tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post4184991796671015461..comments2024-03-29T02:16:23.523-05:00Comments on Dungeons and D20s: It's a Game, Not a Novel Played Out With DiceRobChandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07751057765555584823noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-18101406288970504762012-01-06T15:04:45.451-06:002012-01-06T15:04:45.451-06:00R.W. I see your point. You were offering DFD up n...R.W. I see your point. You were offering DFD up not as an example of choice, but of sticking to consequences. <br /><br />I may have been off-topic, but I guess what I was harping on is how DFD, while a fun little bomb (i.e. consequence) to drop onto a campaign, represents a bad example of choice in my view and it's THIS aspect and NOT the severity of the consequence that makes it a bad model for me personally. <br /><br />The adventure is all about reveling in a sense of menace and foreboding. I see and actually dig that. What actual choice there is all seems rather arbitrary. <br /><br />The party either will or will not set free mayhem and either will or will not care if they do. They can almost choose in spite of themselves and without knowledge that the sword of Damocles hangs overhead the whole time if they don't take cues from or the DM is unable to deliver the tension and menace that I believe the author intends. <br /><br />Again, I know I'm spilling a lot of virtual ink on a tangent here. As an even further aside, what a tease it must be to the party that gets in and out of DFD without setting off the bomb. The best that can happen is the DM explains afterwards, which is sort of like hearing about a really great party from which you had to leave early. Maybe I'm just too in favor of zombie apocalypse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-89399847330087638952012-01-06T14:12:26.221-06:002012-01-06T14:12:26.221-06:00Oh, and James, again, my use of death frost doom w...Oh, and James, again, my use of death frost doom was only to illustrate that sometimes consequences as a result of a PCs actions can have some pretty severe consequences. Obviously, something to that level is not the norm, but rather the exception, and simply used to illustrate a point in my post. Obviously not every session should have such dire consequences. The point was, if they do, then the DM should let it go because it keeps players honest and reinforces the notion that actions have consequences.RobChandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07751057765555584823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-62298066596679752452012-01-06T14:04:24.563-06:002012-01-06T14:04:24.563-06:00I probably shouldn't have pointed anything out...I probably shouldn't have pointed anything out like that in the first place really. I meant no offense at all, and I am certainly not one to feel the need to apologize for what I like or don't like. I think Alexis has a lot of great ideas and I often find his deep level of interest in the hobby has often produced fascinating results on his blog. The equipment price thing he worked up a few months back was quite amazing. Alexis, you have a particular style in your writing which is very unique, but can sometimes come across a bit abrasive. Some people take offense to it. This is no secret as you have dealt with detractors in the comments on your blog. I do not take offense to it, and understand that its just your personality. It doesn't make you a bad person at all. Again, I find your ideas and insight into the game quite interesting, and I think your style is what separates you from many of us as a writer, and that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.RobChandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07751057765555584823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-3457721532813732682012-01-06T13:34:22.882-06:002012-01-06T13:34:22.882-06:00I have risen to the level of Howard Stern. My moth...I have risen to the level of Howard Stern. My mother would be proud.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-12737591599510451072012-01-06T13:19:20.459-06:002012-01-06T13:19:20.459-06:00Not to pick on you, R.W. as I'm essentially a ...Not to pick on you, R.W. as I'm essentially a fan of your blog, I do love how so many bloggers feel they have to apologize before they admit to liking Alexis's stuff. It reminds me of the litany of caveats and qualifiers many would deliver explaining their distaste of Howard Stern as a person before discussing, in some depth, a brilliant, bawdy and/ or insightful bit or interview from his show.<br /><br />You're the new king of all media, Alexis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-81091220101553750492012-01-06T13:14:32.076-06:002012-01-06T13:14:32.076-06:00The problem with Death Frost is the decisions seem...The problem with Death Frost is the decisions seem arbitrary. I like and will use the module some day for my party, but as a means of shaking things up. a change of pace. Were all my adventures such a minefield of dire consequences for following through with the implied purpose of a dungeon, I think they'd rightfully walk away from the table. Or develop PTSD.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-64407586105607538322012-01-06T10:45:26.996-06:002012-01-06T10:45:26.996-06:00On that we certainly agree.On that we certainly agree.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-66769193890009017102012-01-06T10:43:27.020-06:002012-01-06T10:43:27.020-06:00Alexis, I don't think you are a terrible perso...Alexis, I don't think you are a terrible person at all. As a reader of your blog, I know you approach the hobby with a serious vigor, and I respect that. Again, I didn't mean to be insulting but the tone of your posts can be somewhat pretentious at times, but with that said, I usually agree with what you post. And as far as being misanthropic, I think you'd openly admit it yourself, and have as much on your blog.<br /><br />As to death frost doom, my point wasn't so much how it exemplifies the sandbox, but more how the choice of the players, to pursue the route of exploring that area in the game, can have world changing outcomes based on the decisions they make. While death frost doom essentially has a railroad quality as an adventure, the decisons the players make can have some dire consequences and the DM shouldn't allow for "DM" mercy if the players make choices in the game that could have detrimental, or even devastating effects on their game world.RobChandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07751057765555584823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-66054806937994403232012-01-06T09:37:56.568-06:002012-01-06T09:37:56.568-06:00Yes, yes, I know, I'm a terrible person, what ...Yes, yes, I know, I'm a terrible person, what with my pretension and misanthropy. I am glad you felt the article had merit and I appreciate the additional points you've gone on to make here.<br /><br />I'd like to point out that Death Frost Doom was undeniably a railroad, driving the players in a very specific direction through the module (as all modules do). The feature you mention, unleashing hordes of undead, is merely a bomb that works like the red wire/green wire trope ... it could hardly be considered sandbox option. The example you gave from your own campaign sounds a better example of fluidity and reasonable consequence for actions taken or not taken.Alexis Smolenskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10539170107563075967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2714025510421557056.post-8493340042005985052012-01-06T01:02:39.300-06:002012-01-06T01:02:39.300-06:00Lots of agreement from me.Lots of agreement from me.Aaron E. Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789462075611254929noreply@blogger.com