Survey Results, as promised
Although nobody actually responded to this half of the thread (!) here are the promised results from the other side.
Adventure Survey, December 9, 2003 results
There are several customers that buy multiple adventures. They often buy ahead of time.
“As a DM, I spend absurd amounts on adventures (close to $1,000 this year already.. I have more than I can use for the next few years)”
“I do buy adventures: I can mine them for ideas, if nothing else, and there are lots of times when I don't have the time to write up an entire original adventure of my own”
"Unfortunately, as more companies stop creating these things, your future choices are going to shrink tremendously. I buy modules a lot, so I personally find that upsetting."
“I have bought quite a few adventures, though I have yet to use most of them.”
"I buy a ton of adventures."
Things that people like in their adventures include:
Length, the like mini-campaigns that represent more work and creativity than they could accomplish on their own.
“I also like mega-modules since I get a lot of mileage from them. (And have been eagerly awaiting Black Sails Over Freeport for a while!)”
“I can fill a cave with orcs on my own; I want the adventure to have enough creative material to inspire me beyond what's just in the book itself.”
“I desire mega-adventures as well... I usually pick these up before any other kind. Problem is ,there aren't all that many around.”
“For a great example of a type of mega-module I'd like to see more of, see the 2nd edition box set "Return to the Tomb of Horrors". It's an adventure that not only had dungeon crawls, but a city adventure, a "lost city" adventure, and a visit to another plane. Great stuff.”
“If a mega adventure consisted of many different missions, it might fit the bill, essentially being a series of intertwined short adventures. If it also gave the pc's freedom of choice on which missions to do when it would be perfect. It would really be an entire campaign.”
“I would also like to see more mega adventures in general, stuff that covers 10 or more levels of play.”
“I like a variety of adventure types--dungeon crawls are nice if they have problem solving elements, but city, wilderness, etc. are good too. Supermodules with elements of everything are nice.”
Settings that are portable to fit into most game worlds and interesting enough to be used when the adventure is over are valued very highly.
“I would buy an adventure setting that works like a microcosm campaign world that can be used for future adventures as well as a place that players enjoy to role play in rest/heal/train.”
“We used Hommlet again and again after initial adventure. For a base for characters as well as future adventures close to Village.”
"I really like adventures set around a small town or village. Like a lot of Necromancer's stuff, or Ed's stuff.
It's very easy to plug into the game world. And can be reused a lot."
“I will second or third the "no out there stuff." I run a fairly traditional fantasy setting and wild aerial or underwater or on the moon stuff is useless.”
Keeping this setting interesting enough to be used but generic enough to fit in the customer’s world is very important
“Generally, adventures are too hard to fit in my world.”
"I don't buy adventures as a rule (too hard to fit into my homebrew)"
“I like standard adventures that would fit in a Greyhawk type world”
Plots that are interesting, intelligent, creative but not “out-there”
"Finally, I dislike stories that are "way out there" or too weird. Dungeon Magazine adventures are about as weird as I am willing to accept (and even then I groan a few times when reading them)."
"Don't insult my intelligence with the plotline. Come up with something interesting, that's not so ridiculous I could never fit it into my setting."
"What I need in modules are good plots.. setting usually makes no difference since, frankly, I find it very easy to modify with little effort."
“The adventure also has to be fairly logical and consistent. If there is a powerful wizard doing something really stupid or a cleric-turned-evil still living in the temple without the other clerics/paladins noticing his evil, there has to be a very good explanation.”
"I'd much rather the adventure had good plot, ideas, and NPCs."
No rail-roading is also important
“I like adventures that are open-ended, allowing the players to choose their actions freely, without breaking the adventure (anti-railroading.) Necro's "Vault of Larin Karr" is a good example of what I mean.”
Price is mentioned as an issue once
"Price is also an issue. Adventures only get used once or twice in their lifetime, while sourcebooks which cost the same amount have a lot more reusability. So I'm not as willing to pay big bucks for adventures- probably $15 at most, and it'd have to be exceptionally good."
Crunchy bits are not vital
"Additional rules content is nice but not something I look for actively. Again, ther's plenty of sourcebooks to choose from. I'd much rather the adventure had good plot, ideas, and NPCs"
“The extra rules/monsters and so forth in adventures has absolutely no selling power to me”
Level is not vital, but a concern in some cases.
Some say it's very important
"I don't buy adventures as a rule (too hard to fit into my homebrew), but when I have bought them, I generally look for level and theme."
"I look for level compatibility and is it general enough to fit into my campaign."
"I look for level first, and then whether or not it is compatible in my game. I think there is a host of really good 1st-3rd level introductory modules out there. What I need are things that I can take, and expand greatly on, that I can easily plug into my campaign world. And my campaign is currently high level (10th currently, ending at 20th), so anything below that isn't of interest. There are not a great deal of high level modules."
Most say they scale their adventures or just wait
"The level of the adventure would depend on the level of the game I'm running. However, if the adventure looks like it's something I'd like, then I'll buy it either to read or to convert to my current game. This is sort of another part of "plot before stats"- I can easily swap in new monsters to meet my party's CR requirements. Scability to different levels would be nice, but is still one of the last things I look for."
"I'm willing to look at an adventure regardless of the intended level (since I almost always start a campaign with the intention of going to reasonably high levels). Useful information on scaling the adventure, however, is always appreciated."
"For me, level is *not* a concern at all. Sooner or later my PCs will be of that level, so the level of an adventure is a complete non-issue."
“what difference does it make as long as your characters get there sometime.”
Good villains and NPCs are mentioned
"Very well built NPC villains can be potential plotlines without even writing it into the adventure.
An example would be Obmi the chaotic evil dwarf in Hall of the Fire Giant King."
"I also like well described NPCs, in both terms of personality and physical description. I'm awful at coming up with both, so having info on what they look and act like is very helpful."
I never knew maps were so important
"I also am *very* picky about the maps. The maps have to be good (no computer-generated maps) and absolutely must have grids for interior locations. No grids = no buy."
"Sometimes would just use dungeon map for a quick dungeon. Often using the tower map and the Inn of the Welcome Wench map for other D&D games (completely out of context with Hommlet)."
"I need good maps... I hate modules with inadequate maps as my players (and myself) like to be able to see the areas they are exploring. Even outdoor maps are fine (non-FRC) because I simply change them around a bit and find I can make them fit somewhere appropriate on Faerun."
“Maps....Do it right or don't do it at all. A cheasy map is the easiest way to turn me off (other than a goofy cover).”
Adventures should be a good read
“I like adventures to be a good read. I love reading adventures and obviously enjoy more when they're we'll written.”
“Since our group doesn't get to play that much, I often just buy adventures for my own reading pleasure, and with the hope that I might get to run them sometime. That means that I don't buy adventures that will 'fit in my campaign' but the ones I just find interesting”
“An adventure should be a good read for the DM. I have tons of gaming stuff that I have bought because it was entertaining to read.”
Favorite products and publishers include
early Fiery Dragon
Necromancer Games
Freeport Trilogy
Slavepit series
Return to Tomb of Horrors
Temple of Elemental Evil/Return to Temple of Elemental Evil
Monkey God Enterprises
Giants series
Witchfire Trilogy
or don't 
you buy adventures?
