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<blockquote data-quote="bloodtide" data-source="post: 9286068" data-attributes="member: 6684958">I lot of DM that do Theater of the Mind are doing it as they like the vague &quot;things are sort of kind of here or there&quot; or they simply don't want to put the work and effort into details.&nbsp; So, make sure you are not either type of DM. Then, you have to add lots and lots of detail.&nbsp; You can't say &quot;the woods&quot; or &quot;a castle&quot;, you have to describe it in more detail.&nbsp; There are a couple hundred words to describe nature and a couple hundred to describe man made things: You need to learn them all and use them.&nbsp; And you will have to use lots of numbers for everything.&nbsp; You can't just say &quot;a small stream of water&quot;, you will need to say &quot;a small stream about a foot wide of water&quot;.&nbsp; It helps to have a bunch of pre made ones, and you can re use them as a great many places are exactly the same.In 2024 it is easy to add pictures too.&nbsp; A couple minutes online and you should be able to find what you need.&nbsp; Online you can send the pics....in real life you can put the pic on a large screen for all to see.&nbsp; And, finally, you need to make it matter in the game.&nbsp; If you describe an area for ten minutes then are just like &quot;whatever roll 1d20 and attack&quot; your just filling time.&nbsp; You need to have game rules that matter.&nbsp; Your PRG of choice might have some....but chances are you will need to add a lot.As the Railroad Tycoon Baron: This is why you need rails for an RPG.&nbsp; When most players feel the pure Openness that they can do anything, they get confused at best and freeze or stop paying at the worst.&nbsp; It's not new to 5E, but it is sure a lot more common with younger players and/or anyone who started gaming within the last couple years.In general, you will need to provide rails....though say &quot;breadcrums&quot; or such if it makes you feel better.&nbsp; What ever the thing, provide a somewhat direct way to take care of it.&nbsp; The Rail Rider Type player wants and needs to be told what to do: they don't want to figure it out.&nbsp; There background of TV shows, movies and most of all video games has taught them that there is just one pre made path.&nbsp; Well, first remove any DM Buddy help from the game.&nbsp; When the players ask the DM &quot;hey, whatever we don't really care..um..what was that gnome guys name?&quot;&nbsp; Simply Don't Tell Them.&nbsp; Even when it's &quot;important&quot;:&nbsp; Player &quot;um we go to that nice cleric guy in that up place that said we could get free healing!&quot;&nbsp; Dm: &quot;What guy in what place?&quot;&nbsp; Player-&quot;Um...Idonooo, lets just say we got there ok, DM&quot;.&nbsp; DM-&quot;nope&quot;Then you need to add a lot of mechanics to the game play: information notes should have game value.&nbsp; Give a bonus or penitently or advantage or disadvantage or whatever.&nbsp; Some games to have some lite rules here...but you will have to add more and better ones.&nbsp; If you want a player to remember a lords title, the game effect needs to be more then &quot;a plus one on charisma rolls for one round&quot;.Also make information treasure.&nbsp; That is you can get more rewards and more perks and more items using information.This crosses over with &quot;taking notes.&nbsp; And again it is about adding game mechanics.&nbsp; You want to add Social things into the game play: Honor, Reputation, Trust, Fame.&nbsp; Some games have such rules....but most fall flat.&nbsp; As they are game rules made for limited space and just crammed in a book they don't really work well.&nbsp; Most are &quot;character does action x and gets 100 fame points&quot; and just let players say &quot;oh my character does the thing 20 times and is now super famous&quot;.An example from my game is list of deeds done.&nbsp; A typical NPC will list three: the &quot;big&quot; one they have done, a &quot;famous&quot; one they have done, and a &quot;new one&quot; they have done.&nbsp; A Ranger might say-&quot;Slayer of the Dragon Rixx, Master Tracker that caught Royal Assassin Duckar and Slayer of the fearsome flump&quot;.&nbsp; So knowing and saying the deeds, gives a bonus when interacting with the ranger or his allies.&nbsp; And the important one is to keep track of that last new one.....it's a big bonus when you use a new deed done.&nbsp; And PCs can do this too....list their deeds and have other NPC use them.&nbsp; And it gives a sneaky reason to adventure: characters want to add a new unique deed.&nbsp; Remembering all this information and using it has game rule benefits, and adds to the characters honor points...and those have benefits.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="bloodtide, post: 9286068, member: 6684958"] I lot of DM that do Theater of the Mind are doing it as they like the vague "things are sort of kind of here or there" or they simply don't want to put the work and effort into details. So, make sure you are not either type of DM. Then, you have to add lots and lots of detail. You can't say "the woods" or "a castle", you have to describe it in more detail. There are a couple hundred words to describe nature and a couple hundred to describe man made things: You need to learn them all and use them. And you will have to use lots of numbers for everything. You can't just say "a small stream of water", you will need to say "a small stream about a foot wide of water". It helps to have a bunch of pre made ones, and you can re use them as a great many places are exactly the same. In 2024 it is easy to add pictures too. A couple minutes online and you should be able to find what you need. Online you can send the pics....in real life you can put the pic on a large screen for all to see. And, finally, you need to make it matter in the game. If you describe an area for ten minutes then are just like "whatever roll 1d20 and attack" your just filling time. You need to have game rules that matter. Your PRG of choice might have some....but chances are you will need to add a lot. As the Railroad Tycoon Baron: This is why you need rails for an RPG. When most players feel the pure Openness that they can do anything, they get confused at best and freeze or stop paying at the worst. It's not new to 5E, but it is sure a lot more common with younger players and/or anyone who started gaming within the last couple years. In general, you will need to provide rails....though say "breadcrums" or such if it makes you feel better. What ever the thing, provide a somewhat direct way to take care of it. The Rail Rider Type player wants and needs to be told what to do: they don't want to figure it out. There background of TV shows, movies and most of all video games has taught them that there is just one pre made path. Well, first remove any DM Buddy help from the game. When the players ask the DM "hey, whatever we don't really care..um..what was that gnome guys name?" Simply Don't Tell Them. Even when it's "important": Player "um we go to that nice cleric guy in that up place that said we could get free healing!" Dm: "What guy in what place?" Player-"Um...Idonooo, lets just say we got there ok, DM". DM-"nope" Then you need to add a lot of mechanics to the game play: information notes should have game value. Give a bonus or penitently or advantage or disadvantage or whatever. Some games to have some lite rules here...but you will have to add more and better ones. If you want a player to remember a lords title, the game effect needs to be more then "a plus one on charisma rolls for one round". Also make information treasure. That is you can get more rewards and more perks and more items using information. This crosses over with "taking notes. And again it is about adding game mechanics. You want to add Social things into the game play: Honor, Reputation, Trust, Fame. Some games have such rules....but most fall flat. As they are game rules made for limited space and just crammed in a book they don't really work well. Most are "character does action x and gets 100 fame points" and just let players say "oh my character does the thing 20 times and is now super famous". An example from my game is list of deeds done. A typical NPC will list three: the "big" one they have done, a "famous" one they have done, and a "new one" they have done. A Ranger might say-"Slayer of the Dragon Rixx, Master Tracker that caught Royal Assassin Duckar and Slayer of the fearsome flump". So knowing and saying the deeds, gives a bonus when interacting with the ranger or his allies. And the important one is to keep track of that last new one.....it's a big bonus when you use a new deed done. And PCs can do this too....list their deeds and have other NPC use them. And it gives a sneaky reason to adventure: characters want to add a new unique deed. Remembering all this information and using it has game rule benefits, and adds to the characters honor points...and those have benefits. [/QUOTE]

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