Quote from: cranebump;939199So, fix it by lying.  I see...yessss....(ignorance is strength!).:-)

But seriously, sometimes we screw up, no? I'll usually reveal this afterward, if it comes up. I don't think it's harmed our games. Yet.

Of course, they MAY be hiding their sausage recipes...:-)

Sure we screw up, and most of the time it's just "Yeah I forgot about the +1" type crap.  "Sorry guys, I made this entire cavern empty for some reason, I dunno what the fuck I was thinking." is a little different.

If you know how to fix it, ie. like you said..."Show signs of an approaching threat." then just do that.

This...
"You guys see marks where it looks like something has been dragged deeper into the cave."
not...
 "Sorry guys, I made this entire cavern empty for some reason, I dunno what the fuck I was thinking...You guys see marks where it looks like something has been dragged deeper into the cave."

The roll for an encounter is a support of the referee, not a mandate.  The first principle of Free Kriegsspiel is that referee judgement is paramount.  You are not bound by the "no encounter" roll.

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;939224The roll for an encounter is a support of the referee, not a mandate.  The first principle of Free Kriegsspiel is that referee judgement is paramount.  You are not bound by the "no encounter" roll.

Thank you! It's there to randomly generate content when the well runs dry, or things could use a little stochastic refreshment.

That said, it's also a pacing issue. Sometimes nothing there is OK. You just don't have to drag it out in real time.

However, when I generate location content I have a rationale (even if it is an irrational "because I said so, F U, you poncy pedants!" rationale). So even an empty hole in the ground is more than just a found empty dirt hole, otherwise why am I making it a notable location? The location becomes an encounter onto itself at that point, an environmental encounter.

Also I do prefer the whole separation of Encounter rolls from Random Encounter chart. Then I can quickly roll up Encounter rolls ahead of time to prep what, if any, chart encounters result. It gives me foreknowledge for pacing, makes metagamers nervous, and allows me to integrate encounter results to the location (i.e. as something more than aggro combats to the death).

What do you mean by rolling for Encounters over Random Encounters? If you're rolling for both isn't it the same thing.

Quote from: mAcular Chaotic;939525What do you mean by rolling for Encounters over Random Encounters? If you're rolling for both isn't it the same thing.

No, they are not the same roll. The Random Encounter Table is there for Deciding the Encounter Type. The Encounter Roll is for Determining Encounter Presence w/in Timeframe. The Encounter Roll is a Y/N (pass/fail) roll, whereas a Random Encounter Table closer to degree of success (gives gradient content values).

Yes, you can combine these two concepts into a single function -- just as many games do for pass/fail + DoS. However there are advantages to decoupling linked functions. Sometimes you just need rapid info on several binary questions, such as whether there's any unforeseen encounters on a specific travel (or dungeon) leg. Instead of constantly looking up a chart for a value that essentially says "nothing here," you are front-loading the basic binary question to give more time to focus on the "Yes!" values.

Naturally, a GM always reserves the prerogative to place a fixed encounter as they deem coherent. (A working monastery has monks! :cool: A musky smelling burrow contains a critter! :cool:) But the above is for when you are throwing content creation to chance for inspiration.

Quote from: nDervish;938985Really?  So something happens like clockwork every X minutes in your games?  If so, that strikes me as very strange.  ("I just heard chains rattling...  Must be 3 o'clock!")

I abstract time. I don't always do 1 round = 1 minute or 1 turn = 10 minutes.

So I drop random encounters...randomly.

But if I smell attention lag, I have zero problem with Chandler's Ninjas. Especially in the age of cellphones, sensory overload and video game attention spans. We can yearn for the 70s all we want, but the only 70s that are coming round are the 2070s.

Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;938961Hell, back in 1975 or 1976 Judge's Guild had dungeon maps with random sounds marked on the maps.  "You hear the sound of rattling chains off in the distance."  Much like a haunted house, it didn't mean anything, but it was, and still is, great for effect.

For me, dungeon = haunted house.

Quote from: trechriron;938745Then two of the players, one veteran, one new nod off to other places and start doodling and fidgeting; clearly no longer engaged or paying attention.

What do you do?

Look at their doodles and base encounters on them.

Quote from: Old One Eye;938895Don't worry about the players that checked out; keep playing with whoever is at the table.

While there's something to be said for making sure everyone's involved, I've found that putting your energy where it's reciprocated is often a better way of doing that than focusing on the disinterested players directly.

Quote from: nDervish;938985After the session is over, I'd talk to them to see whether they enjoyed it (some players can really enjoy gaming sessions even when not maintaining active engagement with the GM!),

That's also good advice, as just because they're not participating as expected doesn't mean they're not enjoying the experience.

The only time you need to take action is when this sort of thing disrupts play, and the only action you should never take is to punish them through in game events.

Doodling is not a problem.

As for paying attention, that is a problem.  Usually in my games, not a problem I have.  On some occasions where someone gets distracted in some way, it's the rest of the players who police that, because they know that a player not knowing what's going on in the game can be bad for all of them.

Quote from: RPGPundit;939949On some occasions where someone gets distracted in some way, it's the rest of the players who police that, because they know that a player not knowing what's going on in the game can be bad for all of them.

I have had this happen on many, many occasions.

Usually, if a player looks bored, my first thoughts are "oops gotta pick up the pace; let's move this scene along" or "ah, time for an encounter".

As a player I've gotten bored in the past from things seemingly beyond my control: long repetitive fights with bullet-spongey enemies,  when the party splits up and I've been waiting more than 20 minutes for the focus to return to my side or when extended periods of nothing occur (no combat, no traps, no encounters, no mysteries etc). I used to just fidget or seethe but my time is precious and so I'll usually speak up. If I go through more than two sessions in a row in which I get flat-out disinterested or bored, I leave the campaign 'cause it's obviously not for me.

Quote from: Necrozius;940123Usually, if a player looks bored, my first thoughts are "oops gotta pick up the pace; let's move this scene along" or "ah, time for an encounter".

As a player I've gotten bored in the past from things seemingly beyond my control: long repetitive fights with bullet-spongey enemies,  when the party splits up and I've been waiting more than 20 minutes for the focus to return to my side or when extended periods of nothing occur (no combat, no traps, no encounters, no mysteries etc). I used to just fidget or seethe but my time is precious and so I'll usually speak up. If I go through more than two sessions in a row in which I get flat-out disinterested or bored, I leave the campaign 'cause it's obviously not for me.

Those are all things that bore the hell out of me as GM.  In the times when I have been a player and the GM allowed monotony, I cannot help but wonder how the GM is possibly enjoying this.