tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post765111167520531770..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: Ditch the Purple ProseAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-79470916916800399122008-09-17T15:22:00.000-06:002008-09-17T15:22:00.000-06:00The leg is fine. Two weeks more and I can ditch t...The leg is fine. Two weeks more and I can ditch the brace and the crutch.<BR/><BR/>My players are pissed that we haven't played in seven weeks on account of my injury, summer or no. Though two of them had a personal conflict and I think I've lost the cleric. I have yet to see.<BR/><BR/>We wouldn't have stopped playing if I hadn't fucked myself.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-16918780099163135882008-09-17T11:21:00.000-06:002008-09-17T11:21:00.000-06:00Your players throw stuff at you? I'm jealous. Mi...Your players throw stuff at you? I'm jealous. Mine just give me blank stares when I try to set the mood with purple prose. This is usually followed with deadpan queries like, "So, do we roll for initiative or what?" And, "Have you been reading Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser again?"<BR/><BR/>They don't mind if I embellish a little on fight choreography as long as I keep it brief. I've found that a little embellishment here and there can help to build tension and excitement. Overdoing it runs the risk of taking control from the players.<BR/><BR/>What is it with late spring through early autumn? All my players want to play but none of them can schedule a game, so our next game is set for the middle of October. Sounds like you have a similar deal going on.<BR/><BR/>How's your leg?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-48493431187204900662008-09-11T13:04:00.000-06:002008-09-11T13:04:00.000-06:00bard,I personally have played with both and found ...bard,<BR/><BR/>I personally have played with both and found that regardless of the purple speak, the game play has been affected by it. DMs that may have incredible descriptions pay less attention to actual gameplay, and once description is removed, there's only really twenty minutes in a four hour session worth of play.<BR/><BR/>A lot of the game is supposed to be played. It's not theatre, and too many people choose to treat it as so. I would rather play a game that would be captivating becuase of game play rather than read a book with dice involved.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-60281899742674233732008-09-10T07:03:00.000-06:002008-09-10T07:03:00.000-06:00Yes, every DM is different. Therefore, you wouldn...Yes, every DM is different. Therefore, you wouldn't want to consider any new points of view, or reexamine any part of yourself, because you are unique in a beautiful, lovely, perfect way. There's no reason whatsoever why you shouldn't just go on doing exactly what you're doing, because being different is enough; enough for you, anyway.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-32567898020630984312008-09-10T06:10:00.000-06:002008-09-10T06:10:00.000-06:00Writing, and speaking is different. And every DM i...Writing, and speaking is different. And every DM is different. There are DM-s, who can improvise beautiful descriptions, and who can set the mood with words. And there are others, who barely can speak. Who can speak only about technicalities of the game. room 10x10, in there a gomblin with knife. little Torchlight. Big table. etc. But maybe while they are telling the players this, they have a smile what is frightening... So every DM should do what suits him/her, he should use the communication form what works for him and his players.Bardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06020447449864895480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-697980951081732462008-09-09T22:18:00.000-06:002008-09-09T22:18:00.000-06:00I don't think the dice are as important to D&a...I don't think the dice are as important to D&D as a strong and vivid imagination is. The stronger your imagination is the less you need purple prose and mood to begin with.<BR/><BR/>-MikeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-70807265343818868882008-09-09T16:09:00.000-06:002008-09-09T16:09:00.000-06:00I was never one for mood lighting, costumes or acc...I was never one for mood lighting, costumes or accents - as a matter of fact I think that's something else entirely from the stuff you started off with - but...<BR/><BR/>Setting the mood can be important in an RPG session, sometimes. I think your experiment was doomed to failure because you consciously went down the purple path. Mood can effectively conveyed through a few well-chosen words or details without resorting to archaic phrasings, laundry lists of adjectives, etc.<BR/><BR/>As every good writer knows, brevity is where it's at. And you're a very good writer, from what I see on this blog. :)<BR/><BR/>I usually make a couple notes about a location's appearance, smell, unusual noises, etc. before a session. But I rarely use them all in a single piece of description. I'll incorporate them off-the-cuff into a description. The trick is to think of yourself in the situation at hand - just for a split second - and describe what you most "noticed" in that time.<BR/><BR/>So, to use the example you started with: it's dark, they're in a forest. I'd mention the depth of the snow and the fact that it's an ass pain to walk through. All that stuff about suggesting evil and the like isn't needed. Just describe what is; your players will make the mood.<BR/><BR/>All that said (sorry this is so long), I'm in about 90% agreement with you on this. I don't think long descriptive passages are necessary very often. They're great to kick off a session or describe an unusual location, but stick to the play once the play begins in earnest.KenHRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11613789646908929989noreply@blogger.com