[Dungeon] Top 30 Greatest Adventures Discussion (Spoilers)

[Glyfair]

I would have replaced Forge with Sunless. I don't have a problem with 3E modules being on the list, I think a couple of entries like Tomb of Horrors are only there for nostalgia; I don't believe that it should be on the list at all, as to be a Greatest Adventure List the modules ought to actually include an actual adventure in it, rather than just one TPK trap after another.

One of the criteria that was mentioned is how much influence the adventure had. Tomb of Horrors is certainly the iconic "deathtrap dungeon."


Indeed, I think this list would be interesting if they disallowed the "supermodule" compilations (except the ToEE, since it was mostly new at the time). I think Queen of Spiders would have dominated the list, since almost every adventure had something iconic about it. Maybe some of the G series wouldn't make the list and maybe D1 or D2 would fall off. Still, I'd be willing to bet all 7 would make such a list.

 

[diaglo]

this list is so bad.. they need a new word for bad.

8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 21, 23, 24, 26 should not be on the list.

 

[Arcane Runes Press]

No appearance of Dungeonland, or Land Beyond the Magic Mirror?

How sad.

Overall, not a bad list. Glad to see The Lost City is well remembered, as it's a good module.

Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil bored me silly, but that's a personal taste thing.

I would have ranked Ravenloft #1, personally, but then I'm a sucker for gothic adventure.

And I also would have ranked Return to the Tomb of Horrors much higher - that module is just wonderful.

But they have some excellent choices there.

Patrick Y.

 

[rounser]

Expedition to the Barrier Peaks at number 5???

I wonder if the judges are a bit jaded with standard D&D tropes to put that there...

 

[JesterPoet]

Ahem.... where is Orc and Pie on that list?

 

[grodog]

I still don't have Dungeon 116 (thanks for the explanation thalmin!), but it looks like I would also have issues with the list---more after I have more time to think about it (and to read it in print).

I think it would also be very interested to break down the Top 30 list by author, to see which authors' modules are most represented.

 

[rogueattorney]

I posted comments on Dragonsfoot, here they are with some amendments:

I'm glad they stepped out and put Dark Tower on the list, but where are the rest of the non-TSR/WotC mods? More on this below.

I won't quibble with the order, except Ravenloft #2? I'll give that mod props for design and influence, but it really isn't one of my favorites. Belongs on the list, but not #2.

They got the vast majority of the adventures I would have put in my top 30. I think they cheated with the supermodules, especially since many of the supermodules aren't in exactly the same form as the originals, and the originals are universally better.

The omissions:
B1 In Search of the Unknown - the only omission I'd say was glaring, historically significant, unique in design, and great to play to this day.
B5 Horror on the Hill - under-rated even among grognards, Niles' best
B7 Rahasia - Hickman's best work, IMHO, better than RL or DL.
Caverns of Thracia - better than Dark Tower, IMHO, and Paul Jaquays best work.
The lack of representation for the British designers is disapointing, only U1. B10 or one of the UK's probably should have been there.

The ones I question:
Return to ToEE and ToH? - They couldn't find any other 2e or 3e modules that weren't based off of an original for this list? Standing on the shoulders of giants and all that...
L2 Assassin's Knot - I thought L1 was significantly better.
DL1 - toot, toot, chugga-chugga, whoo! whoo! Important historically, but not one of the 30 best adventures of all time. Hickman and Niles each had better work - see above.

Firestorm Peak (2e), Forge of Fury (3e), Dead Gods (2e), City of the Spider Queen (3e), City of Skull (2e) I don't know enough about to comment.

I find it funny that they didn't name a single independent (non-WotC) 3e module. I bet if you asked the 3e fans, they'd tell you Necro and others have put out better 3e adventures than the three WotC products listed.

I think 2e is over-represented and (O)D&D and probably 3e is under-represented.

R.A.

 

[diaglo]

Firestorm Peak (2e), Forge of Fury (3e), Dead Gods (2e), City of the Spider Queen (3e), City of Skull (2e) I don't know enough about to comment.

i do. they don't belong on the list. i can think of 50 modules that should be ahead of them.

 

[rogueattorney]

I think it would also be very interested to break down the Top 30 list by author, to see which authors' modules are most represented.

A quick count. These are the authors that appeared multiple times:

Gary Gygax 7
Tracy Hickman 3
M. Cook 2
B. Cordell 2
D. Cook 3 (co-author of X1 and A-series)
L. Schick 2 (co-author of A-series)
Tom Moldvay 3 (co-author of X1)

These guys account for 20 of the 30.

R.A.

 

[jester47]

says you.

Well, they went and messed it all up again. Why can't they get anything right? Everyone knows that my favorite module should be number one. I can't understand what the panel was thinking.

Whats my favorite module?

Whatever yours is.

Heres what the list should have been:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

Please place your favorite modules in the list above with 1 being your favorite.

Then I am sure absolutely everyone would be happy with the list.

There's a lot of simpsons comic-book-guy snootyness running around here. But in a hobby like this opinion is often mistaken for expert knowledge. Sure there are selections you or I would not have made, but instead of dissing some fairly respected peoples opinions, why not make your own lists? Or, at least when you show where yours would be differernt. Lets give a little more reasoning behind our criticisms shall we?

As you can tell the "This list sucks" posts are starting to wear on some of us.

Aaron.