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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 2401657" data-attributes="member: 8835">Actually, if you touch it up a bit more, you could post it here at enworld in the articles system (see the top-right section of the site's homepage).Some additional advice:when a player tries to go off alone, they're trying to get more attention than the other players.  Additionally, few DMs are prepared for this, so they have to make stuff up, or tone things down so the PC doesn't get killed.  Lastly, this usually leaves the rest of the players sitting for X minutes while ONE player dominates the game.The solution is to respond to the one player with "OK, you go off alone down the side trail.  I'll get back to you're character later"  and then continue with the rest of the party.  This rewards the folks who stuck together, and gives you time to determine the impact of the lone player.  You're basic responses later, for the lone player should default to:"you find nothing down the trail, when you return, you find the party has left without you""the trail leads up to where the rest of the party is fighting an X" (to bring the PC back to the rest of the  party)Basically, don't reward the loner player by giving him a 1 on 1 encounter and some treasure that nobody else gets a chance at.  At best, he should get to return to where the party was, and have to trail the party to their new location, and arrive in time to help the party, which is working on the next encounter (even better, the party is divvying up the treasure from the encounter they dealt with without the loner).In an article, I'd refrain from entering a debate on which game system is best for a beginner, or which one is rules-light.  Either stick to abstract ideas, without referencing a game system, or stick to one system and describe how to to utilize its strengths in your example.For example, in D&D-centric advice, suggest the DM limit PCs to what's in the PH.  Suggest the DM plan all combat encounters using creatures from the MM, and that he limit the encounter strength to no more than +1EL over what the party's average level is.Some other advice, to help prevent railroading, is to plot out your adventure, as if the party did exactly what you intended.  Then, at each point, consider what should happen if the party doesn't do it.  By considering things from this perspective, you'll be more prepared for deviations in the plan, and likely build a more robust adventure.A good first adventure would be location based (like a dungeon, or abandoned building).  They are slightly easier to run.  Either give the players a map (a hand-copied map of the GM's map, without the hidden stuff) or help draw out the map as you go.  This will speed up game play,  and keep things moving.  The advantage to location-based format is that the players generally make all the decisions (go left, go right, find monster, fight), making it easier on the GM.  You don't have to rely on them following clues and coming to the same points, as in an event-driven adventure.Based on the last 2 bits of advice, you take the stereotypical adventure of find dungeon, kill monsters, take their stuff, and make it more foolproof:Original Plan:NPC sells duneon map to PCsPCs go to dungeonPCs enter dungeonPCs explore, kill monsters, take their stuffRevised Plan:NPC OFFERS to sell duneon map to PCsELSE:-PCs steal the map, let them get away with it-PCs ignore the NPC, orc slavers capure a merchant's wagon, merchant escapes to town, tells PCs, offers to pay them to retrieve his merchandise (orcs are working out of dungeon)PCs go to dungeonELSE:-PCs ignore the above, if they leave town, they encounter orcs attacking some peasants.  Child is taken by retreating orcs (back a dungeon)-PCs don't leave town, the town is attacked by orcs, the inn the players stay at is raided, perhaps something of the PCs is taken (horses, backpack, something simple).PCs enter dungeonELSE:-PCs don't enter, have small party of orcs come out, on patrol, patrol tries to spot the party (OR party might ambush orcs).PCs explore, kill monsters, take their stuffELSE:-PCs sit in one room for too long, monster from another room comes inI would assume the dungeon has 4-5 rooms in it, and based on my ELSE logic, must have some number of orcs living there, and maybe some other critters.  Once you populate the dungeon with the orcs, you can use the same ones for raiding the peasants or inn, keeping the internal logic consistent.By going through the above exercise, you've taken a linear adventure path and added some flexibility to it.  I really ought to write an article on that topic myself...Janx</blockquote>

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