Setting the scene: Art, Text or Both?

[Kannik]

In the (relatively) near future I'm going to give a try at GMing again. Since the last time I GMed (which is likely 10+ years ago) I now have access to a billion images and drawings that I have gathered, with partial intent of perhaps using them to set the scene during a game. But, knowing that the imagination is more powerful than reality (which is why ruins tend to be more impressive than the real thing) I'm wondering if perhaps I should instead stick with the tried-and-true textual description. Or use a middle ground of reading the text, then showing the image.

What do you use in your campaigns? Text? Images? Both? Neither (!) ?

Kannik

 

[Breakstone]

It depends on how tired I am the night before the game.

If I'm awake enough for writing, the players will find flavor text after flavor text of the scenes, characters, dialogs, and monsters.

If I'm rather tired or distracted, I'll go to google and search for images.

Most often, though, I rely on text. It's easier to make up on the spot.

 

[Painfully]

I have an entire file folder filled with images. Categories include people, animals, landscapes, special places, weather, treasure, magic, and humor.

I tend to use people and animal images the most, and use landscapes and special places only if it is exactly what I intend the players to experience. Treasure images are good so players can, "figure it out."

The WotC galleries are a good starting point for those who don't want to spend too much time searching the web. National Geographic is a good site too.

 

[Etan Moonstar]

Typically text (which is what I voted for), although if I have illustrations -specifically created for the situation- (i.e. module illustrations such as can be found in many 1E modules and in the Kalamar line), I will display them while speaking a highlight description in text. Otherwise, I'm not as fond of tracking down general illustrations and shoehorning them to try to fit what I have in mind. I would probably use illustrations more often if more companies included them in their adventures or if I had the time to develop my artistic abilities and to create my own drawings to match my own specific situations.

 

[Liolel]

I've haven't voted but I think that you should let your group decide which one they like. Run one game with both and then ask the group whether what they want you to continue with.

 

[Piratecat]

I wouldn't read boxed text word-for-word. . . but I generally use it over images. Nevertheless, a good illustration can be incredibly evocative.

 

[Wormwood]

I'm a graphic designer (feh...who isn't these days), and I've discovered that in an average work day I spend about two hours designing game props.

Naturally that doesn't count the four hours I spend at work writing up campaign notes.

Oddly, I never work on my game at home, even though I have the identical computer setup as I do at work.

Oh well...see you on the unemployment line.

 

[Nightfall]

Since its kind of set up that I can only do online gaming at the moment, Text descriptions work best for me. I would use more images some times...but there are instances when the written/spoken word does work better in some respects.

 

[diaglo]

i try to use props and images as much as possible. but mostly i just try to be as descriptive as i can be. reading text from boxes or making up on the spot/fly.

 

[Kannik]

-g- Wow Wormwood, either you have the ultimate design job, or the most easy/boring job that allows for the extra time. Or blind management }

From the sounds of the responses, it seems mainly text w/ an image or two for extra punch (or for areas hard to describe) seems to be the preferred MO.

Does anyone have any comparative or anecdotal evidence, say by playing in a couple of campaigns with different GMs using different description techniques, which proved to provide the more visceral and evocative locations? Or an idea of the frequency of images to provide the best impact?

Also curious, if you use pictures, do you describe the scene and provide the image at the same time, or text first (so the player's form a feeling in their mind) then provide the image?

Of all the things I need to worry about for the campaign, I'm probably thinking about this one too much, but I am hoping to avoid the 'dry' feel to the game as much as possible. }

Thanks a tonne,

Kannik