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Message: <blockquote data-quote="T. Foster" data-source="post: 2926647" data-attributes="member: 16574">I'm not generally a fan of boxed text (which, even at its best, tends to make too many assumptions about how the party is proceeding), hate boxed text that includes assumed actions for the PCs, and really really really hate boxed text that includes canned "dialogue" for NPCs. I can see why it might be necessary for tournament-type situations where it's important that all player groups be on an even playing field, but that's a pretty unique circumstance and for regular campaign-play I'm not convinced that boxed read-aloud text is ever necessary, or usually desirable.  FWIW, my favorite format for room descriptions in dungeon modules comes from Snakepipe Hollow, released by Chaosium (for Runequest) in 1979. Each room description is broken down as follows:INITIAL DIE ROLLS: Roll to determine what's in the room at the time the characters enter itFIRST GLANCE: gives the size of the room and a general description of its features (equivalent, if I'm understanding the concept, to "boxed DM text"?)CLOSER LOOKS: details that will only be noticed on a closer examination (some of which may be misleading and/or unimportant)EXITS: lists all of the exits in the room and where they goHIDDEN SPOTS: tells how long it takes one character to thoroughly search the room, and what, if anything, they find on a successful search, including the chances for finding a Found Item (a cool idea unique AFAIK to this module (and Griffin Mountain, by the same author) -- a table of minor treaures and other curiosities (somewhat similar to the "dungeon dressing" table in the back of the 1E DMG) that can be found anywhere in the dungeon -- "a broken bronze sword with 'ERAZ' carved on its hilt. Eraz is the name of the person who made the sword but is not otherwise significant," "three brass tacks," "a decorative hair ribbon, about 1/2 meter long, pale blue, in very good shape," etc.)TRAPS: any traps in the room, how they are activated (and de-activated) and what they do if activatedDENIZENS: Stats and descriptions for the usual inhabitants of the room (but note that per the Initial Die Roll the usual inhabitant may not be present, and other creatures may be present instead of or in addition to the usual inhabitants)TREASURE: the location and amount of any treasure in the room (beyond Found Items)MISCELLANEOUS NOTES: self-explanatory</blockquote>

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