TOPIC: Common practice?

Zack wrote: The first time I ran, we had a veteran player (who clearly had done it before) with us. I didn't realize some things then, but I see them now, about that player. He was awesome. I'm sharing this to give kudos to that guy, but also to illustrate how a veteran appears and can interact with people that aren't as geared/knowledgeable about the run.

First off, the group was, I think 8 noobs, 1 person that had played before, and 1 veteran guy who had a box of epic stuff.

- He loaned us weapon tokens, but not to a degree that we didn't know what to do. Loaning was good for a new person (A shiny weapon! I see what it does!); but a bunch of tokens to remember with additional functions, no. I had no concept of what a rare token even looked like, so even just being told 'red is great' by the veteran was VERY helpful. Anyway, loaning is good, but so is limiting the loaning to just a few things, and he knew this.

- He did a strange combat thing where he put his slider on the board as a backstop. At the time I had no idea what he was doing, but now I see that he was letting US defeat the monster. Good for him. I didn't realize at the time that he'd probably destroy the monster if he had attacked, and was letting us do it. I thought it was a rogue special ability! .. but he was actually assisting without actively hitting. Great choice.

Less awesome:
- He was a rogue and seemed to be looting a strange box repeatedly and we were suspicious of this, since we didn't know what it was he was doing or getting. We thought he was stealing treasure from us (newbie assumptions!). Now I know what it was, but at the time our view was very dismal of somebody getting treasure and not telling us what, since we're used to D&D rogues that will take from the group. Hindsight says he already KNEW all the clues and was just being a rogue; I think we would have been less irritated if we had known that. I think it's super easy to forget that new players don't know all the stuff for the classes. For a new person, someone getting tokens in a box quietly in a corner while we're busy screams 'he picked a lock and stole it!' if we don't know why.
- We didn't know he'd already done the adventure. So unfortunately we mostly ignored him since he just didn't say anything. I don't know if that was fun for him to just watch us. We didn't know we could ask for info or clues -- but maybe he was having fun just watching and didn't want to interact. I don't know. I think this is maybe a downside for him: either he interacts and spoils, or just doesn't get to interact. I'm not sure what the best balance is!

Zack,

Was this one of last year's runs, by chance?

joshua baessler wrote: Zack,
Was this one of last year's runs, by chance?

Yes. We had a loud singing bard, and there was a wizard guy (who I hadn't known before, random guy) that had to quack for the whole run. Zephyr combat.

Chad McCallister wrote: Thanks everyone for their reply just wanted another one view besides mine and take on what to expect later, but by all means I wanted to point out I wasn't mad over the situation just a little disappointed they paid there money and just as much right to be there as me. For the most part(for who they were) they did well, there were just a few things here and there that ruined the surprise but weren't always done on purpose either. Mainly yes I am may not be the sharpest light bulb in the pack by all means. But I am quite observant and see most things and hear them to, and that's where some of things that ruined it was, with them talking amoungst themselves quietly or some of their mannerism.

thanks everyone and I do hope to enjoy more Dungeons in the future.

If you have good ears as it sounds like you do, I would caution you to stay out of ear shot of the dungeon exit if you venture into the story scape before your run. It is very common practice to discuss what went right or wrong on your run as you exit. Most folks are oblivious to any one else at that point and you could get hit with a lot of spoilers.

Yes there are other ways to figure stuff out based on a players actions. For example if I know the next room is a combat I will likely start pulling out my weapons.

There are very few ways to avoid spoilers entirely and the best in my opinion has already been suggested which is to get the entire run, so you control who is on your run.

In general I think most vets try and run with other vets and if they don't they attempt to not spoil much.

valetutto wrote: In general I think most vets try and run with other vets and if they don't they attempt to not spoil much.

I was so terrified last year that I'd get someone in my PUG that would just say what the answers to all the puzzles were and do them fast for us, I'd heard a story that people did that.
Fortunately that didn't happen, and I'm really glad to see that the veterans here that do multiple runs are nothing like that.

So I've stuck around.

Jeff indicated at WYC that the GenCon layout this year is reversed from the last few years where the exit from the dungeons puts you right by the TD entrance. Maybe we need a volunteers to remind people and a sign in the exit rooms along the lines of:
'We hope you had a great adventure! Please keep in mind that other players have not gotten to experience this adventure, and they may be able to hear you as they pass by this exit room to start their journey. Thank you for not spoiling the story for others!'

...or something.

Lode

Worth considering but it is counter to typical human nature. Think of folks exiting a movie theater the most common topic is the movie they just saw and what they did and didn't like. It's worth a shot but it will be hard to correct this.

Zack wrote:

valetutto wrote: In general I think most vets try and run with other vets and if they don't they attempt to not spoil much.

I was so terrified last year that I'd get someone in my PUG that would just say what the answers to all the puzzles were and do them fast for us, I'd heard a story that people did that.
Fortunately that didn't happen, and I'm really glad to see that the veterans here that do multiple runs are nothing like that.

So I've stuck around.

Honestly I think most of the veterans are more scared of screwing up the experience for new blood than you are of us screwing it up for you.

If there are 2 of us on a run that have completed the puzzle we normally step back and chit chat while the rest of the group works on it.

The only time as a veteran that I have spoken up on a puzzle has been one that we have been unable to solve but at that point I don't consider my chiming in to be a spoiler since I'm also looking for the answer.

Zack wrote:

joshua baessler wrote: Zack,
Was this one of last year's runs, by chance?

Yes. We had a loud singing bard, and there was a wizard guy (who I hadn't known before, random guy) that had to quack for the whole run. Zephyr combat.

Pretty sure this was me, I remember a really loud bard on a pick up group. I think I was your rogue. *lol*

joshua baessler wrote:

Zack wrote:

joshua baessler wrote: Zack,
Was this one of last year's runs, by chance?

Yes. We had a loud singing bard, and there was a wizard guy (who I hadn't known before, random guy) that had to quack for the whole run. Zephyr combat.

Pretty sure this was me, I remember a really loud bard on a pick up group. I think I was your rogue. *lol*

Yeah, by the picture I think it was you. I hope you take my story as compliments ;D
I had another run that was TERRIBLE, so you helped make my first run really good (and possibly are a big reason myself and noisy bard/etc are doing it again this year)....

Back when we did 3-4 runs per year, and I had four friends that did ever run, and a wider group of friends that just did one or two runs each, there were always one or two runs where some of us had ran it before and others hadn't. In those cases, those of us that had done the run would hold back for the majority of the room, but once time started running low, if necessary we'd start dropping hints. If it is really a time-crunched room, we would start dropping hints earlier. Everyone is happy with that approach in our group.

We did have one really bad experience about three years ago where a friend of a friend of a friend that most of us had never met filled an unexpectedly vacant spot at the last second. She was relatively new to True Dungeon, but had ran that Dungeon before. She tended to jump in and give guidance on the room right from the start - and what is worse is that she tended to give us the wrong guidance with the assurances that she knew exactly what she was doing.

So, I can understand your frustration. It is best if you can put together the party yourself, but I know that's not possible for a lot of people.