Crafting an Adventure Module Format

[GlassEye]

I checked it out. He has the right idea. I want to go a step further, turning all text that's needed for an encounter (not the background stuff) into text-blocks.

Since we (?) don't want to turn pages, I'm thinking each encounter should be a map/flowchart in the middle of the page, with labeled text-blocks around it...

One point you say bullet-list another you say text-blocks. I'm afraid I might need an example of the sorts of text you want in your text-block because text-block seems like a lot more needless words than would be in a bullet-list. I'm also skeptical of having text-blocks arrayed around a central map or flowchart. I would prefer one spot on the page to look for information instead of having to scan around the image for whatever might be relevant at the moment while DMing.

 

[GMMichael]

I'm just using "text-block" to differentiate from paragraphs, or margin-to-margin writing. Here's a text-block:

DYNAMIC: The wall here is ready to collapse. This causes 3d6 dmg to nearby victims, and creates a portal to area 4.

And a bullet-point list:

GOBLIN KNOWLEDGE:

• The PCs are being hunted
• Klarth has the ruby
• The moon-dogs patrol once per night
• The key to the chest (p.3 e.14) is lost

Having all the information in one place is cool, but unless you're using lots of visual cues (like different colors, underlines, bolds...) you'll have to stop the action to read through it and find the tidbit you need/forgot. I'm thinking the above examples are faster.

 

[GlassEye]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. Whenever you said text-block I was imagining the read-aloud text that is included in so many modules, i.e. lots of lines with too little real, useful information. Those examples, with their concise information is exactly the direction I think modules need to go. Arrangement of such information probably comes down to personal preference but I think I understand what you intend now.

 

[Janx]

I'm just using "text-block" to differentiate from paragraphs, or margin-to-margin writing. Here's a text-block:

DYNAMIC: The wall here is ready to collapse. This causes 3d6 dmg to nearby victims, and creates a portal to area 4.

And a bullet-point list:

GOBLIN KNOWLEDGE:

• The PCs are being hunted
• Klarth has the ruby
• The moon-dogs patrol once per night
• The key to the chest (p.3 e.14) is lost

Having all the information in one place is cool, but unless you're using lots of visual cues (like different colors, underlines, bolds...) you'll have to stop the action to read through it and find the tidbit you need/forgot. I'm thinking the above examples are faster.

that's a nice example of short, concise content for a location or encounter.

Imagine a screen with the portion of the dungeon map with that room on the left, and DMMike's block of info on the right, with some room for the Goblin's stats along with it. It'll all probably fit on the screen (the first challenge of layout is getting just what you need on one screen/paper page).

 

[GMMichael]

That's my hope, Janx. I'll know soon enough...and post my example for the thread.

One interesting consequence of writing for adventure elements instead of a more narrative style is that I'm laying out all the elements first, and filling in the details beneath them. This is in contrast to a linear, "Room 1, here's what's in it. Room 2, here's what's in it and what happens."

 

[Emirikol]

Mike, agreed on that. It always seemed odd when I would start with an encounter and work outwards from there. Usually, I start with a 10 encounter format with a railroad and then diversify options to make it non-linear.

As we used to tell our DMs and Authors for the Living Greyhawk scenario author workshops, "whatever works best for you!"

jh

 

[GMMichael]

Update:

While running an adventure in a non-linear format might lead to more GM flexibility, writing in a non-linear format is a terrible headache! I'm hopping on [MENTION=10638]Emirikol[/MENTION]'s railroad and then reformatting afterward.

 

[UselessTriviaMan]

I've had a related problem that I've pondered a solution for.

I would love an application (the kind of thing I make for a living) that would streamline the building of an adventure AND the running of it at the game table.

What I've found is NOT what I am looking for is a Word document with all the rooms numbered and description text with monster stat blocks.

Nor is it an Initiative/combat tracker matrix tool.

I envision an interface with tabs perhaps for NPCs, Places, Items, Monsters, TimeLine. I might click on Places and create a Dungeon with a map attached. Then I right-click on the area with Room 1 and choose "New Room" and fill in the flavor text and contents. I might choose or randomly roll a CR2 monster and drop that in, which also links in on the Monsters tab. The monster's gear and random loot get rolled up and will appear on the Items tab as well as on the Monster itself when I look at it directly or from the Place tab when I view Room 1.

Each Item will have a checkbox that denotes if the players have taken it. that means I can flip to the Items tab, set it to show "only taken items" and deliver a list of all the loot to the players easily.

I don't know if this is the most expediant way to design the adventure or run it, but some kind of Gaming-centric easy entry and navigating tool would make GMing a lot easier.

I might use the TimeLine to define the major point of the adventure. Each NPC has a connection to this TimeLine to reflect WHERE they are. So in the Beginning node of the TimeLine, the Mayor is at his House. In the Climax node, he's in the secret evil lair. In this way, I just set where we are in the TimeLine, and the NPCs update to their correct position. Useful for things that run on a script. Might have some issues where things have changed, but no worse than me fumbling around trying to find the Mayor's stats who was listed in Chapter 1 of the PDF, and I need him for Chapter 12 at the Evil Lair. I this way, I'd just set our TimeLine to Climax, and then look at the Evil Lair on the Places tab and the Mayor would be there, ready to be a BBEG.

I'm pretty sure that Microsoft OneNote might be the solution you're seeking. I started using it (on recommendation of the hosts of the Happy Jack's RPG Podcast) for organizing my games, and holy CRAP does this thing work. It'll do pretty much everything you listed, and it's hard for me to argue with the price of free software. Just throwin' that out there for you.

 

[GMMichael]

Flowchart Encounter

Here's one of the map-based encounters from the Modos RPG rulebook. It's VERY sandboxy, because GMs get the temple map and a character sheet for the lizard men, but no monsters are placed directly on the map or into any particular room. Even the number of lizards encountered isn't set in stone.

Notice some flowchart options, the dynamic elements (one floating, two in the flowchart), and of course, plenty of references to more detail if the GM needs it. There's also a deeper-knowledge element in the lower left corner, just in case the PCs feel like interrogating or shooting the breeze.

Comments/questions please!