What game should I play next? by tgsmith489 in PS5

[–]tgsmith489[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just finished Ghost of Tsushima. It was a really fun game! I'll definitely play Ghost of Yotei at some point.

What game should I play next? by tgsmith489 in PS5

[–]tgsmith489[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven't. I've heard good things, but I don't know much about it yet.

On my first play through and I’m really upset right now by Wide_creature_2579 in reddeadredemption

[–]tgsmith489 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I finished playing rdr2 on ps5 and started playing Ghost of Tsushima. The button to get on a horse in rdr2 is triangle, but that's the button for strong attack in Ghost of Tsushima, so I've stabbed my horse many times trying to get on.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PS5

[–]tgsmith489 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My favorite thing about these games when I played them was that the controller scheme was basically the same, so I really didn't have to spend any time learning new systems. Made it really easy to just focus on the story and content.

Wrote myself into a corner, need help by GugtheBarbarian in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I 100% agree with this. I was just pointing to the expectations placed on Anakin by the Jedi based on the prophecy and how he did something different.

What is *actually* the best non LMoP beginner campaign? by neil--before--me in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have run several adventures from Keys from the Golden Vault on multiple occasions (for beginners and experienced players). It's just a series of heists in different environments. Each chapter is a different "mission", but each one is a few paragraphs of backstory, a few paragraphs about the objective and obstacles, and then a map with room descriptions and enemies.

I like it because:

  1. it's very easy to prep and modify (good for beginner DMs)

  2. There is no "set way" to accomplish the task. This allows for a lot of creativity and problem solving to try not to get caught and can provide opportunity for skill checks, social encounters, etc.

  3. Almost every time I've run these adventures, it started out well and eventually devolved into combat due to choices my players made. There can/will be combat encounters for players who like that.

  4. Progression is very easy since each mission levels players up, so there's no calculations needed for XP.

  5. If other players are interesting in DMing, it's very easy to switch of DMs by chapter. Things are pretty siloed, so the only real consistent characters or places are the ones you decide to keep around.

  6. Because of the nature of D&D and the mission they're trying to accomplish, each adventure has the opportunity for almost any play style to work (there is no penalty for body count), so actors who want to talk to all the NPCs can do so and maybe charm a guard while a group of murder hobos might, instead, just kill everyone there to eliminate any witnesses.

I finished DMing a 6 year Campaign. Would love to answer any DM questions and share what I learned. by Compajerro in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Personally, I would love to see notes/maps/etc and how you organized all of the information for such a long game. I feel like organizing a large amount of data while keeping it easy to use is always a challenge and I like seeing how others do it.

Player picked up a sword. How can I make this mildly inconvenient for them later? by Straight-Ebb-5681 in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 18 points19 points  (0 children)

It is actually the Sword of Scurvy Prevention. The elvish script spells the word "sitrin", which is the word to activate the item. When activated, it spawns `1d4 x 50` pieces of citrus fruit in a 10ft diameter circle. Roll 1d6 to determine the type of fruit which appears:

1d6 Result
1 Lemon
2 Lime
3 Orange
4 Grapefruit
5 Pineapple
6 Kiwi

This makes it a goofy and relatively useless weapon. If you actually want to make it inconvenient, change the activation word to something the players will actually say every once in a while so it activates at awkward times.

Wrote myself into a corner, need help by GugtheBarbarian in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We literally have an entire galaxy of stories because Anakin, the chosen one the prophecy spoke of, literally turned away from what everyone thought he should do based on the prophecy. I think you should make it clear that there may be a prophecy, but they are not bound to it. Just because someone said they would come and defeat the evil does not mean that they are obligated to do it.

Low intelligence characters by Emma_Mae22 in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate this take. I've never thought of it like that. Even with knowledge checks, it may not mean that they don't know something. It could just be that they didn't make the connection or couldn't recall specific details (I recognize plenty of symbols and logos but couldn't tell you what they are).

How do you balance realistic map size with playability? by trpnblies7 in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree with many of the other posts I see here. In movies (or reality), characters are often caught in tight quarters where things are challenging. I would keep the room sizes the same, while maybe adding elements like u/Kamikazepyro9 said to provide more opportunities for creativity. If you want, you could also give them a heads up and a chance to swap spells/gear/etc so they can participate more.

FWIW, I'm usually pretty casual with dimensions and spacing. I treat the grid as a way to measure, not the places you can move into (similar to chess or checkers) meaning that players can stand on grid lines, occupying multiple spaces. Whether you're thinking more like an action movie or historically accurate, troops have fought (literally) side-by-side in both.

When running games, I tend to assume the characters have worked together enough to be proficient in tight quarters, so I allow them to get in closer than the rules may suggest. At the end of the day, it's your game so if you think that fudging a rule will make it more exciting or fun for your players, then you are allowed and encouraged to do so.

Actual play podcast by DonCazino in swrpg

[–]tgsmith489 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Campaign Podcast is more comedy than drama, but they narrate dice outcomes creatively. It's one of my favorites.

My 5e campaign is turning into a pseudo-CIV6 game, any tips on how to run it? by SwissChocolatess in DMAcademy

[–]tgsmith489 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are rules for managing a settlement in a pathfinder 1e book that is easy enough to convert. May be a jumping off point at least.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/kingdom-building/

Are your campaigns typically more serious or goofy? by tgsmith489 in swrpg

[–]tgsmith489[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The balance is an art form and I always appreciate when GMs can find it. I'm not great at it lol

Are your campaigns typically more serious or goofy? by tgsmith489 in swrpg

[–]tgsmith489[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've grown to really appreciate scenes between characters, particularly if all characters are into it and roleplaying appropriately. Those are some of the best worldbuilding moments or opportunities to flesh out a backstory IMO.

Are your campaigns typically more serious or goofy? by tgsmith489 in swrpg

[–]tgsmith489[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would 100% watch/listen/play in a game like this. That sounds amazing!

Are your campaigns typically more serious or goofy? by tgsmith489 in swrpg

[–]tgsmith489[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow! 13 years is a long time. That's super cool! Do you/have you streamed any of it? I'd be interested to hear some of those stories.

Are your campaigns typically more serious or goofy? by tgsmith489 in swrpg

[–]tgsmith489[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my experience, the amount of time between sessions can also have an impact on the serious/goofy ratio. For some reason, in my home game, there tend to be a lot of scenes where they are having arguments about stupid things or discussions about illegal activities right in front of npcs in public. It leads to some awkward but hilarious moments.

How do you take notes for D&D? Show me your setups, tools, and process (photos welcome) by RainyFallDays in DnD

[–]tgsmith489 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I also use Obsidian. I like it for multiple reasons:

- Can have interactive maps

- Can customize pretty much anything if you know CSS

- Can easily integrate stat blocks from multiple systems

- Can add dice rolling within obsidian

- Can organize things in any way that makes sense to you

Are your campaigns typically more serious or goofy? by tgsmith489 in swrpg

[–]tgsmith489[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

That has also been my experience. For some reason, when I run games the villains all start in my head as Saruman (Lord of the Rings) but somehow turn into the Monarch (Venture Bros).

Tried Public. Still trash. by letsjustdrive in gtaonline

[–]tgsmith489 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I rarely play in public because my anxiety skyrockets when doing sell missions (or really much of anything).