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In Quasqueton’s "Is Sunless Citadel a well-designed adventure module?" thread, I made a claim that the dungeon described in the module is too linear and that its layout is responsible for railroading player characters. Although I didn’t mention it, I have similar problems with Forge of Fury. The...

In the interest of accuracy, I have to mention that DCS died last year. He will be missed - the dynamism in his art is something current artists should emulate.

Sunless Citadel was a refreshing change after most 2e adventures and a step in the good direction. However, it didn't go far enough. The idea of a weird tree in an underground environment was sound, and so was making the adventure "just a dungeon crawl". The focus on tactical play was also...

With a campaign hexagon system style map? Yes? Yes? :D

Based on Quasqueton's quotes, the following people voiced objections against Ned Snakeshaft: Joshua Randall Raven Crowking Ed_Laprade Of this three, only RC has commented in this thread so far, which isn't much of an overlap (granted, the sample is rather small, too, and I didn't look through...

Often. Several characters had low level flunkies, and took them on some adventures. This was usually done in revolving door-style, in that the flunkies died in droves (so did the PCs, just less often). Some survived and got promoted or given a freshly conquered village/stronghold as a reward.

That makes more sense. My answer is "beats me". Although I am no fan of U1, I had no trouble with Ned and don't consider him a bad design decision - maybe when I go home and take another look at the module, I'll be able to say more. U1, not N1! Dammit!

Because there is no reason to. NPCs who aren't trustworthy are a logical part of the game... why would people complain about them? In fact, I couldn't even say these events are somehow illogical in this case - each of these NPCs would concievably have a good reason for attacking the party. By...

I consider Keep on the Borderlands to be the best designed introductory module for D&D. It provides a novice DM a base of operations, a simple wilderness section and a beginning dungeon which is compartmental enough not to totally overwhelm a beginning party, yet extensive enough for that feel...

From my viewpoint, a campaign is kept together by a sense of continuity. This can mean player characters, players, setting or action. In my experience, a campaign may survive TPKs as long as associated characters can pick up the flag (there was one noteworthy event when our group was...

I have never seen this rule used, either. I didn't even know it existed until someone told me where to look.

If anything, it is a good example of post-Gygax 1st edition AD&D design (although it was released before his departure, I think). Less improbability and weirdness, more "standard" fantasy. Like some others, I consider it a bit bland... but that may just be my personal taste. There is very little...

Very good post! Like Turjan, the reasons you mentioned drove me away from modern fantasy - I usually read Greek historians and geographers for inspiration now, because I was burned so many times I don't even care to try anymore. I do read some old novels I didn't have the chance to pick up years...

...that I despise all non-human PC races except half-orcs, and don't give a damn about pseudo-mediaeval worlds.

Both of these - in addition to a spirit of experimentation, wide-eyed wonder and the commitment to creativity... Often creative insanity, as in the case of Arduin and some Judges Guild releases.

Really? I didn't know that. Depressing, really - I liked Palace of the Silver Princess (the orange edition downloadable from Wizards; don't have the green revision). It would have been even more depressing if she had been the same person as Jean Rabe. She was simply the least talented designer...

This is loaded language. Indeed, the Tomb's purpose was in part knocking down the egos of some players - those types who boasted about 30th level super-munchkins with galaxy-killing swords. The Tomb made a good job of separating these people from those who "earned their badges", so to speak...

In the case of the AD&D module family, things were moving in that direction already. But some of the earlier modules - such as ToH, White Plume Mountain, Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Judges Guild's Tegel Manor and Thieves of Fortress Badabaskor - were more about imporbable, surreal challenges for...

I have no clue whether it could be considered "better", but Deadly Treasure in one of the 40s' Dungeon Magazines was close to ToH's excellence. It featured a dungeon . I've also heard good things about Mud Sorceror's Tomb, also from Dungeon, but I've never seen that.

Software rights still in the possession of Infogrames/Atari?