Opinions: What makes a good adventure?

Mark · Jan 18, 2002

Nightfall said:
Well I can think of at least three adventures in print...

So there's my picks fellas. Take them for what they are.

Of course, reading the thread might help you form a post next time, Nighty-Night.

I'm really not looking for recommendations of specific adventures, just opinions of what makes any adventure (in general) better than others.

Nice to see you took your time with the spelling of your screenname this time, though I'll miss that extra "t"...

*edit* To clarify, please give us your impressions of what makes a good adventure, Nightfall. I do like your picks, but I am looking for more generalized input. Sorry about the screenname crack but I'll bet that was bugging you a bit, too, eh? C'mon.... Admit it...

*end edit*

TheDayKnight · Jan 19, 2002

As a DM:

The adventure must enhance the campaign plot-line. The PCs must have a good time.

As a player:

An adventure that makes me feel that I am affecting the world or country in a signifigant way. Not simply a "hack-through-the-tulips".

Basil · Jan 19, 2002

Giant melted-cheese alligators.

Oh! And, uh... what's it called? Oh, yeah. Fun...

But, seriously... Giant melted-cheese alligators really make the game worth while.

-Basil

Sir Hawkeye · Jan 19, 2002

A sense of danger. It's not fun if the PC's don't feel like they're being challenged.

And a backup plan. i.e. What happens if the PC's fail, and where do they go from there?

Plus everything else that's been mentioned.

And zombies.

Holy Bovine · Jan 19, 2002

Good adventures....hmmmm...wish i had the skill to run some of those

Seriously I feel a good adventure has to have a large variety of things for the PC's to do. As others have said just killing stuff or just talking gets old fast. But even beyond that I would suggest players also have options to go 'outside the book' and attempt things not covered by the adventure as written.

I love it when adventure writers give a little sidebar or note saying 'what to do if...' or even better 'further adventure ideas in...' You would be amazed how often those little 'further adventure ideas in..' blurbs have been turned into full blown adventures that superced the main one. Of course this usually results in some 'seat of the pants' DM-ing but that's always been one of my strong suits.

Interesting NPC's and locations always help even if is only something as simple a Weaponsmith with an unusal way to do inventory.

For example in my current campagin the party met a weaponsmith called Crazy Egor (yes stolen for the used games supplier but based off how his Gen Con booth was organized the year I went there). When they asked him if he had any silvered weapons he reached into a large barrel full of swords, daggers and whatnot and pulled out exactly what the PC wanted. Without a scratch on him. Got a few raised eyebrows at the table at the time. He also had a thing about tridents (but I won't go into that here

)

*whew* long post. Don't know if any of it is helpful but there it is.

Creamsteak · Jan 19, 2002

Im such an idea thief... but is it wrong? I'm stealing ideas from all over this forum for my campaign, I hope it is not insulting. I like a lot of the really original ideas.

Anyhowitz...

I run about three great sessions in a row before suddenly it all begins to get repetative all at one time. Then we double back, go the opposite way and repeat.

You probably won't have a perfect campaign, you might have one like mine. I've recently learned to go ahead and plot ahead about twenty sessions to much. You might think it can be a waste of time, but for me at least, I have found that while the PC's become sidetracked doing something it is important for things you plotted to involve the PC's to continue to happen. After about the third turn around you have a nasty web of different things going on at the same time, and the PC's have a nice variety of choices to make that seriously effect the campaign setting.

This refers to a sort of edge of the seat DMing... sort of.

Pillars of Hercules · Jan 19, 2002

CM, from the perspective of either DM or player, I'd go with interactivity and multiple solutions. This translates into the following obscure principles:

The barkeep is Arran, Son of Horrin, not, uh, "the barkeep."

There should be more than one way to skin the cat.

When the PCs push, the villians and the world at large should push back.

Does any of this make sense?

Mark · Jan 20, 2002

Good stuff. Thanks to everyone who replied. Any more ideas?

Ziggy · Jan 21, 2002

Some more (mostly positive this time):

GM:

- Explain the motivation of the major NPC's, not just their actions. This will make it much easier to react to player input and unexpected situations.

- Good layout (in a published adventure). The difference between a smooth flowing session and flipping desperately through the book is decided by the layout and structure of the material.

- Surprises. If an adventure doesn't make me think "That's a pretty neat idea" or even better "That's so coool", I won't play it. So, it should include something like a neat magic item, a fun story/background, and interesting NPC (or all of them....

)

PC:

- Allow creative solutions, don't have "only this thing (found on corpse 34) can solve this puzzle" situations. Don't require specific skills, spells or items in order to complete the adventure

- FUN. It's been said before, but it is the most important thing of any RPG sessions. I'll say it again: FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN (it's that important)...

- Surprises. I like to be surprised as a player as well. Not all the time, but at least scene should have a surprise or hidded twist.

.Ziggy

Ravellion · Jan 21, 2002

I need "Realism". I have to believe it somehow, or I will become awfully aware that I am sitting in a dining room, which is bad. "Realism" is very important for me becoming immersed in teh story.

Rav