I ask you, what's a game?
The notion of "game" is intuitive, but tricky to pin down, especially with the advent of videogames, MMO communities, etc. But here's a vague description that's not too far off the mark: a game provides challenges, and somehow quantifies the player's progress through (or victory over) those challenges. D for instance, and all RPGs, are "about" facing trial after trial after ambush after trap after trial, coping with each in one way or another, and getting rewarded with levels and booty, the better to face the next hurdle.
A class is also supposed to provide challenges, and quantify the student's progress through (and ideally, victory over) those challenges. It's harder to find distinctions between games and classes than similarities.
What are the traits of a good teacher? Some are strict, some are friendly, some are innovative, some stick to tried and true methods. But a good teacher makes classes compelling, makes the subject interesting, keeps students interested.
Thus, the post title. A dungeon master (or any other game designer) starts with a bare structure, and builds a compelling environment, and a dramatic storyline that doesn't just make you follow it, it makes you play a part in it.
If anyone's got a good campaign idea for College Algebra class, pleeeeeze let me in on it. Seriously.
Of course, every good DM uses some of the fine resources already out there. I'm going to start out with Module Q1, Queen of the Demonweb Pits.
"Okay, Stephen, you're the thief, hiding under the drow altar. Peering out from under the black velvet, you count 46 legs. Meanwhile, from her vantage point peering down from the balcony, Vanessa the barbarian sees 16 drowish heads. After your companions report what they've seen, it's up to Ashley the mage (who has the highest Int): how many driders and how many drow are out there?"
The notion of "game" is intuitive, but tricky to pin down, especially with the advent of videogames, MMO communities, etc. But here's a vague description that's not too far off the mark: a game provides challenges, and somehow quantifies the player's progress through (or victory over) those challenges. D for instance, and all RPGs, are "about" facing trial after trial after ambush after trap after trial, coping with each in one way or another, and getting rewarded with levels and booty, the better to face the next hurdle.
A class is also supposed to provide challenges, and quantify the student's progress through (and ideally, victory over) those challenges. It's harder to find distinctions between games and classes than similarities.
What are the traits of a good teacher? Some are strict, some are friendly, some are innovative, some stick to tried and true methods. But a good teacher makes classes compelling, makes the subject interesting, keeps students interested.
Thus, the post title. A dungeon master (or any other game designer) starts with a bare structure, and builds a compelling environment, and a dramatic storyline that doesn't just make you follow it, it makes you play a part in it.
If anyone's got a good campaign idea for College Algebra class, pleeeeeze let me in on it. Seriously.
Of course, every good DM uses some of the fine resources already out there. I'm going to start out with Module Q1, Queen of the Demonweb Pits.
"Okay, Stephen, you're the thief, hiding under the drow altar. Peering out from under the black velvet, you count 46 legs. Meanwhile, from her vantage point peering down from the balcony, Vanessa the barbarian sees 16 drowish heads. After your companions report what they've seen, it's up to Ashley the mage (who has the highest Int): how many driders and how many drow are out there?"
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