non linear modules???

[jasper]

Except for the city modules put out by Judges Guild and from what I hear the Freeport city. Do any other modules have non linear plot lines.

G1-G3 kill 1 type giants take their stuff follow clue to different type and repeat.
Sunless go in kill the monsters while learning 3 rd edition.
???

 

[LostSoul]

Actually, all dungeon-crawling modules are non-linear because of the dungeon's design: the PCs can choose to pick any encounter next, based on the number of corridors. A railroaded dungeon would be one where rooms were connected by only one straight, long corridor.

Now, this might be what different modules (or different dungeons in the same module) might be like, but they don't have to be. Think about offering many "exits" (plot hooks to future modules/dungeons/adventures) to the PCs from the "room" (the module/dungeon/encounter/adventure) that they are currently in. Let them decide which "corridor" (you get the idea) to take.

This idea is presented in the 3e DMG, page 106 ("Behind the Curatin: Why Dungeons?").

 

[roytheodd]

I actually gave up reading modules because they're so linear. I still buy them for plundering ideas, but on the whole they're all quite linear. I think they pretty much need to be considering the material they're trying to supply.

This is off-topic, but if you're looking for a tool to add the non-linear feel to adventures then grab a copy of Robin's Laws of Good Game Mastering by Steve Jackson Games. He's got great tips in there for a less structured feel to adventures.

 

[ced1106]

The Banewarrens is **very** non-linear, despite being a dungeon crawl. Better make a flowchart before the game starts!


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[the Jester]

Town adventures tend to be non-linear, just because the pcs can do so much different stuff. If you're interested, I wrote and ran a fun lil' town adventure that I detailed in this thread and talked about in my story hour (link in my sig... it's pretty funny).

There is a lot of stuff going on in the town- politicking, trouble at the harbor, sewer monsters- and it was fun; I wrote it not knowing what the pcs would get involved in, and put in tons of rp opportunities. They bit, and it was tons of fun.

 

[Tonguez]

Islands

Islands are small and self contained sites with an infinite choice of directions to go in, but a finite selection of places to go to

The Dm can limit what is on the island and what can come in/get off the island however they can be large enough to be the site of an entire campaign.

 

[Melan]

As far as I know, The Vault of Larin Karr from Necromancer games is a nice location-based module describing a valley - and not linear at all. You can go any way you wish.
There is also Gaxmoor from Troll Lord Games - it's a city addy by EGG's sons and non-linear as well.

 

[caudor]

I converted Cleric's Challenge II to 3rd ed. and ran it one night. My players had a blast and said it felt very non-linear.

Somehow, things just clicked with that one too. I'm not sure why...I almost always use pre-written adventures instead home-made ones.

I think converting it may have forced me to 'own' it more, and thus; I was able to improvise better when they did the unexpected.

 

[the Jester]

Another great non-linear adventure is L1, the Secret of Bone Hill. There's town adventure, wilderness adventure and several dungeons to investigate all packed in that goodie. That was the first module I owned- I got it and the Basic set on the same day (that old red box, sigh)!

 

[Melan]

Yup, L1 is one... And it would work well for 3e, too.