Random Fucking Tables - You're using the mother fucking tables wrong and have no fucking idea at all how they are supposed to work do you?
New Fuckign Book Fucking Topics
- Thread starter bryce0lynch
- Start date
Dynamoc hex crawl encounters vs statis ones. And the relation to normal room encounters?
EDIT: or this oculd go in the hex crawl book
EDIT: or this oculd go in the hex crawl book
DangerousPuhson
My my my, we just loooove to hear ourselves don't we?
Oh God, please don't tell me you're taking the AngryGM approach to D&D writing now...
squeen
8, 8, I forget what is for
There is a point made somewhere in AD&D that the random table should reflect randomness appropriate for the environment --- they are at best a way to add dynamic motion to an otherwise statically keyed local. The intent is to break a cycle of monsters-in-a-room-waiting-for-you-to-open-the-door.
In the Tome of Adventure Design, they are used completely differently --- to break a rigid pattern of idea generation (a rut) and spark creativity.
The former is an on-line activity, the latter an off-line.
I think when the latter is (mis)used to determine the content mid-game for a keyed location, that's what seems just plain negligent on the designer's part---since you've paid his or her's lazy-arse to do the off-line part.
Hope that helps.
In the Tome of Adventure Design, they are used completely differently --- to break a rigid pattern of idea generation (a rut) and spark creativity.
The former is an on-line activity, the latter an off-line.
I think when the latter is (mis)used to determine the content mid-game for a keyed location, that's what seems just plain negligent on the designer's part---since you've paid his or her's lazy-arse to do the off-line part.
Hope that helps.
The1True
8, 8, I forget what is for
But if you do; try halving the word count and not self-censoring your profanity...
PrinceofNothing
High Executarch
Good topic. Half the OSR includes it as a sort of ritualistic observation to the past without understanding its purpose and they must be shown the error of their ways.
The1True
8, 8, I forget what is for
There's been a lot of scorn heaped on Random Tables here recently, much of it valid. It's frustrating to see a gorgeous idea tucked away in a random number on a table full of other great ideas and know that unless the players farm an area, there's a high probability they will never encounter it (unless you fudge the roll). But that's just it. Sometimes the table is there to make a situation fluid and break a DM out of a rut, like Squeen mentioned. And not just a writing rut, but an on-the-fly, in-game rut.
I'm looking at some of these throwaway tables in UVG and they're growing on me. It's like this encounter area could be one of six things and you won't know until you stumble over it. You won't have time to prep, which is going to force you to use the part of your brain that improvises. There's a good possibility this will lead to a switch-up in play style to the table which could be very exciting.
The1True
8, 8, I forget what is for
I also like tables for adventure-adjacent areas. There's an argument for, if it's worth being in the product, it's worth being developed fully, but that's not always practical. Throwing in some tables for that wilderness between the town and the down let's the DM make the region their own if they want without taking up a huge page-count and countless hours of development hell.
Also. Tables are super fun for those of us who enjoy rolling dice.
Also. Tables are super fun for those of us who enjoy rolling dice.
squeen
8, 8, I forget what is for
Boy-o-boy, have I got the game for you!! Have you ever heard of Yahtzee!
DangerousPuhson
My my my, we just loooove to hear ourselves don't we?
I've always seen tables as a replayability/longevity tool for the module. If the events transpiring are randomized, then there's still a reason for the party to go through the process all over again. Conversely, if you go into the Savage Woods, it won't be as fun if you already know that you're going to encounter three ogres, an old cursed tree, and Namos the Fairy Knight, just like your buddy's group did last week. Especially in the internet age, where adventures are easily spoiled online.
The problem, I think, is that designers are using tables as generators to build whole chunks of the adventure, rather than tools to ensure there are no repeating encounters.
The problem, I think, is that designers are using tables as generators to build whole chunks of the adventure, rather than tools to ensure there are no repeating encounters.
The1True
8, 8, I forget what is for
It's possible we fall in love with the ideas we come up with for our own procedural generation and end up publishing everything rather than whittling it down. Or... I occasionally find myself having such a good time with my own randomizer that I start to wonder if other DM's might also.
To put me on the dice-rolling spectrum though; I enjoy titles like Stygian Library, Gardens of Ynn, Castle Gargantua, UVG etc. Some people really don't, and that is okay.
DangerousPuhson
My my my, we just loooove to hear ourselves don't we?
I think those examples are less egregious when it comes to tables because tables are their whole gimmick - they are at their heart procedurally-generated adventures. That's their main selling point: never the same adventure twice.
A good way to tell the difference is whether or not you can ask yourself "what happens in Adventure X?". You can't answer that question with Stygian/Ynn/Gargantua/UVG, because they're not "about" anything beyond stringing together random encounters.
