Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="gunderval" data-source="post: 3988151" data-attributes="member: 55919">Dishnonesty SucksOf course DM's can &quot;lie in the role of an NPC&quot;, can maintain that across the ocean live giants when that's not so but is what everyone in the world thinks etc.But to lie about the game's premise - about how much impact Player and Character action and choice can have, is to trick Players, to make their choices meaningless instead of being honest with them as many posts above suggest, that's just wrong.&nbsp; If the game is a linear progression of scenes, let them know that, let them know time spent looking for &quot;the other entrance to dungeon&quot; is always wasted.&nbsp; They'll figure it out anyway, get to the part of play people enjoy.&nbsp; If people can't enjoy a &quot;high GM lead/prepped campaign&quot;, then they need to find a table that doesn't play that way.I explain tabletop RPG's to people who know about video game's etc. precisely as, &quot;Imagine that instead of being limited to the choices the program designer allowed for, the objectives they thought your character should have, even &quot;who your character really is&quot; - you could play a game where because it's all done live with real people anything is possible, no option is unavailable simply because it wasn't foreseen?&nbsp; You can define your own goals and objectives, together with other players, and then have adventures that fit your character and interests?&quot;&nbsp; The chasm, the swamp etc. are good &quot;in game mechanisms&quot; for encouraging play in certain directions but have to be coupled with willingness to say &quot;guys, I havent worked up any notes on what's beyond them&quot;.&nbsp; Otherwise, some players will see that chasm and hear &quot;it's uncertain what's across it&quot; as the &quot;call to adventure - Gee, let's focus on getting to other side, because being the ones to do it will be cool&quot;.High prep-requirement games require lots of GM planning (e.g., high level 3.5 play) and players who want to play in that system have to accept you don't spring a curve on the GM midway through a game night and suddenly expect him to have an encounter prepped for it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="gunderval, post: 3988151, member: 55919"] [b]Dishnonesty Sucks[/b] Of course DM's can "lie in the role of an NPC", can maintain that across the ocean live giants when that's not so but is what everyone in the world thinks etc. But to lie about the game's premise - about how much impact Player and Character action and choice can have, is to trick Players, to make their choices meaningless instead of being honest with them as many posts above suggest, that's just wrong. If the game is a linear progression of scenes, let them know that, let them know time spent looking for "the other entrance to dungeon" is always wasted. They'll figure it out anyway, get to the part of play people enjoy. If people can't enjoy a "high GM lead/prepped campaign", then they need to find a table that doesn't play that way. I explain tabletop RPG's to people who know about video game's etc. precisely as, "Imagine that instead of being limited to the choices the program designer allowed for, the objectives they thought your character should have, even "who your character really is" - you could play a game where because it's all done live with real people anything is possible, no option is unavailable simply because it wasn't foreseen? You can define your own goals and objectives, together with other players, and then have adventures that fit your character and interests?" The chasm, the swamp etc. are good "in game mechanisms" for encouraging play in certain directions but have to be coupled with willingness to say "guys, I havent worked up any notes on what's beyond them". Otherwise, some players will see that chasm and hear "it's uncertain what's across it" as the "call to adventure - Gee, let's focus on getting to other side, because being the ones to do it will be cool". High prep-requirement games require lots of GM planning (e.g., high level 3.5 play) and players who want to play in that system have to accept you don't spring a curve on the GM midway through a game night and suddenly expect him to have an encounter prepped for it. [/QUOTE]

Verification