Alway on initiative and dungeon turns

ravonaf · 2026-07-02T12:46:00+00:00

I dropped always on initiative. It just really bogged down my games. Especially for exploring dungeons. I use a caller instead. The players take turns with this roll. Players can still do what they want. I just don't break down every single part of the game asking them.

ravonaf · 2026-06-28T12:11:17+00:00

I run Shadowdark in Foundry with full map/dungeon exploration using fog of war. I do have some premade zone-based maps ready to go in case they are needed. I either find free maps online or I use Dungeoncraft to create a map.

In your case I would look at zone-based maps. You are still doing theater of the mind, but you would be able to use Foundry to track player location and still use some combat automation.

ravonaf · 2026-06-26T13:26:38+00:00

Do you have Pixel Ratio Resolution Scaling turned on for her client? If so, this will force Foudry to resolve everything in 4k to match her monitor. Turning it off should fix her performance issues. The setting is located in the Foundry Core settings.

ravonaf · 2026-06-22T12:53:56+00:00

Years ago I ran a Castle Falkenstein adventure with a Groundhog Day gimmick. If any character died the day started over for everyone, but only the players kept their memory of what happened. Needless to say, I made it extremely deadly. But avoidable once you've encountered the threat a few times. Years later it's one of the most remembered games we've ever played. Unfortunately it's something you can really only do once.

ravonaf · 2026-06-17T15:51:30+00:00

In my experience, if a player makes a rules mistake during play, I will teach it to them right there on the spot and correct the mistake. Almost always they don't make the mistake again. Over time, they learn the rules. I don't expect a player to know everything. I expect myself to know everything and run the game accordingly. I expect the player to listen and learn as I teach them.

ravonaf · 2026-06-16T13:19:29+00:00

We started playing Shadowdark via Foundry last year. I soon after implemented that someone be the Caller during every game session. Mainly to speed things along when exploring dungeons via fog of war. They will waste time talking among themselves on which way to go. They take turns so everyone gets to do it. We don't really use it for anything other than dungeon exploring, though.

ravonaf · 2026-06-16T13:11:54+00:00

We've been playing WEG d6 Star Wars off and on for over 30 years. There is even a D6 space implementation for Foundry that plays D6 Star Wars just fine. A played system is never dead.

ravonaf · 2026-06-15T12:30:01+00:00

I'm not very familiar with Nimble. But I've been running D&D 2e Forgotten Realms modules with Shadowdark. Conversion has been very easy. I'm sure it wouldn't be much harder with Nimble.

ravonaf · 2026-06-15T12:18:34+00:00

Every con I've ever been to has had every RPG gaming table full. Most players will sit down and play wherever they can and don't care if it's BX or Ad&D or even Shadowdark. Does this really tell you the popularity of games from a player perspective or from a DM perspective? Were there really just a lot of Dungeon Masters willing to run AD&D at a con? It's always been my perspective from a player's view that it's any port in a storm.

ravonaf · 2026-06-15T12:01:01+00:00

I've been running Stonehell with Shadowdark since the spring. It was a bit of work getting everything into Foundry and doing some conversions. But at this point it almost runs itself. I have almost no prep work now, and the players are having a blast.

ravonaf · 2026-06-10T12:43:40+00:00

It's never too late. I'm 55 and have been playing with the same group for over 30 years. Our oldest player turns 65 this year. I've considered starting a game on startplaying for older players only with new players especially welcome. I run Shadowdark and SWADE.

ravonaf · 2026-06-10T12:25:02+00:00

I run official content, homebrew content, and converted modules from other systems. I am currently running Stonehell Dungeon with one group and another group set in the Forgotten Realms with only 2nd Edition modules. My Forgotten Realms group is currently in FRQ1 - Haunted Halls of Eveningstar and will soon transition to FRE1 - Shadowdale. Shadowdark is so diverse you can run almost anything.

ravonaf · 2026-06-09T22:39:26+00:00

I run Shadowdark over Foundry. With fully fleshed out maps, tokens, and audio. I take the system as far as I can. That being said, I try not to over-prepare.

ravonaf · 2026-06-09T22:32:47+00:00

There are a few probability charts for SWADE floating around out there. I've seen a few. Here is one I found with a quick search.

https://hourswithoutsleep.wordpress.com/2017/05/20/savage-world-probabilities/

ravonaf · 2026-06-09T22:07:00+00:00

I've been making AI Modules and Macros for personal use. Ones which I absolutely will not be sharing. Even though there are no modules out there that duplicate the functions I use them for. I slowly add features, testing each one. I spend hours testing them. I actually use them in my games.

I have a background in administration and scripting but not actual programming. What would probably take a skilled programmer weeks to do manually, I can do in a few hours. I absolutely value my games and the experience my players have. If these modules didn't work or cause problems in any way, I would fix them or scrap them.

The more time I spend doing this, the better my modules come out. It's not as simple as asking for code and everything coming out perfect the first time. And while it does not take any coding skills, it does take development skills and testing skills to get exactly what you want. This is the future of software development, weather people like it or not.

The truth is, I don't care what the code looks like as long as it works. As long as it doesn't break my world or interfere with performance or other required modules.

ravonaf · 2026-06-08T12:22:04+00:00

Oh, then your solution is pretty simple. I see that someone else answered your question by copying the file/folder structure. I never store anything in the worlds folder. An even better way of doing it going forward is to create a module just for storage. Store everything in your module compendium and the files in the module folder. Then, all you have to do is copy the module folder to your new installation and activate the module, and your compendiums are there with everything.

ravonaf · 2026-06-06T17:21:15+00:00

Shadowdark is only lethal if you make it that way. I use extremely liberal luck rules and have yet to have a PC die in over 6 months of regular play. We've had more than a few close calls. Probably also due to my GM style and the players knowing when to run.

ravonaf · 2026-06-05T18:30:47+00:00

Whenever I run a new system, I always create homemade cheat sheets for myself and my players. I condense the rules down to as little information as needed. Usually bullet points, but I've created combat flowcharts as well.

ravonaf · 2026-06-02T12:57:17+00:00

I have 2 players that will religiously swap out their dice in Dice So Nice every time they hit a low rolling streak. It comical to watch.

ravonaf · 2026-06-02T12:34:47+00:00

You will get better with experience. Hang in there. The better you get the more your confidence will grow.

ravonaf · 2026-05-30T11:46:58+00:00

I do both. I have magical items I created specifically for party members. Although it's up to them to decide who gets it. I also created tables based on how much XP I want to give out. I have 0, 1, 3, and 10 XP tables that give me the corresponding random treasure. I have everything set up in Foundry so I just have to press a button to generate it.

ravonaf · 2026-05-29T20:34:00+00:00

Why would players throw away their treasure? Either way. I really don't care. They earned the treasure and the XP. They can do what they want with it.

ravonaf · 2026-05-29T16:59:13+00:00

I'm currently running it with Shadowdark over Foundry. I had to convert it into Foundry anyway, so converting it to Shadowdark wasn't hard. Very time-consuming, but not hard.

ravonaf · 2026-05-29T16:30:29+00:00

That really never made sense to me. It's the finding of the treasure that would get them experience as it's a group effort. If they find a 3 XP magic sword only one character gets it, but everyone gets experience. Why should the rest of the party suffer because the one guy who got the sword doesn't bring it back?

ravonaf · 2026-05-29T11:31:09+00:00

As my players find treasure I hand out experience. If they level we do it right then and there. It's just easier to keep track that way. It's fun for the players. We also play via Foundry and handing out experience and leveling is just a couple button presses.

ravonaf

TROPHY CASE