I'm in need of some advice on something rather basic. Everyone knows the method of putting a bit of pressure on your players by suddenly popping out an hourglass or timer, starting it and asking "What do you do?". I've been wanting to do this little bit of cruelty to my players as well, but the problem is that we are all quite separated and play games online through Discord which makes doing that a bit hard. Sadly, there is a distinct lack of functioning countdown or timer bots for Discord so I cannot use any of that and I have otherwise run out of options.
Does anyone have any ideas of how I could work around my little problem?
While you're having this conversation, you suddenly hear a voice from the top of the tower shout down, "Hey, what are you lot doing down there"?
After this happens a few times, the Players will get the idea that time is still passing in the game world, even if they've stopped to chat in the real world.
Using an explicit timer is a bit heavy handed.
I would also be pretty generous and flexible as the amount of time, depending in the circumstances. Time is not flowing 1:1 between the game world and the real world in my sessions. This is because the Characters would automatically know and communicate much more efficiently than the Players do.
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Hello there,
I'm in need of some advice on something rather basic. Everyone knows the method of putting a bit of pressure on your players by suddenly popping out an hourglass or timer, starting it and asking "What do you do?". I've been wanting to do this little bit of cruelty to my players as well, but the problem is that we are all quite separated and play games online through Discord which makes doing that a bit hard. Sadly, there is a distinct lack of functioning countdown or timer bots for Discord so I cannot use any of that and I have otherwise run out of options.
Does anyone have any ideas of how I could work around my little problem?
Here is what I do in my Zoom games.
1) Give the players a count down t-minus X seconds
Now they know they are on the clock so to speak.
2) Run timer on your phone or in your head.
3) halfway through give the time t-minus X seconds
4) Times up -- describe what happens next.
While you're having this conversation, you suddenly hear a voice from the top of the tower shout down, "Hey, what are you lot doing down there"?
After this happens a few times, the Players will get the idea that time is still passing in the game world, even if they've stopped to chat in the real world.
Using an explicit timer is a bit heavy handed.
I would also be pretty generous and flexible as the amount of time, depending in the circumstances. Time is not flowing 1:1 between the game world and the real world in my sessions. This is because the Characters would automatically know and communicate much more efficiently than the Players do.
My DM Philosophy, as summed up by other people: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rN5w4-azTq3Kbn0Yvk9nfqQhwQ1R5by1/view
Disclaimer: This signature is a badge of membership in the Forum Loudmouth Club. We are all friends. We are not attacking each other. We are engaging in spirited, friendly debate with one another. We may get snarky, but these are not attacks. Thank you for not reporting us.