Living Forgotten Realms

[darjr]

One of the greatly underappreciated things about LFR is the exposure to lots of different DM's and players and styles.

It is a continuous wonder to me how adventures are morphed by the DM running them. Every DM should be so lucky to see so many DM's attack the same adventure in so many wonderful ways. It really can be a treat and a learning experience.

 

[smerwin29]

This is so true. I have been blessed with the opportunity to watch many different DMs run adventures that I have written, and it is a wonder to see so many different storytelling, game play, and roleplaying styles in action.

 

[MrMyth]

Well, in this news release
RPGA Report: More LFR? You Got It!

They mention that they're doign 'mini arcs' for LFR modules to play in sequence, to allow for an overarching plot line.

Mind you, I don't know anything about it other than what is mentioned in that article, so I don't know how well it addresses what you refer to. But it at least seemed tangent to your topic.

Yeah, that's exactly what I was thinking of when mentioning 'good strides' being made. Currently story arcs tend to involve adventures spread out over many levels - making it harder for them to feel quite as connected. Having some that flow together more smoothly will go a long way towards feeling like storylines are actually developing as you play.

 

[MrMyth]

Perhaps the solution here is to have a two-prong approach to RPGA events. Have some be more tactical and/or power gamer oriented (tougher encounters, more heavily scripted) and others less tactical and more story/character oriented.

There actually is already a built-in element that already helps with this - each adventure has two versions, and can be played 'high' or 'low'. While designed in theory to let a group adjust based on what level they are, it also means a more combat-intensive group can opt for the greater challenge, while a more RP focused group can aim for the easier approach, giving them more time to focus on story and character.

The adventures themselves also run the spectrum. Some will be filled with lots of skill challenges and roleplaying, and only have one or two actual combat encounters. Others might be a straightforward dungeon crawl. You can usually get a good sense of how one will play out from the blurb, or from asking around.

Some mods have been pretty easy, some more recent ones have gotten more challenging. I've only run into one that seemed in the style of 'LG TPK-tough' (I'm looking at you, Shawn!), but I was able to convince my friends not to quit the campaign because of one lone mod - and the great thing is that the campaign administration has absolutely shown a willingness to communicate with the players, to listen openly to criticism and respond with genuine efforts to continually improve the game.

As much as I enjoyed LG, and the history my characters built within it, I firmly believed the LFR is a much better designed system at its core, and will only keep improving as the campaign continues.

 

[UniversalMonster]

LFR has been awesome, and I'm really proud of how the campaign has developed.

One thing not to overlook is the MyRealms templates, which allow individual DMs to create adventures that are considered to be within the continuity of Living Realms. So if there is a particular location or linking plot that a DM wants to pursue, he can write those adventures himself.

I've been using the low-level MyRealms template to create a whole series of more roleplaying-intensive adventures in Cormyr for an adventuring company based around a magical academy. From there we branch out on field trips into the existing adventures, and generally link them up into a real plotline that focuses directly on the characters.

As an example, in one adventure, a fey-pact warlock PC was killed, in game terms, we went through the resurrection ritual, but since that PC would not be present at the next game, I wrote and ran a follow up adventure that involved journeying into the feywild (accompanied by the PCs fey cat familiar) in pursuit of the PCs soul. They eventually rescued it from a hag and encountered the cult of Voldini.. which is setting them up to play AGLA1-1 (an Aglarond module that involves the Voldini cult).

 

[Thanlis]

This is so true. I have been blessed with the opportunity to watch many different DMs run adventures that I have written, and it is a wonder to see so many different storytelling, game play, and roleplaying styles in action.

I'll second that, even without the "I have written" bit. Seeing how different DMs handle an adventure is fascinating and enlightening and has certainly made me a better DM.

 

[Blastin]

Wow...thanks for all the great input.
Guess I hadn't considered that replaying a mod I ran would allow for focus on the character. Getting to see another DM's style with the same mod could also be pretty enlightening and I can always learn something.
Overall this is now really making me want to get into playing LFR
And the write your own mods sounds cool as well.

 

[Dedekind]

One issue you may run into is that sometimes there are more people willing to play than are willing to run. At least, that was how it was the first year in my area.

Overall, I like the adventures, both as a player and a DM.

 

[Blastin]

One issue you may run into is that sometimes there are more people willing to play than are willing to run. At least, that was how it was the first year in my area.

Overall, I like the adventures, both as a player and a DM.

I think that's always been a problem, at least it was back in the LG and LC days anyway. I would think that this would be relieved somewhat by the replay option however.

 

[Glyfair]

There actually is already a built-in element that already helps with this - each adventure has two versions, and can be played 'high' or 'low'. While designed in theory to let a group adjust based on what level they are, it also means a more combat-intensive group can opt for the greater challenge, while a more RP focused group can aim for the easier approach, giving them more time to focus on story and character.

Which is well and good if you have access to the "network." Finding out details about RGPA scenarios in advance has typically been an exercise in frustration, I have found, unless you are plugged into the network.

It also assumes everyone else is. As I stated above, the biggest challenges are groups with at least two members towards the extremes. Even if you go for an "easier" tactical adventure, your enjoyment can be hurt by the extreme mix-max player who shows up and walks over the scenario and isn't interested in much roleplaying. In the other direction, if you go for a challenging scenario and find a couple of players are the opposite of optimized than your chance of defeating the extra-tough scenario is close to nil.

With scenarios marked as leaning in one direction or another, those players will tend to select the scenarios for them. Without that, there will be players who won't have any idea and go for potluck and be "wrong,"