Struggling with DMing
- Thread starter Mercurius
- Start date
Mercurius
Legend
Lots of great ideas, thanks everyone. The funny thing is that while I was reading through it, I kept on thinking "I knew that, but why did I forget?" So this thread has helped me get back on track, as well as offered a few newer tools.
One of the things that was re-affirmed through reading this thread is that there really are at least three inter-relating, but relatively distinct, layers of campaign design, what could be called:
1) Ontology - This is the big picture stuff, the setting itself, its history and religions, nations and peoples. That which is relatively unchanging.
2) Campaign Elements - These are the parts within the setting - the power groups, politics, conflicts, meta-plots, NPCs, etc.
3) Encounters - These are the scenes, if you will, of the "play" that is the game itself.
One analogy that kind of works is that of a hub (1), spokes (2), and wheel (3), because it describes the time element. The hub moves (and thus changes) relatively slowly; the spokes are a bit quicker, and the wheel or tire is turning quite quickly and always covering new ground.
The area that was neglecting was the middle ground, or the "spokes"--which not only connect the hub (the setting) and the wheel (the encounters), but bring meaning and vitality to the whole thing.
The other element that hasn't be talked about is how to bring it all alive. Maybe another thread?
And Explorer Wizard, I'm going to flesh out your lists later on when I have a boring meeting to attend
One of the things that was re-affirmed through reading this thread is that there really are at least three inter-relating, but relatively distinct, layers of campaign design, what could be called:
1) Ontology - This is the big picture stuff, the setting itself, its history and religions, nations and peoples. That which is relatively unchanging.
2) Campaign Elements - These are the parts within the setting - the power groups, politics, conflicts, meta-plots, NPCs, etc.
3) Encounters - These are the scenes, if you will, of the "play" that is the game itself.
One analogy that kind of works is that of a hub (1), spokes (2), and wheel (3), because it describes the time element. The hub moves (and thus changes) relatively slowly; the spokes are a bit quicker, and the wheel or tire is turning quite quickly and always covering new ground.
The area that was neglecting was the middle ground, or the "spokes"--which not only connect the hub (the setting) and the wheel (the encounters), but bring meaning and vitality to the whole thing.
The other element that hasn't be talked about is how to bring it all alive. Maybe another thread?
And Explorer Wizard, I'm going to flesh out your lists later on when I have a boring meeting to attend
ExploderWizard
Hero
And Explorer Wizard, I'm going to flesh out your lists later on when I have a boring meeting to attend
LOL! It's EXPLODER.
Cool. If you wanna share what you come up with perhaps we can help you bring it all together.Similar Threads
