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I'm a novice GM running a sandbox campaign, currently using Shadowdark. I prep using Sly Flourish's 8 steps (Return of the Lazy DM) and I'm familiar with Justin Alexander's advice on "prepping situations, not plots" and node-based design.

However, I have a massive roadblock during actual play: I don't know how to consistently generate situations that challenge the players and demand a choice. While this is somewhat easier inside a dungeon because the rooms are already prepped and it's simpler to just present the immediate problem, running the game in a city or in "open" environments is much much harder for me.

Usually, my sessions go like this:

1. I use a "Strong Start" (often combat, though it feels weird because characters in Shadowdark should aim to avoid direct clashes, making it always feel a bit forced).
2. Once the encounter is over, the momentum dies. The players look at me waiting for a prompt, and I don't know what to throw at them.
3. If they decide to explore, I end up just describing the environment. The world feels static and non-interactive. Even when they meet NPCs, my mind goes blank on how the NPC can push the game forward or offer a compelling hook.

It feels like I lack a specific method or procedure to generate tension, obstacles, or actionable situations on the fly. Preparing lore and secrets is useless if I can't translate them into an immediate problem for the characters to solve.

How do you handle this? Is there a specific mental checklist or procedure you use to turn a static room or a random NPC into a situation that requires player agency?

Thanks in advance!

I enjoy preparing for sessions. Building locations, thinking through NPC motivations, sketching rough maps, planning possible encounters. It feels productive.

But I have started to notice that not all prep has the same impact at the table.

There are sessions where a simple outline and a few strong ideas created memorable moments. The players filled in the rest through their decisions. In those cases, the prep was light but focused.

Other times, I spent hours detailing areas the party never visited or writing lore that never came up. It made the world feel deep to me, but it did not necessarily improve the session.

I am starting to think the difference is not how much you prepare, but what you prepare. Clear stakes, flexible situations, and meaningful choices seem to matter more than fully detailing every possible path.

For those of you who have been running games for a while, how do you tell the difference between prep that genuinely strengthens a session and prep that just feels productive?

So, this was quite an improptu article. Last night I watched for The Devil's Advocate for the first time. It has been on my radar for some time, but I couldn't find it on streaming so it just stayed on the bucket list. Thoroughly enjoyed the movie, but while watching it I had this feeling of familiarity with the world, with that sensation of something being a bit wrong throughout the whole thing, with how the disturbing supernatural is slowly peering more and more into the everyday. And then it hit me!

A couple of weeks ago, thanks to V3rtigo, from the wonderful Taverna Aventurilor, I recently got to play Kult: Divinity Lost! A game that has been on my radar for quite some time! After that I got the pdf corebook and started to read more into the setting, cause for me, that is by far the highlight. Always had a fascination for the occult and the gnostic.

Going back to The Devil's Advocate. It reminded me of Kult. A lot. And it dawned me. This movie might be one of the best way to explain to someone why Kult is enticing and fun. Cause they do give off the same vibe. And so, quite literally after the movie credits I started to write. Which brings us to the here and article at hand. If you were curious about Kult give it a read and watch the movie. Or send it to someone who might be interested in either of the two. And if you are already experienced with Kult and have seen the movie, please do let me know if I am the only one who sees the parallels! Till next time!

Hey all, just wanted to ask about a few particular games that have had new "versions" come out lately since I'm used to the more normal subsequent edition structure.

1. I saw the new Backerkit for Numenera the Amber Archive - I just backed the new edition of Cypher System, so is this just updating Numenera for those changes?
2. Coriolis the Great Dark - it sounds like part new edition, part reimagining or setting change or something? I'm confused a bit about what exactly is the same or different, especially with setting / lore / etc. It does sound like some rule changes are definitely in store though since it mentions being a second edition of sorts.
3. Alien RPG Evolved Edition - this one I think was a bit more textbook "strict upgrade" - at least in intent, I know that's not always necessarily the outcome of such projects.

Was just a bit confused at what exactly each is meant to be, and wondering if anyone more knowledgeable could clarify.

Mostly interested from a designers perspective.

Hello friendly folk from here and there. I was troubled by an idea and I wanted to see what the reality is beyond my bubble. Do you write your own stories or do you play ready made adventure modules? I was always making my own games, running adventure modules was for me the antithesis of RPGs. Creating personal experiences and making everything by myself was the thing and all my friends who run games do the same as their default.

Pros of running your own scenarios; they are personal for GMs, original/unique for players and tailored to the group. Cons: they are not as good at the beginning of GMs “career” as adventure modules, less balanced, less cohesive. BUT with time they become better and better. No writer is good at the beginning, to become good you need practice and with time every GM becomes better.

From the perspective of a player I always enjoyed the game itself; playing the character, interacting with the world and rolling the dice. A weak story can be lifted by actions of players, beginner GM can expect others to help with enriching the game. If everyone is a beginner in that case everyone is figuring out the game; it is learning and having fun.

I understand the appeal of adventure modules, you detach yourself from the responsibility of making a scenario, and from all the troubles that come with it, but RPGs are fun, not work, if you make a “less than perfect game” no one is going to stone you for that.

So what is happening right now? Do you write your stories of play stories from the book?

When playing dnd, I’ve always found the combat to be the least engaging part. I think this is because the concept of hit points and damage numbers easily breaks my suspension of disbelief. I’m wondering if there’s anything that’s designed more around combat as puzzles, where pcs have to figure out and then achieve a win condition rather than hitting something until big enough number kills it (like figuring out material weaknesses—like garlic for vampires—having to maneuver a ghost to a specific spot to be able to bind it to an object that would have meaning to them, or having to trick a fae in a deal). Preferably with an engaging magic system that encourages creativity rather than a set spell list.

Hello!

Been running pathfinder 2e with friends for a few years. Adding in some brand new players for our next campaign and just stumbled into Shadowdark by happenstance today. Its got me thinking maybe there is a system that exists that has all the things I'm looking for...

I'm looking for:

• Shorter turns and faster gameplay (4-7 people at our table)
• Easy to learn for new players
• Simple, clean character sheets (especially for a partially blind player at our table)
• Massive balanced bestiary like PF2e's
• Deep character customization and build flexibility
  • The ability to have an idea for a character in my head, and accurately flush it out and play it in a system
• Not too lethal, shadowdark had me a little worried when I was looking at it
  • some deaths are okay, but this is many players first time playing a ttrpg and theyre very excited about playing, characters should live through most of the campaign

Thanks in advance!

Wondering if anyone on here is planning to make the NY area local con: https://www.litabletop.com/

For those who haven't been, its a small to mid-sized con with a broad spectrum of games and vendors. They don't do a great job of promotion but its well run and attended, I've attended the last two years. You pay for the pass but the game sessions themselves are free.

It's in the 'Cradle of Aviation' museum which I would describe as a 'miniature Smithsonian Air and Space Musuem'. I get a kick out of playing a TTRPG while sitting under an F-104 hanging from the ceiling!

If you are curious I'll be running a Cohors Cthulhu (https://modiphius.net/en-us/pages/cohors-cthulhu?srsltid=AfmBOoq7L5WO5SxnI5dRn0ukgLiwygwfRVG7YNBFA6mepAIp4-y6J8eC) game at 6pm on Saturday. In case you aren't familiar, this isn't Call of Cthulhu, but the Roman companion to the action oriented Achtung Cthulhu.

I finally get to be a player with my regular group. We're suggesting games and I want to find one that has some good illusion/illusion magic rules to play around with.

Anything out there that is pretty decent aside from very rules-lite interpretations?