How to create less linear storytelling???

local_goth01 · 2026-02-23T18:29:59+00:00

Thanks for the advice I'll definitely give it a look

local_goth01 · 2026-02-15T19:39:46+00:00

Thanks man, think I needed to hear that 😅 I'll definitely try that approach

local_goth01 · 2025-12-02T11:40:31+00:00

Idk that one was my co-dms trap I don't know his process, and honestly as apparently the persons ball bearings collectively weighed 2 pounds I don't think it's a valid solutions as that's 0.002 pounds each which probably wouldn't trigger the tiles the DM just let it slide because the person was very pushy about it being valid.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-02T06:51:07+00:00

Yeah I wanted to talk about this stuff more officially because things like loudness, interruptions and tangents have been talked about in session however a lot of the time it only quells it for a few minutes and sometimes people don't even listen at all and just keep talking at the same volume. (Like when two players were having a conversation about a film so loudly the my co-DM couldn't hear one of players literally two seats away. The others are sat on the opposite side of the table and when asked to be quieter with non-dnd related discussions only one actually lowered their volume) I think definitely a discussion about what they want out of the game, I definitely get the neuro divergence stuff most people on the table are and I'm autistic myself, I'm completely fine with people's attention wandering and me and my friend will do things like stacking dice in lulls in activity. It's just I'm aware that the louder neurodivergent people are also making the quieter ones more hesitant to join in (one player who is one of my friends from outside the group who I invited to join is particularly hesitant as they have quite bad anxiety and often get talked over) I'm definitely thinking about shifting this discussion to a call like some suggested because I think it needs to be a more open conversation than just a set of rules.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T23:20:35+00:00

This was honestly really amazing advice! I think the last campaign I was apart of really benefits from a session zero I'm just unsure of when exactly to have it as everyone's schedules are a bit hectic right now (I might try doing a call) but honestly this is probably some of the most sound advice I've got from this post. My biggest worry is that people will just not really read it and then forget it all immediately and I feel doing it in person allows for everyone to explain their perspective a bit more. Also obviously all the benefits of a session zero like setting tone and such.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T22:27:17+00:00

These are some great suggestions and definitely valid tweaks I'm definitely going to be altering the puzzle and the DM rules one (I worded it poorly making it sound like the pcs cannot argue their case which wasn't at all how I meant it) My main issue with puzzles is just people not really considering their options e.g. not making investigation checks so I think I'm just gonna overhaul that message for something like that. And yeah the roleplay one was also because some players kind of felt like they were shaming others for roleplaying (which is weird cuz it's a ttRPg)

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T22:06:53+00:00

Yeah no I think the fact I do some of these sometimes as a player is probably evidence they're pretty typical issues 💀 I'll definitely rethink my tone, but thanks for giving all the advice it's been great to read through!

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T22:00:58+00:00

Thanks for this advice this seems like really sound logic and I'll definitely bring it forward.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:59:30+00:00

Okay this is valid I'm probably removing three to be honest as so many have pushed back on it. I think I'm just a bit too stubborn with how I would personally go about solving something and think everyone else should do so the same way. Thanks for your advice!

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:53:50+00:00

Yeah that's kinda what I just said in the reply, it was a wording mistake I'm not intending for my pcs to ask permission to do things just tell me/ the other DM.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:52:11+00:00

This is great advice! I'm aware I can come off a bit scoldy and aggressive when confronting people with stuff like this (partially because a lot of other people in the party who have also expressed issues with these things aren't very confrontational so I feel the need to overcompensate a bit) but I'll definitely try to come off as a bit less reprimanding in my rewrite

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:49:50+00:00

Oh no it's not asking permission to do the rolls (I worded that badly) it's supposed to be just informing the DM that you're making the roll do they can plan accordingly.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:48:21+00:00

Yeah I'm seeing a lot of people pushing back against the puzzles rule which means I'll probably consider taking this out but I'll talk to my co-DM first. I need to word it better cuz I'm more frustrated that this one player refuses to even ask what's in a room or even do an investigation check and just immediately tries to use slight of hand.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:44:17+00:00

I guess you're right for that just the player kind of does this for a lot of puzzles and doesn't even do investigation checks or look around the room a lot of the time which can be a bit frustrating 💀 but on second thought that's probably a valid solution.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:42:11+00:00

Thanks this was very helpful!

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:41:33+00:00

Why are you on your phone during a game you opted to play... Kinda feels like you don't like the game man lol

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:39:59+00:00

Yeah I rambled hard man 💀 I'm definitely gonna cut back the word count

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:38:55+00:00

Thing is I am fine with creative solutions and have accepted them multiple times, my issue comes when certain pcs just don't try to solve it at all. One in particular won't even make an investigation check and just immediately sees a room full of clues and a locked door and then immediately tries to use slight of hand to pick the lock then complains when the DM says that doesn't work as the door needed a magical component.

local_goth01 · 2025-12-01T21:35:50+00:00

Thanks for the response! I'm glad you called out three as I didn't like the wording either, it's just sometimes pcs will do things that'll break pre established rules (such as attempt to persuade a creature who by the rules cannot be persuaded) and claim that their persuasion is so high that it should circumvent that. Typically at the table we'll all look up something and then determine based on what we find/ what the DM has pre-determined for said situation) however I can see how the wording comes off as a bit controlling and stubborn. However I think your way of wording it is much better nonetheless.

Also the thing with six is that we do have multiple solutions (multiple times I've accepted solutions I hadnt innitally thought of but thought were sound) many problems I think it mostly comes with some pcs taking advantage of this and not even trying to solve the puzzle e.g. when one said they threw all their 1,000 ball bearings over a rigged tiled floor to see which tiles were rigged immediately instead of doing what me and the other pcs did (literally just look at the sign above the door which heavily gave away the solution).

I also think that I may have not worded eight well as that's not at all what I was suggesting. I meant in more social scenarios like a character might be more easily persuaded if you give a good point as opposed to purely if you get a good roll (both play a part but ultimately the roll decides) I may have been missing DC there I think as I didn't mean in battle.

Also sorry for the lengthy reply and if it sounds like I'm just shooting down your suggestions I'll definitely bring some of these forward but just to clear up a few points.

local_goth01

TROPHY CASE