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<blockquote data-quote="zakael19" data-source="post: 9641054" data-attributes="member: 7044099">So let's take something like Dolmenwood, a world set up specifically to facilitate fairly open ended hex-crawl play. This includes endless tables of random encounters by zones, rumors, NPC encounters in specific hexes, wants/needs/goals for various factions &amp; characters; etc. On top of that, it's set up to naturally drop in various of the OSE or community dungeons. I don't consider this to be linear by default, because a) by and large there's nothing gating the players off from wandering in a random direction within the boundaries of the map (and possibly being eaten by grues, but still) to find adventure; b) well made dungeons may have a goal but the purpose is generally getting treasure out while still alive; and c) there's no plot through line by default.I think it's really the latter bit that's key. Once you start saying &quot;ok, we're here to rescue the Lady's daughter - and to do that you must a/b/c (but maybe you can skip B, you'll just have a harder time), and that's the purpose of play.&quot; Now you're in linear adventure mode IMO.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="zakael19, post: 9641054, member: 7044099"] So let's take something like Dolmenwood, a world set up specifically to facilitate fairly open ended hex-crawl play. This includes endless tables of random encounters by zones, rumors, NPC encounters in specific hexes, wants/needs/goals for various factions & characters; etc. On top of that, it's set up to naturally drop in various of the OSE or community dungeons. I don't consider this to be linear by default, because a) by and large there's nothing gating the players off from wandering in a random direction within the boundaries of the map (and possibly being eaten by grues, but still) to find adventure; b) well made dungeons may have a goal but the purpose is generally getting treasure out while still alive; and c) there's [I]no plot through line by default.[/I] I think it's really the latter bit that's key. Once you start saying "ok, we're here to rescue the Lady's daughter - and to do that you must a/b/c (but maybe you can skip B, you'll just have a harder time), and [I]that's the purpose of play." [/I]Now you're in linear adventure mode IMO. [/QUOTE]

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