Trouble visualizing DnD game and paying attention advice? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Trouble visualizing DnD game and paying attention advice?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
sublimeprince
Mar 26, 2012 9:50:28 I feel bad sometimes I can have an awful hard time being able to visualize everything our DM describes is happening in the game. The other players don't seem to have a problem with this. Either I just don't have as good of a verbal memory and concentration ability as the other players or they just forget a lot too and wing it. It can be even harder to concentrate with all the side table conversations and when my mind starts wandering. I have a hard time concentrating on anything without taking frequent 20 minute breaks. For example we will be in a couple dungeon rooms say for 12 hours. Our DM will first describe the room when we enter then half an hour later I completely forgot what most of the room looks like except for the very basics. If a map is drawn that really helps, but still a lot of important visual information is lost.

Staying concentrated on the game can be very challenging sometimes. I love playing the game and I am not bored it's just when my mind starts to wander I have no control over where it goes and how long it stays at that destination. I will be lost in thoughts and then "wake up" and realize a lot of time has gone by and it is almost my turn and I have no idea what just happened. It is way too embarassing to ask so I just try to fudge it. Being able to concentrate on a game for 12 hours straight takes an enormous amount of concentration ability and is a skill I wish I had. I feel sometimes I really am missing out on the game because I am missing so much information.

From experienced gamers is there anyways they have learned to improve their concentration ability in the game and to retain more verbal information in the game?

#2
Novacat
Mar 26, 2012 9:54:42 I think the core issue is not your difficulty in remembering or paying attention, but your unwillingness to ask your DM to repeat his descriptions, or to simply admit that you haven't been paying attention and would like a recap of the last round of combat.

I suspect you're rather young, as this can be socially awkward, admitting that you haven't been paying attention. But in reality, and you'll find this more and more as you get older, it's totally alright to ask someone to repeat something they just said, or to clarify it, or to remind you of what just happened. It happens all the time.

My recommendation is to get more comfortable with it.
#3
frothsof
Mar 26, 2012 10:02:18 i cant tell if this guy is joking or not bc his other threads are like 'i need help rolling dice'. gotta be joking
#4
mellored
Mar 26, 2012 10:21:08 Take notes.

Seriously. Just take notes.
#5
sublimeprince
Mar 26, 2012 11:07:56

I suspect you're rather young

I am over 30. Most computer programmers I have worked with have the same reserved personality, so it is just me.
#6
randomvirus
Apr 03, 2012 17:39:29 Most programmers I know are only reserved around the opposite sex... Is your DM a girl?

You mention a lot of side conversations, it could help to cut down on that. Try telling people to calm it down a bit.
#7
AdenB
Apr 04, 2012 15:56:35 Taking notes helps me a lot. It's also completely fine to ask someone to repeat or clarify something.

You can also try spending your time between turns doing things related to the game, such as discussing strategy with your teammates and planning out your next turn.
#8
EzraTwitch
Apr 12, 2012 18:06:14 Just like anything else, your brain needs practice to stay sharp the best solution I have found is to, stop watching as much t.v. (I actually dont watch t.v. at all anymore), and cutting down my video game time to no more than an hour or two a day. Also make a point of reading more (at least for a little while), also take long walks, and try and think of cool stories, settings, backgrounds and scenes, even if your not the DM as your mind actually functions more clearly when your body is active (even if your just walking around, its why I DM standing up),

I experienced exactly what you are describing after I got my first game system (an x-box) played that thing non-stop. 6 months later, my friends asked me to dm a game and I failed terribly, my vocabulary, but more importantly my imagination jsut wasnt up to the task. That scared the crap out of me becuase I actually felt like I was becoming dumber.

I still love video games and movies, but when it comes down to it books are just better brainfood.

I am 26.

#9
complete4th
Apr 17, 2012 14:19:33
Being able to concentrate on a game for 12 hours straight takes an enormous amount of concentration ability and is a skill I wish I had.

Wait, you're gaming for twelve hours at a time? No wonder you lose concentration! The attention span of the average adult is something like 45 minutes, so yeah...it's certainly not you. If the rest of your group can maintain concentration for anywhere near that long, they're some kind of mutants.

I second the "Just come clean" suggestion. Explain your problem, and that you need to take regular breaks to maintain focus. They'll understand.
#10
GSX72clone
Apr 19, 2012 21:49:48 I agree with Complete4th. Our sesions run 5-6 hours but we only play once a month.

I'm clinically diagnosed with ADD so I've had to work on the focus quite a bit. I'm also not an auditory learner. You can tell me somethign simple and five minutes later I can't remember half of what you said. One thing that helps me keep up is that I am the journal keeper. This serves several functions. 1. I remember the physical act of writing stuff down so what people describe becomes clearer. 2. If we forget when an effect is applied I can go back into the notes and count the rounds. 3. I'm the group hero. I've got a record of every magic item we've ever owned and who is carrying it. Even the DM has emailed me for details on past adventures. 4. I have an excuse for asking everyone to repeat the entire last round. "I need to make sure my notes are correct :D" Just besure you stick to the important stuff. It's not a play by play of a chess match it's quick blurbs about groups of actions.

I build visual aides. While I do have a modest collection of minatures and tiles, we also use everything from dice to Herseys Kisses as objects. I feel a lot more immersed when I actually get to move my mintotaur palidan out the building window on top of the mummy. Even if the building is a hastily drawn square and the mummy a Resse's peanutbutter cup. We also make pipecleaner squares to represent areas of effect for spells and such. If a character is on fire, whoever is bored will make a little red flaming crown.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 sublimeprince Mar 26, 2012 9:50:28	I feel bad sometimes I can have an awful hard time being able to visualize everything our DM describes is happening in the game. The other players don't seem to have a problem with this. Either I just don't have as good of a verbal memory and concentration ability as the other players or they just forget a lot too and wing it. It can be even harder to concentrate with all the side table conversations and when my mind starts wandering. I have a hard time concentrating on anything without taking frequent 20 minute breaks. For example we will be in a couple dungeon rooms say for 12 hours. Our DM will first describe the room when we enter then half an hour later I completely forgot what most of the room looks like except for the very basics. If a map is drawn that really helps, but still a lot of important visual information is lost. Staying concentrated on the game can be very challenging sometimes. I love playing the game and I am not bored it's just when my mind starts to wander I have no control over where it goes and how long it stays at that destination. I will be lost in thoughts and then "wake up" and realize a lot of time has gone by and it is almost my turn and I have no idea what just happened. It is way too embarassing to ask so I just try to fudge it. Being able to concentrate on a game for 12 hours straight takes an enormous amount of concentration ability and is a skill I wish I had. I feel sometimes I really am missing out on the game because I am missing so much information. From experienced gamers is there anyways they have learned to improve their concentration ability in the game and to retain more verbal information in the game?
#2 Novacat Mar 26, 2012 9:54:42	I think the core issue is not your difficulty in remembering or paying attention, but your unwillingness to ask your DM to repeat his descriptions, or to simply admit that you haven't been paying attention and would like a recap of the last round of combat. I suspect you're rather young, as this can be socially awkward, admitting that you haven't been paying attention. But in reality, and you'll find this more and more as you get older, it's totally alright to ask someone to repeat something they just said, or to clarify it, or to remind you of what just happened. It happens all the time. My recommendation is to get more comfortable with it.
#3 frothsof Mar 26, 2012 10:02:18	i cant tell if this guy is joking or not bc his other threads are like 'i need help rolling dice'. gotta be joking
#4 mellored Mar 26, 2012 10:21:08	Take notes. Seriously. Just take notes.
#5 sublimeprince Mar 26, 2012 11:07:56	I suspect you're rather young I am over 30. Most computer programmers I have worked with have the same reserved personality, so it is just me.
#6 randomvirus Apr 03, 2012 17:39:29	Most programmers I know are only reserved around the opposite sex... Is your DM a girl? You mention a lot of side conversations, it could help to cut down on that. Try telling people to calm it down a bit.
#7 AdenB Apr 04, 2012 15:56:35	Taking notes helps me a lot. It's also completely fine to ask someone to repeat or clarify something. You can also try spending your time between turns doing things related to the game, such as discussing strategy with your teammates and planning out your next turn.
#8 EzraTwitch Apr 12, 2012 18:06:14	Just like anything else, your brain needs practice to stay sharp the best solution I have found is to, stop watching as much t.v. (I actually dont watch t.v. at all anymore), and cutting down my video game time to no more than an hour or two a day. Also make a point of reading more (at least for a little while), also take long walks, and try and think of cool stories, settings, backgrounds and scenes, even if your not the DM as your mind actually functions more clearly when your body is active (even if your just walking around, its why I DM standing up), I experienced exactly what you are describing after I got my first game system (an x-box) played that thing non-stop. 6 months later, my friends asked me to dm a game and I failed terribly, my vocabulary, but more importantly my imagination jsut wasnt up to the task. That scared the crap out of me becuase I actually felt like I was becoming dumber. I still love video games and movies, but when it comes down to it books are just better brainfood. I am 26.
#9 complete4th Apr 17, 2012 14:19:33	Being able to concentrate on a game for 12 hours straight takes an enormous amount of concentration ability and is a skill I wish I had. Wait, you're gaming for twelve hours at a time? No wonder you lose concentration! The attention span of the average adult is something like 45 minutes, so yeah...it's certainly not you. If the rest of your group can maintain concentration for anywhere near that long, they're some kind of mutants. I second the "Just come clean" suggestion. Explain your problem, and that you need to take regular breaks to maintain focus. They'll understand.
#10 GSX72clone Apr 19, 2012 21:49:48	I agree with Complete4th. Our sesions run 5-6 hours but we only play once a month. I'm clinically diagnosed with ADD so I've had to work on the focus quite a bit. I'm also not an auditory learner. You can tell me somethign simple and five minutes later I can't remember half of what you said. One thing that helps me keep up is that I am the journal keeper. This serves several functions. 1. I remember the physical act of writing stuff down so what people describe becomes clearer. 2. If we forget when an effect is applied I can go back into the notes and count the rounds. 3. I'm the group hero. I've got a record of every magic item we've ever owned and who is carrying it. Even the DM has emailed me for details on past adventures. 4. I have an excuse for asking everyone to repeat the entire last round. "I need to make sure my notes are correct :D" Just besure you stick to the important stuff. It's not a play by play of a chess match it's quick blurbs about groups of actions. I build visual aides. While I do have a modest collection of minatures and tiles, we also use everything from dice to Herseys Kisses as objects. I feel a lot more immersed when I actually get to move my mintotaur palidan out the building window on top of the mummy. Even if the building is a hastily drawn square and the mummy a Resse's peanutbutter cup. We also make pipecleaner squares to represent areas of effect for spells and such. If a character is on fire, whoever is bored will make a little red flaming crown.