tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post8227692952116190470..comments2024-03-18T20:22:06.331-04:00Comments on GROGNARDIA: Empty RoomsJames Maliszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-31977648604504446422010-06-28T18:22:53.392-04:002010-06-28T18:22:53.392-04:00I was (foolishly) skeptical of this empty room thi...I was (foolishly) skeptical of this empty room thing until experiencing it in a big way at NTRPGCon.<br /><br />I lack the eloquence to explain why. But it just "makes" the dungeon into a dungeon.<br /><br />This also speaks loudly to your view of rules/settings/what_have_you based on actual play. Another idea I'm totally in agreement with after/based on personal experience.Norman J. Harman Jr.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01319655075997712313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-41951537106037046062010-06-28T16:30:03.216-04:002010-06-28T16:30:03.216-04:00is the OD&D table you refer to reproduced in L...<i>is the OD&D table you refer to reproduced in LL or anywhere else?</i><br /><br>There's a table very much like it in LL. The results are not identical but it's close enough if you don't have access to the LBBs.James Maliszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00341941102398271464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-58204473099995057032010-06-26T19:27:25.493-04:002010-06-26T19:27:25.493-04:00As a player, I enjoy finding empty rooms (monster-...As a player, I enjoy finding empty rooms (monster-wise empty) with interesting details to investigate.<br /><br />As a DM, I also leave some rooms empty in my dungeons. However, my empty rooms are about 40-50%. I'll try raising the number to add more mystery to the dungeon, and also to add world details which otherwise would pass unnoticed to my PCs.jdebetolazahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16268415411507646640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-86704777354527315432010-06-26T18:50:23.965-04:002010-06-26T18:50:23.965-04:00@ Brian: Trent Foster analyzed the room contents ...@ Brian: Trent Foster analyzed the room contents breakdowns for dungeons, based on edition (OD&D, Holmes, AD&D, Moldvay/Cook, Mentzer) over on Dragonsfoot @ <a href="http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=30673&start=53" rel="nofollow">http://www.dragonsfoot.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=30673&start=53</a>. It's on the 4th page of the " So-Cal Min-Con Adventures" thread, and is well-worth checking out sometime. <br /><br />Allan.grodoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11800184312511280050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-72541536305685353452010-06-26T13:27:17.480-04:002010-06-26T13:27:17.480-04:00is the OD&D table you refer to reproduced in L...is the OD&D table you refer to reproduced in LL or anywhere else?Brian (brian_cooper at hotmail d o t com)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02805168206752602148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-36979465273127341552010-06-26T12:24:41.477-04:002010-06-26T12:24:41.477-04:00The empty rooms feel more natural and give the par...The empty rooms feel more natural and give the party a chance to get a breather. In megadungeons that is the way to go.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04132556436493370782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-27355144046424089952010-06-26T12:22:37.099-04:002010-06-26T12:22:37.099-04:00I love empty rooms. The more random the better. ...I love empty rooms. The more random the better. One of my favorite features of the GM Tool Kit app for the iPhone (free!) is that it has a room contents generator for those emergency moments.Williamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406510212165346747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-39371866123864807092010-06-26T11:14:52.518-04:002010-06-26T11:14:52.518-04:00Dungeons and their contents have to make some sens...Dungeons and their contents have to make some sense to me in the context of the game's setting, or else I just don't enjoy them. (As a player, of course, figuring how it "makes sense" is part of the fun.) Thus I agree with you that a large portion of the rooms should be empty. A too-crowded dungeon feels more like a bus station than a place of mystery.<br /><br />Aside: One of the fascinating things about watching your Dwimmermount experiment is seeing how you take random rolls and decisions made during the campaign and make sense of them afterward.Anthonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01254215329246851683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-47290146052190247382010-06-26T10:23:04.248-04:002010-06-26T10:23:04.248-04:00Dungeons aren't real until full maps and keyed...Dungeons aren't real until full maps and keyed notes are posted ;)JasperAKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16890051828893516478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-33840500102693453112010-06-26T09:39:45.199-04:002010-06-26T09:39:45.199-04:00Agreed.
I use Dungeon design section from Moldvay ...Agreed.<br />I use Dungeon design section from Moldvay Basic set and Dungeon Dressing tables from DMG. I like the encounter typology (combat, skill, trap, role playing, etc) from D&D 3rd Edition.<br /><br />I usually use an overarching theme from whoch to derive the Dungeon ecology from the Dungeon's origin and its history. Underground quarters of a Necromancer consumed by his obssessions will be different from a border outpost that was overrun by goblinoids and taken over by a thieves guild that specializes in blind-fighting. Dungeon exploration is what makes D&D unique and that is why I still have it and integrate it into the campaign, which, strictly speaking, is not dependent on them.Brooser Bearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08487438364129415650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-76033949933212026462010-06-26T09:15:58.628-04:002010-06-26T09:15:58.628-04:00Must remember this as I stock my megadungeon....Must remember this as I stock my megadungeon....David The Archmagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649391406526258069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-44500037170370855182010-06-26T01:03:52.930-04:002010-06-26T01:03:52.930-04:00This makes me want to write up a random empty room...This makes me want to write up a random empty room chart.crowkinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03066821931343968827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-20169995782492336022010-06-26T00:33:02.504-04:002010-06-26T00:33:02.504-04:00I think its really important that you mix combat w...I think its really important that you mix combat with equal parts of skill use, riddles or problem solving, interaction with NPCs, traps and just plain nothingnessThe Frothy Friarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11239287980636452197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7487871339000666216.post-47675152492638183022010-06-26T00:27:04.031-04:002010-06-26T00:27:04.031-04:00How do you keep the players from knowing that it&#...How do you keep the players from knowing that it's really an empty room (in terms of significance, the absence of foes is obvious)? Do you have 47 at least moderately detailed descriptions for the empty rooms? Do you use them to make up a coherent "dungeon ecology"? How often do your players make something of them that you never intended and in essence fill them up themselves?fifthflavorquarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03324146817226152034noreply@blogger.com