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<blockquote data-quote="kenada" data-source="post: 8240999" data-attributes="member: 70468"><p>I’m running a sandbox *crawl. <a href="https://thealexandrian.net/" target="_blank">The Alexandrian</a> has been influential in how I go about managing that, though Apocalypse World has also been influential in inspiring me to be mindful of my agenda and principles. When we started our current campaign, I pitched an idea (PCs are part of an expedition exploring an uncharted region) and then built up what I needed around that.</p><p></p><p>My two primary documents are my hex map and its key. I’m in the process of transitioning to a new scale (from 12 miles to 6 miles), so the key is getting reworked. I originally tried to key every hex, but I’m only keying a subset because keying 484 hexes is too onerous. The PCs have a primary base of operations, and they set out from there to explore. I also have documents on settlements and dungeons, which get detailed as necessary.</p><p></p><p>I didn’t have any particular plots in mind when we started, and I still don’t (about 30 sessions into the campaign). Everything that’s happened (from finding their initial base camp, to moving it to a new location, and what and where to explore, etc) has happened at the PCs’ instigation. I keep a timeline of events and as well as a list of things that will seek out or interact with the PCs to change the status quo (“bangs”). Even if the PCs ignore what’s happening, the world carries on without them (e.g., they’re opted not to help with a bulette problem, so the town is trying to handle it, and that’ll result in shifts in power as factions come together against a common foe).</p><p></p><p>One thing I try to do (and this is part of the Apocalypse World influence) is name every NPC and try to create relationships between them and the PCs. When the PCs went to recruit retainers a few sessions ago, they all had details and personalities. Alas, the PCs’ subsequent mission ended in a rout, so they’ve decided to part ways with the surviving retainers. However, they’re part of the world, and I’m sure they’ll show up at times in the future.</p><p></p><p>Because of the sheer scope (especially since this is a homebrew setting), a lot of my prep is just-in-time. I feel pretty comfortable improvising though, and if something does get too screwed up, we can fix (retcon) it. That’s not really been necessary though. The biggest challenge has been getting concrete plans out of my PCs. They’ll say they want to do one thing and then go do the opposite. Last session, they had a great plan for attacking a pack of ghouls, which they abandoned (causing the previously mentioned rout).</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="kenada, post: 8240999, member: 70468"] I’m running a sandbox *crawl. [URL='https://thealexandrian.net/']The Alexandrian[/URL] has been influential in how I go about managing that, though Apocalypse World has also been influential in inspiring me to be mindful of my agenda and principles. When we started our current campaign, I pitched an idea (PCs are part of an expedition exploring an uncharted region) and then built up what I needed around that. My two primary documents are my hex map and its key. I’m in the process of transitioning to a new scale (from 12 miles to 6 miles), so the key is getting reworked. I originally tried to key every hex, but I’m only keying a subset because keying 484 hexes is too onerous. The PCs have a primary base of operations, and they set out from there to explore. I also have documents on settlements and dungeons, which get detailed as necessary. I didn’t have any particular plots in mind when we started, and I still don’t (about 30 sessions into the campaign). Everything that’s happened (from finding their initial base camp, to moving it to a new location, and what and where to explore, etc) has happened at the PCs’ instigation. I keep a timeline of events and as well as a list of things that will seek out or interact with the PCs to change the status quo (“bangs”). Even if the PCs ignore what’s happening, the world carries on without them (e.g., they’re opted not to help with a bulette problem, so the town is trying to handle it, and that’ll result in shifts in power as factions come together against a common foe). One thing I try to do (and this is part of the Apocalypse World influence) is name every NPC and try to create relationships between them and the PCs. When the PCs went to recruit retainers a few sessions ago, they all had details and personalities. Alas, the PCs’ subsequent mission ended in a rout, so they’ve decided to part ways with the surviving retainers. However, they’re part of the world, and I’m sure they’ll show up at times in the future. Because of the sheer scope (especially since this is a homebrew setting), a lot of my prep is just-in-time. I feel pretty comfortable improvising though, and if something does get too screwed up, we can fix (retcon) it. That’s not really been necessary though. The biggest challenge has been getting concrete plans out of my PCs. They’ll say they want to do one thing and then go do the opposite. Last session, they had a great plan for attacking a pack of ghouls, which they abandoned (causing the previously mentioned rout). [/QUOTE]
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