Comments on: Being a Player is Like Using a Flashlight http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/being-a-player-is-like-using-a-flashlight Game mastering advice, ideas & resources • Dedicated to helping GMs Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:46:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Stealing the Flashlight - Treasure Tables http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/being-a-player-is-like-using-a-flashlight/comment-page-1#comment-3436 Stealing the Flashlight - Treasure Tables Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:10:34 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=436#comment-3436 [...] This is a guest post by TT reader Nick Bell (who goes by lebkin in the comments). It’s brilliantly simple, and it speaks for itself. - - - - - Because being a GM is like using a 150 watt bulb, it is easy to get lost in your self-created sea of knowledge where everything seems perfectly clear. To counter this, one needs to build up a set of tools in order to understand the players’ views on what is going on in-game. The best tool is actually the players themselves. Simply put, you can find out what the players remember by stealing their flashlight. [...] [...] This is a guest post by TT reader Nick Bell (who goes by lebkin in the comments). It’s brilliantly simple, and it speaks for itself. – - – - – Because being a GM is like using a 150 watt bulb, it is easy to get lost in your self-created sea of knowledge where everything seems perfectly clear. To counter this, one needs to build up a set of tools in order to understand the players’ views on what is going on in-game. The best tool is actually the players themselves. Simply put, you can find out what the players remember by stealing their flashlight. [...]

]]> By: Being a GM is Like Using a 150 Watt Bulb - Treasure Tables http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/being-a-player-is-like-using-a-flashlight/comment-page-1#comment-3381 Being a GM is Like Using a 150 Watt Bulb - Treasure Tables Tue, 08 Aug 2006 13:55:43 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=436#comment-3381 [...] If being a player is like using a flashlight, being the GM is like sitting under a 150 watt lamp. Everything is fully illuminated (sometimes too fully), and nothing is hidden from view. [...] [...] If being a player is like using a flashlight, being the GM is like sitting under a 150 watt lamp. Everything is fully illuminated (sometimes too fully), and nothing is hidden from view. [...]

]]> By: Martin http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/being-a-player-is-like-using-a-flashlight/comment-page-1#comment-3360 Martin Mon, 07 Aug 2006 14:50:50 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=436#comment-3360 maikeru: That was pretty much my experience with it -- "Hey, this sounds about right!" Spleen23: If you've got a group that can maintain that level of organization through an entire campaign, this problem can fade into the background almost entirely. That rocks. :) Scott: Those discussions can also be a great source of ideas for future sessions, too. maikeru: That was pretty much my experience with it — “Hey, this sounds about right!”

Spleen23: If you’ve got a group that can maintain that level of organization through an entire campaign, this problem can fade into the background almost entirely. That rocks. :)

Scott: Those discussions can also be a great source of ideas for future sessions, too.

]]> By: ScottM http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/being-a-player-is-like-using-a-flashlight/comment-page-1#comment-3354 ScottM Mon, 07 Aug 2006 03:58:01 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=436#comment-3354 Good point-- it's often hard to tell what you've successfully transmitted. If your players talk around you between sessions, sometimes you'll figure out what clues they've decoded. Good point– it’s often hard to tell what you’ve successfully transmitted. If your players talk around you between sessions, sometimes you’ll figure out what clues they’ve decoded.

]]> By: Spleen23 http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/being-a-player-is-like-using-a-flashlight/comment-page-1#comment-3345 Spleen23 Sun, 06 Aug 2006 01:44:46 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=436#comment-3345 My group does write ups covering the game for posting on the web page, games are sometimes weeks apart, so a review is handy. Lately we have been including a "Things to remember" section covering new information learned and lingering plot lines, this might be usefull for clueing in a GM what clues the players din't catch pick up. My group does write ups covering the game for posting on the web page, games are sometimes weeks apart, so a review is handy.
Lately we have been including a “Things to remember” section covering new information learned and lingering plot lines, this might be usefull for clueing in a GM what clues the players din’t catch pick up.

]]> By: maikeru http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/08/being-a-player-is-like-using-a-flashlight/comment-page-1#comment-3342 maikeru Sat, 05 Aug 2006 23:25:39 +0000 http://www.treasuretables.org/?p=436#comment-3342 That is actually a pretty good analogy. Never really saw it like that, but never-the-less true. Will keep it in mind, thanks. That is actually a pretty good analogy. Never really saw it like that, but never-the-less true. Will keep it in mind, thanks.

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