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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 8821019" data-attributes="member: 6801845">I frequently improv stuff, but if it's of consequence beyond the current encounter it gets added to my notes a canon.&nbsp; I don't have a ton of details planned out for most of my world so I can fill in the blanks as I go.&nbsp; But I do have a general outline so I can keep everything straight and have something to base my improvisation on.&nbsp; Some people can probably improvise absolutely everything and keep it all straight, but many people fail.&nbsp; I remember talking to someone about potentially joining their game and they and their friend were talking about how he improvised a town.&nbsp; The PCs had gone in a direction he hadn't anticipated so the first NPC they came across was named Bob.&nbsp; Then the next NPC was also named Bob.&nbsp; Welcome to Bobtown where everyone, male and female, was named Bob!&nbsp; This may have worked for the DM and his friend, but that would just be too goofy and obviously an idea that should have garnered a second look.On a related note it's also why I have random lists of things like town, shop, NPC names.&nbsp; If someone goes off the map and I have to come up with a town, I just glance at my list and pick names that make sense.&nbsp; It makes a lot more sense if Drywell has a tavern named The Spotted Toad and the bartender's name is Lars and is owned by Tuli, a female dwarf.&nbsp; This information also goes into my notes.&nbsp; Improv is fine, but I want some predefined structure and tools for that improvisation.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 8821019, member: 6801845"] I frequently improv stuff, but if it's of consequence beyond the current encounter it gets added to my notes a canon. I don't have a ton of details planned out for most of my world so I can fill in the blanks as I go. But I do have a general outline so I can keep everything straight and have something to base my improvisation on. Some people can probably improvise absolutely everything and keep it all straight, but many people fail. I remember talking to someone about potentially joining their game and they and their friend were talking about how he improvised a town. The PCs had gone in a direction he hadn't anticipated so the first NPC they came across was named Bob. Then the next NPC was also named Bob. Welcome to Bobtown where everyone, male and female, was named Bob! This may have worked for the DM and his friend, but that would just be too goofy and obviously an idea that should have garnered a second look. On a related note it's also why I have random lists of things like town, shop, NPC names. If someone goes off the map and I have to come up with a town, I just glance at my list and pick names that make sense. It makes a lot more sense if Drywell has a tavern named The Spotted Toad and the bartender's name is Lars and is owned by Tuli, a female dwarf. This information also goes into my notes. Improv is fine, but I want some predefined structure and tools for that improvisation. [/QUOTE]

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