tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post9017531039943308292..comments2024-02-21T03:56:07.792-05:00Comments on Semper Initiativus Unum: Getting PrincipledWayne Rossihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11347401495298367324noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-65044250325148295342017-02-16T12:22:03.566-05:002017-02-16T12:22:03.566-05:00Railroads literally have an end point.
My sandbox ...Railroads literally have an end point.<br />My sandbox game's been going for years at an open table, and we've never had any problems with people being unable to agree on what to do.<br /><br />It's not like you can't go off on your own. It's just dangerous.James Younghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01728054107958411289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-63344928472783602142017-01-28T00:29:23.328-05:002017-01-28T00:29:23.328-05:00On the contrary, I've had sandbox games go the...On the contrary, I've had sandbox games go the longest because it is the players pushing things along, and keeping with the game because they are deciding what they are interested in. redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600098550347299095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-15915149674091816052017-01-28T00:27:25.358-05:002017-01-28T00:27:25.358-05:00I see this as just an extension of "when the ...I see this as just an extension of "when the PCs aren't doing something, the world goes on". If you stay idle, the world takes a turn, and often for the worse. <br />And not just in games, but I digress. ;)redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600098550347299095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-3117699930754595022017-01-27T18:02:02.513-05:002017-01-27T18:02:02.513-05:00This is fantastic! I'm going to steal your pri...This is fantastic! I'm going to steal your principles - really good stuff.Sleeping Beastlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17320395468377972398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-19357007940561254392017-01-27T11:25:55.374-05:002017-01-27T11:25:55.374-05:00These are excellent examples of DM strategy. All a...These are excellent examples of DM strategy. All are tried and true, and still stand IMHO as some of the best strategies you can adopt. As for the "drop a clue or up the stakes", yeah... An encounter check or giving the party a tiny bit more information, especially about an adventure opportunity that they seem more intent upon is a great idea.Trailbladeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08051207824154001854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-24835567606835308342017-01-27T07:06:56.933-05:002017-01-27T07:06:56.933-05:00That's an interesting viewpoint, and I've ...That's an interesting viewpoint, and I've done that, but I feel life is too short. What I am talking about here is nothing more or less than what the wandering monster roll represents, or allowing an extra thing to be noticed.Wayne R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/04118962136054206381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-31236670174174624912017-01-27T02:03:47.871-05:002017-01-27T02:03:47.871-05:00"When it drags, drop a clue or up the stakes&..."When it drags, drop a clue or up the stakes"<br /><br />I don't agree with that; it's not neutral DMing. And after the crossbow fight is over, they still might not know what to do. Sometimes you just gotta bite the bullet and let them be boring. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-80929544808931462202017-01-26T17:37:55.640-05:002017-01-26T17:37:55.640-05:00The dynamic of each group of players can affect wo...The dynamic of each group of players can affect world balance. If you are playing with the same group of friends since your childhood or just your little brother and your cousin all of the time, you probably think your a great DM. Playing with 5 or more strangers changes everything. Sandbox games only work so long. The idea of the DM railroading you is different than another player railroading you. By 5th level, players start to drop out of sandboxes or the DM quits because nobody can agree on anything or agree to do anything. Backstories in 5e that put characters on a personal quest usually disrupt the party as well. This has been my experience in the last years. Balancing the world is easy. Marchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10578516363920417082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5377543525075660166.post-64448829201262803862017-01-26T17:09:05.983-05:002017-01-26T17:09:05.983-05:00"When in doubt, roll on some kind of table.&q..."When in doubt, roll on some kind of table." This is my thing! In PbtA, traditionally at least, GMs don't roll dice at all, so this definitely isn't a principle for those games. But if there's a shtick that I have as a GM, it's random rolling. What loot to grant? Roll it. How long till the guards get here? Roll it. What's the weather like? Roll it. <br /><br />This is a big part of why OSR appeals to me, and it's a great principle for evoking that style of game. Therefore, it's a huge contributing factor for Freebooters on the Frontier being my favorite TTRPG. It's an OSR hack of Dungeon World, and is simply saturated with random tables. Even Spell names are randomly rolled, and determine the effects of the spell. The initial version of the game is a small booklet that was simply a stretch goal for the Dungeon World supplement "The Perilous Wilds" (also saturated with random tables), but a fully stand-alone 2nd Edition is in the works. <br /><br />If you're an OSR fan who's intrigued by Apocalypse World, check out Freebooters on the Frontier on drivethrurpg, or follow Jason Lutes on google plus.Spygerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18253234066150842171noreply@blogger.com