Making a 1980s D&D Module: The History of QUAGMIRE

D&D historian Jon Peterson has taken a detailed look at the process of making the 1980s D&D module, Quagmire. It's a wonderful insight into how adventure publishing worked back then. It's especially interesting if you're a small-press publisher today, with access to layout, editing, and other design technology not available in the 1980s.

Click here for the full article.

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[Deuce Traveler]

I have this module and really need to break it out again. The exploration of ruined cities is always a fun diversion.

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

This was actually the first module I ever DMed. I stuck the peninsula and island on to my homebrew world maps and sent my PCs into the swamp.

 

[chando]

giggity giggity giggity...

 

[ExploderWizard]

Great article. It took quite a bit of effort to get modules published back then but man was it worth it. Those old module formats are still the easiest and best to use at the table with their separate map foldouts and relatively short booklets that were easy to flip through. I still treasure all the ones that I own.

 

[Zil]

Interesting article and also nice to see the photo of the early 80s TSR design staff. You might want to change the subject line for this article though. It's not an AD&D adventure - it's from the BECM line.

 

[Hussar]

Fascinating read. My wife, glancing over my shoulder as I read, saw the picture of the staff and commented that it looks like it came straight out of Big Bang Theory. That's a whole lot of facial hair.

Interesting story though.

 

[Grainger]

.

 

[grizzo]

Look it's Pornstache Conan!