The ogre reaches for his club sandwich is gold and I need to build an encounter around the players being unaware that nothing in mentioning is as threatening as it sounds
When I saw the gap between videos I didn't think it was embarrassing, I thought "wow! They overcame two *years* of guilt/shame/embarrassment/other shiny things, and then made this awesome video!" You deserve to be proud, both of the great videos you've made, and of what you've worked through to make them. Thank you.
*unclenches jaw* I love this content, I thought this channel was way more popular than it is! It definitely should be. As an ADHDM I struggle with a lot of this, and your ability to deconstruct and analyse the processes specifically in the context of ADHD brains is honestly eye opening, really good advice!
I really, really need to hear that today. I'm a brand new DM with ADHD and a story I am deeply passionate about. Because this campaign is political intrigue with a ridiculous number of NPCs, I prep role play a lot, probably more than I should. Each thing I say has the possibility of revealing more than I'm willing to reveal, so the pressure is turned up to 11. I've had several sessions that have left me in tears, including one that had me absolutely furious at myself and my players for making a choice I did not expect involving one of my villains. I've realized I might be railroading my players and myself, and I've also been told I talk too much during sessions (basically, I control the setup a little too much). This video made sense and eased some of the pressure I feel when I worry about prep. Simplifying dnd as setup, choice, and resolution (and weirdly enough by explaining baseball, a game I know nothing about), really helped me contextualize and internalize what it is I'm even doing. Next session I'm going to let go of control, wind up the ball and throw it to my players. Wherever they throw it next I'll run with it
You got what I was going for exactly! This was a lesson I had to learn when I started running games too. Once I figured it out, my games got better - and that pressure you talked about goes way down too. Good luck with your next session and your whole campaign!
@@AstralMarmot Thank you! I'm at a point in the campaign where I don't have much that "has" to happen to move the plot, just a couple things. That along with watching your videos has put me in a less controlling mindset. Whatever happens happens!
One of the most beautiful things about D&D /TTRPGs is that it functions as a *group* storytelling medium. If your story idea is precious to you, keep a copy of it separate in its own place, but it’s not what is going to play out. Embrace the concept that the players have every bit of a hand creating the world and story as you do. Some of the most rewarding moments in DMing for me have been watching my players engage with the world by creative thinking, inventing their own NPCs, and exploring the consequences of their past actions. I admit it’s not easy, but it eventually boils down to the choice of “let loose and have fun together” vs “hang tight, stress out, crash, and burn.”
@@mathmusicandlooks Precisely! I want to have my own version of this story, I'm trying to decide if I want to write it as a book or a campaign. The version my group and I are playing is already deviating from what I "wanted", and I'm finally ok with that thanks to these videos. I've been cutting loose and responding more than pushing. This has led to a very fun situation, a character is about to face the consequences of their actions and I can't wait to see what they do with those consequences!
i think the sign-ask mindset will help me a lot to curtail my overpreparing. It's caused by being anxious about my improv skills, not ADHD, granted, but it's a very similar rabbit hole 😅 This is a good way to help you see when you should just take the plunge and let player shenanigans take the reins from your prep. So hear, hear!
I am extremely unreliable with improvising. Some times my creativity comes in clutch and the session is better off for it, but most of the time I draw a complete creative blank. So I prep ahead of time. A lot. That prep is a big mix of material. Some of it is predictive, some of it is fleshing out the world, and some of it modular. But here's the freaky thing: just like how in real life my neurodivergent brain builds a little model of a person from talking to them which I can use to inform myself how they might react to things, I also do that for games. And those little models are scarily good. I don't need to plan for a bunch of contingencies if I know basically what choices they're going to make between 2 or 3 possibilities of decreasing probability. Moral of the story is, predictive planning works if you're good enough at predicting.
I was explaining this concept to someone and later that day this video found me. You did a way, way better job of explaining it than I did. I subscribed and I'll see if I can send some folks your way.
The worst part of planning for too many contingencies is that my players freeze up and overthink EVERYTHING!!!! They do however love and trust the goblin that is being controlled by Goblin Dr Doom and leading them into a trap.
@@AstralMarmot I had that happen in my current campaign and at first it knocked me sideways, "oh no, now what?"-style. So I called a cigarette break and gave them all shrewd looks while frantically rethinking the rest of the session. Okay, I thought, switch the two around. So it turns out Gussie the innocent goat-boy was a wicked warlock, while Baron Malnius - though corrupt -has a good heart. And I really like where the game's been going since then. I do miss Gussie, though. But the clues he was made to drop are now coming from new NPC Giddie the goose-woman. (I deliberately made her name similar, hoping they'd notice so I could describe the twist they prompted. But nope, they never asked. Probably why I'm sharing it here, it's been clawing at the inside of my head for too long 😋)
My parents kept my ADHD diagnosis from me until I was well into my 20s, even though it was discovered in my preteen years. I'm equal parts thankful and frustrated about that. Thankful because I learned to live my life in my own way, without having to shift the blame to my ADHD or relying on medication. Frustrated because the years of self doubt and anxiety could've been explained by that diagnosis. (surely it would still be there, but at least some things would make sense) The reason I'm saying this, is because it's not natural for me to link the issues I have with prepping a TTRPG session with my ADHD diagnosis. Only when I read the title of this video did I think "Oh right, I guess I do have major issues with prepping that are a direct consequence of my ADHD symptoms."
I think that this video has sat in my Watch Later for like 6 months. In that time, I have reworked my game system, shifted campaign ideas, "finished" a test module, and started on a new one that is my current campaign plan. None of this has anything to do with the video but I came back and watched it anyways and yes, yes I needed to hear this.
I'm so glad to have found this channel, I need to have this kind of structured exploration of the kind of ambiguous processes that we have to use in social/dynamic interactions. I love playing and running RPGs but I get obsessed with systemic details and descriptions, and your videos help untangle that mess I make and clarify what we're even doing. I have alternate models of what the game loop is, but the idea of a contingency trap really helped me let go of some of the rabbit holes I've dug myself into. Can't wait to catch up on your catalogue!
The bit about our innate ability to enhance an idea, to take something someone says and run away with it, just really made me feel good to see recognized, so thank you for that! It's something I'm never sure if it is noticed that I do it with nearly everything, and it being tied to my particular shade of ADD is comforting. ...even if it occasionally ends up with me creating an entire argument for why my character is justified in thinking 'Milk' is a juice, much to my GM and Wife's chagrin!
I'm awaiting diagnosis but 30 years worth of mostly not managing to get projects off the ground (despite really wanting to) tells me something. I find that every answer to a question leads to another question even though deep down I know that first question maybe won't even get asked by the players. I spent several days recently finding myself unable to draw a map because I don't understand perfectly how mountains and their valleys work. I get bogged down in detail like you wouldn't believe. Or, given that you're making these videos, perhaps you would. Oh yeah, also I can't really think anything through unless I speak out loud or write it all down verbatim. Gah. I'm really keen to see where these videos lead. I know it won't be a silver bullet but just the sense of camaraderie is already helping some.
This is some great stuff. Your ability to articulate what it is many DM's like myself have learned the hard way over many decades of DMing is fantastic I hope to see more videos like this pop up in the future. Even though I have much experience DMing, I need to hear stuff like this once and a while to remind me to avoid these kinds of prep traps. Even when you know how its done, it still creeps back and tries to pull you in with its beautiful if/then logic
I try to be consciously aware of contingency traps and check myself and yet I STILL fall into them sometimes!! It's so hard! The "prepping too far ahead" bit specifically got me recently... after I HAD checked myself on the other contingencies & thus thought I was good. You are so right, my adhd brain wants to do that divergent thinking thing, makes it really tough to stop that train before it's already hit up 50 stations! can also really relate to the part about contingencies limiting your thinking at the table & making you more likely to get 'stuck' with certain expectations/ways of thinking, therefore making it harder to go with the flow of the moment with your players aka where the best part of the game is. That's definitely where I've felt it the most when I HAVEN'T caught it ahead of time. So yeah, this video will really help me at least. Would love to see more on the Levitating Thought Crabs TM and what we can do to lean into dealing with the unexpected in-the-moment stuff; I think that could be really encouraging for prospective but nervous new GMs in particular.
I got temporarily distracted by the idea of the Ogre's Club Sandwich, then I got distracted by Crab because they're cool. Overall a great video that I'll reference more than once. BTW the PanicTable sent me
i just discovered this channel today and i’ve never connected with another dungeon master’s content more in my life. it so very well written and produced and i feel it in my bones. couldnt hit the subscribe button fast enough. thank you 🎉
Thank YOU for watching! There is nothing I want more than to know that people are connecting with what I put out there. Feel free to let me know if there are topics you'd like to see in the future!
@@AstralMarmot I craft a bunch of notes about setting and exposition and the organization all makes so much sense in the moment. Then, a half-hour into my game someone asks a question that I know I've got an answer but cant for the life of me remember where I put it. Whether its physical or digital, it's the equivalent of looking for that missing assignment that I find 18 hours after it was due crumpled at the bottom of my backpack. ...I don't know if that's a topic...but I'd be curious to know how people successfully take their hyperfixated material and deploy it efficiently during a live game! In any case, thanks for content! Truly relatable experience and actionable strategies.
@@ryanwhitesparks6281 My secret is to use an online whiteboard app for all my worldbuilding, campaign planning, and session prep. This definitely merits a full video but you could try playing around on miro.com to see if you can get something out of it. I use the free version and it's more than enough for me to run multiple campaigns in. Look forward to a full video on it in a couple months too.
@@AstralMarmot I actually used to use miro! before it was called miro it was called “realwhiteboard” or something and i loved it. filled it with screen shots and pinned comments and sticky notes… it was extremely cool! now i use obsidian and theyve got this great “canvas” tool that is essentially a local, free whiteboard that i can drop my notes into in a similar fashion. its a really powerful note-taking tool. it doesn’t have the drawing tools that miro has, but the linking you can do with your notes makes it super useful. and while its definitely made things easier, i still have to look for things i thought i managed to make obvious in my planning phase… maybe its an irrational perfectionist streak that makes me feel like i should always just have an immediate command of the information when that isn’t actually realistic. its been awhile since i last visited miro though, maybe its time i check it out again! i just feel like i do whatever i can (especially when i’m running a sandbox) to have all the details at hand… and they ARE there… it just takes more time to find them then it should. and i feel like if it takes me more than 30-60 seconds to find something several times in the period of a half hour or so, i feel more and more self conscious on with each occurrence.
@@AstralMarmot i used to use miro, and what it was called before that which (i think) was “realtimeboard” or something similar. i would love to see how someone with a lot of experience like you uses it for our hobby - its been a long time since i’ve touched it but i still have an account it turns out! when i used it in the past my boards looked like the cork board of an unhinged detective. i use obsidian now and love its canvas feature and the free form flexibility it provides, but the canvas has significantly fewer features than miro.
I like the video. I have been gming for 4 years now and still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. I have gone through a lot of different methods for game prep (and still haven't found one that resonates) but the baseball analogy was the most succinct one I've ever come across for the GM & player experience. I would love to see your take on prep. I think the video eas enjoyable. I think the spread out thinking also affects world building but realizing it's irrelevant unless it's connected to what the players care about ties very neatly into your baseball analogy.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I was worried about the baseball analogy but it makes a lot of sense in my head and it's nice to know it makes sense to other people too. I really want to put a video out showing how I prep but it may take a little while for me to put together. I use an online whiteboard called Miro for every type of prep and I have to figure out how to explain it in a way that's not confusing and also isn't an hour long. So, you know, normal ADHD struggles. But it's on my list. Thanks again for watching - it means a lot to me.
Clapping hands for the MF Doom album cover. (And the absurdly excellent content, of course, but that should go without saying, just how blatantly obvious it is higher than high quality.) Cheers from Brazil, keep up the great work.
You get all my gratitude for both the lovely comment AND for being another MF DOOM head. Thank you for watching - I hope you like what's here and what's coming up!
Omg Im so glad to see you posting! I loved your first video and really like how thoughtful you are, validating your experience as a DM. Honestly super relatable, as a DM with ADHD I've always found my ability to improvise on the spot to be my strong suit, and spending too much time prepping when I don't want to be will literally cause so much perfectionism in me that I will lose hair over how stressed I get I personally would super enjoy a video on how you prep, or if not how you do then any tricks you use to help get over adhd speed bumps or a video on understanding why ADHD can get in the way and how some might optimize their ADHD to work for them. Honestly, even just regular dnd videos unrelated to ADHD would be cool too you have any cool house rules or homebrew stuff? of course, make whatever videos you feel like I'll enjoy them just the same
Thank you so much for your kind words! When you say a video on how I prep, do you mean the way I think about my prep, or the software/systems I use, or more of an explainer like "let's prep a one-shot together from start to finish"? I've thought about all those topics and I'm still pondering what people would find the most useful. This is really great feedback by the way - thanks for taking the time to make it.
personally id be interested in all those ideas 1: the way you think about prep 2: the tools you use and how they fit your style 3: This is how i prep a session of course im happy to provide feedback i think you are speaking on a topic that needs more attention because so many dms out there struggle to do their job and might not realize (like i didnt) that its my adhd and i see you can help give a voice to validate that experience and perhaps help share tools and advice for getting through it @@AstralMarmot
this is super helpful advice! kinda split my brain wide open. now I’m realizing all the ways that overprepping has added to awkwardly-flowing game sessions lol (also, as an editing advice note, I might suggest using images that involve less text; when people see a meme in the video like at 7:23, they wanna read it, and it may distract them from what you’re saying)
That is solid feedback and I really appreciate it. I'm really glad the video helped you; kind of blew my mind when I first realized it too. After so much time editing I start wondering if what I'm saying is actually patently obvious because I've heard it so many times. Knowing that it actually helped someone is the best thing I can hear.
technically adding text can be a strategy for watch time and retention because if it catches the viewers attention they may skip back and pause. personally, i enjoy the text, plus the text can be a good visual aid, as well if its a meme could spark more engagement if someone finds it particularly funny
@@NothicCreates I know I can’t speak for all viewers, but with informative videos like this, I tend to enjoy focusing on the content itself. having to pause/rewind isn’t part of what makes a cohesive viewing experience, and as somebody with OCD it’s frustrating to be enjoying the content but knowing my brain wont shut up until I stop what I’m doing, and rewind to catch the full meme. I’m really not trying to be rude in any way, I just enjoy this person’s content and I, personally, feel that this is a minor way they could maybe improve
Not taking it as rude at all! It's really hard to get critical feedback from people and I really value it. I'm definitely new at this and the more takes I get, the more I can grow. Thank you for speaking up, and your kind words.
I get this on the small scale... but how in detail should the overarching story be. Should it be Bad guy wants to kill the king vs bad guy needs mcguffin to open a portal to summon a Demon to kill the king so that he can reclaim a relic that holds the soup of his belated wife...? I suffer badly from over planning. And my campaigns often fall apart bc of irl stuff around the 10 session mark. :/ which I think is two separate problems. But less overlapping will at least help me sleep at night lol.
First, I would totally play in that soup game. I love when complex villains have simple motives. The plan to get there may not be simple, but the heart of it is - "I want my dead wife's soup". That should drive every action that your villain takes. But it's worth remembering that the more moving pieces there are to a villain's plan, the more opportunities there are for the party to disrupt it. Let's say they manage to stop the ritual that summons the demon. What does your villain do then? This isn't something you can or should even try to plan for. If you've made your antagonist sufficiently three dimensional, you'll be able to regroup in the moment and come up with a new plan. I like to keep the plan as minimal as possible and make the villain feel as real as possible. That way when things go awry - and they always do - I'm not locked into my original vision and can pivot more easily toward where the story is going. I hope that answered your question - let me know, I've got lots of thoughts on this topic and it's probably worth its own video at some point.
Subscribed for the helpful advice, but I did click on the video initially because in high school I drew a Space Possum. There's something about off-world small mammals 🤷😄
I dont put work into contingencies, they are just there until a choice is made. I sandbox everything. It's called running a living world with consequences.
THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC YOU’VE APPROACHED AND WE ARE PLEASED DESPITE THE FACT YOU MADE US UNDERSTAND BASEBALL.
I love the fact, that you have 2 absolutely identical style-wise videos but 2 years apart
That's definitely ADHD 😅
The ogre reaches for his club sandwich is gold and I need to build an encounter around the players being unaware that nothing in mentioning is as threatening as it sounds
Oh that's a really fun idea. "He's got a polearm!" "Is he attacking?" "No, his arm is a pole, he lost it in the war."
When I saw the gap between videos I didn't think it was embarrassing, I thought "wow! They overcame two *years* of guilt/shame/embarrassment/other shiny things, and then made this awesome video!"
You deserve to be proud, both of the great videos you've made, and of what you've worked through to make them. Thank you.
*unclenches jaw*
I love this content, I thought this channel was way more popular than it is! It definitely should be. As an ADHDM I struggle with a lot of this, and your ability to deconstruct and analyse the processes specifically in the context of ADHD brains is honestly eye opening, really good advice!
I really, really need to hear that today. I'm a brand new DM with ADHD and a story I am deeply passionate about. Because this campaign is political intrigue with a ridiculous number of NPCs, I prep role play a lot, probably more than I should. Each thing I say has the possibility of revealing more than I'm willing to reveal, so the pressure is turned up to 11. I've had several sessions that have left me in tears, including one that had me absolutely furious at myself and my players for making a choice I did not expect involving one of my villains. I've realized I might be railroading my players and myself, and I've also been told I talk too much during sessions (basically, I control the setup a little too much). This video made sense and eased some of the pressure I feel when I worry about prep. Simplifying dnd as setup, choice, and resolution (and weirdly enough by explaining baseball, a game I know nothing about), really helped me contextualize and internalize what it is I'm even doing. Next session I'm going to let go of control, wind up the ball and throw it to my players. Wherever they throw it next I'll run with it
You got what I was going for exactly! This was a lesson I had to learn when I started running games too. Once I figured it out, my games got better - and that pressure you talked about goes way down too. Good luck with your next session and your whole campaign!
@@AstralMarmot Thank you! I'm at a point in the campaign where I don't have much that "has" to happen to move the plot, just a couple things. That along with watching your videos has put me in a less controlling mindset. Whatever happens happens!
One of the most beautiful things about D&D /TTRPGs is that it functions as a *group* storytelling medium. If your story idea is precious to you, keep a copy of it separate in its own place, but it’s not what is going to play out. Embrace the concept that the players have every bit of a hand creating the world and story as you do.
Some of the most rewarding moments in DMing for me have been watching my players engage with the world by creative thinking, inventing their own NPCs, and exploring the consequences of their past actions.
I admit it’s not easy, but it eventually boils down to the choice of “let loose and have fun together” vs “hang tight, stress out, crash, and burn.”
@@mathmusicandlooks Precisely! I want to have my own version of this story, I'm trying to decide if I want to write it as a book or a campaign. The version my group and I are playing is already deviating from what I "wanted", and I'm finally ok with that thanks to these videos. I've been cutting loose and responding more than pushing. This has led to a very fun situation, a character is about to face the consequences of their actions and I can't wait to see what they do with those consequences!
Took 2 years, but we got a banger video that gave me some good advice. Thanks.
i think the sign-ask mindset will help me a lot to curtail my overpreparing. It's caused by being anxious about my improv skills, not ADHD, granted, but it's a very similar rabbit hole 😅 This is a good way to help you see when you should just take the plunge and let player shenanigans take the reins from your prep.
So hear, hear!
Come for the neurodivergent D&D content, stay Nog playing baseball.
Did you know Rom's actor was almost a professional baseball player and he had to bat left-handed for the episode to make himself look bad at it
You cooked so hard with “Players spontaneously surprising you is not a bug it’s a feature.”
The most inspiring video I watched on ttrpg and gming so far!!! Thank you! ❤
I am extremely unreliable with improvising. Some times my creativity comes in clutch and the session is better off for it, but most of the time I draw a complete creative blank.
So I prep ahead of time. A lot. That prep is a big mix of material. Some of it is predictive, some of it is fleshing out the world, and some of it modular.
But here's the freaky thing: just like how in real life my neurodivergent brain builds a little model of a person from talking to them which I can use to inform myself how they might react to things, I also do that for games. And those little models are scarily good. I don't need to plan for a bunch of contingencies if I know basically what choices they're going to make between 2 or 3 possibilities of decreasing probability.
Moral of the story is, predictive planning works if you're good enough at predicting.
I was explaining this concept to someone and later that day this video found me. You did a way, way better job of explaining it than I did. I subscribed and I'll see if I can send some folks your way.
The worst part of planning for too many contingencies is that my players freeze up and overthink EVERYTHING!!!! They do however love and trust the goblin that is being controlled by Goblin Dr Doom and leading them into a trap.
I love when players are deeply suspicious of Bob MacFriendly but absolutely no concerns about the highly sus NPC they decide to adopt
@@AstralMarmot I had that happen in my current campaign and at first it knocked me sideways, "oh no, now what?"-style. So I called a cigarette break and gave them all shrewd looks while frantically rethinking the rest of the session.
Okay, I thought, switch the two around. So it turns out Gussie the innocent goat-boy was a wicked warlock, while Baron Malnius - though corrupt -has a good heart. And I really like where the game's been going since then.
I do miss Gussie, though. But the clues he was made to drop are now coming from new NPC Giddie the goose-woman.
(I deliberately made her name similar, hoping they'd notice so I could describe the twist they prompted. But nope, they never asked. Probably why I'm sharing it here, it's been clawing at the inside of my head for too long 😋)
My parents kept my ADHD diagnosis from me until I was well into my 20s, even though it was discovered in my preteen years. I'm equal parts thankful and frustrated about that. Thankful because I learned to live my life in my own way, without having to shift the blame to my ADHD or relying on medication. Frustrated because the years of self doubt and anxiety could've been explained by that diagnosis. (surely it would still be there, but at least some things would make sense)
The reason I'm saying this, is because it's not natural for me to link the issues I have with prepping a TTRPG session with my ADHD diagnosis. Only when I read the title of this video did I think "Oh right, I guess I do have major issues with prepping that are a direct consequence of my ADHD symptoms."
I think that this video has sat in my Watch Later for like 6 months. In that time, I have reworked my game system, shifted campaign ideas, "finished" a test module, and started on a new one that is my current campaign plan.
None of this has anything to do with the video but I came back and watched it anyways and yes, yes I needed to hear this.
I'm really glad you're still putting these out. These are great. Sending you love
Didn't even realise I was clenching my jaw.
Thanks!
I gotchu fam
I'm so glad to have found this channel, I need to have this kind of structured exploration of the kind of ambiguous processes that we have to use in social/dynamic interactions. I love playing and running RPGs but I get obsessed with systemic details and descriptions, and your videos help untangle that mess I make and clarify what we're even doing. I have alternate models of what the game loop is, but the idea of a contingency trap really helped me let go of some of the rabbit holes I've dug myself into. Can't wait to catch up on your catalogue!
Nearly clicked away at baseball but the "stay with me nerds" kept me 😂
The bit about our innate ability to enhance an idea, to take something someone says and run away with it, just really made me feel good to see recognized, so thank you for that! It's something I'm never sure if it is noticed that I do it with nearly everything, and it being tied to my particular shade of ADD is comforting.
...even if it occasionally ends up with me creating an entire argument for why my character is justified in thinking 'Milk' is a juice, much to my GM and Wife's chagrin!
I'm awaiting diagnosis but 30 years worth of mostly not managing to get projects off the ground (despite really wanting to) tells me something. I find that every answer to a question leads to another question even though deep down I know that first question maybe won't even get asked by the players. I spent several days recently finding myself unable to draw a map because I don't understand perfectly how mountains and their valleys work. I get bogged down in detail like you wouldn't believe. Or, given that you're making these videos, perhaps you would. Oh yeah, also I can't really think anything through unless I speak out loud or write it all down verbatim. Gah. I'm really keen to see where these videos lead. I know it won't be a silver bullet but just the sense of camaraderie is already helping some.
This is some great stuff. Your ability to articulate what it is many DM's like myself have learned the hard way over many decades of DMing is fantastic
I hope to see more videos like this pop up in the future. Even though I have much experience DMing, I need to hear stuff like this once and a while to remind me to avoid these kinds of prep traps. Even when you know how its done, it still creeps back and tries to pull you in with its beautiful if/then logic
I try to be consciously aware of contingency traps and check myself and yet I STILL fall into them sometimes!! It's so hard! The "prepping too far ahead" bit specifically got me recently... after I HAD checked myself on the other contingencies & thus thought I was good. You are so right, my adhd brain wants to do that divergent thinking thing, makes it really tough to stop that train before it's already hit up 50 stations!
can also really relate to the part about contingencies limiting your thinking at the table & making you more likely to get 'stuck' with certain expectations/ways of thinking, therefore making it harder to go with the flow of the moment with your players aka where the best part of the game is. That's definitely where I've felt it the most when I HAVEN'T caught it ahead of time. So yeah, this video will really help me at least.
Would love to see more on the Levitating Thought Crabs TM and what we can do to lean into dealing with the unexpected in-the-moment stuff; I think that could be really encouraging for prospective but nervous new GMs in particular.
I'm loving this channel.
FANTASTIC VIDEO!
I got temporarily distracted by the idea of the Ogre's Club Sandwich, then I got distracted by Crab because they're cool. Overall a great video that I'll reference more than once. BTW the PanicTable sent me
i just discovered this channel today and i’ve never connected with another dungeon master’s content more in my life. it so very well written and produced and i feel it in my bones. couldnt hit the subscribe button fast enough. thank you 🎉
Thank YOU for watching! There is nothing I want more than to know that people are connecting with what I put out there. Feel free to let me know if there are topics you'd like to see in the future!
@@AstralMarmot I craft a bunch of notes about setting and exposition and the organization all makes so much sense in the moment. Then, a half-hour into my game someone asks a question that I know I've got an answer but cant for the life of me remember where I put it. Whether its physical or digital, it's the equivalent of looking for that missing assignment that I find 18 hours after it was due crumpled at the bottom of my backpack.
...I don't know if that's a topic...but I'd be curious to know how people successfully take their hyperfixated material and deploy it efficiently during a live game!
In any case, thanks for content! Truly relatable experience and actionable strategies.
@@ryanwhitesparks6281 My secret is to use an online whiteboard app for all my worldbuilding, campaign planning, and session prep. This definitely merits a full video but you could try playing around on miro.com to see if you can get something out of it. I use the free version and it's more than enough for me to run multiple campaigns in. Look forward to a full video on it in a couple months too.
@@AstralMarmot I actually used to use miro! before it was called miro it was called “realwhiteboard” or something and i loved it. filled it with screen shots and pinned comments and sticky notes… it was extremely cool! now i use obsidian and theyve got this great “canvas” tool that is essentially a local, free whiteboard that i can drop my notes into in a similar fashion. its a really powerful note-taking tool. it doesn’t have the drawing tools that miro has, but the linking you can do with your notes makes it super useful. and while its definitely made things easier, i still have to look for things i thought i managed to make obvious in my planning phase… maybe its an irrational perfectionist streak that makes me feel like i should always just have an immediate command of the information when that isn’t actually realistic. its been awhile since i last visited miro though, maybe its time i check it out again!
i just feel like i do whatever i can (especially when i’m running a sandbox) to have all the details at hand… and they ARE there… it just takes more time to find them then it should. and i feel like if it takes me more than 30-60 seconds to find something several times in the period of a half hour or so, i feel more and more self conscious on with each occurrence.
@@AstralMarmot i used to use miro, and what it was called before that which (i think) was “realtimeboard” or something similar. i would love to see how someone with a lot of experience like you uses it for our hobby - its been a long time since i’ve touched it but i still have an account it turns out! when i used it in the past my boards looked like the cork board of an unhinged detective. i use obsidian now and love its canvas feature and the free form flexibility it provides, but the canvas has significantly fewer features than miro.
Glad to see you're back! Love the content and can't wait to see more
I like the video. I have been gming for 4 years now and still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. I have gone through a lot of different methods for game prep (and still haven't found one that resonates) but the baseball analogy was the most succinct one I've ever come across for the GM & player experience. I would love to see your take on prep. I think the video eas enjoyable. I think the spread out thinking also affects world building but realizing it's irrelevant unless it's connected to what the players care about ties very neatly into your baseball analogy.
Thank you so much for your kind words. I was worried about the baseball analogy but it makes a lot of sense in my head and it's nice to know it makes sense to other people too. I really want to put a video out showing how I prep but it may take a little while for me to put together. I use an online whiteboard called Miro for every type of prep and I have to figure out how to explain it in a way that's not confusing and also isn't an hour long. So, you know, normal ADHD struggles. But it's on my list.
Thanks again for watching - it means a lot to me.
Excellent video, thank you for the reminder to unclench
Clapping hands for the MF Doom album cover. (And the absurdly excellent content, of course, but that should go without saying, just how blatantly obvious it is higher than high quality.) Cheers from Brazil, keep up the great work.
You get all my gratitude for both the lovely comment AND for being another MF DOOM head. Thank you for watching - I hope you like what's here and what's coming up!
Omg Im so glad to see you posting! I loved your first video and really like how thoughtful you are, validating your experience as a DM. Honestly super relatable, as a DM with ADHD I've always found my ability to improvise on the spot to be my strong suit, and spending too much time prepping when I don't want to be will literally cause so much perfectionism in me that I will lose hair over how stressed I get
I personally would super enjoy a video on how you prep, or if not how you do then any tricks you use to help get over adhd speed bumps or a video on understanding why ADHD can get in the way and how some might optimize their ADHD to work for them. Honestly, even just regular dnd videos unrelated to ADHD would be cool too you have any cool house rules or homebrew stuff?
of course, make whatever videos you feel like I'll enjoy them just the same
Thank you so much for your kind words! When you say a video on how I prep, do you mean the way I think about my prep, or the software/systems I use, or more of an explainer like "let's prep a one-shot together from start to finish"? I've thought about all those topics and I'm still pondering what people would find the most useful.
This is really great feedback by the way - thanks for taking the time to make it.
personally id be interested in all those ideas
1: the way you think about prep
2: the tools you use and how they fit your style
3: This is how i prep a session
of course im happy to provide feedback i think you are speaking on a topic that needs more attention because so many dms out there struggle to do their job and might not realize (like i didnt) that its my adhd and i see you can help give a voice to validate that experience and perhaps help share tools and advice for getting through it @@AstralMarmot
Seen, felt, heard.
Fantastic advice!!!
also, CRAB!
🦀🦀🦀
CRAB
this is super helpful advice! kinda split my brain wide open. now I’m realizing all the ways that overprepping has added to awkwardly-flowing game sessions lol
(also, as an editing advice note, I might suggest using images that involve less text; when people see a meme in the video like at 7:23, they wanna read it, and it may distract them from what you’re saying)
That is solid feedback and I really appreciate it. I'm really glad the video helped you; kind of blew my mind when I first realized it too. After so much time editing I start wondering if what I'm saying is actually patently obvious because I've heard it so many times. Knowing that it actually helped someone is the best thing I can hear.
technically adding text can be a strategy for watch time and retention because if it catches the viewers attention they may skip back and pause. personally, i enjoy the text, plus the text can be a good visual aid, as well if its a meme could spark more engagement if someone finds it particularly funny
@@NothicCreates I know I can’t speak for all viewers, but with informative videos like this, I tend to enjoy focusing on the content itself. having to pause/rewind isn’t part of what makes a cohesive viewing experience, and as somebody with OCD it’s frustrating to be enjoying the content but knowing my brain wont shut up until I stop what I’m doing, and rewind to catch the full meme.
I’m really not trying to be rude in any way, I just enjoy this person’s content and I, personally, feel that this is a minor way they could maybe improve
Not taking it as rude at all! It's really hard to get critical feedback from people and I really value it. I'm definitely new at this and the more takes I get, the more I can grow. Thank you for speaking up, and your kind words.
Great life advice! Also great content! (Despite I totally missing the baseball analogy for I don't know the game)
Extremely good advice. Thank you
You are so welcome!
What a great video! Thank you!
👍 great job getting it out to the world
New video! New video! Please, and thank you.
Oh, you already made 2 more. Awesome!
And I'm working on the next one! I try to release on the first Wednesday of each month, so stay tuned for more.
You are amazing. Thanks for the video
Amazing video!!!, 🎉
I get this on the small scale... but how in detail should the overarching story be. Should it be Bad guy wants to kill the king vs bad guy needs mcguffin to open a portal to summon a Demon to kill the king so that he can reclaim a relic that holds the soup of his belated wife...?
I suffer badly from over planning. And my campaigns often fall apart bc of irl stuff around the 10 session mark. :/ which I think is two separate problems. But less overlapping will at least help me sleep at night lol.
First, I would totally play in that soup game. I love when complex villains have simple motives. The plan to get there may not be simple, but the heart of it is - "I want my dead wife's soup". That should drive every action that your villain takes. But it's worth remembering that the more moving pieces there are to a villain's plan, the more opportunities there are for the party to disrupt it. Let's say they manage to stop the ritual that summons the demon. What does your villain do then? This isn't something you can or should even try to plan for. If you've made your antagonist sufficiently three dimensional, you'll be able to regroup in the moment and come up with a new plan. I like to keep the plan as minimal as possible and make the villain feel as real as possible. That way when things go awry - and they always do - I'm not locked into my original vision and can pivot more easily toward where the story is going.
I hope that answered your question - let me know, I've got lots of thoughts on this topic and it's probably worth its own video at some point.
Commenting for the algorithm beast
🔥RESONATED AND SUBSCRIBED🔥
Subscribed for the helpful advice, but I did click on the video initially because in high school I drew a Space Possum. There's something about off-world small mammals 🤷😄
I feel like an Astral Marmot and a Kiwi Dilettante belong in the same universe
@@AstralMarmot oh, 100%
I dont put work into contingencies, they are just there until a choice is made. I sandbox everything. It's called running a living world with consequences.
Are you really an astral marmot?
Prep? people prep for a game? I really just think of the basics and wing it from there.
Maek moar videuos.
Yassir!