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What do you want in a published adventure? / Adventure design best practices?
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<blockquote data-quote="Quickleaf" data-source="post: 7156779" data-attributes="member: 20323"><p>I know this topic has come up many times, but I continue to try to parse that magic formula that makes a great adventure. Maybe there are eternal truths to good adventure design, and maybe what we as gamers want from adventures is evolving. Specifically, I'm asking about published adventures (because, presumably, DMs can make things exactly as they like it in their homemade adventures).</p><p></p><p>What do you want in a published adventure? And, a related question, what do you consider to be "best practice" when it comes to adventure writing and design?</p><p></p><p>I'll try to watch the conversation for patterns, record them, and maybe brainstorm for creating a poll later on.</p><p></p><p>[SBLOCK=My initial thoughts]One thing I have open when I'm writing an adventure (whether home or published) is a page of notes with design precepts on it. Things like...</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Adventure starts fast and avoids a cliche starting point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Avoid boxed text</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Coherent succint backstory, with ways for PCs to learn it </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Designed with an eye toward modular use by homebrew DMs</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Make it self-contained</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A Relationship Map if the NPC-NPC dynamics are complex</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An Index!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Great Map!</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Include more INT, WIS, and CHA saves</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">“Linear” in that there’s a clear path through the adventure which players *may* follow</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Locations = Familiar, Functional, Fantastic</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mysteries should draw on Gumshoe Rule & Three Clue Rule</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Opportunities to interact with a villain without violence</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">“Quality not quantity, avoid bland areas, avoid too many encounters</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">“Sandboxy” in that there are multiple ways to address main conflict</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Take into account PC abilities of the level(s) adventure is written for</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unexpected narrative twists</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Uses for downtime during an adventure (within or outside of the adventure proper)?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Variety is the spice – encounter parameters, monster types, terrain</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Well-organized (color tabs, hyperlinks, enough but not too much white space)</li> </ul><p>[/SBLOCK]</p><p></p><p>EDIT 8/2/2017: I'm going to try to be a good thread custodian! As of post #162 here's what we're talking about...</p><p></p><p><strong>OVERLAP</strong></p><p></p><p>Boxed text, direction-neutral & concise – (8) Lanefan, transtemporal, LordEntrails, Charles Rampant, Schmoe, happy hermit, ArwensDaughter, ad_hoc</p><p></p><p>Good useful comprehensive maps (before area descriptions) – (6) LordEntrails, ExploderWizard, vincegetorix, Eltab, Jester David, Charles Rampant</p><p></p><p>What ifs (player actions) & Monster plans/reactions – (6) Lanefan, transtemporal, ExploderWizard, Ibranteloth, ArwensDaughter, Li Shenron</p><p></p><p>Monsters/NPCs with motivations…and relationships! – (6) robus, ExploderWizard, hastur_nz, Charles Rampant, Ibranteloth, ArwensDaughter</p><p></p><p>3.5e/4e style full page encounters (segragated monsters, treasure, traps, etc) – (5) shoak1, aco175, Ibranteloth, LordEntrails, ArwensDaughter</p><p></p><p>Layout that's clear, useful at table, and condenses info while keeping it readable (e.g. 9 pt font, leading 11 pts, diminishing horizontal scale) – (4) Lanefan, steeldragons, hawkeyefan, ratskinner</p><p></p><p>Clearly connected encounters/plot progression for groups preferring linear narrative – (4) shoak1, LordEntrails, Eltab, LostSoul</p><p></p><p>1e style abbreviated monster stats in room descriptions – (5) Lanefan, steeldragons, Schmoe, JohnnyP71, LordEntrails</p><p></p><p>Monster stat appendix in the back (4) – Eltab, Schmoe, happyhermit, LordEntrails</p><p></p><p>Something different/new (magic item, monster, NPC, trap, spell, etc) (3) – Lanefan, Schmoe, Charles Rampant</p><p></p><p>Limited Backstory, relevant to players/they can find out – (3) Lanefan, shoak1, Yavathol</p><p></p><p>Modular bits – (3) Eltab, Jester David, happy hermit</p><p></p><p>Compiled index of all monsters used in the adventure for DM token/minis prep – (3) css, JohnnyP71, happy hermit</p><p></p><p>Limited scope, self-contained (3) – LordEntrails, css, Lanefan</p><p></p><p>Maps (separate/pull-out for DMs & players) – (3) robus, JohnnyP71, Lanefan</p><p></p><p>Subsystems or rules variants appropriate to adventure – (3) Charles Rampant, Tony Vargas, Lanefan</p><p></p><p>Event/story development track or flowchart, dynamic story, “if the players do nothing…” – (3) Lanefan, hastur_nz, Tobold</p><p></p><p>Inventive design & good/imaginative ideas – (2) hastur_nz, Jester David</p><p></p><p>Ways to limit rests – (2) shoak1, JohnnyP71</p><p></p><p>Index if needed – (2) LordEntrails, happy hermit</p><p></p><p>Fun-to-read, flowing writing, non-formulaic – (2) happy hermit, Charles Rampant</p><p></p><p>Chapters/section playable on their own – (2) Carmen Sbordone, Ibranteloth</p><p></p><p>Run with no prep – (2) Libramarian, Li Shenron</p><p></p><p>Printer-friendly / detachable map – (2) ArwensDaughter, Li Shenron</p><p></p><p>*Readable* in-line monster stats – (2) pogre, LordEntrails</p><p></p><p><strong>OTHER COMMENTS</strong></p><p></p><p>Dungeon with multiple ingress/egress points, loops, multiple methods between levels (some which skip levels), secret areas, intentional “holes”, length of stairs noted – Lanefan </p><p></p><p>No boxed text (esp. not wordy) – robus</p><p></p><p>Sensible wandering monsters or none – Lanefan</p><p></p><p>No random monsters – robus</p><p></p><p>Innovative use of environment – Ath-kethin</p><p></p><p>Include stuff that breaks rules without explanation, i.e. “the Weird Stuff” – Ath-kethin</p><p></p><p>Chapter synopses & conclusions – transtemporal</p><p></p><p>Natural, organic language/description – Luz</p><p></p><p>Level appropriate encounters & treasure – shoak1</p><p></p><p>Relationship maps if needed – LordEntrails</p><p></p><p>“Dungeon dressing” – ExploderWizard</p><p></p><p>More complex “skill challenges” like UA traps – vincegetorix</p><p></p><p>PDF reference sheet of rooms – fjw70</p><p></p><p>Catchy title – ccs</p><p></p><p>Evocative cover art – css</p><p></p><p>Use rarely used monsters – css</p><p></p><p>Printable PDF of maps 1 sq = 1 in – css</p><p></p><p>Real danger – css</p><p></p><p>Well-organized room descriptions – Schmoe</p><p></p><p>Multiple adventure threads, esp. in “setting”-type adventures – Schmoe</p><p></p><p>Hyperlinking (for PDF/digital adventures) – hawkeyefan</p><p></p><p>Teach new DMs how to run/design advanced games – Jester David</p><p></p><p>Introduction providing breakdown of story beats & where to find stuff – Jester David</p><p></p><p>Town/region for the DM’s further use (e.g. Hommlet or Phandalin) – Charles Rampant</p><p></p><p>Using PC Backgrounds as hooks – Yavathol</p><p></p><p>Sandbox with an overarching plot – Inchoroi</p><p></p><p>Level/level range on cover – Ath-kethin</p><p></p><p>Plot twists – Yatzromo</p><p></p><p>Chance of failure, PCs have to earn success – Yatzromo</p><p></p><p>Intelligent monster strategies – Ibranteloth</p><p></p><p>Bonus materials online (e.g. printable maps, design/playtest notes) – Ibranteloth</p><p></p><p>3D dungeons, ideally isometric maps – Ibranteloth</p><p></p><p>Strong hook, get me interested in first page or two – Zardnaar</p><p></p><p>Monster/NPC cards – ArwensDaughter</p><p></p><p>Tips on adjusting adventure for party size/level – ArwensDaughter</p><p></p><p>No “fill this room with something” blanks – Li Shenron</p><p></p><p>No new monsters – Li Shenron</p><p></p><p>“Good” random encounters – ad_hoc</p><p></p><p>*Compressed* in-line monster stats – Lanefan</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Quickleaf, post: 7156779, member: 20323"] I know this topic has come up many times, but I continue to try to parse that magic formula that makes a great adventure. Maybe there are eternal truths to good adventure design, and maybe what we as gamers want from adventures is evolving. Specifically, I'm asking about published adventures (because, presumably, DMs can make things exactly as they like it in their homemade adventures). What do you want in a published adventure? And, a related question, what do you consider to be "best practice" when it comes to adventure writing and design? I'll try to watch the conversation for patterns, record them, and maybe brainstorm for creating a poll later on. [SBLOCK=My initial thoughts]One thing I have open when I'm writing an adventure (whether home or published) is a page of notes with design precepts on it. Things like... [list][*]Adventure starts fast and avoids a cliche starting point [*]Avoid boxed text [*]Coherent succint backstory, with ways for PCs to learn it [*]Designed with an eye toward modular use by homebrew DMs [*]Make it self-contained [*]A Relationship Map if the NPC-NPC dynamics are complex [*]An Index! [*]Great Map! [*]Include more INT, WIS, and CHA saves [*]“Linear” in that there’s a clear path through the adventure which players *may* follow [*]Locations = Familiar, Functional, Fantastic [*]Mysteries should draw on Gumshoe Rule & Three Clue Rule [*]Opportunities to interact with a villain without violence [*]“Quality not quantity, avoid bland areas, avoid too many encounters [*]“Sandboxy” in that there are multiple ways to address main conflict [*]Take into account PC abilities of the level(s) adventure is written for [*]Unexpected narrative twists [*]Uses for downtime during an adventure (within or outside of the adventure proper)? [*]Variety is the spice – encounter parameters, monster types, terrain [*]Well-organized (color tabs, hyperlinks, enough but not too much white space)[/list][/SBLOCK] EDIT 8/2/2017: I'm going to try to be a good thread custodian! As of post #162 here's what we're talking about... [B]OVERLAP[/B] Boxed text, direction-neutral & concise – (8) Lanefan, transtemporal, LordEntrails, Charles Rampant, Schmoe, happy hermit, ArwensDaughter, ad_hoc Good useful comprehensive maps (before area descriptions) – (6) LordEntrails, ExploderWizard, vincegetorix, Eltab, Jester David, Charles Rampant What ifs (player actions) & Monster plans/reactions – (6) Lanefan, transtemporal, ExploderWizard, Ibranteloth, ArwensDaughter, Li Shenron Monsters/NPCs with motivations…and relationships! – (6) robus, ExploderWizard, hastur_nz, Charles Rampant, Ibranteloth, ArwensDaughter 3.5e/4e style full page encounters (segragated monsters, treasure, traps, etc) – (5) shoak1, aco175, Ibranteloth, LordEntrails, ArwensDaughter Layout that's clear, useful at table, and condenses info while keeping it readable (e.g. 9 pt font, leading 11 pts, diminishing horizontal scale) – (4) Lanefan, steeldragons, hawkeyefan, ratskinner Clearly connected encounters/plot progression for groups preferring linear narrative – (4) shoak1, LordEntrails, Eltab, LostSoul 1e style abbreviated monster stats in room descriptions – (5) Lanefan, steeldragons, Schmoe, JohnnyP71, LordEntrails Monster stat appendix in the back (4) – Eltab, Schmoe, happyhermit, LordEntrails Something different/new (magic item, monster, NPC, trap, spell, etc) (3) – Lanefan, Schmoe, Charles Rampant Limited Backstory, relevant to players/they can find out – (3) Lanefan, shoak1, Yavathol Modular bits – (3) Eltab, Jester David, happy hermit Compiled index of all monsters used in the adventure for DM token/minis prep – (3) css, JohnnyP71, happy hermit Limited scope, self-contained (3) – LordEntrails, css, Lanefan Maps (separate/pull-out for DMs & players) – (3) robus, JohnnyP71, Lanefan Subsystems or rules variants appropriate to adventure – (3) Charles Rampant, Tony Vargas, Lanefan Event/story development track or flowchart, dynamic story, “if the players do nothing…” – (3) Lanefan, hastur_nz, Tobold Inventive design & good/imaginative ideas – (2) hastur_nz, Jester David Ways to limit rests – (2) shoak1, JohnnyP71 Index if needed – (2) LordEntrails, happy hermit Fun-to-read, flowing writing, non-formulaic – (2) happy hermit, Charles Rampant Chapters/section playable on their own – (2) Carmen Sbordone, Ibranteloth Run with no prep – (2) Libramarian, Li Shenron Printer-friendly / detachable map – (2) ArwensDaughter, Li Shenron *Readable* in-line monster stats – (2) pogre, LordEntrails [B]OTHER COMMENTS[/B] Dungeon with multiple ingress/egress points, loops, multiple methods between levels (some which skip levels), secret areas, intentional “holes”, length of stairs noted – Lanefan No boxed text (esp. not wordy) – robus Sensible wandering monsters or none – Lanefan No random monsters – robus Innovative use of environment – Ath-kethin Include stuff that breaks rules without explanation, i.e. “the Weird Stuff” – Ath-kethin Chapter synopses & conclusions – transtemporal Natural, organic language/description – Luz Level appropriate encounters & treasure – shoak1 Relationship maps if needed – LordEntrails “Dungeon dressing” – ExploderWizard More complex “skill challenges” like UA traps – vincegetorix PDF reference sheet of rooms – fjw70 Catchy title – ccs Evocative cover art – css Use rarely used monsters – css Printable PDF of maps 1 sq = 1 in – css Real danger – css Well-organized room descriptions – Schmoe Multiple adventure threads, esp. in “setting”-type adventures – Schmoe Hyperlinking (for PDF/digital adventures) – hawkeyefan Teach new DMs how to run/design advanced games – Jester David Introduction providing breakdown of story beats & where to find stuff – Jester David Town/region for the DM’s further use (e.g. Hommlet or Phandalin) – Charles Rampant Using PC Backgrounds as hooks – Yavathol Sandbox with an overarching plot – Inchoroi Level/level range on cover – Ath-kethin Plot twists – Yatzromo Chance of failure, PCs have to earn success – Yatzromo Intelligent monster strategies – Ibranteloth Bonus materials online (e.g. printable maps, design/playtest notes) – Ibranteloth 3D dungeons, ideally isometric maps – Ibranteloth Strong hook, get me interested in first page or two – Zardnaar Monster/NPC cards – ArwensDaughter Tips on adjusting adventure for party size/level – ArwensDaughter No “fill this room with something” blanks – Li Shenron No new monsters – Li Shenron “Good” random encounters – ad_hoc *Compressed* in-line monster stats – Lanefan [/QUOTE]
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