D.T. Pints
Instigator
JACKERCON 2018: WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY June 22-July 1st
Posts: 2,857
Currently Playing: D&D 5e, Pathfinder, DUNGEONWORLD, Star Wars Edge of the Empire
Currently Running: DUNGEONWORLD, PATHFINDER
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Post by D.T. Pints on Jan 22, 2014 21:43:52 GMT -8
If you have INCREDIBLY proactive players a True Sandbox can work. But often my players really would like SOMETHING to do. That multiple choice technique seems to work the best without too much of a rail feel. This is why I tend to run what I call a "dirty sandbox" the players can do whatever they have an urge to do. Well they can try. But there are going to be things that I'm going to throw out too and they can choose to get involved or not but they still occur. JiB A 'dirty sandbox' sounds either like something the cats hang out in or something you can get on Broadway at 3 a.m....
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Post by guitarspider on Jan 23, 2014 0:38:44 GMT -8
Multiple Choice works well for me in the Planarch Codex game I'm running. The players need money to pay the rent, I roll up 2-4 jobs and then they can decide on one. The remaining jobs don't just sit around, something about them changes (other groups attempt it, the situation deteriorates,...). Works great for a campaign as well, because I can always have patrons and victims turn up again.
The only problem I encountered: Once, the players couldn't agree what to do at all, so they decided to take the job nobody wanted. XD They changed their mind a few minutes later, but that situation was a bit odd.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2014 11:49:59 GMT -8
If you find the combat is going long, then as a GM you can decide for enemies to run, or surrender. If players don't know what to do each combat, so slow things down, it might be an idea to have a chat with them outside of the game to see what it is that is hampering them. Limiting options for things to do in combat is a good way of solving things, but can make combat an exercise in "I swing my sword". This isn't always possible, so making sure a player has a clear idea of what his character can do, and his role, will help. Try to avoid giving characters with very variable powers or abilities to new players especially, unless they are confident in how they play them.
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Post by Dragon Maid on Feb 1, 2014 13:30:25 GMT -8
Out of combat discussions I take that time to make whatever notes/adjustments I need then I ask myself "What would could I do right now that would be fun?" as long as it pseudo fits with the tone/theme just throw it in there. Your party taking too long to plan in an alleyway? Well here comes the town guard, or a mugger,or just a drunk(maybe their mother?). Having an overly long campfire discussion about pork-chops? Here comes a curious bear. If they are winding down into a discussion loop just spice things up.
I guess I kinda do that with combat too. If they take too long I think "What would be cool right now?" and just make the environment/opponent do that thing. It usually gets them going again.
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