Modules: Made to Read vs Made to Run?

[overgeeked]

I agree with you there. Although I also think @Lanefan has a point: information density means less page jumping, and/or better value per page that you are paying for.

Information density as in more information per page, right? That’s an argument for bullet points and clipped descriptions rather than large paragraphs you have to dig through to get to the buried tidbits.

Consider a 250-page module for $50 that could be easily summarized and converted to a 50-page module for $10. Fewer pages to flip. Higher information density. Lower cost. Better value per page. Etc.

 

[GrimCo]

In general, i think more people buy adventures/modules to read, mine for ideas, or snatch parts to implement into their existing games. Sure, there are people who buy them to run them straight up. But, made to read module, with some work, can be run straigh up. Made to run modules are more condensed, have less fluff, and aren't as good as pure read or idea mine.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In general, i think more people buy adventures/modules to read, mine for ideas, or snatch parts to implement into their existing games.

I agree with the first thought, but not the latter two.

I think WotC, like White Wolf before it, relies heavily on the non-playing customer.

That said, they often also seem unaware of a lot of the things that are happening in the non-5E RPG space, so I suspect at least some of their designers don't know that there are alternatives to the way TSR and WotC have almost always done things. Given that they largely recruit from the 5E community, and many of those community members are similarly unaware of anything beyond WotC's boundaries, that's not a big surprise.

That's not a criticism of anyone involved, but one often doesn't know what one doesn't know.

It's sort of like being a resident of the Roman Empire. One wouldn't expect many of those millions of people to know much about what lay beyond the empire's borders. Everyone they know lives in the empire and the empire seems to have everything they need.

 

[zakael19]

That said, they often also seem unaware of a lot of the things that are happening in the non-5E RPG space, so I suspect at least some of their designers don't know that there are alternatives to the way TSR and WotC have almost always done things. Given that they largely recruit from the 5E community, and many of those community members are similarly unaware of anything beyond WotC's boundaries, that's not a big surprise.

Questing Beasts' review of the FR campaign setting's little encounters suggested this as well, yeah.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Information density as in more information per page, right? That’s an argument for bullet points and clipped descriptions rather than large paragraphs you have to dig through to get to the buried tidbits.

Yes, exactly.

 

[Bill Zebub]

What does time spent reading something (presumably) enjoyable have to do with having a trust fund?

Not the enjoyable part. The claim that 4x time required to read (8 minutes per encounter, rather than 2 minutes) is not a problem.

Sure, back in junior high in '81 I happily stayed up all night with a flashlight reading RPGs.

Not anymore.

 

[Micah Sweet]

Not the enjoyable part. The claim that 4x time required to read (8 minutes per encounter, rather than 2 minutes) is not a problem.

Sure, back in junior high in '81 I happily stayed up all night with a flashlight reading RPGs.

Not anymore.

Sorry to hear that. I'm nearly 50 and I do it all the time. Without a trust fund, even!

 

[GrimCo]

I think WotC, like White Wolf before it, relies heavily on the non-playing customer.

Not so much no playing as realizing that DMs are small percentage of player base. Those succinct, condensed, ready to run, modules cater primary to DM audience. Fluff (lore) filled modules that are fun to just read (and take ideas and inspirations) will be bought by both DM and players (for different reasons). So from pure economic stand point, it makes sense to make them apealing to broadest possible customer base.