tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post3895984469089211713..comments2023-10-14T03:58:59.333-06:00Comments on The Tao of D&D: HookingAlexis Smolenskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-2219949999019120792010-07-01T16:09:49.662-06:002010-07-01T16:09:49.662-06:00I mean that if the players say 'no,' the D...I mean that if the players say 'no,' the DM should move on and drop the idea.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-16337597888455020142010-07-01T15:11:03.812-06:002010-07-01T15:11:03.812-06:00Bravo and amen, Alexis. In my opinion, this post o...Bravo and amen, Alexis. In my opinion, this post of yours is by far the best advice you've given on your already-thoughtful blog. It's gold to any RPGM (role-playing gamemaster; hey, did I coin a new acronym here?), not least because it ties in with your earlier post about the importance of involving the players' emotionally--the holy grail of RPGs.<br /><br />Your post made me recognize that "subtle hooking" is the storytelling philosophy I've developed, somwhat automatically, over the 29 years I've been playing AD&D and other RPGs (almost as long as you); this new awareness can only help me fine-tune my approach. Until now, I would have described my DMing style as introducing clues of a subtlety sufficient to conceal from the players whether I am using prepared material or am running off-the-cuff. (I can't take full credit for this, as my two primary players and I would take turns DMing our own respective campaigns, and I suppose we evolved together). To this end, for example, I would always have a few names set aside to avoid giving away the ad hoc nature of a given encounter (this appears to be a common tactic among DMs in general, but perhaps not for the same purpose of disguising the "seams" of the campaign).<br /><br />A new wrinkle for me is your down-scaling of the alleged importance of adventuring hooks. I confess that I tended to have PC parties recruited by various nobles and other elite personages; it simply didn't occur to me explicitly that players can be as motivated by more modest concerns than, say, saving the kingdom. <br /><br />P.S. You wrote, "Get rid of the taint of authority; change demand to request (and mean it!)" I am not sure what you intended by "and mean it!" Were you referring to the attitude of the NPC or the DM? If the latter, are you advising the DM to avoid railroading and/or avoid getting irritated/angry, or did you mean something else?Steve Lalannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12257236994766166129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-50544763879106338432010-04-07T22:48:59.179-06:002010-04-07T22:48:59.179-06:00I expected something about ladies of the night, bu...I expected something about ladies of the night, but instead got some very useful advice.Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17285645317925993821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3871409676946408069.post-18281633668801985832010-04-07T12:36:49.580-06:002010-04-07T12:36:49.580-06:00I must say, this post covers far more full materia...I must say, this post covers far more full material than I had hoped.<br /><br />How do I know what type of whore a player encounters? Should there not be a chart from aging toothless gutterwhore to royal courtier?<br /><br />That aside, a useful post.Zzarchovhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07714805545939725730noreply@blogger.com