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Juzer
2014-01-30, 01:07 PM
...hi, players:
I discussed with other players and DM's about "experience's enhancements": general little things and props used by the DM to surprise the players and let them feel more game's depth, disregard of the actual played RPG

I'm therefore curious about other DM's original ideas: how many of you try to get something different than descriptions, dices, images and maybe a sketched battlemap with miniatures?

here mine first 3, more later:
- 3D battlemaps, using conventional printed battlemap bent two times between pages to get a flat bottom area, a cliff and an upper area;
using a common 16x24 squares combat map you usually get 6 sheets, right? 2 for bottom, the central 2 for a 8-squares high cliff and the last 2 ones for the top area
using a map like this the players get a sense of depth, height and danger if they have to clim up or down during the combat: I also used boxes with dungeon tiles on it to form columns, edges and middle-high groud, with also suspended bridges between them

- sing&perform;
I'll put this together because I find them pretty similar§: it's about let sometimes the players actually DO something, opposed to a common skill check;
one time the PGs were exploring an bard's hideout, and to open a door they had to sing the proper tune, so I printed an appropriate musical score, let them found it in-game and actually sing it;
another time they joined a local fair in a small town and saw performers acting on the stage: one asked me what were they playing: I gave them each the printed first 2 page of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and let them act it
the PGs were spectators but the players played the actors: the PGs judged the performance awful and refused to give any money for it!

- the prop trap:
that's my favorite, because it's not so uncommon to give the players a real pieces of papers if they find an important map, scroll or book, so I found it pretty interesting when the printed stuff is yes important but dangerous for the PGs
it happened once: a clearly charmed friendly NPC (I portrayed it as explicit spellbound) wanted to give them a letter from unknown sender (there was also a danger's hint because in the recipients where was also a recently dead PG)
thing is, the message were Explosive Runes (clever enemy's attempt to get rid of the party) and even if they understood there was more than something wrong, the actual real folded letter deceived it: they meta-gamed "if it's printed, it's meaningful" and they blown up themselves

Slipperychicken
2014-01-30, 01:31 PM
My brother once wrote actual IC invitation letters to get the PCs together for the first session.

As a player, I like having maps, even if they don't do anything for practical decision-making. Not just battlemats, but also regional and ideally local too. It can just be some pencil scrawlings on printer-paper or mspaint; Nothing fancy, but it helps me visualize things and gain a sense of scale

Malimar
2014-01-30, 03:53 PM
As a player, I like having maps, even if they don't do anything for practical decision-making. Not just battlemats, but also regional and ideally local too. It can just be some pencil scrawlings on printer-paper or mspaint; Nothing fancy, but it helps me visualize things and gain a sense of scale

This. Fantasy mapmaking is one of the very few skills I'm at least half-decent at, so I'm always all like "here's a world map, here's a country map, here's a city map".

I usually print maps and similar stuff on paper that I've stained with tea, so they look nice and old.

Elvenoutrider
2014-01-31, 12:08 AM
Leaning tower of sanity - any time the players see something terrifying ic, they must pull a certain number of blocks from a Jenna tower depending on how terrifying the event was. When the tower falls, the **** hits the fan and something horrible happens to the players - monsters burst from vents, the power goes out, pcs lose limbs or eyes.

At the same time if players role play well or give into their weaknesses they get to draw playing cards. Turning in poker hands gains them a benefit for whatever they are doing.

Really makes horror games more immersive

Grod_The_Giant
2014-01-31, 01:30 AM
For the midpoint, right-before-break climax of my M&M campaign, the players were going to have to fight a giant robot. All stops pulled mechanically-- the thing was like 300 feet tall, with each body part written up as a separate creature, minion summons on top of that, the full nine yards. I described this absolutely massive thing ripping itself out of the ground, towering overheard as hundred ton chunks of dirt and stone slid off its steel body... and then I reached behind me and pulled out the "miniature"-- a foot-tall humanoid robot figure I'd made out of Kinex.

Players would jump onto the robot and I'd be able to put their figures on top of (even inside) the big bad... As the fight went on and body parts were damaged or destroyed, I'd slowly rip it apart, scattering huge chunks of robot across the battle map... it was great.


Leaning tower of sanity - any time the players see something terrifying ic, they must pull a certain number of blocks from a Jenna tower depending on how terrifying the event was. When the tower falls, the **** hits the fan and something horrible happens to the players - monsters burst from vents, the power goes out, pcs lose limbs or eyes.
Isn't there an entire system built around that mechanic?

Raine_Sage
2014-01-31, 01:45 AM
I have no skill at building things, but legos are a very nice substitute, and often times even cheaper that buying more realistic models. There's nothing like going "Here's a castle." and then plunking a castle down on the map.

Artemicion
2014-01-31, 05:48 AM
2 related things to contribute here:

-Music

I find that music is incredible to add to the atmosphere and sometimes to convey addtional emotion in an encounter. In my last game I created a playlist for most important locations, but I also had songs dedicated to all important NPCs. Whenever the PCs would meet them I would put their music. I also prepared music for very particular encounters. I must admit that I even developped some encounters simply to be able to feature some song that fit very well with the theme of the campaign...

-Side quests with particular mechanics

In my last game, I gave every PC a special side quest related to their character and more or less related to the main plot. These were major sidequests that followed the players for almost the whole campaign. I handed the side quests to them in special one to one sessions called "pre quests", so they were kept secret from the other players. As soon as they got their side quests they gained an "Adventurer's rank" which would go up when particular elements of their sidequests were resolved (passing from "Apprentice" to "Adventurer", to "Explorer", to "Hero", etc.). These ranks would grant the PCs with special privileges, including having a PC song of their choice to be played whenever they did something great, Luck points that allowed them to reroll dice, and eventually, when they became "Saints", the right to be part of the competition to become the next new god.

This has got the players really involved in the campaign and was also a lot of fun! (Especially when some sidequests were antagonistic - this brought a lot of tension between the players!)

inexorabletruth
2014-01-31, 06:39 AM
I eliminate meta knowledge by speaking in the "language" of the NPC or monster. Those who speak the language can receive text messages or PMs of what I'm actually saying.
I've organized treasure chests full of $1 store replicas of coins (chocolate coins), swords, helmets, shields, gems (usually marbles or colored stones) to give them when they actually find the loot or defeat the BBEG.
I set timers for turns during combat.

banjo1985
2014-01-31, 07:15 AM
Isn't there an entire system built around that mechanic?

There is, a little indie production called Dread. I have the system but haven't had chance to give it a go yet.

As for experience enhancements, I've taken to using Heroscape terrain to set up the battlefield for encounters. It's blocky and quite ugly stuff, but very flexible and gives the players a nice visual of what the land looks like where they're fighting.

Firest Kathon
2014-01-31, 07:42 AM
Isn't there an entire system built around that mechanic?

Deadlands has a mechanic built around drawing poker cards and building winning hands.