req@snow.UUCP (Russell Quin) (02/07/85)
Does anyone out there use pictures as an aid to running an rpg? I'm interested to see how others view this aspect of game presentation. A common usage is for a GM to say You open the door and see: [holds up picture...] It helps if you can draw, of course, or if you have a source of good artwork. What difficulties did/do you encounter ? There are certainly caveats, not the least of which is the situation where the players are doing something totally unexpected and unplanned for. You have no pictures to show them, so they know that it's unplanned & not pertinent to the original plotted scenario (if such ever existed!). This indicates that 1) you need a very large number of illustrations, or 2) it's a good idea to use illustrations sparsely. What sort of things do you portray ? (eg. people/landscapes/abstract art[!]/..) Do you use any particular medium ? (eg. acetate pads/OHP/portable Tex4115/...) - Russell -- ... mcvax!ukc!qtlon!flame!ubu!snow!req Striving to promote the interproduction of epimorphistic conformability ....
mjc@cmu-cs-cad.ARPA (Monica Cellio) (02/10/85)
I ran in a tournament once in which the GM used slides. He was a very good artist and had produced them himself. Since the session was a "dungeon" rather than wilderness, and it was designed to be run in one sitting (of only an hour or two; I don't recall the exact length), it was feasible for him to have a large set of detailed slides. I don't know if this would work on a regular basis, for long sessions, or outside of dungeons. Another thing that could be done is to have some of the intended actions have verbal descriptions only. That way your players learn not to try to second-guess you; the strategy of "oh, he doesn't have a slide for this, so we better not do it" doesn't work. -Dragon -- UUCP: ...ucbvax!dual!lll-crg!dragon ARPA: monica.cellio@cmu-cs-cad or dragon@lll-crg
ncg@ukc.UUCP (N.C.Gale) (02/11/85)
In article <360@snow.UUCP> req@snow.UUCP (Russell Quin) writes: >Does anyone out there use pictures as an aid to running an rpg? Yes, I do. Apart from maps & things, I draw a fair number of 3-D representations, some of which are on paper, but most of which are on the blackboard I have just behind me while DMing. The players certainly appreciate this, and it shortens the description of complicated structures/creatures/situations greatly. And if ever the players are confused by a description, I draw it. I use a lot of pictures. My art-source is myself, which isn't availlable to anyone else. My main problem is that detailed & well proportioned drawings are extremely time-consuming to produce, so most of the time I have to satisfy myself with a scribble that took under a minute. Most of the time, this is sufficient, but if, say, the players (like mine) build/capture a Castle, they delight in knowing what it looks like. One thing that standard (TSR, say) modules could be improved by is a lot more *detatchable* illustrations to aid DM -Nige Gale
barryg@sdcrdcf.UUCP (Lee Gold) (02/12/85)
I've occasionally used picture postcards as scene setters in a Japanese scenario. Or sometimes passed around a colelction of Hiroshige's Tokaido (Eastern Sea Road) prints, showing how he'd drawn the particular town the party was in. The mot elaborate visuals we ever used though were in a campaign set in an alternate world England. The Wild Hunt was riding. And I put the Bald Mountain sequence from "Fantasia" on the VCR. --Lee Gold
richl@daemon.UUCP (Rick Lindsley) (02/13/85)
I use drawings and quick sketches only when I'm having difficulties describing a situation. Obviously in some cases you may not want to provide an accurate sketch if it is something that the person might recognize but the player may not (such as a weapon or artifact that would normally be foreign to the player). Rick Lindsley
euren@ttds.UUCP (Leif Euren) (02/13/85)
<> I ceratinly use pictures from now and then in my AD&D campaign. It adds flavor and there are great opportunities to give away puzzle-solutions without the party see them (until afterwards. You will just love to hear the groans from your players, when they realize they had the answer right before their eyes, but missed it.) >You have no pictures to show them, so they know that it's unplanned... I think it's a good idea to use illustrations sparsely. >What sort of things do you portray ? (eg. people/landscapes/abstract) Mostly landscapes and dungeon settings. As a picture say more than 1000 words, I tend to use it in tricky situations, where describing would take to much time and I would give to great a clue if I'd to it verbally. Also, I've got a picture of every monster in my adventures on a small 3" * 4" card, to show the party. Then I don't have to describe it, and as they don't have a Monster Manual (*big wonder!*), every monster is new to them. Overheard conversation or unwanted information from player outside my campaign won't be of any help, but they may deduce from it's appearance what it may be able to do. And it adds realism, too, as monsters usually don't state their race. Leif Euren euren@ttds!enea!mcvax (I know AD&D is TM, but I consider this an ad as good as any, so in fact, they should pay me if there ever was to be a payment!)
pkh@alice.UUCP (Paul Pavlidis) (02/14/85)
Yeah, I use drawings on occasion to show particularly interesting or confusing situations. Unusual monsters or items are good for this also. I draw them on large index cards, and I will normally allow the players to examine the card for a while unless the situation obviously precludes this. I don't draw very many though...it gets tiresome, especially after pouring your heart out on an adventure for a few hours. Another DM I know went to great lengths to creat visual aids. These included actual objects. If there was a vial of a green-grey liquid, he would supply them with it, made from things he got around the house, etc. He had some wooden weapons, and some actual ones for explanation purposes. Decorated boxes and any other odd object often became an actual object. I don't know if he did this for everything applicable, but I have seen an impressive number of wierd things in his basement. They even had some kind of treasure chest to use as a model when people were trying to open, search, etc. With these objects, you didn't ask if such and such worked to open such and such an object; you actually tried it. If it worked, you did it. While the previous person spend a good deal of time getting these things together, it is often easy for a person to demonstrate their actions with simple representational object, like the now famous in our circle "Search for the Basilisk with a Blindfold on." Paul Pavlidis (the mad druid)
ee163acp@sdcc13.UUCP (DARIN JOHNSON) (02/15/85)
I haven't seen this suggestion yet so I am suggesting it. I used to play with a blackboard behind me. I don't have one now but I wish I did. You can use a blackboard for quick sketches of rooms and even use it to map part of the maze. It is very good for showing locations of monsters, treasure etc. The one big advantage over gaming boards is that it is not on the table where the clutter of books and paper should go. There are infinitely many other uses such as keeping stats, monsters defeated, artwork, ... Darin Johnson
bob@plus5.UUCP (Bob Simpson) (02/19/85)
Most of the postings on this subject have taken the "what can I use for this situation/monster/object/etc." When I was refing a variant D&D game I used objects as a springboard to create a game event/object. I would troll dimestores, 50/50 shops, hardware stores, flea markets, etc. for "neat stuff" to use. These found objects would then make an appearance in my game. One of the best sources of inspiration came from old calendars. At one time I to worked in several book/game stores here in St. Louis, and when calendars are returned for credit the covers get sent back, but not the body. I used to take the occasional "month" if it contained a neat picture of something I could use. Particularly useful are the "picture postcard" types. Huge ...tracts of land, hills and mountains, lakes, rivers, and in general the great outdoors. -- Dr. Bob UUCP ..!ihnp4!plus5!bob work: home: USPS Plus Five Computer Services USPS Bob Simpson, Jr. 765 Westwood Dr. 9527 Mackenzie Rd. St. Louis, MO 63105 St. Louis, MO 63123 AT&T 314-725-9492 AT&T 314-631-3417 The opinions expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Plus Five Computer Services, its management, employees, stockholders or any other entity or group of entities in this or any other postulated or unpostulated universe. Void where taxed or prohibited by law. This space for rent. She bop, she bop. Post no bills.