DM starting a game. [Archive] - Wizards Community

DM starting a game. [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
odinsmightytoad
08-21-07, 09:57 AM I am writing a game and I was looking for feed-back on how much detail a player likes to have going in to the game. I'm kinda was looking for what you as a player like to have at start up about the world around you. Also, does having that information help to create a better character in you eyes?
Ace_of_time
08-21-07, 05:57 PM As a player I like to know a basic starting story. Any rules not followed. If we will be doing anything alot more than normal. AKA if we are near mountain and will be Exploring them I might want some extra ranks on climb and jump then I normally would start with. Anything more than that I would roll knowledge checks for.
RobbyPants
08-22-07, 09:49 AM Something I've noticed is that nobody cares as much for the amazing, intricate details of the DM's world as much as the DM.

As for the players: some like backstory, and realy like to work it into the campaign. Some care for nothing more other than acquiring new abilities. You'll have to gauge your players to find out what level is appropriate.

Now, that being said: even if your players aren't huge into intricate stories, it doen't mean you shouldn't put effort into the story of your campaign world. A lot of times, as an all-knowing DM, you'll see events unfold and play out long before the players do. Put forth the effort and have your NPCs react in a way that's natural to them and makes sense to your world. The players will slowly sense the "realism" of this world, and they might catch on more than you think. So even without giving them a 1 inch thick 3 ring binder of world history, they can figure it out through the campain sessions.
odinsmightytoad
08-22-07, 10:47 AM Yeah I kind of figured that is what I will be doing. I just wanted to see if my group of lackies and layabouts were the exception not the rule.
Phrennzy
08-22-07, 12:30 PM As a player I want to know:

House Rules

Starting Area Details like:

Religions
Who is in charge
Regional Map

Will we be doing more of one type of thing? As alluded to earlier, if we are going to be cave explorers, let me know. Also, if the campaign world is overrun with undead, let me know. If the campaign is going to be heavy roleplay, let me know. If it's all three, then instead of an elven barbarian/rogue, I'd more likely be a dwarven cleric/bard.

I don't want to hear or read 3 pages of the history of the world. Give me one paragraph that sums up the region. One paragraph for the city, and one paragraph for my life so far.
Shadowhowler
08-22-07, 04:22 PM *I* like all the info I can get...

...but not more then my character should have.

Meaning... before making a character, I'd like to know what the DM wants/expects from us, if there are certian kinds of characters he does not want, or certain ones he does, blah blah blah.

After making the character, I'd like the DM to tell me as much about the world around my character as my character would know... no more, no less.

That way I as a play can learn new things about the world along with my character, thus hightning the roleplaying experince for me... and my character will know everything about the world he lives in that he should know, thus helping him (and me, his player) to feel 'immersed' in the story.
Reversefigure4
08-23-07, 03:10 AM Any major alterations from the standard PHB rules. If there's no dwarves, mithral, or sorcerers in your world, players should know before they plan a dwarf sorc in a mithral chain shirt.

If there's a campaign set-up ("You are all soldiers of the Rwick Empire") or special creation rules ("Everybody has to be half-fiend"), players need to know beforehand.
White_Whale
08-23-07, 06:34 AM What Phrennzy said.

Also:
-what books are allowed for character construction
-I'd like to have an estimate how long the campaign will last (what level). That way, I won't aim for a prestige class at level 10 if the campaign ends by level 8.
-are magic items easily obtainable
Shaggy_Shaggs
08-23-07, 06:55 AM Everything that's been mentioned already.

Also, I want to know about the communities around that are not based in the cities/villages/etc. Who are the nomads and where have they been? What are the names of the regional orc and goblin tribes and how do they get along with each other? Without that kind of information it's pretty hard to make, say, a goblin barbarian character with a background that doesn't gloss over all the details.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
odinsmightytoad 08-21-07, 09:57 AM	I am writing a game and I was looking for feed-back on how much detail a player likes to have going in to the game. I'm kinda was looking for what you as a player like to have at start up about the world around you. Also, does having that information help to create a better character in you eyes?
Ace_of_time 08-21-07, 05:57 PM	As a player I like to know a basic starting story. Any rules not followed. If we will be doing anything alot more than normal. AKA if we are near mountain and will be Exploring them I might want some extra ranks on climb and jump then I normally would start with. Anything more than that I would roll knowledge checks for.
RobbyPants 08-22-07, 09:49 AM	Something I've noticed is that nobody cares as much for the amazing, intricate details of the DM's world as much as the DM. As for the players: some like backstory, and realy like to work it into the campaign. Some care for nothing more other than acquiring new abilities. You'll have to gauge your players to find out what level is appropriate. Now, that being said: even if your players aren't huge into intricate stories, it doen't mean you shouldn't put effort into the story of your campaign world. A lot of times, as an all-knowing DM, you'll see events unfold and play out long before the players do. Put forth the effort and have your NPCs react in a way that's natural to them and makes sense to your world. The players will slowly sense the "realism" of this world, and they might catch on more than you think. So even without giving them a 1 inch thick 3 ring binder of world history, they can figure it out through the campain sessions.
odinsmightytoad 08-22-07, 10:47 AM	Yeah I kind of figured that is what I will be doing. I just wanted to see if my group of lackies and layabouts were the exception not the rule.
Phrennzy 08-22-07, 12:30 PM	As a player I want to know: House Rules Starting Area Details like: Religions Who is in charge Regional Map Will we be doing more of one type of thing? As alluded to earlier, if we are going to be cave explorers, let me know. Also, if the campaign world is overrun with undead, let me know. If the campaign is going to be heavy roleplay, let me know. If it's all three, then instead of an elven barbarian/rogue, I'd more likely be a dwarven cleric/bard. I don't want to hear or read 3 pages of the history of the world. Give me one paragraph that sums up the region. One paragraph for the city, and one paragraph for my life so far.
Shadowhowler 08-22-07, 04:22 PM	I like all the info I can get... ...but not more then my character should have. Meaning... before making a character, I'd like to know what the DM wants/expects from us, if there are certian kinds of characters he does not want, or certain ones he does, blah blah blah. After making the character, I'd like the DM to tell me as much about the world around my character as my character would know... no more, no less. That way I as a play can learn new things about the world along with my character, thus hightning the roleplaying experince for me... and my character will know everything about the world he lives in that he should know, thus helping him (and me, his player) to feel 'immersed' in the story.
Reversefigure4 08-23-07, 03:10 AM	Any major alterations from the standard PHB rules. If there's no dwarves, mithral, or sorcerers in your world, players should know before they plan a dwarf sorc in a mithral chain shirt. If there's a campaign set-up ("You are all soldiers of the Rwick Empire") or special creation rules ("Everybody has to be half-fiend"), players need to know beforehand.
White_Whale 08-23-07, 06:34 AM	What Phrennzy said. Also: -what books are allowed for character construction -I'd like to have an estimate how long the campaign will last (what level). That way, I won't aim for a prestige class at level 10 if the campaign ends by level 8. -are magic items easily obtainable
Shaggy_Shaggs 08-23-07, 06:55 AM	Everything that's been mentioned already. Also, I want to know about the communities around that are not based in the cities/villages/etc. Who are the nomads and where have they been? What are the names of the regional orc and goblin tribes and how do they get along with each other? Without that kind of information it's pretty hard to make, say, a goblin barbarian character with a background that doesn't gloss over all the details.