Quote:
Originally Posted by T. Foster  Two important keys are that there are always more points of interest (the party should never feel "stuck" exploring a particular area because there aren't any other options), and that the dead-space is never "cleared" (there will always be at least vermin and wandering monsters there). Certain areas within the dungeon will eventually become familiar -- the players will return to and pass through them again and again on their expeditions, eventually developing detailed maps, and even later not needing those maps because they've got the area memorized -- but around the edges (symbolic, not necessarily literal - depending on how you draw your maps it's entirely possible to have "remote" or hard-to-access areas right in the middle of the map) and deeper down there will always be fresh and unexplored areas. |
This "unexplored edges" concept can really keep the setting fresh for a long time. The EX mods and Expedition to the Barrier Peaks were both based on parts of the original Greyhawk dungeon that Gary used as a sort of "break" from the normal Sword-n-Sorcery flavor of his Megadungeon. One area riffed on a deadly Alice in Wonderland theme, and the other was a crashed UFO which offered some sci-fi to the mix. He reported that the players welcomed the "break" both times, and were eager to get back to exploring the dungeon proper afterwards.
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