2010-06-22 Campaign Feedback

I recently sent the following email to the players of my biweekly Monday D&D game. I’m sure many other referees have done the same thing in the past. Any links you want to suggest? I’m also interested in what feedback these people got and what changes they implemented based on that feedback.

You’ll note that the questions are unsorted and unstructured. I did that on purpose thinking that a more organic, conversational style would read more personal, with answers read by a nice person rather than a typical questionaire asking you to rate stuff on a scale from bla to blargh to be fed to a computer.

I guess I should answer these questions as well. 😄

Anyway. Here we go:

Hi all

We’ve finished 4/6 of the Rise of the Runelords Adventure Path. I’d like to get some feedback on how we’re doing. I’m particularly interested if your ideas changed from previous feedback when we talked about the game in the past. Some questions to let you know how about the stuff that I’m thinking of:

• Do you like the game? This is the most important one. In other words, you still think this is a great way to spend your Monday evenings.
• Would you prefer to play every Monday or only once a month? If the campaign ends, do you plan to keep playing or do you think you might be quitting?
• Do you think we should use less battlemaps and less combat tactics? Should we have less rules (looking in a book) and more rulings (DM just makes shit up and we can discuss via email, if at all)?
• Do you think we should allow less non-core spells & feats? Is the discussion itself a source of frustration? In other words, would you be happier if I just decided without lengthy discussions?
• Do you have house rule changes you want to propose?
• Would you prefer different rules altogether? Would you quit the game if we changed the rules?
• Do you think we should have more atmosphere? Some people want me to skip over the descriptions, some people might like more of them.
• Do you think we should have more interactions with NPCs? Some people might miss simply interacting with people.
• Would you like more riddles?
• Would you like to explore of the world, see more, travel more, learn more?
• Would you like combat to be tougher or easier?
• Would you like there to be less combat?
• Do you think some powers or qualities characters have are being nerfed or are being abused? For example, do you think diplomacy or bardic knowledge is too powerful, or not powerful enough?
• Is there something you want me to discuss with other players without letting them know who started it, something you feel uncomfortable in bringing up but at the same thing something that needs to be changed? I could try and handle it.
• Do you think we should have more in-character speech? One thing I’ve heard often is that a group will designate one language such as high German for in-character talk and some other language such as Swiss German for out-of-character talk. I’m not sure how that would work, but we could think of something.
• Did I forget an important question? Please let me know.
• Would you prefer to abandon the Adventure Path? Is it too linear? _ Would you prefer a different Adventure Path? Would you prefer a more open, sandbox campaign where characters determine their own goals and adventures flow more naturally without a constant big bad boss somewhere?_
• Do you think we shouldn’t change a thing?
• Should we play somewhere else? Do you have a  bigger table?
• Would you prefer less players? Less players can make it more intimate, but it will also make it calmer and reduce some of the chaos.
• Would you prefer one more player? I think seven is my upper limit.
• Would you like to run a few sessions or the next campaign?
• You can write back to me individually or to everybody in the group.

Thanks for taking the time to write back.

• Update*:

2010-07-04 Campaign Feedback Reviewed Part 1

2010-07-04 Campaign Feedback Reviewed Part 2

​#RPG

Comments

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Stellst Du noch in ein paar Stichworten die Resultate der Umfrage rein? Solche Dinge interessieren mich immer.

– Peter 2010-06-28 20:19 UTC

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Ist gemacht!

– Alex Schroeder 2010-07-03 01:14 UTC

Alex Schroeder