Schooling Classic and Modern Adventures

[Doug McCrae]

Strikeback - a superhero adventure in White Dwarf #58. Its overall structure is linear. It has three scenes, each an adventure location, and if the players don't figure out the connection from one scene to the next the adventure comes to a grinding halt. Both connections are rather tenuous, and the first has some obvious NPC prodding to get it to work.

But what I love about this adventure is the flavour text, not the structure. It's five pages long and contains time travel, Sherlock Holmes, the Bavarian Illuminati, Dracula, Frankenstein and his monster, The Nautilus, and a Terminator-esque killer robot from the future. It packs so much great content into a small space.

 

[Raven Crowking]

[MENTION=31216]Bullgrit[/MENTION]: I made a humour thread to avoid spamming this thread with that sort of thing.

[MENTION=6675688]Vespucci[/MENTION]: Feel free to describe balls in my humour thread.

 

[the Jester]

One I dislike:

Pyramid of Shadows

This one involves a fairly linear dungeon with a variety of different monsters thrown together fairly nonsensically and a few neat traps.

It's set up with a "can't escape if you take to long" element that is subverted in the text when it encourages the dm to ignore the pcs taking too long.

The module has an interesting villain who pops up again and again (sort of, anyhow).

Hmm... again, I don't know of a great match to this. The "no escape if you take too long" element was present in Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan, which I love (although it wasn't subverted IIRC); the monster/trap mix is reminiscent of early modules with the weird monster mashups going on.

There are plenty of other fairly linear maps in adventures, though I can't think of any off hand (I don't think I own the right old modules for that anymore...).

Interestingly, some of those modules I'm comparing it to are ones that I like a great deal. I think what makes me dislike PoS is the combination of the "time limit (not really)" and the linearity of it.

 

[steeldragons]

I would like to encourage [MENTION=31216]Bullgrit[/MENTION] and reiterate [MENTION=85555]Bedrockgames[/MENTION] point (can't XP you just now, sorry ).

It is a fun, interesting and provocative topic...there is no reason it should be inflammatory.

For my contribution...one of my all time favorites:

• I have a thorough and difficult "wilderness" section of encounters, combative and diplomatic, filled with known creatures and monsters as well as terrain-based hazards.
• I have an extensive underground section, whether or not this constitutes a "dungeon delve" or simply "exploration" is up for debate...I am inclined to say, yes, it is...both
• I include a variety of "new" and "old" races and/or monsters never encountered before this adventure. How the party interacts with them may or may not ease their passing (in both sense of the word .
• I have interesting twists on known monsters, new monsters, traps and tricks, both mundane and magical, that might easily be dealt with...or require more complexity...just depends on the party/players.
• I have a supreme "bad guy" and treasure at the end/deepest level, though it was never a "macguffin" the party went in for intentionally...but could significantly empower them if they can find, claim, and utlize it....though not without future risks or consequences.
• What adventure am I?

--SD

 

[Diamond Cross]

Oh, I thought this was going to be a game. Sorry.

 

[the Jester]

For my contribution...one of my all time favorites:

• I have a thorough and difficult "wilderness" section of encounters, combative and diplomatic, filled with known creatures and monsters as well as terrain-based hazards.
• I have an extensive underground section, whether or not this constitutes a "dungeon delve" or simply "exploration" is up for debate...I am inclined to say, yes, it is...both
• I include a variety of "new" and "old" races and/or monsters never encountered before this adventure. How the party interacts with them may or may not ease their passing (in both sense of the word .
• I have interesting twists on known monsters, new monsters, traps and tricks, both mundane and magical, that might easily be dealt with...or require more complexity...just depends on the party/players.
• I have a supreme "bad guy" and treasure at the end/deepest level, though it was never a "macguffin" the party went in for intentionally...but could significantly empower them if they can find, claim, and utlize it....though not without future risks or consequences.
• What adventure am I?

--SD

Both L1 and WG4 seem to fit.

 

[steeldragons]

Both L1 and WG4 seem to fit.

HA! Nope on both counts.

Though, I am sure they both do apply (deferring to your knowledge)...neither was the module I was referring to.

...Now, I'm wracking my brain to remember if I've ever played or DMed L1 OR WG4...hmmm. I know I own both...but if I played them...L1, yes, definitely though my memories of the actual adventure are slim...WG4...if I did, I must have died horribly early on.

DAMN! Now I want to go play WG4 and it's back in the attic in Jersey...Devil!
lol.

--SD

 

[ExploderWizard]

I have a thorough and difficult "wilderness" section of encounters, combative and diplomatic, filled with known creatures and monsters as well as terrain-based hazards.

• I have an extensive underground section, whether or not this constitutes a "dungeon delve" or simply "exploration" is up for debate...I am inclined to say, yes, it is...both
• I include a variety of "new" and "old" races and/or monsters never encountered before this adventure. How the party interacts with them may or may not ease their passing (in both sense of the word .
• I have interesting twists on known monsters, new monsters, traps and tricks, both mundane and magical, that might easily be dealt with...or require more complexity...just depends on the party/players.
• I have a supreme "bad guy" and treasure at the end/deepest level, though it was never a "macguffin" the party went in for intentionally...but could significantly empower them if they can find, claim, and utlize it....though not without future risks or consequences.
• What adventure am I?

--SD

Sounds like S4 Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth to me.