|
1 year ago ::
Jan 29, 2012 - 9:32AM
#31
|
Date Joined:
Dec 10, 2008
|
As for our FLGS, we have twice the number of Encounters players for this season than we've ever had before.
No one here really has a problem with the plot or the long list of characters. I guess part of that is because I used simple handouts summarizing the plot to them, I used pictures hung on my DM screen to show who the main characters are, and I also managed expectations. I've explained numerous times that Encounters is a weekly one-encounter session designed to bring people into the stores and that folks can come and go as they please. I also explained that due to the format, there is a certain amount (a big amount!) of railroading involved, so if you like the freedom to do anything you want at any time in this story, you won't find it here, but you will find a lot of fun anyway, and that this format is NOT typically how 4th edition works, although it can work like that if you want it to.
When people understand that they have fun and if they don't they may not have fun. So you gotta manage expectations and explain the format to people numerous times, especially since you will probably have new players coming in all the time and others leaving.
Bottom line, I have a number of players literally BEGGING me to DM next season as well. They want more, so for us the Encounters program is a success and this season's module didn't hurt anything.
OD&D, 1E and 2E challenged the player.
3E challenged the character, not the player.
Now 4E takes it a step further by challenging a GROUP OF PLAYERS to work together as a TEAM.
That's why I love 4E.
"Your ability to summon a horde of celestial superbeings at will is making my ... BMX skills look a bit redundant."
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 03, 2012 - 6:56PM
#32
|
Date Joined:
Oct 14, 2008
|
We've lost a couple of DMs due to this module. We are losing regular players as well.
This is a terrible module if you don't have DMs committing to the whole season. If you're handed the module at 5, to run at 5:30, you're kind of screwed. Especially if you haven't read the frontmatter, or you're working from a photocopy of that night's session and don't have the full module (we have lost a copy of the module to someone moving, and a second copy to the DM disappearing-- we are down to 2 mods for 5 tables).
An example of how bad this is? I was called in to run session 5, having missed 3 and 4, but with very little prep. Any week of Neverwinter or Evard, I'd have been fine. Session 5, I mentioned the keys, and all my players gave me blank looks. I've now read the module a little more thoroughly (as well as having run more sessions) and lo and behold: the PCs are supposed to know they need the keys, but where is it ever mentioned to tell them this?!?!? It seems like the leprechauns would have been a good fit for that....? Nope. It says in the front of the book that it's important that they get the keys. But nowhere in the module that I've found does it tell the PLAYERS that it's important to get the keys.
We've been struggling for weeks with this problem of the keys. I've taken to just calling them the "plot hole keys." I've suggested to players that they should just pluck any leaves at this point, since they have no idea why the leaves are important, just that they're strangely compelled to collect them.
I'm sorry for the writers of this module, cause I am sure you put a lot of work into it. I don't know if this stuff got changed in playtest and editing or not, and I really don't care. It really shouldn't have been sent out for this program.
Would have been good as a standalone module, with about 8 more pages of information, I think.
The fault is not in our modules, but in our DMs... Our three DMs had the material from week 0, are committed, and have no trouble handling the heaps of plot-bits (like the leaf keys, the Tuathan road whistle, the bloodstone, etc.).
Having invested DMs who are also prepared for this complicated adventure is the real issue for mortaine. Previous seasons (I've run Evard and Neverwinter) had much simpler plots, with fewer plot-bits to introduce. And, they were less fun to run! The adventure is more advanced, however, and will overwhelm an unprepared DM - to say nothing of overwhelming under-invested players. 
D&D Encounters Post-game Show podcast!
http://gelatinouscubed.net/podcast-episodes/
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 03, 2012 - 7:12PM
#33
|
Date Joined:
Oct 14, 2008
|
I'm a little sad reading the posts describing how the players at different Encounters locations are having a bad time. Our location in Bayshore Mall (Glendale, WI) has a cadre of over a dozen players who each attend at least sessions a season. We get new players every week, and none of the DMs has mentioned any negative feedback based on this fine adventure. The player tables are pretty stable, however. Each DM knows who will be playing at his table next week, which permits more of a "home game" feel and continuity. Since I usually end up with the new player any given week, I present a quick synopsis, "previously in the Crystal Cave" type intro; this also helps keep the pertinent facts in front of my mostly younger boys who are also new to the game. The prevalence in these posts of players who just want to "kill stuff for a couple of hours" suggests to me that DMs are presenting Encounters adventures as nothing more than that. Even in Evard and Neverwinter, there was room for NPC interaction, setting description, and non-combat decisions that would enrich the play experience. After all, the D&D board games are available for those who prefer all action and minimal "blah-blah" in their gaming. 
D&D Encounters Post-game Show podcast!
http://gelatinouscubed.net/podcast-episodes/
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 04, 2012 - 10:43AM
#34
|
|
|
I dm'ed the first six seasons of encounters (and just handed the reins over to an apprentice) and it was interesting to watch the development of the program as it grew into more and more role-playing and choice-making opportunities. Some weeks I invented the RP opportunities, and some weeks I was under-prepared and "winged-it" by scanning that weeks spread as we played (an infamous "page six" joke came out of this, back when the dm had to read three separate sections of the module for each encounter.)
This season really pushes the limits of the RP and exploratrion over the combat in an experimental way. It requires a lot of attention to get the most out of it, but "the game rises to the skill level of the dm" so to speak, so I think they are doing the right thing.
In other words, some groups might just skip to teh fight, and that's ok.
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 04, 2012 - 12:41PM
#35
|
|
|
This is my first season DMing at my FLGS. I played in the previous season (Neverwinter).
In our store this season has been hard. We have a mix of younger and older players. I can see the younger players losing interest during the non-combat portions of the modules. In the last session, some of the players left after the combat was over.
I'm not sure what the answer is. Certainly some of the older players like some of the roleplaying aspects however we have had quite a bit of player turnover which makes it difficult to keep any continuity. On the whole, I have to say that I'm looking forward to this season drawing to a close.
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 04, 2012 - 3:32PM
#36
|
|
|
Overall this season has been a success for me. We've had great turnout and our regulars have gelled together. Everyone is having a good time.
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 05, 2012 - 3:39PM
#37
|
|
|
This season has been a terrible time at my FLGS. I will very swiftly note that it's only half the materials' fault.
We have barely been able to get 3 players to show up (self included) on a regular basis and can barely keep the DM going! While the material is a decent story (though a tragic reprint...), it's horrid when it comes to the episodic nature of Encounters. We spend 10 minutes before each session to remind everyone of all the key details which happened before.
Now I said the materials was only half. The other half is the DM. The previous players seem to not like him, so I'll be thrown back into the DM's seat next season. A game table coup! So, yes, with the two sources of bleh, it's hard to lay an exact percentage of blame on the material, but still...
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 06, 2012 - 9:34AM
#38
|
- Dragon Slayer
- If only he would apply himself
- Dammit Jim, this is Star Trek, not D&D!
Date Joined:
Jan 31, 2006
|
It is really interesting to see some call this their favorite season and some their least favorite. That often is a sign of the adventure trying to do really new things.
To the extent that people come to the forums not just to vent but also to pick up ideas, my recommendation is to focus on what the table wants. In the end, have a great time. The Encounters material is never very long in word count - you can generally read the whole thing in one evening. Read the material, make a call as to how it will be received by you and your table, and DM accordingly.
If you are a DM that feels it will be a challenge to impart story upon your players, simplify that story. Distill it down to the key elements that resonate with you and tell that story in your words. That might sound really hard, but it doesn't have to be. Read the story once, then out loud (saying it to a mirror is a common trick) state a 1 minute overview of what is taking place. Jot down those major points you said as bullets. Now take a look at each encounter and make sure those (simpler) points will be communicated. If as you run you find yourself getting more comfortable with the story you can find ways to add it back in. At its simplest, the story can be of two lovers that retired in a magical kingdom and various creatures have the "keys" to reaching them and stopping the recent problem.
If you like story but worry about how the players will recall it, create a quick handout in something like Excel that players can use to track "story points". Reward them when they have tracked one successfully. Usually one person at a table will be present for most of the sessions and is willing to track them. If not, consider a summary handout of "the story thus far". It can actually be really helpful for you as a DM. In a larger store you could share the task of tracking this amongst DMs and it can be a common DM aid everyone uses.
If your table really just wants combat, you can give them that. It seems like a shame to me, but the ultimate goal is fun. If the players and you really just want to defeat stuff you can provide only the lightest of reasons to linearly take them from one encounter to the next, such as written clues found on each foe. Just be careful that someone may join your table that wants more out of their game - they would wrongfully conclude that D&D is just combat.
In all cases, as DMs we own the adventure. We can see from the posts on this thread that one persons "best season ever" is another's "worst ever". No season will be perfect for everyone. We as DMs take the material, breathe life into it, and adapt it to our table's preferences.
Follow my blog and Twitter feed with Dark Sun campaign design and DM tips! Dark Sun's Ashes of Athas Campaign is now available for home play (PM me with your e-mail to order the campaign adventures).
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 08, 2012 - 8:22AM
#39
|
Date Joined:
Jun 21, 2009
|
It is really interesting to see some call this their favorite season and some their least favorite. That often is a sign of the adventure trying to do really new things.
To the extent that people come to the forums not just to vent but also to pick up ideas, my recommendation is to focus on what the table wants. In the end, have a great time. The Encounters material is never very long in word count - you can generally read the whole thing in one evening. Read the material, make a call as to how it will be received by you and your table, and DM accordingly.
If you are a DM that feels it will be a challenge to impart story upon your players, simplify that story. Distill it down to the key elements that resonate with you and tell that story in your words. That might sound really hard, but it doesn't have to be. Read the story once, then out loud (saying it to a mirror is a common trick) state a 1 minute overview of what is taking place. Jot down those major points you said as bullets. Now take a look at each encounter and make sure those (simpler) points will be communicated. If as you run you find yourself getting more comfortable with the story you can find ways to add it back in. At its simplest, the story can be of two lovers that retired in a magical kingdom and various creatures have the "keys" to reaching them and stopping the recent problem.
If you like story but worry about how the players will recall it, create a quick handout in something like Excel that players can use to track "story points". Reward them when they have tracked one successfully. Usually one person at a table will be present for most of the sessions and is willing to track them. If not, consider a summary handout of "the story thus far". It can actually be really helpful for you as a DM. In a larger store you could share the task of tracking this amongst DMs and it can be a common DM aid everyone uses.
If your table really just wants combat, you can give them that. It seems like a shame to me, but the ultimate goal is fun. If the players and you really just want to defeat stuff you can provide only the lightest of reasons to linearly take them from one encounter to the next, such as written clues found on each foe. Just be careful that someone may join your table that wants more out of their game - they would wrongfully conclude that D&D is just combat.
In all cases, as DMs we own the adventure. We can see from the posts on this thread that one persons "best season ever" is another's "worst ever". No season will be perfect for everyone. We as DMs take the material, breathe life into it, and adapt it to our table's preferences.
To say that this mod is simple enough to look over in one evening is an unfair statement. This mod has so many small details that I have spend numerous "evenings" looking it over and still missed things.
I can tell you that this mod has killed one table already. So many players are dropping that we are down to two tables and those tables are skeletons. The statment was made that a DM should tailor the mod to the wants of the players. What if the players want to say forget the story and kill everything. To them that is fun, but then as written they are not going to get the full XP of the mod. Is that fair to them? If that is the case, why have a story and not just a series of combat encounters?
|
|
|
|
1 year ago ::
Feb 08, 2012 - 9:06AM
#40
|
Date Joined:
Aug 25, 2006
|
The statment was made that a DM should tailor the mod to the wants of the players. What if the players want to say forget the story and kill everything. To them that is fun, but then as written they are not going to get the full XP of the mod. Is that fair to them? If that is the case, why have a story and not just a series of combat encounters?
It seems to me that if that's what these players want, they should be playing Lair Assault rather than Encounters.
|
|
|
