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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 5825307" data-attributes="member: 8835">Is there a reason combat is taking so long?Are there too many extraneous combats (if all high level combats last 4 hours, were all those combats necessary, or were some just filler)?Speedy combat is one thing my group does well.  We have a process that we follow and it goes quicker.  Fast enough that our example was when I brought a buddy with to meet up with my old gang at a half-way point.  We got there, and they were already mid-combat.  We waited.  we napped.  and finally got our introduction combat scene.  15 minutes later, back to the other party.  More napping, another 15 minute combat, and so on, until both parties met up in the middle.Let's just say there was a world of difference in combat running approach.  We did not dick around on our turns.  They did.To their defense, we were running fighter-oriented PCs, they had a caster that buffed the stuffing out of them.  But even they were shocked at how fast we plowed through the basically the same encounter they did.Combat is only one part of the equation.  In some ways, it's the easiest to "fix".  Commit to acting quickly, follow some advice on speeding it up (my blog has an article on my process).  It will at least make sure combat is going as fast as it can, per your gaming preference.The other stuff is much more subjective.  Like talking to gate guards.  It probably DOES make sense to talk to the gate guard the first time.  But that scene should impart something useful.  If the next time is just a rehash of pretty much the same dialogue (like most CRPGs), sum it up and skip it.Group chatter is probably another tricky topic.  Hopefully, these are all your friends, so you genuinely do want to talk to them and stuff.  But too much cross-talk gets in the way of the progress of the game, which should be just as much fun as just BSing.  This might be where the GM can reign it in, by realizing the game is breaking down and either call a break or keep the pace up so lulls in the game don't lead to chatter.Group planning and decisiveness is another issue.  Right before we break into the throne room to kill the king, we like to pause the game and plan out our strategy.  Not realistic, but my group likes to be able to do that.  If we did that before every fight, that's a problem.  If we dither at the planning stage, we waste game time, and often times just repeat ourselves.The GM is once again, in a spot to monitor and reign it in.  Being able to pause and plan is sort of a GM gift, not a right.  After all, planning takes time, and technically real game time should be going by and thus risking exposure to the enemy.  planning breaks should be limited to "special" occasions.  otherwise, plantime=gametime and the party is at risk of detection.  If the party isn't getting anywhere in discussions (usually detectable because the conversation has repeated itself), the GM may need to call it to a close with a "you've used up your free pause, make a decision or what happens next happens in gametime"</blockquote>

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