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<blockquote data-quote="MGibster" data-source="post: 9422026" data-attributes="member: 4534">I worked at a hobby shop many years ago, and despite loving RPGs, I hardly ever wanted to hear someone talk about their character or their campaigns.&nbsp; I found most such discussions to be rather boring because I didn't share a common frame of reference with them.&nbsp; &quot;Oh, you've a god named Shadow Weaver who has a sword covered in runes, and when he stabs his foe whatever rune the blade lands on has an affect on the target?&nbsp; Oh.&nbsp; Cool, cool, cool.&nbsp; Oh, and if anyone kills Shadow Weaver they become Shadow Weaver?&nbsp; Awesome.&quot;&nbsp; (Actual conversation I had with someone.)&nbsp; They exception was when we talked about printed scenarios like Ravenloft, Keep on the Borderlands, or The Temple of Elemental Evil.&nbsp; If we had both played the scenario, we had common experiences which made conversation easier.&nbsp; We could both talk about the #@%#^# teleporation trap in Castle Ravenloft's crypt while cursing the Hickmans.&nbsp; And that's why conversation is so difficult here even when talking about D&amp;D.&nbsp; Because a lot of us really expect WotC to produce a version of D&amp;D that aligns with how we play it.&nbsp; And it also makes it very difficult to give advice on how to DM.&nbsp; But then I'm often surprised by how much DMing advice really hasn't changed over the years.&nbsp; Listen Up You Primitive Screwheads:&nbsp; The Unexpurgated Cyberpunk Referee's Guide was published in 1994, and offers advice on running long term campaigns, the style &amp; atmosphere of the setting, power players, and other topics that are relevant to almost any game.&nbsp; &quot;Despite all best efforts, every referee comes to realize that there is no absolute control over a campaign.&quot;</blockquote>

[QUOTE="MGibster, post: 9422026, member: 4534"] I worked at a hobby shop many years ago, and despite loving RPGs, I hardly ever wanted to hear someone talk about their character or their campaigns. I found most such discussions to be rather boring because I didn't share a common frame of reference with them. "Oh, you've a god named Shadow Weaver who has a sword covered in runes, and when he stabs his foe whatever rune the blade lands on has an affect on the target? Oh. Cool, cool, cool. Oh, and if anyone kills Shadow Weaver they become Shadow Weaver? Awesome." (Actual conversation I had with someone.) They exception was when we talked about printed scenarios like [I]Ravenloft, Keep on the Borderlands, [/I]or [I]The Temple of Elemental Evil.[/I] If we had both played the scenario, we had common experiences which made conversation easier. We could both talk about the #@%#^# teleporation trap in Castle Ravenloft's crypt while cursing the Hickmans. And that's why conversation is so difficult here even when talking about D&D. Because a lot of us really expect WotC to produce a version of D&D that aligns with how we play it. And it also makes it very difficult to give advice on how to DM. But then I'm often surprised by how much DMing advice really hasn't changed over the years. [I]Listen Up You Primitive Screwheads: The Unexpurgated Cyberpunk Referee's Guide [/I]was published in 1994, and offers advice on running long term campaigns, the style & atmosphere of the setting, power players, and other topics that are relevant to almost any game. "Despite all best efforts, every referee comes to realize that there is no absolute control over a campaign." [/QUOTE]

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