Module Idea-Your opinions

[FireLance]

I agree with those who said it sounds more like a one-off. Once the players get familiar with the questions, the classes and the class abilities, it's not going to be difficult to "get" the class they want and plan to min-max. So, this kind of defeats the original premise of the module.

It reminds me a bit of the old Ultima system (from Ultima IV onwards) or choosing your class and determining your ability scores by answering moral questions. After a while, I simply learned to work the system.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

So long as control and choices remain in the hands of players, this might work -- although it wouldn't be for your "traditional" gaming group.

It walks a very fine line between a creative idea and a GM railroad, though, so be careful.

As a player, I'd be pretty leery of something where I felt I wasn't in control of my choices. A certain mystery in just exactly how the character develops is one thing, I guess, but if a player has a certain character in mind to play, and the system restricts choice so that it is unlikely/impossible to play that character, then I personally would find it very frustrating.

I'd need to know more detail before rendering any sort of informed judgment, though, so good luck with your endeavor!

 

[jgbrowning]

I've failed to explain what I was thinking. The PC creation method would only be used in this module, as a tease into the new setting and to help show how the RPing will be a little different than traditional. Something that would make players go, "um.. what is this again?"

The setting book would have all the regualar information for players and PCs would be created in the normal method, but with the alternative module method available if the DM and players want that way.

joe b.

 

[Shadowdancer]

This reminds me of an old TSR module that was set in the Forgotten Realms, when that campaign setting first came out for 1E AD&D.

It was a zero-level module. The players started as zero-level characters marooned on an island in an archapelago. The island was used as a pirate base (IIRC), and they had to figure out a way to get off the island and/or defeat the pirates.

None of the characters had classes to start out with. Each characters' actions during the module determined their class by the end of the module.

As DM, you had a little score sheet for each character. You would mark their actions during the various encounters in the module, and that would give them a score indicating which class their character was moving toward.

We ran it once, and the problem we encountered was that each person had a preconceived notion of what class they wanted their character to become, so they would act in a way to enhance their chances of becoming that class. If you could take that element out of the equation, it would be a pretty interesting way to start a campaign. As long as all of the players were open-minded about the character they would end up playing.

 

[Olive]

It's an ok idea, I guess, but I'm not the target audience, or particularly interested either i'm afraid.

 

[diaglo]

take a look at N4 Treasure Hunt


and the old Greyhawk Adventures Hardback by James Ward
edit: rules for going from 0 lvl to 1st lvl

 

[Zappo]

The concept has potential. I would suggest you to develop the adventure and then use it as a public game at a con, possibly running it multiple times. That way you can see how many people like it and what you can do to make it better, before it is in print.