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View Full Version : How Far Do People Go With Player Aids?



darkpuppy
2010-08-19, 07:33 PM
I've seen a lot of groups use handouts, music, etc, but I'm genuinely curious as to how far people go to help people get in the mood. The most extreme I ever did was to put a key into the bottom of a large-ish jar of simulated blood (the usual corn-syrup thing) and, when a player declared he was searching a cistern, I simply gestured to the jar. *chuckles* that was a good halloween game...

arrowhen
2010-08-19, 07:42 PM
I used to make a lot of handouts, props, etc., but because my group were all artsy crafty types they were actually more distracting than immersive, usually leading to OOC discussions about art supplies and techniques and stuff.

Marnath
2010-08-19, 07:44 PM
I don't know where, but i saw pics one time of a group that had built their gaming area into an actual brick and mortar dungeon with real props. I don't think they used them on each other obviously, but it looked cool.

Pink Ranger
2010-08-19, 07:47 PM
If I ever run my own campaign (I'm currently working on one), I'm definitely going to do tons of this. Chocolate coins would definitely show up once in a while! :smallsmile: I think that small objects would be the easiest to work with. Rings/jewelry, letters/scrolls, keys, etc. I know some people who consider these things to veer too close to LARPing, and won't touch it with an eleven-foot pole. I tend to think they enrich the experience and make it more realistic for the players.

arrowhen
2010-08-19, 07:48 PM
Not really a player aid, but one time I used a glass of water as an improvised Large Water Elemental mini - and took sips from it to represent its HP loss. The group got a kick out of that one.

Savannah
2010-08-19, 07:56 PM
Generally I stick to making old maps and such. I like abusing paper until it looks properly old! I also have a lot of pictures of landscapes and treasure that I've cut out of magazines so I have something to show the players when I'm describing something.

For my real-life games, I like to draw my own minis. For pbp games, I like to make detailed maps for all the rooms.

I had a DM who gave us little fake "gems" for the magic gems that we'd gotten. It was actually really helpful, as we ended up passing them around quite a bit.

darkpuppy
2010-08-19, 08:01 PM
Liking all of these comments so far, and will definitely have to try the glass of water thing! :)

I also know what you mean about distraction, arrowhen, though.

Volos
2010-08-19, 08:01 PM
I've simulated letters that the players have found by making them out of weathered old paper and writing them down by hand with a quill pen. My players, to this day, hold onto the first of such handouts and they present it to other groups to brag about how awesome their game is. I've also hand drawn maps in the same fashion. I've found that these things not only help the players with immersion, but keep them from asking questions like "What did that letter say?" and "Where are we going?" Whether they are listening to my fluff because they are enjoying the game or they just have something to refrence to keep on track, it makes my job alot easier. Before introducing these type of handouts, my players were constantly confused and uninterested in my campaign world. Now not only are they talking about the game to everyone they know, they have become so attached to this world and the characters within it that when something goes down, they care about the consequences and they fight fiercely to protect what they have created. :smallcool:

valadil
2010-08-19, 10:06 PM
I usually do one or two aids per campaign. Any more than that and I spend more time on arts and crafts than on plot writing. Usually it'll be a weathered map or a wax sealed letter.

I've done something a little different this game though. But for the picture to make sense you need to know some context.

The players met with an insane gnome wizard. For plot reasons they asked him a question I hadn't anticipated. Could he, an epic wizard, construct a device that would help them find and implicate a doppelganger? Well, what's the best way to check if something's a doppelganger? Kill it of course. Then it reverts to its original form. The insane gnome wizard then describes how one could hide a guillotine in a portable hole and trigger it to go off whenever a doppelganger's head was inserted, thus detected the disguised impostor and saving the kingdom.

The players balked of course. This was a silly idea and they couldn't justify murdering public officials and rezzing them just based on suspicions of shape shifting. They tried to explain to the wizard why this wouldn't work. But he was out of touch with reality and had to try building such a device.

At the start of the next session the wizard approached the group and told them that he'd built the doppelganger detector as discussed, but he now sees that it won't work for logistical reasons. As he's doing this he's holding a crate with a hole cut out. On the top of the crate, the term "doppelganger detector" has been painted over. Immediately below it, the crate is labeled "murderbox."

I thought this was just a cheap throwaway gag, but the players loved it. They try to use it at every opportunity. I told them this and their response was "but dude, you gave us a murderbox." I suppose I should have seen that coming.

Anyway, the next session after that, this little fellow showed up on the battle map:

http://minis.sagotsky.com/murderbox.JPGSorry for the low rez image. iPhones have poor cameras.

I made it at work. It was a pizza box. Originally I built it from one folded piece and several strips attached with a glue stick. That didn't hold so I poured some superglue on the edges. That held, but gave it a moist quality, so I covered the whole thing with superglue to keep it looking consistent. It's damn sturdy now too. I widened the hole in front with a dremel and painted some blood on the edge.

Remmirath
2010-08-19, 10:14 PM
Usually I'll do at least one or two maps, letters, or notes - that sort of thing. We always use figures, and I generally take a while drawing out the dungeons, inns, or wherever they are so that they're detailed. I don't think I've ever gone any further than that.

Sometimes, if there's a creature or something which the appearance of is important, I'll draw it.

Vangor
2010-08-19, 10:45 PM
Never gotten around to implementing, but the maps one is about the only one I have figured would actually help. We are not terribly prop oriented. My next will be a set of letters they will acquire as they progress with cryptic messages and simple math puzzles in order to continue on to the next. Nothing stained, worn, etc., mostly because the letters are a thin, reflective material with pulsating, flowing, shifting ink, but also I am lazy and do fear anything besides printed text may make something less readable and mess with the clues.

Brigham
2010-08-19, 10:45 PM
I'm a maker through and through, though come game time I usually shirk the big stuff.

For D&D, I usually do a map minimum to drive home terrain, surroundings, etc.

Call of Cthulhu always perks up my creative output. I'll do costume (very limited), objects (sarcophagi, jewelry, journals, etc.). I was really happy with this telegram, though.

http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/ff331/Brigham/telegram.jpg

Good info on Cthulhu mythos prop making.
http://www.miskatonic.net/pickman/mythos/

skywalker
2010-08-19, 11:26 PM
I have a friend who writes his own CofC missions. He took us through a few of the pre-made missions, I remember that during the mission where we inspected a tattoo on an NPC's arm, he drew back his sleeve to reveal the tattoo.

But recently, he's started making his own, and he's started using a lot more props than that. Half the time, it seems like he's built the mission around the props, although this is the type of guy who will pick up just about anything he finds interesting, which means he has a lot of random stuff to throw into his creative soup.

Arrowhen, his rule is that all questions like "where'd you get that?" or "How did you...?" must be made after the game. It really helps with that sort of discussion.

Anyway, I'm in particular talking about looting a body and being handed a wallet IRL, with cash, casino tokens, IOUs, keys, etc. (this guy was a gambler) One very interesting thing is that if you don't search the whole wallet, you might miss an item, because he's not going to just hand it to you. We raided some corporate setting, and he actually gave us swipe cards as we took them off various stooges. It really helps with the immersion, IMO. Far more than music ever could.

By far, the greatest DM/GM/Keeper I've ever had.

Sinfonian
2010-08-20, 12:41 AM
Not really a player aid, but one time I used a glass of water as an improvised Large Water Elemental mini - and took sips from it to represent its HP loss. The group got a kick out of that one.

I really like this one for its creativity and simplicity.

Ravens_cry
2010-08-20, 01:18 AM
Based on the Water Elemental, here's potentially fun idea, though messy. Buy a pack of disposable plastic spoons and make a cube of Jello. Colossal in fact by D&D scale. It represents the big bad, the Uber-Cube,a (you guessed it) Colossal Gelatinous Cube. Now, every time someone hits, they take a (fresh) spoon and takes a bite. Maybe include minion cubes of Jello to give to whoever strikes the killing blow on them.

Shademan
2010-08-20, 02:29 AM
whait ...so...not like AIDS aids? ok, just checking...

Well I tend to draw characters and monsters and maps. Guess thats my aid.

AustontheGreat1
2010-08-20, 02:34 AM
Played in a game once where every session (every day in game time) the DM would make an actual newspaper with hidden plot hooks and all types of interesting information about the world around the characters. It was usually, full of articles detailing the repercussions and results of our previous exploits.

Altair_the_Vexed
2010-08-20, 02:35 AM
I'm currently making a load of sculpted polystyrene scenery for the big showdown scenes at the end of my campaign. Think cracked black rocks and rivers of yellow-orange magma.

Scenery counts, doesn't it?

I also made my own earth elemental minis out of wire frames and clay, rolled in sand from my own garden.

Must post pics some time.

Ormur
2010-08-20, 03:57 AM
I use google sketch to model important buildings and castles and I draw maps of cities and the continent (with different overlays for vegetation, cities, population). My DM has written letters too.

thompur
2010-08-20, 08:36 AM
Well, my wife and I like to use...huh? What? ... Oh. Player aids....nevermind...:smallredface:

MariettaGecko
2010-08-20, 08:44 AM
In our group, we mostly play with miniatures and draw stuff out on a battle map, and leave it at that. That said, if/when I next get a chance to run a game (we currently have four people willing and able to GM), I think I would like to be able to do up things like letters and whatnot. I think it could be fun.

darkpuppy
2010-08-20, 09:22 AM
I've got to admit, I don't often get the chance to make player aids because of the way I GM my games (strong Wing-It-Fu), but when I do, I really enjoy the process, knowing that it gets my players involved. For example, in this PbP Dark Matter game I'm trying to get organised, I am seriously considering spending a few hours between posts and stuff, and a few hours pre-game, making up certain player aids for the group. Good example: A Hoffman Institute recruitment letter. Sure, they're moderately formulaic, but it's sometimes nice to have such things, and they're not that much trouble to make, seeing as I have my dtp tools to play with.

Newspaper articles and stuff are a good idea, have to give that one some thought, but in many of my games, I've been lucky enough to either run a setting with an established map, or have players who know enough to be able to work without a battle map (sometimes both!)... but still, I am seriously considering making more player aids.

jiriku
2010-08-20, 09:58 AM
I'm fortunate to have a wife who's artistically very talented and enjoys making props for my game. She'll often paint elaborately decorated pictures of the major artifacts in my game, and recently painted (on cardboard) a set of Egyptian-style stone glyphs covered in hieroglyphics.

When the players discover old maps, ancient prophecies, or similar, I like to hand-write these things in paper. I make the paper look aged by soaking it in tea overnight, washing it with diluted tan paint and spattering it with a darker paint, burning holes in it with a match, or rubbing dirt into it (or a combination of these things).

My best player aid was a diary written by an NPC who was killed while writing the diary. She built a little diary of aged paper from scratch using cloth, cardboard, paper and glue, then decorated the cover with a hand-drawn symbol. I wrote in the diary entries, then on the final page where the author was killed, we put the diary in the bathtub and took turns splattering it with a mixture of reddish-purple paint until it looked drenched in gore. The final product was concealed inside a false book with a hidden compartment that we picked up at Hobby Lobby. The players loved it.

Jastermereel
2010-08-20, 10:32 AM
I printed out a few maps (including a two-page version of the RHoD's Elsir Vale) and pasted them to foam-core...and then painstakingly cut the ragged edge of the maps into the foam-core.

Also, after I started handing out significant loot with various item description cards and little coin-shaped tokens for action points, I made each player a small box with their character portrait on it so as to keep their inventory tidy. No one was having luck keeping track of it all on their sheet. Now they can remember, "Ah yes! Lets throw the source token I got months ago at the Scrag!"...even if the light horse it summons just gets torn in two thanks to rend.

Beyond the physical props, all of the battle maps are scavenged images from dozens of sources, brought into Photoshop, given layers for each friend/foe/trap/etc., and projected onto a big white wall during combat. Sometimes they're quite easy to convert for use...other times? Well, it can be handy being underemployed some times. Having the before/after battle maps also makes it easier to write up a detailed account of what happened. I plan to post it on these boards sometime, but I'm thinking it might be a bit too long; we just had our 23rd session (should be starting RHoD in the 24th) and it's some 62 pages in Word.