01/27 Design & Development [Archive] - Wizards Community

01/27 Design & Development [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
WotC_Bart
01-27-06, 12:09 PM The following thread is for our 01/27 Design & Development column: Flow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20060127a). Any experiences with time slowing down in your game? Or, any non-fiction books you'd recommend for R&D?

Thanks!
Epic_Meepo
01-27-06, 07:55 PM I've noticed that, in a well-planned session, time usually goes by rather quickly. That said, I can also recall an occasional gaming moment where a single second or two seemed to stretch out into eternity. It wasn't exactly slow motion, per se. Rather, each of these "slow-motion" moments was such a pivotal event in and of itself that my memory of them seems somehow "larger" by comparison to the events that transpired immediately before and after.

Those "slow motion" moments are usually the same one's where - for a split second - everyone at the table is so rivetted by the resolution of one particular action that they suddenly forget that it isn't their turn. It usually happens when the fate of the party hangs in the balance, or when someone, through sheer luck alone, accomplishes something completely unexpected. The words "natural twenty" are often involved.

A mini slow-motion-moment might be one where a player rolls a critical threat. When a player shouts "nat 20" while attacking the nearly-dead dragon that's one round away from slaughtering the entire party, you're seconds away from a possible slow-motion moment. If you allow iterative critical hits (where a crit threat during a confirmation roll allows a second confirmation roll for an even larger damage multiplier), you're even closer. The only span of time that seems to last longer than those rare split-seconds between "nat 20" and "another nat 20!" is the time that it takes between the last "nat 20" and the damage roll.

In my experience, some of the longest - and most memorable - split-seconds in the game are those that involve a lucky roll setting up a domino effect of additional rolls whose result everyone knows will be something spectacular. And its never the two-weapon-wielding attack routine from a flanking rogue, or the mounted, charging power attack, either. Those stack up the damage rather fast, but they become quite predictable at high levels (yawn). Instead, the moments that really seem to flow in slow motion might sound something like this:

"Well, I'm going to drop next round, so I may as well use my final smite of the day against the balor... Possible crit... I confirm!... He's down? Wait a minute! I have Cleave!"

The likes of an event such as this probably took all of a few dozen seconds to resolve, but those few seconds felt like a major, slow-motion production in and of themelves.
Sir Elton
02-09-06, 10:16 AM The following thread is for our 01/27 Design & Development column: Flow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20060127a). Any experiences with time slowing down in your game? Or, any non-fiction books you'd recommend for R&D?

Thanks!

Fight choreography slows down my game. :( Actually, it's bad players. You force a bad player to be a good player. To have proper flow, you need players that match your DM style, I believe. Players that keep pace with you, take your cues, and actually roleplay are my kind of players.

My cousin is the opposite. He does fight choreography; he uses "scenes" on the table. It's nasty. :(
darkjedi3_hunt
02-27-06, 09:42 AM I am a great reader of historical works. All of the ones mentioned are good. However, I recommend as the greatest historical heroic epic the Romances of D'Artagnian, which includes The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask. This set of works incorporates tactical combat, intrigue, war, daring-do, honor, and nobility. Truely the standard for a Renaissance-type campaign. They are available FREE on gutenburg.org.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WotC_Bart 01-27-06, 12:09 PM	The following thread is for our 01/27 Design & Development column: Flow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20060127a). Any experiences with time slowing down in your game? Or, any non-fiction books you'd recommend for R&D? Thanks!
Epic_Meepo 01-27-06, 07:55 PM	I've noticed that, in a well-planned session, time usually goes by rather quickly. That said, I can also recall an occasional gaming moment where a single second or two seemed to stretch out into eternity. It wasn't exactly slow motion, per se. Rather, each of these "slow-motion" moments was such a pivotal event in and of itself that my memory of them seems somehow "larger" by comparison to the events that transpired immediately before and after. Those "slow motion" moments are usually the same one's where - for a split second - everyone at the table is so rivetted by the resolution of one particular action that they suddenly forget that it isn't their turn. It usually happens when the fate of the party hangs in the balance, or when someone, through sheer luck alone, accomplishes something completely unexpected. The words "natural twenty" are often involved. A mini slow-motion-moment might be one where a player rolls a critical threat. When a player shouts "nat 20" while attacking the nearly-dead dragon that's one round away from slaughtering the entire party, you're seconds away from a possible slow-motion moment. If you allow iterative critical hits (where a crit threat during a confirmation roll allows a second confirmation roll for an even larger damage multiplier), you're even closer. The only span of time that seems to last longer than those rare split-seconds between "nat 20" and "another nat 20!" is the time that it takes between the last "nat 20" and the damage roll. In my experience, some of the longest - and most memorable - split-seconds in the game are those that involve a lucky roll setting up a domino effect of additional rolls whose result everyone knows will be something spectacular. And its never the two-weapon-wielding attack routine from a flanking rogue, or the mounted, charging power attack, either. Those stack up the damage rather fast, but they become quite predictable at high levels (yawn). Instead, the moments that really seem to flow in slow motion might sound something like this: "Well, I'm going to drop next round, so I may as well use my final smite of the day against the balor... Possible crit... I confirm!... He's down? Wait a minute! I have Cleave!" The likes of an event such as this probably took all of a few dozen seconds to resolve, but those few seconds felt like a major, slow-motion production in and of themelves.
Sir Elton 02-09-06, 10:16 AM	The following thread is for our 01/27 Design & Development column: Flow (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20060127a). Any experiences with time slowing down in your game? Or, any non-fiction books you'd recommend for R&D? Thanks! Fight choreography slows down my game. :( Actually, it's bad players. You force a bad player to be a good player. To have proper flow, you need players that match your DM style, I believe. Players that keep pace with you, take your cues, and actually roleplay are my kind of players. My cousin is the opposite. He does fight choreography; he uses "scenes" on the table. It's nasty. :(
darkjedi3_hunt 02-27-06, 09:42 AM	I am a great reader of historical works. All of the ones mentioned are good. However, I recommend as the greatest historical heroic epic the Romances of D'Artagnian, which includes The Three Musketeers and The Man in the Iron Mask. This set of works incorporates tactical combat, intrigue, war, daring-do, honor, and nobility. Truely the standard for a Renaissance-type campaign. They are available FREE on gutenburg.org.