[Any] Sandbox's - Mind the cat poo!

[Kaun]

So i am seting up for a Deadlands game im about to start and to change up from my last couple of games i am aiming for a more "Sandbox" style game.

I want a more player driven reactive game with less of a game dominating over arching story line if you know what i mean.

What i am asking for from the playground is for your experiances with Sandbox type games;

Tell me about the pot holes and the pitfalls you have encountered.

Tell me what worked and what didn't.

Hell any advice or perspective you have on this type of game would be appreciated.

Im just trying to get all my ducks in arow before getting underway and i thought this might help me spot anything i might have missed.

Thanks in advance!

[Savannah]

Make sure that your players know what they're getting into and that they want it. If the players want the old dude in the tavern to tell them what to do to kick off each adventure, you're all going to be disappointed.

[Kaun]

Make sure that your players know what they're getting into and that they want it. If the players want the old dude in the tavern to tell them what to do to kick off each adventure, you're all going to be disappointed.

Yeah i have covered that base.

I have a pool of players to draw from so i have posted up and outline of what the game is and asked them to signe up if interested.

I have all so planed the first session or 2 to be a little railroady to introduce them to the basic layout of the "box" and then leave them too their own devices.

I have previously found that dumping them in the middle of the "box" stright off the mark and saying GO! rearly works out well.

[Raum]

Tell me about the pot holes and the pitfalls you have encountered.The only real issue I've had is getting the players to initiate action. Many have learned habits based on reaction instead of action.


Tell me what worked and what didn't.It should be a cliche by now, but one of the best ways I've found to get players to be more proactive is to piss them off. Or at least have them angry for their character's sake. :smallwink: The more mysterious you make the cause of their anger, the longer they'll keep initiating action - just don't let them run out of clues!

That brings up another thing, few things can kill a game faster than the players feeling like they've hit a wall and don't have a path forward. So always give three times as many clues as you think they'll need and, more importantly, incorporate the players' ideas into the game! Reward creativity.


Hell any advice or perspective you have on this type of game would be appreciated.Always keep a few ninjas* in you back pocket. If the players seem to be at a loss, Ninjas attack!

*Not literal ninjas, just some minions they've crossed path with once or twice. Extra points if you can work clues into the attack. :smallcool:

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Have a look at this take (http://critical-hits.com/2011/07/20/the-architect-dm-on-sandbox-campaigns/) on starting sandbox campaigns. He makes a good argument for beginning with more scripted and directed play, just to give the players a sense of what they can do in the world.

Because the thing is, when you plop players down in the world, with no play experience of previous connections, they aren't going to start thinking up things to do out of the aether. So you're going to either have to start plots moving around them, or they're going to have to play through a directed plot to find stuff out about the world.

For instance, say they run a mission for a duke, beat up some of his enemies, and then get rewarded. He's now a potential sandbox element, even if they move on. They can always come back and see what's up with that duke. Maybe his political situation has changed, and he's in trouble. Maybe he has word of some things that the players can go help with.

I also believe that you should have one or two major plot threads that are in motion alongside the sandboxing. If the players wish to jump in and alter the course of events in them, they can, but the plots will keep on chugging, regardless of what they do. And eventually, the plots might start forcing the characters to adapt. For instance, early on, there's orcish incursions that turn into a full=out invasion and war later on in the campaign. This sort of metaplot should also impact the characters' story in ways that make sense, and that aren't too major to begin with. For instance, townspeople might whisper about trouble brewing over in one direction.

Finally: connections, connections, connections! Sandboxes start as this nebulous thread of elements, which the players will slowly draw connections between. Watch how events unfold, and then play with the relationships between world elements, so that you make an interesting sandbox to play in. Let the players shape these relationships, as well. And stay consistent.

[kyoryu]

I like the "menu" approach for starting sandbox games. Rather than being totally railroaded, give players discrete options of what they might want to do.

This gets them in the habit of making their own plans a bit more gently.

[Raum]

He makes a good argument for beginning with more scripted and directed play, just to give the players a sense of what they can do in the world.Interesting article, thanks for posting. While I'm not certain I agree with everything he said, he does make some good points. Also, have to admit I started my last Deadlands game with a railroad - literally. That lasted three sessions, got them together, made a potential ally, and gave them a lot of background information. Then I asked "What are you going to do now?"

[Kaun]

Finally: connections, connections, connections! Sandboxes start as this nebulous thread of elements, which the players will slowly draw connections between. Watch how events unfold, and then play with the relationships between world elements, so that you make an interesting sandbox to play in. Let the players shape these relationships, as well. And stay consistent.

Yeah i am definatly working heavly around this idea at the moment.

I all so find it is better to wait and see what intrests the players and build of that rather then trying to map out a massive web of relationships right from the get go.