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Same here. It was one cool module! The worst one I ever played was DL1. (But the maps were nice, and I had a crush on that cleric, "Moonbeam", or whatever her name was.)

I don't know if it's D&D or not, but it makes for a much better game IME. :cool:

I think I had a DM like that for one session about 20 years ago. If I recall correctly, the PCs all decided to commit suicide in order to thwart the DM's goals. We were so immature ... :o

I like that definition. The most planning that I can do for a long-term campaign is come up with a general series of events that will unfold in the world, and a set of organizations (cabals, churches, nobles, etc.) that will interact in various ways. Beyond that, though, the actual...

Thanks for the suggestion! :)

I never got into 2e (stopped playing AD&D before then), but I still have my 1st edition AD&D books, my B/X box sets (with the Erol Otus covers), my copy of the D&D RC, and tonnes of original modules (including most of the UK series -- my favourite module of all time is probably UK4). Since this...

Hey, I often agree with the Shaman! :cool:

I would find this rather unsatisfying as a GM (even if the players had a great time). Much of the fun of running a game, for me, comes from the unanticipated course the campaign can take as a consequence of the players' decisions.

Yes, I quite agree. I like this style of campaign. I've found it helpful to emphasize to players in such situation that it is part of their job to determine the direction of the campaign. (I've found similar pedagogic techniques useful in freshman seminars -- strange how teaching and GM'ing...

No it doesn't. D&D was originally based on a mixture of elements from those authors' works (and some others as well, of course). 3e has some evolved from those origins -- but I'm not sure if it has any new literary sources.

You're right. It should be all Tolkien -- and Howard, Vance, and Leiber ... All The Time. ;)

I agree very much with this. At any rate, it certainly describes my own experiences as a GM. More precisely, my best GM experiences have been in sessions where I don't know the outcome at all ahead of time. My favourite campaigns have been those where the story went in a direction I didn't...

Creativity I think I have (though perhaps I'm just deluding myself). This is why I like 'bare bones' or 'open' modules (like Bone Hill, the old ICE campaign settings, City-State of the Invincible Overlord, etc.). They let me come up with my own adventures, while saving me some of the tedium of...

I agree that 'structure' is important. But there is a difference between having a structured 'setting' for adventures, and a linear plot that needs to be followed by the players. In my own 'homebrew' campaigns I usually have 3-5 overarching potential plots. After the campaign gets going, based...

Is your point that in the hands of a good GM a module/adventure that appears to be a 'railroad' will in fact not be one (i.e. the GM will figure out a way not to run it in the manner that it was written)? I guess I consider myself to be a decent GM, but I've never had success with (what I...

Some of my favourite published products for D&D include the old B2 (Keep on the Borderlands) and L1 (Secret of Bone Hill) modules. One of the things that I really like about those modules is that they essentially give the DM a relatively compact setting with plenty of interesting adventure...

Yep. WFRP is dripping with flavour -- insanity-inducing, warpstone-caused flavour. I'm very happy that 2e kept the random character generation system. It's part of the charm of the game that you can start out as a servant or rat-catcher, and someday become a High Priest or Champion -- unless...

Conan is pretty much the only 'similar-to-3e' game that I would run in the future. The mechanics are a bit too crunchy for my tastes, but the game does such a good job in emulating its source material I'd be willing to deal with it. I'm especially impressed with the magic system. :cool:

Well that's disappointing to hear. Of course, claims made in posts and boards should be taken with a boulder of salt. I hope it's not true.

*sigh* I've answered this question already, and have recommended contemporary publishers that you can check out for yourself. I think we have somewhat different understandings of what is a 'hackfest', but I see no point discussing anything with you any further, given that you clearly failed to...