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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emerikol" data-source="post: 8231284" data-attributes="member: 6698278">Well typically, I do a sandbox and the detail lessens the farther out from the starting point you get.  So in a small village, almost everyone may be detailed.  Oh I'm sure there are generic farmers passing through that may just be covered by a random encounters table.  Meaning I come up with a list of logical scenarios in advance and just roll for what is the current state.  So on a given day at a farmers market there may be any number of people there but not all of them.  So who is there and who is not on a given moment.   I roll for it.No.  I do have an amazing amount of information by most people's standards though.  I tend to be ready so that major off the cuff stuff is not necessary.  Obviously a conversation is off the cuff as I can't predict what the PCs would ask.  But I base answers on a deep knowledge of the characters that enables me to roleplay them effectively.  It would depend of course.  A tend to have a lot of detail though about history in the campaign world.  I don't have every Ruler from every era detailed out.   I might though in the sandbox area have a particular Kingdom detailed out in such a way.  My experience is when things are made up, they don't fit together very well.  There is no underlying rhyme or reason for things.  Having a very solid foundation makes these small off the cuff decisions far easier.   It's like method acting.  if you have to make up the entire character from scratch, or you just have to handle a particular situation using a well known well defined character, then to me it seems clear it's easier to roleplay the latter effectively.While I agree, I think you exaggerate the level of off the cuff thinking that goes on.  There may be entire sessions where I don't have to do anything off the cuff.  My most common off the cuff thing is a conversation between a well defined NPC and the PCs.  I don't make up NPCs wholecloth.  I create a bunch of NPCs, a rogues gallery if you will, and introduce them into play when the party stumbles across someone in a random sort of way.  Like as a wandering encounter etc....Again you exaggerate though I concede some of it happens sure.To me it is very similar to an author who crafts a book carefully and an author who just told a story off the cuff.   In theory could they be equally good?  In theory yes.  I doubt that would be true in very many cases though.I understand the zeal of the newly converted.  I really do.  I confess that roleplayers are looking for different things out of play and that at one time my own approach was the dominant style.   So of course many who started in my style are going to realize another style is to their taste.   If everyone started in your style, there would be zealous people telling you that your "old" style is not as good as their new one.  It's like potato chips.  I like plain without ruffles.  Some people think chips really didn't get good until they came in all different flavors and got ruffled.   I can't argue with their tastes but I thought the original chip was already perfect for me.  Now since chips aren't heavily invested roleplaying experiences, I have tried the other types and I can eat them in polite company but given a choice I always choose plain without ruffles.   In gaming, I don't have time to engage in for me low quality experiences.  Time is too short.  I have other things to do including other forms of entertainment.   I've asked myself if my only choice to roleplay was this new style would I continue.  I think I wouldn't.  I have many other things to do.  I would not view the time investment worth it for what I'd get out of it.That does not mean I condemn other styles.  It's inevitable that the growth and success of a hobby will lead to variations.  It's inevitable.  You guys buying books funds the hobby the same as I when I buy books.   And hey, I'm even help fund some of your games even though I'll never play them.  I am fascinated by rules mechanisms and often buy game rules to just read.  I've been wanting to buy cortex plus to read.  I am already certain I would not play it because of the primary dissociative mechanic they use when rolling ones.  I still find reading all the various approaches to be interesting.  It's probably why it is fun to debate here with you guys.   I know myself quiet well though so if conversion is your only payoff I would not waste any more of your time if I were you.</blockquote>

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