publishers, etc: what i'd love to see

[darkbard]

wilderness adventures are hard. city adventures are hard. sure, the dmg has some advice (mostly on an abstract level) for running such games but barely scapes the surface. despite the glut of d20 products out there, no one has really attempted a product aimed at the dm that would provide game mechanics, etc for easing a dm into this sort of game.

i've complained before about how difficult it is to make a wilderness adventure more than just a "dungeon out-of-doors," as far as structure and encounter types go. it would be great to see a product that expands on the core rules to this purpose. for example, we know how track and wilderness lore work, but what about a system that explores what those dice rolls mean for the ranger, etc. you rolled a 24 on wilderness lore while travelling through the bleak expanse. great, but what does that mean? is there a tangible effect on the game? does the ranger glean insight into what area denizens there are, or how the local food chain works, or what?

sure, i could make up rules like this myself to fit a plethora of situations, but i'd rather spend my time playing a workable system than designing something more of my own. either that or i'm just lazy. what do you think? are others interested in this sort of rules expansion product?

 

[Cintra]

I'll vote in favor of that one. Although it would need to discuss how to resolve specific rules issues in those settings, I'd rather see the main focus be on how to design adventures for those sorts of settings. For example, the "cities" version should talk about how to create murder mysteries in communities of various sizes, with types of clues and how to introduce plot twists; how to develop a storyline involving upper class social events and political maneuvering; how to introduce lots of minor elements that eventually reveal multiple, not-necessarily-related storylines within the city...

 

[Mouseferatu]

Check the "Explorer's Guides" thread in the Publishers forum. Monkey God Enterprises is doing an entire series of "environmental" guides. Desert, tropics, arctic--it's all going to be there.

Someone else is doing a similar series as well, but since I'm part of the Monkey God family (even though I'm not working on this project), and since I know how excited the authors are to be working on it, I think these'll be the best. But I'm biased.

 

[MEG Hal]

We have setting sourcebooks coming out as well.
Desert in September
and in different stages: arctic, underwater, deep forest, tropics etc....
If all things go well we will have an Interludes come out 30-60 days before release of each setting book.

 

[darkbard]

okay, it appears at least two publishers are currently working on supplements to fill what i see as a fertile area for development. this is great, and since these products are still in the writing stage, it is possible that some of our desires might shape development. that said, and keeping in mind that the publishers largely view this the same way if their comments in the publishers' forum thread hold true, i think the emphasis needs to be on dm adventure design and rules expansion with regard to existent skills and feats rules, etc.

what we don't need is a slew of prestige classes, new skills, etc. but ways to put current rules elements into play in a setting beyond the dungeon. for example, how can a dm go about designing a wilderness adventure in a non-linear "railroad" fashion; how to incorporate the skills, spells and feats of rangers, druids, barbarians, etc. into such a game in a meaningful way (besides providing food or tracking the foe); how to make one forest different from another, and how to make this difference tangible through play; etc.