tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post2438998736845570372..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: two items from Paul and PaulJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-75819272035303951622011-08-10T15:01:03.761-05:002011-08-10T15:01:03.761-05:00I started DMing with 3.5, and even when i moved to...I started DMing with 3.5, and even when i moved to retroclones, I always kept the newschool conceit of drawing the map for my players as they go. Making them keep track themselves just seems like creating extra work for everyone--I already know what it all looks like, have a map of it behind my screen already. Trying to describe what I see, having a player draw that, telling them "no, see, it's more over here, because it connects to--well, i can't tell you yet," etc, seems so much more complicated than just sketching another room myself onto the big mat or, if we're playing without minis and doing oldschool combat, just onto a spare piece of paper. Can anyone else point out a major advantage to player-mapping that I'm missing?Mobius Soulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16312483597998020060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-41558123193777276952011-08-10T04:06:20.363-05:002011-08-10T04:06:20.363-05:00I don't think it's browser related. This ...I don't think it's browser related. This is happening to me in IE, Firefox and Safari.Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-61407548787954387252011-08-09T22:39:33.985-05:002011-08-09T22:39:33.985-05:00I had the hardest time leaving comments with IE. ...I had the hardest time leaving comments with IE. But in Firefox I had no troubles at all. Wondering if there is some sort of browser bug that is causing it.PeterAmthorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18190359101341763641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-78624645632970293502011-08-09T21:07:23.902-05:002011-08-09T21:07:23.902-05:00I tend to adhere pretty strictly to a philosophy o...I tend to adhere pretty strictly to a philosophy of "you only get precise measurements if your characters are taking the time to do that". Otherwise they get approximations.<br /><br />This leads to hazy mapping that then translates to people being comfortable with rough approximations of odd-shaped rooms.<br /><br />When precision is needed or a room is just thwarting any sort of understanding I'll just sketch it out the shape of it quickly.Justin Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02227895898395353754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-2183830176035117162011-08-09T20:49:57.265-05:002011-08-09T20:49:57.265-05:00odd shaped rooms:
Make the odd shaped room too big...odd shaped rooms:<br />Make the odd shaped room too big to see all at once or draw them on a piece of paper and hold it up for the mapper to see, don't hand it to the mapper and avoid scribbling on graph paper for the view.JDJarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07691101939920824546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-16847647472273063602011-08-09T18:53:24.755-05:002011-08-09T18:53:24.755-05:00@S. John Ross as well: how do you describe the roo...@S. John Ross as well: how do you describe the room to the players? <br /><br />Crazy that one was supposed to somehow divine that 8 actually meant H. <br /><br />"...a river of Too Big For Its Own Good." There is a sad truth in that well-turned phrase, Jeff.OlmanFeelyushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-47232224206405777442011-08-09T16:48:54.192-05:002011-08-09T16:48:54.192-05:00@S.J.R.:
But how do you know where to look for se...@S.J.R.:<br /><br />But how do you know where to look for secret doors other than at suspiciously-obvious blank dead-end walls?Taketoshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17876641059472816784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-44042606571044441842011-08-09T16:14:09.762-05:002011-08-09T16:14:09.762-05:00The idea that the dimensions or shape of the room ...The idea that the dimensions or shape of the room are of interest to the mapper has never quite clicked for me. When I'm the mapper, every room is a blob/circle connected to all the other blob/circles by lines.<br /><br />Sometimes, when more detail is necessary, it becomes a note on or near the blob/circle/line. Usually, no such notes are needed.S. John Rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12284417121877141161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-13321338060500475622011-08-09T14:58:17.625-05:002011-08-09T14:58:17.625-05:00Hello! Thanks for the shout-out.
I'm not sure...Hello! Thanks for the shout-out.<br /><br />I'm not sure about your particular comment problem, but I have noticed that Chrome sometimes doesn't render the captcha until I reload the page (hopefully remember to first same my comment).Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12096724870715714696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-77271211745535035642011-08-09T14:01:01.949-05:002011-08-09T14:01:01.949-05:00I've had that commenting problem for some time...I've had that commenting problem for some time too. Another workaround - using Internet Explorer (*), open a session of <a href="http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/internet-explorer/products/ie-9/features/in-private" rel="nofollow">"InPrivate browsing"</a>, and use that to add the comment.<br /><br />(*) Part of IE 8 & 9. I expect Firefox etc have something similar.PCBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03645647030605683608noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-90125787390127784372011-08-09T13:31:01.677-05:002011-08-09T13:31:01.677-05:00Same (sporadic) problem with the comments - I'...Same (sporadic) problem with the comments - I'll have to try Jason's fix!Keith Sloanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07319879076978887933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-49649343121414679642011-08-09T13:27:11.014-05:002011-08-09T13:27:11.014-05:00Absolutely agree on the rooms. When thinking abou...Absolutely agree on the rooms. When thinking about my EZ-Map dungeon I tried to think of all the distinct shapes you might clearly convey to players. There aren't very many. You can still get away with things like half a circle, or crescent shaped. But mostly the mental image players get is how big a space is this, and where are the exits.Telecanterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238356788092725244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-62091179228879442572011-08-09T12:52:41.304-05:002011-08-09T12:52:41.304-05:00Thanks! I'll try that!Thanks! I'll try that!Jeff Rientshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-21697874362786829502011-08-09T12:51:24.007-05:002011-08-09T12:51:24.007-05:00When that problem with comments happened to me I f...When that problem with comments happened to me I found that if I didn't click the stay signed in button when I logged in (or whatever it is called) then I could leave comments again no problem.Jason Zavodahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13109502376214104276noreply@blogger.com