D&D General What are the minimum standards for a published adventure campaign?

[Zardnaar]

If the campaign (or path) is narrow enough that players can derail it simply by doing unexpected and-or chaotic things, to me that's a problem with how the campaign has been designed or set up.

Put another way, no campaign can ever be derailed as long as two things are and remain true:
1. There's no rails to begin with; and
2. The DM can hit whatever curveballs the players can throw.

It's more if you're running a pre published adventure or DM has designed ronething and players don't want to engage or do tge opposite.

Eg DM has organized a session in Waterdeep players decide to want to go to Baldurs Gate.

If DM rubs with it, ad howc's preparations to BGvtge players just leave snd go to sone village once again refus8ng to engage with DMs prep.

At that point I woukd just kick those players for wasting my time.

Unless the DM is doing sandbox RP heavy game players just do whatever. Those games tend to fall apart due to lack of structure and unorganized.

 

[Lanefan]

It's more if you're running a pre published adventure or DM has designed ronething and players don't want to engage or do tge opposite.

Eg DM has organized a session in Waterdeep players decide to want to go to Baldurs Gate.

If DM rubs with it, ad howc's preparations to BGvtge players just leave snd go to sone village once again refus8ng to engage with DMs prep.

Just because a DM has prepped something doesn't mean I-as-player have to engage with it...even more so when I don't (and in fact shouldn't) know what's been prepped.

At that point I woukd just kick those players for wasting my time.

They clearly want to engage with the setting, and that such engagement doesn't match what you had in mind isn't their fault.

Unless the DM is doing sandbox RP heavy game players just do whatever. Those games tend to fall apart due to lack of structure and unorganized.

My 40+ years experience with such campaigns begs to differ.

 

[Zardnaar]

Just because a DM has prepped something doesn't mean I-as-player have to engage with it...even more so when I don't (and in fact shouldn't) know what's been prepped.

They clearly want to engage with the setting, and that such engagement doesn't match what you had in mind isn't their fault.

My 40+ years experience with such campaigns begs to differ.

I ask my players what type of campaign to run then they engage with what I serve up.

If they're constantly not wanting to engage with what I do ot just means incompatible. I prefer a smaller group than incompatible players.

They can go find another DM. I've kicked out 4 players in 5E's run they joined other groups and got kicked out of them as well. One group got kicked out again and couldn't find another group after that.

Those 3 were essentially fish malk types. Got other players killed due to their antics.

 

[ThrorII]

I don't do "adventure paths" or "1st to 15th level campaigns", so I'm not the target audience. But, I've read some, and here are my gripes:

1. It is written to be read, not written to be played. Meaning it is too wordy (stiffled novelist game writers);

2. Information is not where you need it (all monsters or NPCs are in a separate chapter, or necessary backstory for this location is buried in the "story so far" introduction");

3. and it expects PCs to act or do certain things in certain order (railroady).

So what would I want?

1. Short and to the point information that is actually useful at the table and readily accessible.
2. Put all NPCs, Monsters, needed history, etc. in the "chapter" with the related encounter or region.
3. Keep the "story" as loose as possible to avoid needing to railroad the PCs.

 

[John R Davis]

Must be easy to get into and have stuff for the players to do straight away; stuff to show the awesome of the lovingly crafted brand new characters.
Each section shouldn't be too long. Don't like mega dungeons.
It must not be the dross that is WD: DH or DIA

 

[MNblockhead]

VTT support.

I much more enjoy story creation than data entry. At this point, I'm very picky with any adventure that only has print/PDF. It is easier creating my own adventure than creating maps, tokens, etc.

 

[MGibster]

If the campaign (or path) is narrow enough that players can derail it simply by doing unexpected and-or chaotic things, to me that's a problem with how the campaign has been designed or set up.

We're not talking about unexpected or chaotic actions that make sense within the context of the scenario, it's unexpected or chaotic actions undertaken for the expressed purpose of messing with everyone that we have a problem with. Some players just like to watch the campaign burn, and if you've never gamed with someone like that then I am very happy for you.

 

[payn]

VTT support.

I much more enjoy story creation than data entry. At this point, I'm very picky with any adventure that only has print/PDF. It is easier creating my own adventure than creating maps, tokens, etc.

Ah, yeah, im having flashbacks to drawing maps during the session on the dry erase battlemat. Been awhile since I've done that!

 

[TheSword]

If the campaign (or path) is narrow enough that players can derail it simply by doing unexpected and-or chaotic things, to me that's a problem with how the campaign has been designed or set up.

Put another way, no campaign can ever be derailed as long as two things are and remain true:
1. There's no rails to begin with; and
2. The DM can hit whatever curveballs the players can throw.

Surely the writer of an adventure campaign needs to make a few reasonable assumptions - assuming that the party will stay in the area and will engage with at least some of the content right?

I don’t know how else they would actually publish it otherwise?

Let’s take Slumbering Tsar by Frog God Games - which is a very sandboxy campaign.

Spoiler: Spoilers for Slumbering Taar

Players have a lot of choice but there is a basic assumption that the players will search for the 7 keys and will summon the great temple of Orcus to the material plane. Otherwise two thirds of the campaign are skipper. That doesn’t mean the players have to stop playing but it does mean the published campaign is effectively over.

 

[Parmandur]

Surely the writer of an adventure campaign needs to make a few reasonable assumptions - assuming that the party will stay in the area and will engage with at least some of the content right?

The better WotC campaigns assume less, IMO.