I am trying to create a table to help me out to do better area (rooms, wilderness, etc) and NPC descriptions. I would like to come up with some short of a list or diagram of things to mention (in no particular order, and not all of them should always be mentioned), and maybe a small table to get random ideas on the fly.
Whenever you describe you want to focus on "painting a picture in the players minds." In my experience the best way of doing that is using the five senses, and giving them their own bodies reaction to it:
* The air is so think with onions that you wipe tears away from your eyes
* Your skin on your hand sticks to the wall uncomfortably like a wet T-shirt sticks to your back
* The rich earthy smell of rotting leaves on the forest floor fills the air
I wouldn't over do it though, because players tend to metagame and think something is secretly important if you describe it too much.
I don't think a table would necessarily be the best, I would just think about the place ahead of time and write down two or three descriptive sentences.
Also focus on food and clothing. You can tell a whole lot about a person or monster just from what they are wearing and what they are eating. Like if you see an orc that is wearing human skulls as knee pads and eating a raw horse leg, you know what he is about. Also if you see a velocoraptor wearing a monocle and smoking a cigarette, you know that he will be interesting to talk to. Food and clothing ftw
Hi guys!
I am trying to create a table to help me out to do better area (rooms, wilderness, etc) and NPC descriptions. I would like to come up with some short of a list or diagram of things to mention (in no particular order, and not all of them should always be mentioned), and maybe a small table to get random ideas on the fly.
Do you guys have any or have any suggestions?
Whenever you describe you want to focus on "painting a picture in the players minds." In my experience the best way of doing that is using the five senses, and giving them their own bodies reaction to it:
* The air is so think with onions that you wipe tears away from your eyes
* Your skin on your hand sticks to the wall uncomfortably like a wet T-shirt sticks to your back
* The rich earthy smell of rotting leaves on the forest floor fills the air
I wouldn't over do it though, because players tend to metagame and think something is secretly important if you describe it too much.
I don't think a table would necessarily be the best, I would just think about the place ahead of time and write down two or three descriptive sentences.
Also focus on food and clothing. You can tell a whole lot about a person or monster just from what they are wearing and what they are eating. Like if you see an orc that is wearing human skulls as knee pads and eating a raw horse leg, you know what he is about. Also if you see a velocoraptor wearing a monocle and smoking a cigarette, you know that he will be interesting to talk to. Food and clothing ftw
Join the FriendlyGM Newsletter!