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Jan 2, 2013 -- 6:14PM, floating_stump wrote:

Wow Felorn, you went from implying that Wizzzard is not as talented as you, while offering a little bit of help, to being outright insulting.

Personally, I like being given a chance to help shape the world. I'll flesh out my character's corner of the world, rather than try to guess and keep up with my GM's version as he goes along. Collaborative.

Wizzzard, rather than asking them what they would like to do or see happen, ask them to flesh out their backgrounds. If you can find out what motivates the characters, it should be easier to come up with things that happen to them. I understand you're not asking for major plot lines, since very often one or more of the PCs is occupied during this downtime, but if when you learn someone's quirks or motivations, you can make your little events play into them. Or set up little events that draw the characters into bigger ones for the uptime.

Now, where did you get that I insulted Wizzzard, or say he wasn't near as talented? I don't remember doing that. If I insulted anyone it would be Salla. The way these people describe what they are saying is that their players practically run the game and the DM is along for the ride. And there is a complete difference between giving a detailed background or having a specific place for your PC, and you telling your DM what happens next. You are the DM, GM, Storyteller, Arbiter... Without you there would be no game. If the players feel they can do things so much better, or come up with more interesting hooks, let them run their own game. I'm all for collaborative storytelling, not for player dictatorship. I run MY game, MY world, if we cooperate turns into OUR game, OUR world. But at its heart it is still my game. Next time try and put a little insight into what one is saying.

Jan 2, 2013 -- 7:48PM, wizzzzzard wrote:

I think perhaps that people are overthinking this.  I don't want a list of plot ideas.  I don't need a list of things to begin an adventure on. 

What I'm looking for a list of quick random events that could be resolved quickly, in the span of a few days at most while goofing off in a city or town.

What I want is that while the group is in town trying to sell off some magic item they can't use, or get rested up for the next journey out into the wilds of the land, something completely random, but a normal event, happens to them while there.

Just sitting here, I had a few ideas:

- you find a sack of fresh groceries
- you are propositioned by an extremely and obviously inexeperienced prostitute
- you find a childs toy that seems brand new.
- a letter meant for someone else in town is delivered to you by mistake.
- you're asked to participate in a religious ceremony

Simple 5 or 10 minute mini-adventures that can be resolved with a minutes of roleplaying.

I was wondering if someone had a chart of ideas like this.

Try this: add1e.bbe-tech.com/index.php?title=Table...

Jan 2, 2013 -- 9:04PM, crimsyn wrote:

Felorn, you're being incredibly aggressive and insulting.  And you're wrong about this approach.

Jan 2, 2013 -- 2:21PM, Felorn wrote:

I've never known a single person that said "Gee I can't wait to play again so I can tell you how to run the game!" And form how you are describing it you don't have any ideas and you ask your players "Well what happens next?" That sounds incredibly lazy.

I don't think it is being "lazy."  "Lazy" is a pejorative.  I'm not "lazy," but if I can see an alternative that gets me better results for less work, I'm going to jump at it every time.  Doing less work for as good or better results is just being smart.

Jan 2, 2013 -- 2:21PM, Felorn wrote:

Here is how I see it going down: DM asks the players what happens next, Player comes up with an absurd answer or something completely random and not at all related to the location, DM goes with what the player said and the balance of the entire local area is now turned on its side. 

I think in games you must have some form of consistency. Consistency is key to having a believable game. If something out of whack happens then you just messed with that area in your world. In some places some things just don't happen. And when players are naming things off willy nilly trying to be cool/interesting/etc then it just becomes unbelievable. Certain things happen in certain places.   

I think you're misrepresenting this approach.  The players have a responsibility to not contradict already established fiction, rather, build on it.  And even if something is out of place, that could be a future plot hook.  "Owlbears?  They don't live in these parts, I have to investigate!"

I was doing a game of Dungeon World tonight, and I threw in a bit of an experiment.  The players were in a four-story mage tower to confront Melvyn, a mad wizard, at the top.  In the basement and the main floor, I had some pre-established stuff.  On the second floor, I asked the players "What sort of vile experiments is Melvyn working on?" and let each player create a monster.

Lo and behold, the second floor scene was awesome, and the players created some very cool story elements, building on existing fiction, some which will be coming back for the sequel.

Well yes and owlbear in these parts could be weird but the guys that constantly say "ask your player, ask your players" never come up with and examples on how it works well. I've seen some do it and it completely bomb. Some people like to take advantage of their DMs and a lot of people on this forum are giving them advice to be even more of a push over in game.