Perhaps because I played when it was only paper and without minatures or even maps before us the game had to be imagination, I still see the game played this way, the more it becomes props the less it is yourself, the more you become someone else's imagination. Thus I agree that the setting should be described and players should map, if minis then only a few, a "map" of the immediate room akin to UDT and so forth. Afterall, its really an abstract game for people to imagine!
It was originally described as a game of "pencil and paper", with a few dice thrown in. And it can be that way and be fun, because the mind can create amazing things!
The more I've ran my game, the more I've started to enjoy running combat on top of an atmospheric art of the area we're in on a VTT. That way everybody is still very much immersed and knows the location, but I can throw encounters in more freely withoung having to make a map for every single situation.
@@DDHomebrew I've been using atmospheric art in a few different ways. Just have it as the background and then move the tokens normally using the grid, drawing some obstacles on top of the art if needed. And then there's this way: Google "MTG Part the Waterveil art" and you should find a picture with waterfalls and an interesting looking rock formation. I used that as the atmospheric art of the area, but a combat happened! So we played the combat using the art as the battle map. Some of the people flied to the rock formation at the top and a monster attacked from the tree that's on the right side of the art. The rest of the party was on the cliff next to the tree at the lower right side of the art. You get a pretty good picture of what's happening when using the art as the battle map. Here's a link to the art just in case. www.artofmtg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Part-the-Waterveil-Battle-for-Zendikar-MtG-Art.jpg
I do the same! - I also created an overlay where the art goes in the middle, the party tokens are to the right, NPC tokens go to the left, add a title the place and put that at the top. I also leave space at the top so I can tag the environment with short descriptive phrases (aspects from fate, or tags from pbta). I think it's a really amazing way to deliver a feeling of production value to the players will also maintaining the ability to improvise and react to player decisions and give them the freedom to do anything and know that you have the capability to support any direction they take the story. - Im glad to hear other people are doing it too.
I started dnd back with the basic set (aka when elves and dwarves were a class :P ) and through that, AD&D 2nd ed, 3rd and finally 3.5 I ran nothing but theatre of the mind with no maps at all. Worked wonderfully and became a bit of a party trick as I'd even run games with no rules or character sheets for people not into the hobby where they'd tell me who they wanted to be, what they wanted to do and I'd tell them what happens. I will readily admit to your point that the combat wasn't particularly tactical but I feel like that wasn't quite as important back in the older rulesets anyway and only became more of a thing as the system 'advanced' with later editions
I have done the same thing myself. And we had some great runs. But since i'm giving advice on how to play, and I've seen GMs fail with no maps, I figure it's better to have something as opposed to nothing.
I play pathfinder 2e by myself (solo play) i have a small white board that I use to draw some props and generalize the room, it goes pretty well, i tend to generalize distance as melee, short, medium, long and very long. With some magnetic pins as the party memebers and enemies and move them around when they act or move. It helps me to visualize stuff.
As a newer DM and D&D player as a whole, I often find myself using theatre of the mind in my games as an improvisational last resort for when my players go outside of my prepped encounters, which in hindsight probably isn't the best way to enjoy it. I'm definitely going to start planning some theatre of the mind dungeons and encounters from the ground up to keep my players on their toes and test my creativity. Also, side note, I'm not sure if you're aware, your audio has been panned to the left for the last few videos, just fyi. Extremely informational video as usual, keep up the great work!
Theatre of the mind could be my go to way of playing if I were able to have the skills to do so. I tend to forget words & don't really know how to evoke emotion on a higher level. I should read more books...😅
Whatever works best for you is the way to go. I like having a map with figures so I can see what's happening visually. But some people like it all in their mind.
@DDHomebrew: Do you have your players attempt to map anything themselves as they go? If not, how do they keep track of paths not taken, etc, especially when the layout is complex?
If I'm keeping track on the map I've created, I allow them to back track as though they have a map as well. So if they ask about a path not taken, I will verbally describe them. But, this is exactly the issue with having a map maker like in the old days. Players would figure that out themselves!
@DDHomebrew If you can change your mental focus, it's actually pretty easy. Remember the 1st rule - instead of being concerned about who is where and how far away, lean into the emotional and visual conflict being waged.
It depends upon the system too, and what the players want. If you're a player who is a tactician and it's clear the GM has no idea (or interest) in where and how far away, but spends more time on the emotions of conflict, you could become frustrated. Which means you may need to find another game.@@VengerSatanis
@@DDHomebrew Yeah, I can see that. I've left games (as a player) because it was all about combat and getting the most damage per square inch possible, rather than social interaction, exploration, and, immersion. That being said, I believe it's possible to redirect a tactician's primary goal of tactical superiority into an avenue that supports dramatic conflict over measuring squares and blast radius overlays.
I enjoy exploration and uncovering the mysteries of a world more than just one battle after another. And it can be very satsifying to have social encounters that lead to those mysteries. It's all balance.@@VengerSatanis
![[TH] JFT vs RLF - VCT Ascension Pacific - Day 2](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PuIH7w_jO6c/mqdefault.jpg)
Perhaps because I played when it was only paper and without minatures or even maps before us the game had to be imagination, I still see the game played this way, the more it becomes props the less it is yourself, the more you become someone else's imagination. Thus I agree that the setting should be described and players should map, if minis then only a few, a "map" of the immediate room akin to UDT and so forth. Afterall, its really an abstract game for people to imagine!
It was originally described as a game of "pencil and paper", with a few dice thrown in. And it can be that way and be fun, because the mind can create amazing things!
Awesome stuff, sir! 👊
Being in the habit of describing geographic features as the party is exploring will really help out with theater of the mind.
I agree. The more you do it, the more it becomes second nature. And it can give you ideas for encounters and adventure hooks.
The more I've ran my game, the more I've started to enjoy running combat on top of an atmospheric art of the area we're in on a VTT. That way everybody is still very much immersed and knows the location, but I can throw encounters in more freely withoung having to make a map for every single situation.
That is interesting idea. Could you show a jpg of the art you're using?
@@DDHomebrew I've been using atmospheric art in a few different ways. Just have it as the background and then move the tokens normally using the grid, drawing some obstacles on top of the art if needed.
And then there's this way:
Google "MTG Part the Waterveil art" and you should find a picture with waterfalls and an interesting looking rock formation. I used that as the atmospheric art of the area, but a combat happened! So we played the combat using the art as the battle map. Some of the people flied to the rock formation at the top and a monster attacked from the tree that's on the right side of the art. The rest of the party was on the cliff next to the tree at the lower right side of the art. You get a pretty good picture of what's happening when using the art as the battle map.
Here's a link to the art just in case.
www.artofmtg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Part-the-Waterveil-Battle-for-Zendikar-MtG-Art.jpg
I do the same!
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I also created an overlay where the art goes in the middle, the party tokens are to the right, NPC tokens go to the left, add a title the place and put that at the top. I also leave space at the top so I can tag the environment with short descriptive phrases (aspects from fate, or tags from pbta).
I think it's a really amazing way to deliver a feeling of production value to the players will also maintaining the ability to improvise and react to player decisions and give them the freedom to do anything and know that you have the capability to support any direction they take the story.
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Im glad to hear other people are doing it too.
@@bonzwah1 And others hear how you are doing it and can use those techniques in their own games. Thanks for the comment!
I only use a map if the place is complex. Good points.
Thanks Fred!
I started dnd back with the basic set (aka when elves and dwarves were a class :P ) and through that, AD&D 2nd ed, 3rd and finally 3.5 I ran nothing but theatre of the mind with no maps at all.
Worked wonderfully and became a bit of a party trick as I'd even run games with no rules or character sheets for people not into the hobby where they'd tell me who they wanted to be, what they wanted to do and I'd tell them what happens.
I will readily admit to your point that the combat wasn't particularly tactical but I feel like that wasn't quite as important back in the older rulesets anyway and only became more of a thing as the system 'advanced' with later editions
I have done the same thing myself. And we had some great runs. But since i'm giving advice on how to play, and I've seen GMs fail with no maps, I figure it's better to have something as opposed to nothing.
I play pathfinder 2e by myself (solo play) i have a small white board that I use to draw some props and generalize the room, it goes pretty well, i tend to generalize distance as melee, short, medium, long and very long. With some magnetic pins as the party memebers and enemies and move them around when they act or move. It helps me to visualize stuff.
Great advice! How are you enjoying your solo play!
Good tips. Thank you
Glad you liked it!
Theater of the mind tip: draw out what the DM is describing so you don't get lost haha
And then you can point out any errors!
As a newer DM and D&D player as a whole, I often find myself using theatre of the mind in my games as an improvisational last resort for when my players go outside of my prepped encounters, which in hindsight probably isn't the best way to enjoy it. I'm definitely going to start planning some theatre of the mind dungeons and encounters from the ground up to keep my players on their toes and test my creativity. Also, side note, I'm not sure if you're aware, your audio has been panned to the left for the last few videos, just fyi. Extremely informational video as usual, keep up the great work!
Glad you're like the videos and I will check on the audio issue!
Theatre of the mind could be my go to way of playing if I were able to have the skills to do so. I tend to forget words & don't really know how to evoke emotion on a higher level. I should read more books...😅
Whatever works best for you is the way to go. I like having a map with figures so I can see what's happening visually. But some people like it all in their mind.
@DDHomebrew: Do you have your players attempt to map anything themselves as they go? If not, how do they keep track of paths not taken, etc, especially when the layout is complex?
If I'm keeping track on the map I've created, I allow them to back track as though they have a map as well. So if they ask about a path not taken, I will verbally describe them. But, this is exactly the issue with having a map maker like in the old days. Players would figure that out themselves!
Lol, no. The secret is... 1) fiction over logistics, 2) visualize the battle, and 3) describe what you're visualizing to the players. *CHA'ALT*
And if you can do that without a map, go for it. I need something to reference.
@DDHomebrew If you can change your mental focus, it's actually pretty easy. Remember the 1st rule - instead of being concerned about who is where and how far away, lean into the emotional and visual conflict being waged.
It depends upon the system too, and what the players want. If you're a player who is a tactician and it's clear the GM has no idea (or interest) in where and how far away, but spends more time on the emotions of conflict, you could become frustrated. Which means you may need to find another game.@@VengerSatanis
@@DDHomebrew Yeah, I can see that. I've left games (as a player) because it was all about combat and getting the most damage per square inch possible, rather than social interaction, exploration, and, immersion.
That being said, I believe it's possible to redirect a tactician's primary goal of tactical superiority into an avenue that supports dramatic conflict over measuring squares and blast radius overlays.
I enjoy exploration and uncovering the mysteries of a world more than just one battle after another. And it can be very satsifying to have social encounters that lead to those mysteries. It's all balance.@@VengerSatanis