Catalog of classic adventure discussions

Steverooo · Oct 13, 2005

Why?

So what's the purpose of all these threads, Quas? Are you trying to figure out what makes a good module, or what?

Mark Hope · Oct 13, 2005

What about Egg of the Phoenix? There must be a few cool stories knocking around from that adventure...

Or what about a thread for classic 2e adventures? I'm guessing there wouldn't be as many, but it might be fun to hear about stuff like Curse of the Azure Bonds, Vecna Lives, Dragon Mountain, Rod of Seven Parts, or even some of the more popular setting-specific adventures for Planescape, Dark Sun, Spelljammer or Ravenloft. Just a thought...

Mycanid · Sep 30, 2006

Thank you very much Quasqueton for putting everything together in one place like this.

It's makes for some interesting reading....

BOZ · Oct 1, 2006

Mark Hope said:
What about Egg of the Phoenix? There must be a few cool stories knocking around from that adventure...

well, we did make some use out of it for writing the archomentals article in Dragon #347.

drscott46 · Nov 20, 2006

Man, I've just killed hours going through all these links. Fun reading. I'm wondering if maybe Quas might consider throwing a few more 1e and 2e modules out there for the commenting.

I'd especially be interested in hearing about some of the older setting-specific modules, like 1e/2e Forgotten Realms, the rest of the Dragonlance series, and some of the higher-level (X/CM/M/IM series) Basic D&D modules.

I would be more than happy to throw out a few specific titles, as my Eighties youth was spent acquiring modules from yard sales and used bookstores wherever I could find 'em, but by the time I actually had a real gaming group in the mid-nineties (high school) I'd graduated to AD&D 2e and ended up DMing almost exclusively stuff from Dungeon magazine. Cheaper that way for a poor, pre-PT job teenager.

Olgar Shiverstone · Nov 20, 2006

drscott46 said:
Man, I've just killed hours going through all these links. Fun reading. I'm wondering if maybe Quas might consider throwing a few more 1e and 2e modules out there for the commenting.

I'd especially be interested in hearing about some of the older setting-specific modules, like 1e/2e Forgotten Realms, the rest of the Dragonlance series, and some of the higher-level (X/CM/M/IM series) Basic D&D modules.

Sadly, too many of the remainder can be summed up in two words: Horrible Railroad.

*cough*Dragonlance*cough*Avatar*cough*

I'm surprised that the A-series modules haven't had separate threads, though -- did I only see A1 on there? I wouldn't mind a discussion of X4/X5 (Master of the Desert Nomads/Temple of Death), which I found to be great modules covering a range of encounter types and terrains.

drscott46 · Nov 20, 2006

I understand that the term "railroad" is considered a criticism these days, but surely a railroad module can be well-written enough to be enjoyable. That's not necessarily a defense of anything in particular. Bad/boring is bad/boring no matter the style.

I had just learned that term upon joining these boards. The thing I don't quite understand is this: how are "modern" (i.e. current 3.5 and d20) modules much different? It seems like most anything WotC puts out that's not Temple of Elemental Evil-sized has the same general constraints on it as the Dragonlance or Avatar Trilogy materials.

Or is it just the general worldview on here coming from RPG players whose personal golden ages happen to predate 1984 and DL1, "when adventures were meant to be underground, NPCs are meant to be killed, and the finale of every dungeon was the dragon on the 20th level"?

This is not an attack, just an observation.

Olgar Shiverstone · Nov 21, 2006

drscott46 said:
"when adventures were meant to be underground, NPCs are meant to be killed, and the finale of every dungeon was the dragon on the 20th level"?

Exactly. When men were real men, women were real women, orcs were real orcs, and sheep were real scared.

In all seriousness, there may be very good modules where all of the players choices are made for them, and they proceed inexorably from one end of the adventure to the other ... but I haven't found one yet. Even Tomb of Horrors has sufficient choice (or illusion thereof) that I don't consider it a railroad. At least, it doesn't have wandering dragon armies determining which direction the PCs go (Dragonlance) or turn the PCs into the henchmen of NPCs (Avatar series).

Good adventures certainly aren't confined to pre-1984 ... there are a number of absolutely fantastic 3E adventures from both WOTC and third party publishers. Products like Grey Citadel, Lost City of Barakus, and World's Largest Dungeon absolutely break the railroad mode and will be classics of the new golden age of D&D. There are also quite a few dogs, from WOTC and other third party publishers (Eberron trilogy, I'm looking at you).

But Quas' discussions have been about classic adventures, not later ones.

drscott46 · Nov 21, 2006

Olgar Shiverstone said:
Exactly. When men were real men, women were real women, orcs were real orcs, and sheep were real scared.

In all seriousness, there may be very good modules where all of the players choices are made for them, and they proceed inexorably from one end of the adventure to the other ... but I haven't found one yet. Even Tomb of Horrors has sufficient choice (or illusion thereof) that I don't consider it a railroad. At least, it doesn't have wandering dragon armies determining which direction the PCs go (Dragonlance) or turn the PCs into the henchmen of NPCs (Avatar series).

Good adventures certainly aren't confined to pre-1984 ... there are a number of absolutely fantastic 3E adventures from both WOTC and third party publishers. Products like Grey Citadel, Lost City of Barakus, and World's Largest Dungeon absolutely break the railroad mode and will be classics of the new golden age of D&D. There are also quite a few dogs, from WOTC and other third party publishers (Eberron trilogy, I'm looking at you).

But Quas' discussions have been about classic adventures, not later ones.

Well, right. But I'm thinking of the 1985-1995 period (or even the 1996-2000 period)- there had to be some good ones then, too? Even ones in the "Dragonlance style"?

I quoted the Goodman Games tagline because it seems to be the ethos that rules what the conventional wisdom is on this board. Not a good or bad thing.

I also wonder if it isn't the sheer quantity of third-party material out there. Back in 1981, there were just a fistful of non-TSR publishers.

Olgar Shiverstone · Nov 21, 2006

drscott46 said:
Well, right. But I'm thinking of the 1985-1995 period (or even the 1996-2000 period)- there had to be some good ones then, too? Even ones in the "Dragonlance style"?

I personally don't consider that period "classic" (certainly not after 1989, anyway). Good adventures from then? Of course! Night Below ...

Good railroad adventures? None I can think of, but perhaps someone can help out.