tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post3865268872726476816..comments2024-03-02T02:38:54.061-06:00Comments on The Sandbox of Doom: "Mistakes were made, Senator...."Victor Raymondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05928494560036528653noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post-25612332804444911422009-10-07T16:44:52.393-05:002009-10-07T16:44:52.393-05:001d30 - Excellent points all around. I agree compl...1d30 - Excellent points all around. I agree completely. Goddess knows that Prof. Barker would make us work to find out the things we needed in Tekumel in order to be successful - and that's not a world that you approach lightly.Victor Raymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928494560036528653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post-19889461666258209242009-10-07T16:00:57.450-05:002009-10-07T16:00:57.450-05:00I understand what players get interested in, I pla...I understand what players get interested in, I play too. It's usually not religions and government and history. Oh god, especially not history. <br /><br />They want to know about things they can interact with, especially those things that relate to their goals. And you can assume every players' goals include wealth and the advancement mechanic in the game (experience points, let's say). <br /><br />So I actually do write up things like government and history, but I make sure I have enough detail for things they care about. And during the game I'll not even mention the social/history stuff unless they ask. But I will kind of secretly insert it. If they need to go to a temple, they suddenly realize that I have all this information on the temple, its religion, worshippers, beliefs, practices, holy days, etc. just because I don't fumble around or give lame generic information when they ask. <br /><br />The richness of the history and cultures comes out in the treasure. If the treasure interests them, then they may want to find out more information. But if you don't have that background already, you won't know to flavor the treasure, and it'll never happen organically.<br /><br />It makes the players feel like there is more world in there than they are seeing. It's more comfortable to settle into a fantasy when you can't see the big grey-mist chasms off to the sides. You don't need full detail in those side areas, you just need enough that it bears mild inspection.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post-72648452709588534082009-10-07T13:33:38.259-05:002009-10-07T13:33:38.259-05:00"I'm slowly learning that it's best t..."I'm slowly learning that it's best to start a campaign with little more than a few broad strokes."<br /><br />Well, while I agree with this concept generally, I think it's been taken to an extreme, which I believe is detrimental. I have two or three specific objections to this way of thinking:<br /><br />- Players do a lot of reading and research already. They read rulebooks and other material that is considered important to the game. So if you <b>plan</b> on having an extensive background, it's not unreasonable to ask players to pay attention to that background. Another example might be Call of Cthulhu - lots of players read the fiction, not just the referees.<br /><br />- Secondly, I come from a wargaming and miniatures background, in which there is a strong expectation to research the background, since it might prove to be of help during your game sessions. I've noticed that role-players who come to the hobby without any exposure to wargames and miniatures often lack this impetus.<br /><br />- Thirdly, spy stuff is <i>cool. Especially</i> if you are going to be playing a spy. So it just seemed odd to me that players wouldn't think to go find out more about the organizations they were working for.Victor Raymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928494560036528653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post-35505455908846186482009-10-07T03:51:53.688-05:002009-10-07T03:51:53.688-05:00> players to do any real world research
or rea...> players to do any real world research<br /><br />or read your handouts, or have any interest at all in your lovingly detailed campaign history, cultures, etc. Sigh...<br /><br />I'm slowly learning that it's best to start a campaign with little more than a few broad strokes. Filling in the details as play progresses and most importantly based off of and built with the help of players.Norman J. Harman Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01319655075997712313noreply@blogger.com