Running the Ultimate Sandbox Game - Correctly #35

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  • Опубліковано 7 лис 2024

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  • @Lurklen
    @Lurklen 5 років тому +56

    With you on all this, except for the concept that the Pins don't trigger until the PC's choose it. In my mind, the concept that the rumors I heard about last time in town, may not be there when I come through again, is one of the things that brings a world to life. You pass through Eos to visit that island in the south and you don't take any of those jobs, you might come back and find the town is now frozen in time, as a result of another crew returning from that cave of wonders with something a little too "wonderful", and who knows maybe time froze in the middle of the execution of those bandits who were robbing the poor. Seeing the fallout from the choices I or my PC's didn't make is as interesting and exciting as seeing the results of those we did.

    • @LakeVermilionDreams
      @LakeVermilionDreams 5 років тому +3

      Using Fronts to track things that happen if the players don't stop them is a useful tool, one of the great parts of PbtA games I use in d&d

  • @theprecipiceofreason
    @theprecipiceofreason 5 років тому +86

    I only logged in to let you know that my dog finds you particularly interesting.

  • @Caerigna
    @Caerigna 5 років тому +11

    I hobby as a writer, and absolutely love mapping a world of hooks, with 3-5 main campaigns (module or homebrew) nestled into appropriate locations. Maybe have a starter mini adventure designed to introduce the PCs to the world, and gain them a partial world map, local map, or partially labelled/filled map to then explore as they will.

  • @divinkitty9452
    @divinkitty9452 5 років тому +202

    I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.

    • @LurkerDaBerzerker
      @LurkerDaBerzerker 5 років тому +6

      Divinkitty That's why you apply lightning, and make yourself a glass fortress.
      Though that could get the local blue dragon upset, since that's his shtick.

    • @orestesbastos
      @orestesbastos 5 років тому +6

      @@LurkerDaBerzerker does Vader even learn force lighting?

    • @jh1859
      @jh1859 5 років тому +3

      Heh. What a classic screenplay quote.

    • @DMXXCorps
      @DMXXCorps 5 років тому

      Just like this quote XD

    • @mattedmands2085
      @mattedmands2085 5 років тому +7

      @@orestesbastos no his mechanical parts prohibited him from being able to master a great deal of force abilities it's one reason the emperor orchestrated Vader's fall so that he could never be as powerful as him

  • @LightingInvoker
    @LightingInvoker 5 років тому +9

    One thing I did in the game I ran (it wasn't a sandbox, just the pcs in one city), but I think would still be helpful across the board, is to just come with as many side missions as possible, and just have them ready for when you want to use one. In the case of an open world, don't worry about 'pinning' a particular mission to a certain area, have the "bandits stole my shit" mission prepared and pop it in wherever they decide to go. If the take the mission or not, then you can pin it to that area. This way your players will always have something to do (if they want) wherever they go. Adding a further development to the "bandits stole my shit" mission, if they don't take it, they eventually can come across a group of bandits on the road and fight them OR find the bodies of bandits who look like they were torn to shreds by an animal or all stabbed to death by swords which could lead them on a monster/murderer hunt.
    Also... "We just wanna go here and hang out with hookers." That's soo PC 101 xD

  • @ThePageTurnerPT
    @ThePageTurnerPT 5 років тому +57

    1.) Is that toilet paper on your head?
    2.) I really appreciate the opening skits being shortened

  • @SkySpiderGirl
    @SkySpiderGirl 5 років тому +22

    Been running a sandbox for a long time now, this is useful info still. Thanks, dude

  • @luz4466
    @luz4466 5 років тому +13

    I started running a new sci-fi campaign last week, so far it's been great, but jeez my players are too afraid of altering the story so they basically go from task to task, I need them to stop and smell the roses. Gonna start doing sandbox now, so thanks mate.

  • @LurkerDaBerzerker
    @LurkerDaBerzerker 5 років тому +14

    *Relevant and Supportive Comment*

  • @tomwardle
    @tomwardle 5 років тому +1

    Love your channel very informative and helpful. I've been running a sandbox campaign for the last three years and it's been a wonderful experience letting the players lead the charge. Highlighting points of interest and rumours has been a big part of my own adventures so far but I love you colour code system plus use of maps. Thank you.

  • @All-shall-say-Jesus-is-Lord
    @All-shall-say-Jesus-is-Lord 3 роки тому +1

    Lots of great advice! Thanks!
    I disagree with hooks not triggering until the PCs go there. I think hooks should evolve after every session. It makes the world feel alive. So perhaps they choose to go investigate the bandits, and upon returning to town, they find out that the daughter with the map gave it to some courageous young lad who hasn't been seen for a while. So the PCs know that the world is living and moving whether they are there or not.

  • @darkmage07070777
    @darkmage07070777 5 років тому +40

    Hey, I have a request: can you start listing the tools you use for your campaign prep in the video description for those of us who are curious about what you use?
    Not just sponsored tools like World Anvil (though obviously include them) but other stuff, too?

    • @fhuber7507
      @fhuber7507 5 років тому +4

      tools REQUIRED:
      Pencil. Paper, Imagination
      Lots of dice.
      OK a basic set of 6 dice is enough.. even the 2nd D10 (often a D00-09) is optional
      But you should have 6 sets plus extra D4's, D6's, D8's and D10's
      *************
      everything else is optional

    • @peytoncable7811
      @peytoncable7811 5 років тому +1

      He made a couple videos on them

    • @pauloturnell7653
      @pauloturnell7653 5 років тому +1

      I was recomend to use donjon but I havent been able to use it yet so I cant say how good it is

  • @boristheslav2860
    @boristheslav2860 5 років тому +7

    Yes!!! I needed this! Thanks Guy.

  • @TheOnlyToblin
    @TheOnlyToblin 5 років тому +9

    Just wanna state that I think you nailed the skit length. Perfect, sir!

  • @seansteele6532
    @seansteele6532 5 років тому +1

    I have a sandbox going. It's based around a town map that the players all have a copy of (It's a town they're all from with some hidden bits but every character should have a reasonable layout of the location.) The villains and stuff have a timeline where they do stuff giving the players impetus to do things.

  • @Drangir
    @Drangir 5 років тому +2

    I'm opening my criminal capaign to my players and they'll have whole city to explore until they get tugged into a grind machine of local gangs, guards and elites conflicts. This tutorial will help me greatly, thanks!

  • @Tigerblade11238
    @Tigerblade11238 3 роки тому

    I really like your videos. Very easy to listen to and follow along. I'm working on a campaign for the first time.

  • @Centuries_of_Nope
    @Centuries_of_Nope 5 років тому +1

    Thank you for the guidance! Been getting ready to start my Ravnica campaign wanting to make it a sandbox when not focusing on the main story.

  • @billthecanuck
    @billthecanuck 5 років тому +3

    i'm running a sandbox game that i've been running for a while now. There's an interesting dominos effect with a sandbox game that i've found.. if you're good at improvising, storytime. i basically had the party exploring a world that, at the time, i didnt even know what was there. mages had discovered a portal and the portal transported them to another planet. that was the extent of my prep besides making a range of jungle/forest encounters for about a 25 mile radius of jungle. I knew there were dinosaurs, dragons, lizardfolks but no idea what kind of civilizations. I was letting them explore and making stuff up as it went along. One early encounter, around level 5, i had them come up on a young green dragon that was making a lair, he had a group of 7 or 8 kobolds helping and was about to ascend to adulthood. i wanted to explore the transition from young to adulthood and gradually show the area shift if they didnt outright kill him.. I didnt put much thought into him other than that, i fully expected them to murder it and move on. BUT. they talked to it... and asked about the area.... and rolled a natual 20 on persuasion. So all of a sudden i had to make up a dragon empire in the realm and since this was a young green dragon and they were in a jungle.. well this jungle was the ruins of an elf empire that a green dragon conquered and claimed for its own. Two of the party members were blue dragonborn and with the nat 20 he gets friendly and asks why they have their slaves equipped with gear, and made up a neighboring blue empire to the west.... now the two blue dragonborn wante dto go west and explore an empire of blue dragons.. And so-on. By the end of the session i had completely improvised a chromatic dragon empire and nearly a year later they're fully allied with that empire and i've made an entire campaign around it. lol. Sandboxing is alot of fun, i wouldn't have even thought of making a campaign like this on my own, i just went with what hte players were doing and improvised.

    • @onyxtay7246
      @onyxtay7246 5 років тому +1

      The way you're talking about these empires just popping up gets my gears turning for how I can run dragons in my campaign. I mean, they're so powerful I don't see why they wouldn't just have empires that most humanoids don't even know about. The same way bees don't know about human politics.

  • @zachariahritter8913
    @zachariahritter8913 5 років тому +8

    How did you know I was working on a sandbox campaign? Should I look out for strange vans or something?

  • @MelkromisteinWeeb
    @MelkromisteinWeeb 5 років тому +2

    The 'eula' joke was a very good one

  • @Max_G4
    @Max_G4 4 роки тому

    A nice free quick tool for generating a world map that I used is Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator.
    After tweaking a few settings, it generated a nice map that I now use with some nice details. And you can tweak things around if you want.

  • @fhuber7507
    @fhuber7507 5 років тому +1

    I ran a sandbox campaign fr 3 1/2 years. It was great.
    9 players. 7 to 15 hr of game every week.
    Get a direction from them just before end of session....
    If you know which direction and have a map of the ream, you have plenty of info for planning.

  • @jjschow
    @jjschow 5 років тому

    I still really like the generic guild houses/bounty boards for a way to introduce "side quest's". Large towns get houses smaller towns get a bounty boards near the Town Halls.

  • @amyliaclenny1866
    @amyliaclenny1866 5 років тому

    Hourglasses sold at the market as well as many other glass materials
    -
    A map to a legendary Oasis or pool / lake that turns out to be real, with undertows that make it dangerous & usually drown the swimmers. The undertow sucking leads to an underground cavern.

  • @TheVirtuallyAddicted
    @TheVirtuallyAddicted 5 років тому +2

    The peasants are always revolting. :O Seriously, I am pretty good at DMing on the fly. Sometimes the players are actually doing most of the work for me.

    • @joandudley4847
      @joandudley4847 5 років тому

      Appreciate the dragon heart reference!

  • @nehuendm
    @nehuendm 5 років тому

    just genius video, thanks! it hepled a lot in the campaign im runnig/creating on the road

  • @robertsouth6971
    @robertsouth6971 11 місяців тому

    Flowchart each session. Given the current situation, what things might the players do? What will be the response to that, what will they find? And what options does that lead to? And what will be the response to each of those possibilities. Map it out far enough to last the session and end the session when you run out. What if they do something you didn't anticipate? If they leave the road they will find cows. Not werecows, not magic cows, just cows. And barns. Not barns with mystical clues or treasure or monsters or dungeons underneath. Just barns. You've had plenty of clues to exciting things, if you want excitement, go there. If you go to a farm expect a farm.

  • @paulsusac4839
    @paulsusac4839 5 років тому

    Great work! One of your better videos!

  • @herometzler681
    @herometzler681 5 років тому +11

    QUESTION: would you be willing to make a video where you are making a map in wonder draft?

    • @negative6442
      @negative6442 5 років тому

      WASD20 has one

    • @herometzler681
      @herometzler681 5 років тому

      Negative thank you very much I will check that out

  • @scottplumer3668
    @scottplumer3668 3 роки тому

    The issue I see with sandboxing is that every potential adventure has to be easily scalable. So if the players don't take care of the bandits, for example, until a higher level, you have to make them all more powerful, plus up the reward.

  • @brainer4194
    @brainer4194 4 роки тому

    Oh my god that cut at the start caught me off guard, wasn't expecting to be laughing so hard at this video

  • @curts7801
    @curts7801 5 років тому +3

    Could I buy a box? With... with some sand in it? Or or or... could I buy some sand, that comes in a box? I’m just... there are so many options here.

  • @herometzler681
    @herometzler681 5 років тому +2

    Thank you so very much

  • @Ssatkan
    @Ssatkan 5 років тому +3

    Seriously, the Eula / EULA thing... Does that work with your players? When I think of mine, that would turn into a running gag very quickly...

  • @AndrusPr8
    @AndrusPr8 4 роки тому

    I took my time o download all sort of maps of different types of environments: cities, towns, swamps, rivers, forests, deserts, etc.
    Then I began mapping the place. And then... that's it. I have the map and left it empty.
    Some maps have some weird stuff on it (a dragon skeleton, a temple made of bones) those are left as some particular adventure. A rumor to say "Some people have found a fountain of blood" o "an ancient legend talks about the battle between a massive dragon and a giant"
    I now use this map as a sandbox where anything might happen

  • @TurtleWargaming
    @TurtleWargaming 5 років тому +5

    I really wish he'd covered combat in a sandbox environment. I'd really like to have a good explanation of setting up encounters for something like the bandits, or the insects. Do you use tools like kobold fight club to generate some? How do you balance on the fly?

    • @antonioliles5027
      @antonioliles5027 4 роки тому +1

      I run a sandbox world for my players. This has been my gaming style for two decades now.
      There are several parts to the world and these are essentially levels of magnification.
      1. Macro: Essentially, the world is ever moving forward and there are major and minor plot lines that are always going on even without the players interactions. (Essentially, I am playing a role playing game with myself at this level moving pieces around the board.)
      2. Major Events: These are things that happen that the players will either be a part of or just hear about. They could then choose to investigate what is happening or not. It is up to them.
      3. Micro: This is the level where I actually craft the story that the players have decided to involve themselves in. By know what is happening in the first two layers, I can accurately portray what NPC's will do when the players get involved and craft a believable story.
      In my world combat falls into 3 categories and these depend on the PC's actions.
      1. No contest: This is when players get into situations within the world that are far below their power level. This could be due to them finding a thread that they pull on and the encounters are easy, but the story is interesting. In these situations, they get very little to no xp for combat. Instead they get the majority of their xp for interactions with the story.
      2. Tailored Encounters: These are the encounters that I craft for the story line that they are pursuing. I balance them between moderately easy to deadly depending on enemies in question that are in line with the story. The xp is a decent balance between combat and story awards.
      3. Death: This is where players get into situations that they have no business involving themselves in. There are many places in my world where powerful beings live that will destroy the party. The key here is to obliquely warn you players they are going into a bad situation. Emotive language works great here. How ever, if my players ignore the warnings, then they can deal with the consequences to include a TPK.
      The best way to balance encounters on the fly is to know the system you are using inside and out. For example, I run D&D 3.5. The book Magical Society: Beast Builder breaks down how all of the numbers and powers work. By reading and absorbing this book, I am able to create a unique monster on the spot for an encounter.
      The thing to remember here is that a monster you create on the fly should have very little chance of actually killing your players without some very bad luck. With this, you are telling a story through combat. However, never let your players know they are not in danger, because as soon as that happens, you have destroyed the immersion. Always make them feel like they worked for the win.
      These are just some general guide lines. If you have any specific questions, I am more than happy to answer them.

  • @SquirrelGamez
    @SquirrelGamez 5 років тому

    I actually buy sand now and then for my miniature basing.
    Also, sandbox is really just regular adventures except the players tell you where they want to pick up their quests. o_o

  • @mattheModest
    @mattheModest 5 років тому +3

    Excuse me, does anyone know which video is where he makes the map?

    • @MrWarlord396
      @MrWarlord396 5 років тому

      ua-cam.com/play/PLsHhMRkG9uA4KPJ4cBqV6g1iUlXFm1Gec.html Any one of these should be helpful

    • @mattheModest
      @mattheModest 5 років тому

      @@MrWarlord396 Thanks a bunch. I will check these ones and see which one goes over the map featured in the video!

  • @ChefStache
    @ChefStache 5 років тому +2

    Not quite first, but rather early!

  • @mitchgaunt2431
    @mitchgaunt2431 5 років тому

    That was helpful, i almost wish I owned a computer

  • @marek011011
    @marek011011 5 років тому

    not on topic. but could you plz remind me when the Descent to Avernus game will start?

  • @BoodzikBass
    @BoodzikBass 5 років тому

    Great video!

  • @JimBlue2837
    @JimBlue2837 5 років тому

    Does anyone know what the video is where he talks about the four types of adventures, Thwart, Deliver, Collect, and Discover? I've been scouring his channel and I can't seem to find it.

    • @jprks4229
      @jprks4229 4 роки тому +1

      It's the How to Tell if Your Plot is Bad, although in that one he only mentions Thwart, Deliver, and Collect. It's brief - what you're looking for is 14min in.

  • @robertlombardo8437
    @robertlombardo8437 5 років тому

    Thanks for shorter opening skits. I prefer to get on with it and get down to business.

  • @caseycoker1051
    @caseycoker1051 5 років тому +2

    Early viewing hype!

  • @linus4d1
    @linus4d1 5 років тому +4

    This is semantics, but I think this is more "open world" than "sandbox".

    • @silversun1736
      @silversun1736 5 років тому +2

      Semantics?! Hah! I don’t know the meaning of the word.

    • @grey3247
      @grey3247 5 років тому

      @@silversun1736 what is the meaning of a word anyways?!

    • @Holacalaca
      @Holacalaca 5 років тому

      As far as i know theyre interchangeable

    • @linus4d1
      @linus4d1 5 років тому +1

      @@Holacalaca "sandbox" is built from the ground up like some of the Lego video games or Mario Maker. "Open world" is more like zelda or gta

    • @Oznerock
      @Oznerock 5 років тому

      @@linus4d1 In an RPG context they´re the same.

  • @Velocispic
    @Velocispic 4 роки тому +1

    Even in a sci-fi setting, yes, I’d use the stone and wood, churches like that old school look imo

  • @joshuadixon4090
    @joshuadixon4090 5 років тому

    The skeleton in his church is 12 feet tall? WOT

  • @dougm9157
    @dougm9157 5 років тому

    Map? -- giving us latitude? Well done!

  • @timkramar9729
    @timkramar9729 5 років тому

    I want a prescribed goal and planned goal. I don't want to be left to my own devices.

  • @MegaMawileTheNommer
    @MegaMawileTheNommer 5 років тому

    Question, I know you said before but I forgot where and what... What program did you use to make that world map? I must have it.

    • @thebigbo
      @thebigbo 5 років тому

      WorldAnvil, top left corner Al the time :)

    • @MegaMawileTheNommer
      @MegaMawileTheNommer 5 років тому +1

      @@thebigbo Not world anvil silly, I know that one. I use it. I mean't to make the map he is pinning.

    • @thebigbo
      @thebigbo 5 років тому +1

      Anyway, megamawile is my favourite Pokémon, so kudos for that!

    • @lomp1582
      @lomp1582 5 років тому

      Wonder draft

  • @1984-XIXc.
    @1984-XIXc. 3 роки тому

    Note: Players will never do anything that NPC asked them to do.

  • @joshuadixon4090
    @joshuadixon4090 5 років тому

    I just wanna be able to put pins on my map, can I do that for free on world Anvil?

  • @abacate4492
    @abacate4492 5 років тому +2

    Hello folks.

  • @vinx.9099
    @vinx.9099 5 років тому

    can someone link me the video on making generic maps if there is any?

  • @KarltheKrazyone
    @KarltheKrazyone 4 роки тому

    This is very good stuff for the sort of morally grey games like Shadowrun or Cyberpunk. The players might be playing good, but the world sure isn't.

  • @Rose_Nebula
    @Rose_Nebula 5 років тому

    Great but how do you run an adventure for players with not an ounce of creativity in them?

  • @GeanAmiraku
    @GeanAmiraku 5 років тому

    0:00 - 0:21
    Literally me first time DMing /._.\

  • @VampguyN85
    @VampguyN85 4 роки тому

    I guess this type of sandbox isn't what I was expecting at all. I'm new to dnd and only played with one group a few years ago. And I'm figuring out what I like and don't like still.
    But is there a sandboz system that doesn't have more than a few adventure hooks and is instead focused on other stuff around world exploration rather than adventure quests? Like if I wanted to take up apprenticeship as a tailor and would rather rp in the shop getting training than actually going off on adventure. Or if I wanted to spend my hours RPing research in a library on the climate and animals and spend time searching for and drawing local animals and selling my art. Or building a business and scouting for a relationship.
    My point is, I think I would rather a world and map without the hooks to just live in.
    I loved studying languages in college so I would love to learn a language in town like a college class where the DM and I roleplay through the alphabet and grammer abd syntaxes ect like a full college course. Instead of just saying you spend your offtime hours and now get to put it on your character sheet"

  • @nsdnsd9548
    @nsdnsd9548 5 років тому +2

    Hello.

  • @TheLearthur
    @TheLearthur 5 років тому +1

    Hey, is guy going to run this campaign?
    In a stream I mean.

  • @wolfyboy
    @wolfyboy 5 років тому +1

    I'm so early! :D

  • @MegaMawileTheNommer
    @MegaMawileTheNommer 5 років тому

    That skit was criminally short IMO, The cut was so abrupt

  • @stephentaylor6726
    @stephentaylor6726 5 років тому

    Ouch...that opening 'joke'...hard swing and a big miss, my dude.

    • @chaosheaven23
      @chaosheaven23 5 років тому

      I like to think he does these jokes ironically, which kind of makes them funny.

    • @stephentaylor6726
      @stephentaylor6726 5 років тому

      @@chaosheaven23 and I like to think I'm handsome with an irresistible charm...none of that thinking makes me any less of a gargoyle though.