Comments on: The Best of the Gnome Stew Archives, 2008: Part 4 of 5 http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5 The Game Mastering Blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:25:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Martin Ralya http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3493 Martin Ralya Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:06:55 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3493 <a href='#comment-3490' rel="nofollow">@Rafe</a> - Hell, I haven't had a chance to read everything the gnomes have written, and I run the joint! ;) I'm glad you're enjoying the back issues, Rafe.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3493','Martin Ralya'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Rafe – Hell, I haven’t had a chance to read everything the gnomes have written, and I run the joint! ;) I’m glad you’re enjoying the back issues, Rafe.
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]]> By: Matthew J. Neagley http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3491 Matthew J. Neagley Fri, 02 Jan 2009 17:38:30 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3491 @RAFE Go back and read everything from the beginning. Even give stuff that doesn't seem useful to you at first glance a quick skim. There's a lot of really good stuff here and the longer you wait to guzzle down every refreshingly gnomy drop of it, the more you'll have to wiz afterwards. That's actually general advice for everyone who reads Gnomestew. There's so much awesome stuff here I'm really glad to be a part of it.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3491','Matthew J. Neagley'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @RAFE
Go back and read everything from the beginning. Even give stuff that doesn’t seem useful to you at first glance a quick skim. There’s a lot of really good stuff here and the longer you wait to guzzle down every refreshingly gnomy drop of it, the more you’ll have to wiz afterwards.

That’s actually general advice for everyone who reads Gnomestew. There’s so much awesome stuff here I’m really glad to be a part of it.

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]]> By: Rafe http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3490 Rafe Fri, 02 Jan 2009 16:33:25 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3490 @ Telas: Actually, my facts were facts. lol I honestly and truly have never played a fun or enjoyable published adventure. Thus, it's a fact that I haven't. Maybe I've just not found the right ones. I will admit that the ones published in Dungeon magazine (or is it Dragon? I think it's Dungeon) look decent. @ Martin: I figured from the comments (which I read before coming here) that it may have been a 'get thinking' article. That said, it sure did rile me, which I suppose was also partially the point. Get mad and post! ;-) As for the 'get thinking' aspect, it certainly did that. I like the unspoken assumption which Telas highlighted; viz., "go for the good, not the perfect." As always, great articles! I've been going through almost all the ones that have been posted in the "Best of..." series of posts. Maybe it's because I've only been reading for 3 or 4 months, but it seems I've missed all of those their first time around.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3490','Rafe'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @ Telas: Actually, my facts were facts. lol I honestly and truly have never played a fun or enjoyable published adventure. Thus, it’s a fact that I haven’t. Maybe I’ve just not found the right ones. I will admit that the ones published in Dungeon magazine (or is it Dragon? I think it’s Dungeon) look decent.

@ Martin: I figured from the comments (which I read before coming here) that it may have been a ‘get thinking’ article. That said, it sure did rile me, which I suppose was also partially the point. Get mad and post! ;-) As for the ‘get thinking’ aspect, it certainly did that. I like the unspoken assumption which Telas highlighted; viz., “go for the good, not the perfect.”

As always, great articles! I’ve been going through almost all the ones that have been posted in the “Best of…” series of posts. Maybe it’s because I’ve only been reading for 3 or 4 months, but it seems I’ve missed all of those their first time around.

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]]> By: Martin Ralya http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3489 Martin Ralya Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:26:14 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3489 "Yes." ;)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3489','Martin Ralya'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> “Yes.” ;)
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]]> By: Matthew J. Neagley http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3488 Matthew J. Neagley Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:59:53 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3488 I'm sure your wife is completely in agreement with that sentiment, right Martin?<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3488','Matthew J. Neagley'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I’m sure your wife is completely in agreement with that sentiment, right Martin?
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]]> By: Martin Ralya http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3485 Martin Ralya Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:29:00 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3485 <a href='#comment-3483' rel="nofollow">@Rafe</a> - Yep, Telas has the right of it. There was no masquerading involved: That article was meant to be annoying, thought provoking, mildly offensive -- and tongue-in-cheek. ;) Also, I state all of my opinions as facts because I am, in fact, right 100% of the time. About everything. No, really. <em>Everything.</em><div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3485','Martin Ralya'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Rafe – Yep, Telas has the right of it. There was no masquerading involved: That article was meant to be annoying, thought provoking, mildly offensive — and tongue-in-cheek. ;)

Also, I state all of my opinions as facts because I am, in fact, right 100% of the time. About everything. No, really. Everything.

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]]> By: Kurt "Telas" Schneider http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3484 Kurt "Telas" Schneider Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:20:57 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3484 <a href='#comment-3483' rel="nofollow">@Rafe</a> - Your "facts" look an awful lot like "opinions"... ;) And I think Martin was trying to say that GMs should stop trying to make <a href="http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/about/Crossroads/05_27_03.html" rel="nofollow">the perfect the enemy of the good</a>. Instead, accept that your imperfect campaign/system is good enough, and stop tweaking it. But that's just my opinion. :)<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3484','Kurt \"Telas\" Schneider'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Rafe – Your “facts” look an awful lot like “opinions”… ;)

And I think Martin was trying to say that GMs should stop trying to make the perfect the enemy of the good. Instead, accept that your imperfect campaign/system is good enough, and stop tweaking it.

But that’s just my opinion. :)

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]]> By: Rafe http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3483 Rafe Fri, 02 Jan 2009 02:18:24 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3483 I thought the "You should quit GM'ing" article is just ridiculous. (I hadn't read it before now.) That it starts with an opinion masquerading as a "fact" kind of irks me. Fact: I have never played a published adventure that I've enjoyed; homebrew worlds and GM-written campaigns and adventures have always been better. No offense to WotC people (or people who publish adventures) who may read this blog, but most published adventures are soulless, transparent excuses for hack-and-slash gaming or introduce so many random elements just to add some perceived cool factor that I just can't suspend disbelief. I feel like my character, regardless of the effort put into it, becomes a two-dimensional cutout in a world that feels like a sloppy, cut-corners theatre backdrop. Fact: Keep on the Shadowfell was such a piece of garbage that I almost gave up on 4e before it was even released. The only reason I found the fun in 4e was because the core books came out relatively soon after that intro module and we started our own campaign. So I say screw polish. Give me a scrap-paper session and campaign with soul.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3483','Rafe'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I thought the “You should quit GM’ing” article is just ridiculous. (I hadn’t read it before now.) That it starts with an opinion masquerading as a “fact” kind of irks me.

Fact: I have never played a published adventure that I’ve enjoyed; homebrew worlds and GM-written campaigns and adventures have always been better. No offense to WotC people (or people who publish adventures) who may read this blog, but most published adventures are soulless, transparent excuses for hack-and-slash gaming or introduce so many random elements just to add some perceived cool factor that I just can’t suspend disbelief. I feel like my character, regardless of the effort put into it, becomes a two-dimensional cutout in a world that feels like a sloppy, cut-corners theatre backdrop.

Fact: Keep on the Shadowfell was such a piece of garbage that I almost gave up on 4e before it was even released. The only reason I found the fun in 4e was because the core books came out relatively soon after that intro module and we started our own campaign.

So I say screw polish. Give me a scrap-paper session and campaign with soul.

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]]> By: Troy E. Taylor http://www.gnomestew.com/gnome-gnews/the-best-of-the-gnome-stew-archives-2008-part-4-of-5/comment-page-1#comment-3479 Troy E. Taylor Fri, 02 Jan 2009 00:06:44 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/?p=2065#comment-3479 I always thought the discussion that followed Adam's post on spicing up combat to be filled with some of the best suggestions on how GMs and players both share responsibility in making combat more than just I hit you and you hit back, but a story in itself.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('3479','Troy E. Taylor'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I always thought the discussion that followed Adam’s post on spicing up combat to be filled with some of the best suggestions on how GMs and players both share responsibility in making combat more than just I hit you and you hit back, but a story in itself.
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