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ShortQuests -- Pocket Sized Adventures! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed for 1-2 game sessions.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="payn" data-source="post: 9872737" data-attributes="member: 90374">Reflexively knowing where to turn in a physical book is a fine muscle memory development of using a physical text. However, in a digital offering, I dont care if its in the first half, the second, the appendix, etc.. I instantly call up what I want through a simple search. I think that experience for a new player is a good one. You should read through the rules reference at least once just to see how things work. Often, however, there are numerous chapters that dont apply to your particular character so that can seem like a lot of effort. I think with so much digital experiences (video games, A.I.) folks are going to offload a lot more on the GM and/or the VTT. That is definitely a bummer, but a result of our culture becoming more of a tactical communication one. Yeap, thats sort of the result of tactical communication. I dont need to know everything about electric dryer repair to fix mine. I just need to figure out how to replace a worn out belt to get it drying again. I have no functional knwoledge of how the dryer works, just the ability to fix a single problem. One in which I will forget and need to pull up another piece of digital comm to help me do again in the future.uff dah. Thats kind of a lot of work for a GM and I find it to be the least exciting. Again, id prefer a simple digital search to get me right to where I need to be. I know I just talked about the down side of not knowing how to completely run a game, but I find the speed of tactical com look up to be a net positive on the game. I'll get the info I need and keep the game running which I think is key to a better experience. Also, I just dont want to put all that physical work into a book when I could put that energy into prepping a fun session and/or adventure instead.I disagree quite a bit with this. The funny thing is, prior to 2020 I would have agreed with it. Since the pandemic ive leaned into VTT which is something I didnt before. I've actually found the digital experience to be superior in several ways. One is the offloading of the math and rules adjudication in some instances to allow everyone at the table to focus on the narrative and experience. Using my dryer example above, I dont need to physically engage the drum motor, regulate the heating element, stop the process to moisture check the garments. I just get dry clothes at the end of the process which is all I really want.   Interestingly enough, I've been enjoying more rules lite systems in person because there is so much less processing to get to the experience we are after. You just start and end in the action!   Ultimately, I think it lands on the importance of knowing how the sausage is made or if you just want to enjoy eating it. I think a great barrier was assuming every RP gamer wanted to be a game master. Many RP gamers are just knowledge curious people, so it wasnt much of an imposition. Though, I dont think its a coincidence that in age of digital tactical communication, there are more gamers than ever before.</blockquote>

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