Totally changed how I run games after a con in Chicago last spring

I was running a D&D session at C2E2 in April and one of the players kept zoning out. After the game they told me my NPC descriptions were way too long and he couldn't keep track. So I tried cutting all my NPC intros down to three details max. Now sessions move faster and people actually remember who is who. Has anyone else made a big change to their DM style after a con game went sideways?

3 comments

3 Comments

grant_ross272mo ago

My buddy tried that after a con game and said it saved his whole campaign...

kaimiller2mo ago

Wait, your buddy actually tried that at a con and it worked? @grant_ross27 that sounds almost too crazy to believe...

ray6481mo ago

Oh man, that three detail rule is gold. I had the opposite problem at a con in Portland last year. I was running a one shot and a player kept interrupting me before I could even finish describing a room. Finally they snapped "just tell me what I need to fight or grab, I don't care about the wallpaper." So now I lead with the important stuff first - monsters, traps, loot - and only add flavor if people ask. It feels wrong at first but players actually pay attention now instead of checking their phones. My group still makes fun of me for my old "as you enter the chamber" speeches though.