells, etc.. It's a big part of the game for me. I'd hate to ruin someone else's mental image.

 

[Umbran]

I've played the range from no props to speak of, to playing Paranoia with genuine imitation Alpha Complex food. Food so good that players, when asked to perform a mission as food samplers have been known to say, "Frankly sir, I'd rather die in battle!" I'm sorry, but the recipes for HotFun, ColdFun, and Cruncheetyme Algae Chips are strictly classified.

There is a point where props get in the way. But short of that, they can be fun.

In average games:

Handouts are always nice- maps, documents, bits of history and legend, and so forth. I occasionally use minis and counters for D&D, but I don't regularly use scenery. I don't have a place I can setup such complicated battlemats before the game, and during the game the setup would disturb game flow. Most of the other proppage is really my own acting of mannerisms and voice.