Hiay!
First, I'd recommend Princes of the Apocalypse...
It's definitely one I'm looking to pick up, yes. Right now, $$$ is really tight (I've been out of work since August) and just had to pay off a big'ish debt. PotA does seem a lot more "free style", from what I've read. It could be one that me and my group could really get into.
As for "arguing with me", I don't see us arguing....I'd call it... "slight, but firm, disagreement".
I mean, we (I should include Husar in this too) just seem to have different preferences and expertise. I like a LOT less "story driven" modules with a LOT more "location based" stuff (give me half a page of backstory, half a page of DM stuff (weather table, a small list of 'important' NPC's in the town...don't need their stats, a name, race/sex/age is good enough..., maybe a wandering monster table or two). Now add in 5 pages of simple b/w maps...dungeons, ruins, overland, etc. Finally, the last 24 or so pages can be the "stocked dungeon areas". Like: "Oval Room: 30' oval room, rough grey granite, cold, frost, small ice puddles; bones of a long-dead warrior in the center; a Wraith lairs here". This is all I need, but modules usually write it all out in sentences, which is fine, but it all breaks down into those "important things", so that's how I write my adventures most of the time.
For an example of the kind of module I like, either
Dyson's Delve (a basic-D&D style;
https://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/maps/dysons-delve/ ), or
Tomb of the Iron God (a Spells & Wizardry [1e/0e] adventure by Frog God Games;
https://www.froggodgames.com/tomb-iron-god ...for $4!
). In particular, the "small and consistent map layout" of Dyson's Delve is really nice. One page had the map and EVERY room on it written up. One page.
It made it an absolute joy to run! I clipped the page onto my DM screen; on my right I had my pad of paper and could write down all the cool stuff that happened and that popped into my brain during play (NPC names, god holy symbols, sub-plot notes/ideas, etc). On my left was a paper for game mechanic stuff...mostly HP's of monsters when combat occurred, but also marching order notes, who had what light source, etc. That adventure, is one of the most fun I've ever had running. We played it for about 8 months, where the PC's got down to level 9 (?). I played it with 1e AD&D in my homebrew world of Eisla. So...8 months, 9 small dungeon levels. Looking at what is there on the page, you'd think it would be "impossible" to have a fun and fulfilling adventure...but we did. It was so-o easy to just, well, let my creative storytelling liquids flow and just
play. ...love that adventure...
With Tomb of the Iron God, they did a really cool thing; something I've been doing for years. Under their room description, they have a blank box with "Location ## Notes" on top. The DM can make his own notes here for whatever he needs. When I ran it, I was actually running the
Dominion Rules rpg system (free;
http://www.dominionrules.org ). I used those spaces for notes about substituted spells, monsters, etc., or for conversion of rules-system stuff (like difficulty for some task). Lots of fun in that adventure too!
Anyway, it still boils down to this: I still think "bare bones" is better... even for someone new to the game ...than a much more "fleshed out" (re: story-line A-B-C-D style) adventure is. I learned just fine "the old way". You (JC) learned just fine the old way. I'm pretty sure Hussar also learned just fine the old way. The old way
-works-. It makes new DM's actually
learn how to DM. I'd bet dimes to dollars that if you had two new DM's, one learning the "old way" (re: very much DIY style), and one learning the "new way" (re: very much more hand-holding, most everything is done for you, style), and both were given a year... I'd put my money on the "old way" style DM having a much better capability to handle off the wall situations, or Player ideas that were definitely not 'covered' in some adventure module. I just have more faith in "learning why" than I do "memorizing how".
^_^
Paul L. Ming