tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post7454788332190522568..comments2024-03-16T06:00:04.833-04:00Comments on Sham's Grog 'n Blog: The Dismal DepthsSham aka Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-28720585594113704992011-11-24T23:35:32.425-05:002011-11-24T23:35:32.425-05:00One moment, I'll post mine soon. just wanted t...One moment, I'll post mine soon. just wanted to say I love your new site!hcghttp://www.cheaphcgdiet.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-40570813234432206142011-11-18T17:50:04.364-05:002011-11-18T17:50:04.364-05:00That is very good comment you shared.Thank you so ...That is very good comment you shared.Thank you so much that for you shared those things with us.Im wishing you to carry on with ur achivments.All the best.order viagrahttp://buyviagracheapmedicorder.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-88424940035359176592011-11-01T06:32:29.926-04:002011-11-01T06:32:29.926-04:00hey buddy,this is one of the best posts that I�ve ...hey buddy,this is one of the best posts that I�ve ever seen; you may include some more ideas in the same theme. I�m still waiting for some interesting thoughts from your side in your next post.cialis pricehttp://buycialisonlineexpress7x24.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-72611759108556629702009-12-02T10:28:10.685-05:002009-12-02T10:28:10.685-05:00Thank you, Sean. My creative free time has been se...Thank you, Sean. My creative free time has been severely limited the past few months but I have been quietly working on a Dismal Depths related project.Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-29349187334967190822009-12-01T18:14:54.372-05:002009-12-01T18:14:54.372-05:00I keep going back to The Dismal Depths, it's t...I keep going back to The Dismal Depths, it's triggered so many ideas this year but it's still great in itself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-35392027005459399222009-01-07T18:34:00.000-05:002009-01-07T18:34:00.000-05:00Thanks Noumenon! I hope some of it useful for your...Thanks Noumenon! I hope some of it useful for your games.Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-71009577919806536952009-01-07T16:54:00.000-05:002009-01-07T16:54:00.000-05:00That dismal bestiary has a lot of really creative ...That dismal bestiary has a lot of really creative monster ideas in it! If I ever want to surprise with something not in the monster manual, I'll pick something off that list. You could have made it its own post...Noumenonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01597461989960782762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-52873221665674173722009-01-03T23:12:00.000-05:002009-01-03T23:12:00.000-05:00Nice! For the past 15 or so years, as I transition...Nice! For the past 15 or so years, as I transitioned to typed notes, I've felt compelled to write more than needed for running my games. Now I am finally getting back to my rudimentary style, the roots of adventure writing which I normally used for the same games. You don't need tons of text to run fantastic adventures. <BR/><BR/>The other night, when running a solo game for my 14 year old, I actually had to tell him "hang on a sec" as I had to read a few paragraphs to remember the details of a particular room. <BR/><BR/>This was a defining moment. A situation which I wish to avoid at the gaming table.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing all of this!Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-12855870424843074122009-01-03T22:38:00.000-05:002009-01-03T22:38:00.000-05:00No, I never take a laptop to the gaming table. Whe...No, I never take a laptop to the gaming table. When I'm well prepared, my notes are written ahead of time and <A HREF="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kensanata/3164694977/" REL="nofollow">take an entire page</A> (instead of just half a page); when I improvise, I have about <A HREF="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kensanata/3165556786/" REL="nofollow">a fifth of a page</A>.Alex Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17104864340940538702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-13618417094225105682009-01-03T16:15:00.000-05:002009-01-03T16:15:00.000-05:00This is good stuff, Alex. Glad to see I'm not the ...This is good stuff, Alex. Glad to see I'm not the only one pursuing the minimalist, single page style. Do you bring a laptop to game? Using that link and a laptop seems like a no-brainer. I like your dungeon style, thank you!Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-20128854673296000552009-01-03T05:49:00.000-05:002009-01-03T05:49:00.000-05:00Got to play Labyrinth Lord on January 1. What a gr...Got to play Labyrinth Lord on January 1. What a great start into the new year. I had some printed dungeon maps without a key along. Back home I added some stuff for the rooms the players did not visit and <A HREF="http://campaignwiki.org/wiki/DungeonMaps/Dungeon_Map_008" REL="nofollow">posted it</A>.Alex Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17104864340940538702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-16443310110847584682009-01-02T04:37:00.000-05:002009-01-02T04:37:00.000-05:00Sure you may. :)Sure you may. :)Alex Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17104864340940538702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-64120333729877353602009-01-01T14:15:00.000-05:002009-01-01T14:15:00.000-05:00Nothing new under the Sun, as they say!Appears you...Nothing new under the Sun, as they say!<BR/><BR/>Appears you nailed the concept with that one. I assume it's Map_001 (the link didnt copy but took me to the site). <BR/><BR/>Great example of the minimalistic approach I am adopting for this project, Alex.<BR/><BR/>It looks to be more crammed with info, too! Good stuff, may I link to that when I update DD next time?Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-61370031888415127472009-01-01T12:18:00.000-05:002009-01-01T12:18:00.000-05:00Some time ago I tried this with a map I gotnfrpm s...Some time ago I tried this with a map I gotnfrpm somebody else. The goal was to take a single page to the game and it worked for me. <BR/><BR/>http://campaignwiki.org/wiki/DungeonMaps/Dungeon_Map_001Alex Schroederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17104864340940538702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-75548066787306705332008-12-31T10:32:00.000-05:002008-12-31T10:32:00.000-05:00Paul - that's a really cool idea, too. In a binder...Paul - that's a really cool idea, too. In a binder that small it replicates my goal of minimizing page flipping and note-keeping space required by the referee. I've never considered using Franklin sized stuff for a dungeon before!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the encouragement. As it turns out, Chgowiz used his powers of computer-shui and put together an awesome doc that I think I'll be able to use for my original plan.<BR/><BR/>More on this later today after I do a test level, and a big thanks to Chgowiz!Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-64886714758190710032008-12-31T08:54:00.000-05:002008-12-31T08:54:00.000-05:00Sham,This is great stuff. I wouldn't let the ...Sham,<BR/><BR/>This is great stuff. I wouldn't let the technical issues get in the way -- I'm sure those can be worked out with some experimentation. Perhaps just having a blank single-page template and writing everything in by hand?<BR/><BR/>The approach I've been taking is that I want to get all my DMing stuff into a single binder (if possible) Because I had an old Franklin Planner binder from about 10 years ago, I'm using that. It's 1/2 the size of regular paper (5.5x8) so I can either cut paper in half and add it, or use their paper. So far, I've printed out things like "City Encounters" for Swords & Wizardry and a few other things that will be handy to have at game-time.<BR/><BR/>For my megadungeon, my plan is to use their graph paper pages (because I'm too lazy to punch holes when I don't have to) Its a smallish square size, but its 32x64 squares on a page. I can use that to make a small section of the dungeon and then - on the opposing page when the binder is laid out - I'll put the single line key.<BR/><BR/>Here's a link to their graph paper:<BR/>http://shopping.franklinplanner.com/shopping/catalog/productpaper.jsp?id=prod950002&skuid=30339<BR/><BR/>Its not too far off from what you're talking about and hopefully keeps things under control - both the design process and the playability at the table.<BR/><BR/>-PaulAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-56993608900836979412008-12-30T21:42:00.000-05:002008-12-30T21:42:00.000-05:00Tim: Those types of names work well with my gaming...Tim: Those types of names work well with my gaming group. We take a fairly light-hearted approach. As the levels get deeper, the element of the whimsical gives way to the sinister, but I always maintain a certain controlled gonzo feel (I don't go overboard with silly or gonzo, thus it can retain its value).<BR/><BR/>Eventually players do learn the names, but with all "new" names for the DD, I'd handle this differently and keep them guessing as long as possible. Some of the more common ones, like Boglings or Broodlings, might be well-known for their surface world raids.<BR/><BR/>Chgowiz: Happy Gaming! As far as the doc you're working on, don't go overboard with it. I'm not convinced I'll return to the one-page method (although you're intriguing me with this news). I'll shoot you an email, though. :-)Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-60617700278984749142008-12-30T20:49:00.000-05:002008-12-30T20:49:00.000-05:00Dave - I really hate it when someone hits my "...Dave - I really hate it when someone hits my "McFly" and challenges me to do something for the furtherance of my geek-fu.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I've created an OpenOffice Document with a 30x30grid (6 lines per inch) and the same "layout" you had. I've not tested it with an example, but here's how it would work... you could sketch something out to get the basic rooms, write it up in OO, then print, draw the actual map and you've got it done. If you wanted it to really be one stop shop, you could scan the map and using OO Draw, copy/paste it back into the ODT (document) I suppose.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, if you're curious, this is really rough alpha doc right now, I need to play with it... but drop me an email (chgowiz@gmail.com) and I'll shoot you a copy.<BR/><BR/>I'm off to go terrorize my wife's PC now in Zenopus's Tower. >:-)Michael S/Chgowizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052820400496340137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-79147228774917805322008-12-30T13:21:00.000-05:002008-12-30T13:21:00.000-05:00I love your monster descriptions, and I'll echo th...I love your monster descriptions, and I'll echo the "less is more" sentiment voiced above. Brainy Apes and the group think Lab Rats are my favorite.<BR/><BR/>I have a question about how you present your monsters: Do the players ever learn the names you assigned the critters? The names wander between folksy and a little funny, the latter possibly spinning the game in an unwanted direction.<BR/><BR/>I'm mostly thinking of my own experience and how much it jars my imagining when a hard and fast GM name is assigned to something.tim hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17183259514061707097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-19317391947120313642008-12-30T12:11:00.000-05:002008-12-30T12:11:00.000-05:00Thanks guys. I think the spirit of the project wil...Thanks guys. I think the spirit of the project will live on even though the presentation might be altered slightly. I hope to start drawing Level 1 later today. Since this will be a map-centric dungeon, I might try my hand at actually inking the damn thing this time. More to come soon.Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-3632861384592558372008-12-30T08:01:00.000-05:002008-12-30T08:01:00.000-05:00Love the map, Dave. And Sleestaks!Love the map, Dave. And Sleestaks!Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17285645317925993821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-64559701491702856752008-12-30T04:02:00.000-05:002008-12-30T04:02:00.000-05:00Really, really like the rebranding of the generic ...Really, really like the rebranding of the generic D&D fodder.K. Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06623767121412820113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-32301890701414785722008-12-30T00:05:00.000-05:002008-12-30T00:05:00.000-05:00Mike-thanks! My troubles with the entire scanning,...Mike-thanks! My troubles with the entire scanning, cropping, lay-out have forced me to scrap the initial plans, BUT I am moving full steam ahead with the project without the one page approach.<BR/><BR/>I'll update the project once I have the first map done, but the gist of DD will now be detailed, involved maps with bare-bones room descriptions and monsters.<BR/><BR/>In essence the same approach, but no longer limited by the quadrant, one-page template.<BR/><BR/>I hope someone with more computer skills can take up the torch.Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-91495992341822886712008-12-29T23:09:00.000-05:002008-12-29T23:09:00.000-05:00Sham,It seems that more times than not, I swing by...Sham,<BR/><BR/>It seems that more times than not, I swing by here and end up kicking myself for not coming up with an idea you've laid out here sooner.<BR/><BR/>I'm going to be watching the development of this style with keen interest. I might have to try a test run of it with the next level of Ol' Nameless I flesh out.Michael Curtishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13217338828086458862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5621016516937695074.post-80943616938782210762008-12-29T22:03:00.000-05:002008-12-29T22:03:00.000-05:00Thanks, Scott. I'm realizing that if given time, I...Thanks, Scott. I'm realizing that if given time, I could write pages of text on nearly every aspect of my campaigns, but these words are simply messages to myself. I enjoy writing my thoughts and ideas, but perhaps the focus should be on the actual play and less on the frills. Thus I've been pursuing the notion of an economy of words for dungeons, encounters and monsters. This is a major departure for me.<BR/><BR/>After fooling with this for the past few days, I'm afraid I cannot quite get everything to my liking. I might scrap the single page idea, which I do believe has great merit but requires better computer art skills than I command (and perhaps better equipment and more time), and revert to a single map but maintain the bare-bones room descriptions. I'd simply merge the proposed four quadrants per level onto a single map. This would require multiple pages of text to describe the greater number of rooms, but I could actually get back to drawing maps and stop scanning, copying, pasting, cropping, coloring and making tamplates.<BR/><BR/>Maybe this is simply a neat idea, but not so easy to implement and master. <BR/><BR/>More on The Dismal Depths later.Sham aka Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14329116400656617173noreply@blogger.com