running multiple quest lines simultaneously

[Omegaxicor]

Is it wise/possible to play multiple quest lines simultaneously or is a bad idea, experience would be appreciated before I end up showing my hand and confusing the player's (once they have started a quest line they can't really go back and unknow everything they have learned about it's beginning).

and in case it isn't clear by multiple quest lines I mean that during the campaign they are searching for an artifact/artefact and while locating it they are sidetracked by another "major" quest that is entirely unrelated, for example, seeking the Sceptre of Pelor to destroy the Undead being randomly created by a plague sweeping from the east (and in turn finding out how it all started) but then finding out about a massive Orc/Goblin/Ogre army being assembled by an unknown commander "impersonating" a large Orc and trying to thwart his schemes by creating an alliance of Elves, Men and Dwarves while defeating the army's lieutenants.

 

[the Jester]

IMHO one of the things that makes a good campaign is having lots of options for major plotlines that the pcs can pick up (or put back down).

I really don't see a problem with it- if the pcs get confused by the fact that not all bad guys work together, well, that's such a naive starting premise that I would just let them figure it out without providing any real hints- it should become obvious over time. And who cares if they can't unknow everything they've learned about one problem/quest/bad guy? They certainly CAN ignore it! And that is what makes D&D awesome- you get to decide what to engage with and then deal with the problems created by the bad guys you DON'T slay later!

 

[Omegaxicor]

what I meant by unknow what they have learned is if I started a storyline and then they got confused as to where they were up to and what they were doing, I couldn't decide to stop that quest and start it again after they have completed the one they are doing.

 

[Sunseeker]

If players are having trouble remembering where they did what or who they did it with, that means they need to work on their bookeeping.

When Bob the farmer tells me that there are Kobolds raiding his farm from the Abandoned Mine to the south, there are three simple things to keep track of: the "who", the "what" and the "where".
1: Who am I working for? Bob.
2: What am I going after: Kobolds
3: Where are they: The Abandoned Mine to the south.
So I may note down: Bob, Kobolds, Abandoned Mine, south.

Now if anyone else forgets or I forget or the DM gives us other things, I still have that note: Bob, Kobolds, Mine, South.

Now, multiple quests also has a "living world" or "persistent world" implication.
Is your world alive? That is: If the players delve into the Abandoned Mine, but get sidetracked, does their attack have a lasting effect, even if the end-goal was not achieved? Do the Kobolds react to the player attack? How do the kobolds react? Do they wait for the players to leave and then raid Bob's farm? Do they run away in fear? When the players return to the mine what will they find? Regrouping, better-armed kobolds? Nothing? Some new monster inhabiting it's depths?

Or, is your world persistent? Do the Kobolds stay regardless of player action? Are they still poorly trained and poorly armed even after the attack? Do they launch no counter attack against Bob?


It's important to consider what the world is doing while your players are away, if the world does anything at all. If players aren't hunting down an assassin and instead searching for the "Lost Relic of Rudy" does the assassins trail go cold? Does he commit more killings? And to the reverse, if they stop searching for the Relic while hunting the assassin, could someone else claim it first?

 

[the Jester]

what I meant by unknow what they have learned is if I started a storyline and then they got confused as to where they were up to and what they were doing, I couldn't decide to stop that quest and start it again after they have completed the one they are doing.

It all depends on your playstyle, but for me, the players decide when to start and stop a given adventure or quest. If they abandon one completely, that's okay; but the actions of the npcs go on, and their evil plots go on, either to succeed or to fail or to something in between.

Generally speaking, I feel like keeping track of what they are doing is a responsibility that is firmly in the players' court; often it helps if they keep notes. The more complex the campaign, the wiser this is of them, and the more detailed they prolly want to make said notes. But regardless, it's completely on them.

 

[Libramarian]

I think you need to be a little more flexible in your conception of a quest--think in terms of the NPCs and what they want and how they can go about it.

Or just stick to one quest.

 

[Piratecat]

I usually have 3-4 interweaving plot lines going on at any one time. I make sure no one gets bored by skipping between them as needed. Works quite well.

 

[nijineko]

i have one pbp rpg where each player is in their own thread and all running simultaneously. no one has actually ran into each other yet.

 

[pemerton]

I did have one campaign grind to a halt after 8 years when no one, even me (as GM), could remember all the details of what the PCs' major enemy was up to, and his rationale for the various things he was doing. We pulled the plug and started a new campaign (that ended up running for 11 years) and I was more careful about keeping track of things, and keeping the complexity under control.

So my advice would be - if the plots/quests are completely seperate, keep at least one of them fairly simple, to help the players manage the information load. And if you find a way to link the plots/quests in some way - for instance, maybe it turns out that the plague is being caused by Orcus, and the goblin army is being assembled by servants of Bane who see a unified army of goblins as the only way to stop the chaotic Orcus from destroying the world.

Then the PCs can choose one side or the other, or maybe come up with a way to stop both Orcus and Bane!

 

[nijineko]

timeline software. one that tracks multiple timelines. it is your friend. and helps remind you to advance the other timelines along with the plot.