TOPIC: my experience... not good

Matthew Hayward wrote: One way for TD to get good feedback would be to use a "mystery shopper" system.

TD would ask for volunteers who are attending true dungeon. They would task those volunteers for running the dungeon, and making a report of their experience.

In exchange for the time spent providing the feedback, some small consideration would be given to them (store credit, small cash award, discounted run, treasure pulls, whatever).

I'm not sure what the DM rotation cycle is like, but this would probably be quite feasible, put through one "mystery shopper" through each hour, and have them verbally debrief with the AC at the end of their run.

It's definitely work and coordination, but it would ensure some greater quality and consistency.

An alternative would be to have an "orientation" staging room before the training room where the training room coach runs through some rules:

Either of these would be a great idea! The first could be as easy as giving out like a 100gp token for their time.

bpsymington wrote: You didn't lose the token flat-out if you used the boots. It was lost if MORE than one person did not cross the lava river via the puzzle solution method. Just clarifying.

That was not what we were told, and considering how many times this matter has come up, it seems my group was not the only one where this was the case.

We were told that use of the boots lost us the token. Period. The room DM was very clear on that matter. If that's not what was written in the Module, that's unfortunate. And this was a run on Saturday; it wasn't early in the weekend.

TPTB are hearing these concerns regarding solving the puzzles and treasure stamps and are taking them into consideration. The lava room has definitely and understandably caused some bad feelings, especially for newer players who are 1. more likely to be wearing those boots and 2. more likely to only be getting tokens from stamps, so losing a stamp is more significant for them.

*nod* And that is something I appreciate. As I've expressed in previous conversations on this topic, I'm glad to hear the staff are listening to the concerns of players, and hope that the end result will be a more fun and consistent experience the next time my group plays.

Matthew Hayward wrote: tokendb.com/token/alchemist-purse/ - No potion destroying effects
tokendb.com/token/belt-of-climbing/ - No climbing activities
tokendb.com/token/charm-of-cleansing/ - No liquid, non-magical poisons
tokendb.com/token/charm-of-sweet-air/ - No volcanic fumes
tokendb.com/token/cloak-of-alarm/ - No sneak attacks against players
tokendb.com/token/cloak-of-blessed-silk/ - No natural insects or arachnids (Maybe the spider sacks in the Sable Gauntlet crossbow wielding drow room were natural?)
tokendb.com/token/cloak-of-the-bat/ - No falling
tokendb.com/token/cowl-of-darkness/ - No benefit from concealing your face
tokendb.com/token/drow-assassin-armor/ - Armor works but no magical darkness
tokendb.com/token/drow-commander-armor/ - Armor works but no magical silence
tokendb.com/token/gloves-of-rope-climbing/ - Still no climbing activities
tokendb.com/token/helm-of-dark-visage/ - No gaze attacks
tokendb.com/token/lenses-of-the-raider/ - No temporary blindness caused by sudden natural light
tokendb.com/token/potion-spiderfoot/ - No place where slips and falls mattered (although I wonder if in the lava puzzle room this would have allowed you to not slip off a stone in game if you actually, physically missed it in real life)
tokendb.com/token/shield-of-refraction/ - Still no sudden bright light effects
tokendb.com/token/shoes-of-spiderfoot/ - Still no slips and falls

True Grind this year did provide some opportunities to use some of these items.
True Grind WYC:
tokendb.com/token/alchemist-purse/ - A room collapse that destroyed potions.
tokendb.com/token/boots-of-lava-walking/ - River of lava separating monsters.
tokendb.com/token/charm-of-sweet-air/ - Smoke Elemental that caused sight and/or breathing issues? I think this helped, could be confused.
tokendb.com/token/cloak-of-the-bat/ - Throwing by a lava worm. Or purple worm. Whatever, it spit people across the room.

True Grind GenCon:
tokendb.com/token/cloak-of-the-bat/ - Son of Smoak used Reverse Gravity to give everyone falling damage.

So there were some other uses there.

Given there are only 28 rooms of TD it's not surprising they can't cram all of the hazards in there to be countered from any 1 year's token batch.

But as far as the Lava Boots. If even one person showed they could provide the right answer the other nine should have been able to walk over with the boots and it would still be solved. Solving is knowing the right answer and how to get to it, not 'show your work'.

Lode

I'm not the originator of the idea, but I have seen a suggestion that common tokens could/should be repeated more often so that they don't change much each year. The uncommon and rare would continue to change. This would reduce the number of tokens to consider every year.

And people tend to shoot that suggestion down, because they don't want a "reduction in variety".

But I say the casual player will still get a ton of variety (if they play only once or twice a year, and go with a friend or two, it'd still take them 3 years or more to collect just the commons).

And for the player who buys a pick-your-purple or more, are they really the sort of player who is concerned with the variety of commons?

I just don't buy that excuse.

Garrison wrote: And people tend to shoot that suggestion down, because they don't want a "reduction in variety".

But I say the casual player will still get a ton of variety (if they play only once or twice a year, and go with a friend or two, it'd still take them 3 years or more to collect just the commons).

And for the player who buys a pick-your-purple or more, are they really the sort of player who is concerned with the variety of commons?

I just don't buy that excuse.

Agreed. New players won't know the difference. Casual repeat players will take a few years and still collect cool uncommon and rares. And of course I'm not saying never change them, perhaps a 3-year or 4-year rotation. And veterans only care about gear and healing potions, so change the gear out every year like we do now.

Lets put it this way...If you went and bought BOOTS OF SNOW SKIING at the sporting goods store.. ...You know....Ski boots.. and you go to a ski slope and your Boots Of Snow Skiing did not work or you took half damage from the snow (frostbite)or you using the Boots Of Snow Skiing made it impossible to get the ski bunny..you know..(The treasure) You would be pissed and feel like you have been jipped.. Best way I can put it to anyone still trying to explain away the Boots of Lava Walking issue...

Except boots of lava walking are maybe a nickel. And boots of skiing are over $50

lazlo_hollyfeld1985 wrote: Except boots of lava walking are maybe a nickel. And boots of skiing are over $50

To be fair, for most of the people equipping the Boots of Lava Walking, they cost $52

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MetaphoricDragon wrote:

lazlo_hollyfeld1985 wrote: Except boots of lava walking are maybe a nickel. And boots of skiing are over $50

To be fair, for most of the people equipping the Boots of Lava Walking, they cost $52

For $52 they get a hell of a lot more than one token.

Ice Sickle Sandals being a common.