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Mercer Hates THIS! (Extended) (Patreon)

Published:
2023-10-06 22:00:02
Imported:
2026-06
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Videos

Content

PDM uses blatant clickbait to talk about something important--how to pace your game. 

Files

Previews only

Mercer Hates THIS!

Comments

Bagel-Man

I’ve actually been looking forward to this video for awhile!

Bagel-Man

Great video Professor, I like that you pointed out how rpgs differ from film. Keep up the great work!

Andrew

excellent!!!!

Drago Russo

Hmmm. As you know I am running a lot of "paid" tables and I find there are three types of players. 1) I want to hack & slash, period. 2) I want to play critical role type where we go shopping. 3) I want a mix of fast paced combat and downtime roleplay. The hard part is when you have a mix of each type of player at the table. I enjoy roleplaying NPCs without any preset dialogs. I happen to be good at improv and I just think about who that NPC and pretend to be that person. But now I am thinking I can still do that but maybe cut to the chase. I need to ask in the Session 0 how much roleplay they want and use your examples as an option. THIS is the kind of video I love. It makes me think and I learn and hopefully get better at my craft. Thank you.

Christopher Capone (Wicked Cool Games)

Straight and to the point - the name of the topic and its delivery. Fantastic. I remember in a much earlier video you talked about moving the camera - briefly mention the travel down stone steps, through the cobwebbed halls, stopping at the important point. I've since adopted this technique. Adds atmosphere while saving lot of time. Thanks.

MrGunn

How does Matt feel about ‘that’?

Daniel Defazio
>>119238310

Thanks for sharing. I've been planning this one for a long time and think it's one of my better advice videos.

Keith

This is great advice about moving events along! The throw-away comment about Tiberius had me go back to Critical Role's Campaign 1 Episode 27 to see Tiberius getting the mirrors again! I did like that Tiberius learned a tiny bit more about the magic system during his shopping trip. It was sort of boring that the crafting of magic items was so limited, though. Ignoring whatever the rules were for a moment, I think that crafting magic items should be a lot more exciting, and have more depth.

Bryan Stephens

I found the best thing to do if the players have seized upon something that's not Important is to just get Meta and tell them. In the tree example or the green door example as the game master I would tend to say " guys it's not important move on".

Drago Russo
>>119238310

Yes, it is great advice. Especially for people running one shots and/or Adventurers League games. The only caveat is that it would be great if you ran and recorded a one hour one shot where you show all of this in play. Next video idea?

Scott Spears

I give this video 2 thumbs up. I teach screenwriting and one of my rules is don't bore me, aka keep it moving. Nobody wants to watch scene of people folding laundry. Hitchcock said, "Movies are real life with the boring parts cut out."

Graham Kane

Excellent video! Luke at the DM lair did similar video which was good but yours is much more concise.

MrGunn

Seems like a lot of folks are all of a sudden making pacing videos, in the last week, Sly Flourish mentioned pacing a week ago, DMs Lair did one a few days ago, as did Seth Skorkowsky when he talked about Quantum Ogres... hmm my QAnon conspiracy senses are tingling. I totally agree with the shoe leather comments, especially sassafrasing shopping! I use Amazon so I don't have to travel to a store, deal with Karens and Kennys, the shoving and haggling, and COVID; nope, I click then click and 48 to 72 hours later stuff appears on my porch. Great Video PDM. Oh and Jay, have not heard from you lately, you OK, let me know you are alive and well with a post?

Tuska

These types of videos and the DM notebook are two of the reasons I support this channel! Good stuff!

Shawn Allee

Useful video. And funny, as always. Real question, though: For campaigns where exploration and resource pressure is real, do you handle travel and such the same way. Not saying every table or campaign SHOULD emphasize these, but Prof. DM, do you change up the approach?

Ben McInnis

I totally feel you on the shopping trips. I just started a new campaign and use Discord for everything (I play pretty much exclusively online). I gave the players all bluebooking channels for shopping, downtime, etc. It streamlines all the extraneous stuff that detracts from the game.

Brian Peters

Best Advice Ever. More please

Ben McInnis

Tabaxi rugs and tiefling skin boots. Deathbringer is the King of All Pimps! Lol! I really enjoyed this video (sorry for the two comments; the ADHD sometimes wins). Ok, so I noticed you referenced the Cult of the Reptile God in the video. Is this a clue as to your next campaign? Enquiring minds and all that. Thanks again for all that you do, Prof DM!

James C

Shopping and over narration might be just the player or GM wanting to monopolize the time. I think sometimes we forget this is a collaborative game, not to showcase how clever or intelligent you are as a player or GM. Sometimes we forget, we play to have fun. If it’s not fun, then consider tossing it. And bards suck.

Jay

PDM, thanks for another useful video. So just a few thoughts on the idea of “Cutting the Shoe Leather” which might be a tiny bit outside of the general consensus. I do my best to think critically of new concepts or ideas and usually attempt to argue from a contrary perspective even when I would mostly agree at first. I find it easier to come to a conclusion that points out both pros and cons for said concepts in this way. In this case, I find cutting the shoe leather can be a useful tool but should be done very judiciously while remaining conscientious of player agency. Why might you ask? Well, I see the game as being about entertaining the players and allowing them to tell stories they want to create and pursue, as well as the way in which they want to express themselves or roleplay. In my opinion, the GM is simply the host who voluntarily facilitates and arbitrates the game and should do so in a fair and impartial manner. GMs should not be there to tell their own stories or limit player choices by pushing plot hooks leaving players feeling as if there is no other alternative (AKA Railroading). Example, speaking to the bar keep and being given canned answers with no player social interaction that seemingly pushes the players down a particular path might be seen by some players as railroading as they are only provided plot hooks without alternative paths but no room for roleplaying in real time. I differ to Dungeon Craft Video “The Third Rule Evey DM Needs to Know” The theme of which is “Be like water.” In other words, stay tuned and remain flexible to what your players want and then go with it. New players who have little to no experience with Tabletop RPGs may just accept the cutting of shoe leather as they might be familiar with this type of narrative like those found in earlier video games such as Resident Evil, Baldur’s Gate I and II or choose your own adventure books where all paths lead to the same milestones. Then there are players who don’t really like to interact with NPC’s socially (AKA Roleplay) who might also find cutting social aspect of shoe leather acceptable. Other players who really enjoy the social interaction and roleplaying might see the GM as an authority figure and may not want to rock the boat even when they disagree with it. Perhaps even more so if the GM has influence over them outside of the game such as a spouse, family member, or employee, etc. of said GM. However, there might also be experienced players or GM’s sitting at the table that might frown upon the glossing over of some game world events or social situations and push back feeling that their ability to roleplay or interact with the game world has been quelled. I can imagine various situations where cutting the shoe leather could easily have unintended consequences or even backfire. One example off the top of my head might be that one time you actually have the players enter a market or merchants store as part of the plot hook or perhaps just because you wanted to introduce a new NPC. This might put the players on RED ALERT!! Could make them paranoid something is going to happen, or the merchant might be seen as a potential enemy even when she wasn’t meant to be. To be fair, cutting shoe leather in overland travel, general shopping situations such as replenishing supplies, and otherwise mundane activities could also prove to be super useful. So, in summary, when it comes to “Cutting the Shoe Leather” overall I find doing so can be a useful tool. However, I also believe you really must know your players, what they want out of the game, their style of play such as social, combat, or engineer, and mesh that with how, when, and what to cut out to save time without assuming the players are ok with it. It is important to be mindful that you could be running a game as GM in which players feel they have lost agency to make decisions, roleplay, or interact with certain locations of the game world as they wish, and they may or may not tell you because they see the GM as an authority figure not to be questioned. Moreover, if the GM has ever uttered the phrase “I’m the GM and what I say goes” it may make the game a bit less collaborative and more authoritative, and story driven by said GM. Perhaps, it wouldn’t hurt to ask players are you ok with the information the Bar Keep provided, is there anything else you want to ask or discuss. In moving through Munchburgers home ask the players if they have any questions regarding the encounter. The Thief may want to palm (steal) some keys or pay attention to entry/exit points to perhaps rob or spy on him later. Munchburger may want to double-cross the players leaving no loose ends after recovering the magic item. Spying on him prior to giving it to him might reveal this. Whatever the situation might be, player feedback should be encouraged. The rush to speed things up may not always be the best course of action but it depends on the players and situations involved. Always be aware there may be unintended consequences. Some of the best advice I ever received in my line of work where performance, details, and accuracy mattered as it affected the lives of many involved was from a former Commanding Officer. It was simply “Never rush to failure.” That’s what happens when you gloss over details to meet a deadline, produce a complex product, or get information out too quickly. Facts, details, steps in a process, can be overlooked and mistakes can be easily made with too much haste. This advice has never failed me but allowed me to catch many details others missed. Anyway, hope some of this made sense. As I always say, use the rules that you and your players enjoy. Happy gaming everyone.

Jay
>>119311096

Greetings MrGunn. Yes, I'm alive yet not much time on here lately. Made a post today yet just don't have the time I used to have. Hope all is going well and I completely agree that Amazon does make life a bit easier.

MrGunn
>>119311096

Awesome was concerned your torch had sputtered out and you were trapped alone in the dungeon of life. Thanks for allaying my fears.

Jay
>>119574367

I've been on here since the beginning dude and lots of people post long comments on posts here from time to time. So perhaps you should speak for your own Patreon Channel instead of one you don't own or operate. No one is requiring you read other peoples comments. It just might be easier if you simply ignore the ones you don't like or if they are seemingly too long for your taste.

Grendel

Professor, I really do love all of your stuff, but videos like this one are the reason I have followed you from the beginning. This was excellent presentation, awesome voices, and fantastic advice! I was literally lol through a lot of this, and I love when you throw in old art from 1ed books and stuff.

john seddon

Hi PDM, I think this is brilliant. It’s a really helpful analogy and a great explanation. The examples are super helpful too. These techniques I can directly apply to my game. It reminds me in one of your early videos when you talked about moving the camera / action forwards to miss out the boring bits. This idea explains it even better. Thanks for all you do. Keep the tips coming

Jesper Wallin

This is really great advice, that I will take to heart! Funny sidenote; ”Sparsam” in Swedish means ”cheap skate” though not in a negative meaning, economic is maybe more fitting when I think about it. It was fun though for us Swedes to meet him in game 😄