[Dreamscapes] Discussion Thread (with creator)

[jaldaen]

Hello my fellow ENworlders!

My name is Joseph Miller and I wrote Dreamscapes: The Definitive D20 Guide to Worlds Beyond Sleep and I was wondering whether there are any comments or questions that you have about this product. I am a feedback-aholic and love to hear from fans what they liked or disliked about a product I've written (it's the only way to learn ;-)

So if you own this product or are interested in it feel free to post your comments and questions here and I'll keep in contact.

Also as a general question to all ENWorlders: How many of you have played portions of your games in a dream? Would you be interested in a Dreamscape campaign setting? What would you want from a Dreamscape campaign setting? Rules-wise? Flavor-wise?

Thanks and Good Gaming,
Joseph

 

[Khorod]

Mindscapes and Dreamscapes are fairly common in my campaigns- they usually come up at least twice a year as a method of repairing mental or spiritual damage.

I find imagination, Will saves, Concentration checks, and the like, played by ear, to be more than enough for my purposes.

An all-dream campaign setting would have to be very special for me to get into it. Dreams are ephemeral, and as it stands it can be hard to convince player's of the game-importance of their actions.

 

[jaldaen]

Mindscapes and Dreamscapes are fairly common in my campaigns- they usually come up at least twice a year as a method of repairing mental or spiritual damage.

I find imagination, Will saves, Concentration checks, and the like, played by ear, to be more than enough for my purposes.

So such episodes are common in your games, but you prefer to keep the mechanics simple and fluid to your purposes. What about adjudicating actions in a dreamscape environment? Do you allow your players a good amount of freedom with the "physics" of the dreamscape or do you usually have a particular set of rules for each dream sequence that changes according to the setting (more methodical dreamers might have very "grounded" dreams with very little freedom whereas more fanciful dreamers would result in "skies-the-limit" dreams where most anything can happen)?

An all-dream campaign setting would have to be very special for me to get into it. Dreams are ephemeral, and as it stands it can be hard to convince player's of the game-importance of their actions.

So what are some elements besides a sense of importance to character's actions in the dreamworld that you would be looking for in a dreamscape campaign setting? Would you want a campaign setting that can be used in conjunction with almost any campaign setting or one that is built from the ground up as a self contained setting?

Thanks for you comments,
Joseph

 

[Khorod]

What about adjudicating actions in a dreamscape environment? Do you allow your players a good amount of freedom with the "physics" of the dreamscape or do you usually have a particular set of rules for each dream sequence that changes according to the setting

It varies with each occurrence.
* The nature of the target's mind or spirit
* The reason for the sequence
* What necessitated that reason.

If the target was driven insane by a dark curse, then entering his mind is a difficult, soul-wrenching experience. In the particular case this last came up, it was all the players could do to keep themselves together by focusing on how the physical world should behave and cling to it while the 'talked-down' the victim.

If the target is friendly, has great imagination, and its more a matter of communication then you can fly and warp reality within the confines of the target's experience and... well... dreams.

As a general rule of thumb, the limits of any given dream or mindscape is the imagination and experience of the dominant force in the 'scape.

So what are some elements besides a sense of importance to character's actions in the dreamworld that you would be looking for in a dreamscape campaign setting?

I think a dream setting would most interesting as something attached to a campaign setting. I think the Wheel of Time had a fascinating world of dreams... but that version has been done. I could run that world in my sleep with no further work or reading.

I'm not really in the market for setting material of this sort right now, so you'd really have to sell me on something I don't know I need.

Offhand, I would say the world of dreams is a place of mental and spiritual healing because the mind and spirit have a 'physical' reality in such places. They are open to direct interaction- and direct harm. In such places, the strongest of mortal and immortal creatures might be vulnerable to assault.

 

[jaldaen]

Khorod,

Thanks for your comments. Anyone else have any? Do you or anyone else have questions for me?

 

[DonAdam]

I had a dream once.

This guy was helping me get ready for a session, and he made this dragon.

And then, the PC's totally didn't fight the dragon.

But his effort was still appreciated, because, in my mind, I can still smell the acrid odor of burning PC hair in the fight that was not...

 

[jaldaen]

But his effort was still appreciated, because, in my mind, I can still smell the acrid odor of burning PC hair in the fight that was not...

Thanks man... it would have been quite fun to fry some PCs before swallowing them whole...