Sean Merwin

Even in a city, the argument could be made that a guard could walk across a thief trying to pick a lock. So that's time pressure threat issue as well. It seems to me more like the intended advice is only to have players roll in combat. Otherwise, I feel the time restraint and danger advice is too vague.

Even in a city, the argument could be made that a guard could walk across a thief trying to pick a lock. So that's time pressure threat issue as well. It seems to me more like the intended advice is only to have players roll in combat. Otherwise, I feel the time restraint and danger advice is too vague.

And this, this is a good question because it gets to the gist of a game design philosophy that really people are talking about when they say only roll when there is a time restraint or danger. And that, that philosophy is true of fiction stories as well. And that's only trouble is interesting.

And this, this is a good question because it gets to the gist of a game design philosophy that really people are talking about when they say only roll when there is a time restraint or danger. And that, that philosophy is true of fiction stories as well. And that's only trouble is interesting.

If there are no consequences for a failure other than not succeeding and staying at this static state, then what is the point of the check? So let's think about this example in a dungeon with a door. Let's say the door is trapped and locked. How does your game expect you to handle that? What do you want a game to do to handle that?

If there are no consequences for a failure other than not succeeding and staying at this static state, then what is the point of the check? So let's think about this example in a dungeon with a door. Let's say the door is trapped and locked. How does your game expect you to handle that? What do you want a game to do to handle that?

Because the answer to that question will change depending on your play style, what you want out of your game, and then you can decide what game might be best for you. So we'll take this example. There's the door. Your party's looking at it. There are five characters in your party. How do you want the game to handle that?

Because the answer to that question will change depending on your play style, what you want out of your game, and then you can decide what game might be best for you. So we'll take this example. There's the door. Your party's looking at it. There are five characters in your party. How do you want the game to handle that?

Do you want only one person to be able to make a check to find traps on the door? Do you want them to be able to retry if they fail? Do you want every single person to be able to try? Are there consequences if they fail?

Do you want only one person to be able to make a check to find traps on the door? Do you want them to be able to retry if they fail? Do you want every single person to be able to try? Are there consequences if they fail?

Can only one person try? Should everyone be able to try? Should you be able to retry if you fail to disarm the trap? Should there be a consequence for if you fail or fail by more than one? Now the door is up. You've cleared the trap, and now it's locked. Should more than one person get a chance to try to? You see what I'm saying here?

Can only one person try? Should everyone be able to try? Should you be able to retry if you fail to disarm the trap? Should there be a consequence for if you fail or fail by more than one? Now the door is up. You've cleared the trap, and now it's locked. Should more than one person get a chance to try to? You see what I'm saying here?

For sure. For sure.

For sure. For sure.

And so let's say we're going to make a dungeon-delving, very time-sensitive game where, yes, you can retry as much as you want, or anybody can try again. So let's say all five characters need to search the door to find the trap. There's five ticks. Then every character needs to try to remove the trap. There's five more ticks. And then everyone needs to try to pick the lock.

And so let's say we're going to make a dungeon-delving, very time-sensitive game where, yes, you can retry as much as you want, or anybody can try again. So let's say all five characters need to search the door to find the trap. There's five ticks. Then every character needs to try to remove the trap. There's five more ticks. And then everyone needs to try to pick the lock.

Okay, there's five more ticks.

Okay, there's five more ticks.

Exactly. So now you need to decide how many ticks until there is automatically an encounter or you get to roll randomly for an encounter. Because if you roll randomly after every three ticks, you could be rolling five encounters there at that door.

Exactly. So now you need to decide how many ticks until there is automatically an encounter or you get to roll randomly for an encounter. Because if you roll randomly after every three ticks, you could be rolling five encounters there at that door.