Seriously, though, do you prefer homebrews?

[Ruavel]

maps...

I love making maps.

Hey, want some maps?

if they're on offer...



I much prefer running homebrew adventures to anything boxed... especially anything that also has any published non-game material associated with it (ie novels etc)... players read everything and get so antsie if you don't make everything match perfectly ... (lousy players... )

the other benefit of homebrew that I encounter is that as I write something, I can plan responses for various characters etc that I don't bother writing down and just have an all-round better feel for the story...

makes for a more enjoyable experience for all, I think...

 

[BlueWing]

I said "Boxed Settings Only", and before you string me up, let me explain.

Our entire group, myself included, are pretty much completely new to D&D type games. My girlfriend and I have played a little of GURPS (More on that later), and my friend and I were in a group in middle school that generally gave up on every setting right after we finished making characters. (We played one adventure in Hero System in our entire year of playing. We got damn good at making characters, though. )

So, anyway, all we've done as a group so far is a little bit of the Diablo II game that came in the Collector's Edition of the game, and we're working on the Adventure Game box set now. I don't really like being a DM as much as I'd like to be a player, but since no one else in the group has the time to put into it, I'm kinda nominated by default. I just don't have the time or patience to do that much work for the campaigns. It took me almost two weeks just to put together a tutorial mission for the Adventure Game, based on the typical computer game tutorial, just to help my players learn what they can reasonably do.

Sorry for rambling like this, especially in my first post, but I just had a lot on my mind. I really envy those of you that can create vast epic homebrews. Perhaps I'll get better with time, but for right now, I'm drowning in the rules. Thanks for taking the time to read my inaugural post. I'll probably be back on these boards many times from now on, since I'm still not sure what I'm doing.

 

[Tonguez]

I hate making maps.

Heres a novel idea - don't use maps!

Or more correctly define your 'geospatial setting' in a different form than the traditional 'western' Map

I only use Hombrew systems and dislike detailed maps. Instead I draw overview maps (a continent with an indication of mountains and main cities) and then for the rest use text

technically I use a system which is a hybrid of traditional Polynesian and SE Asia cartography. In other words I use descriptive maps based on Polynesian Story-Maps and the Textual Maps of SE Asia

Polynesian Maps: These were oral stories passed down amongst navigators and based on Star paths. So for instance a story giving sailing directions from Vevau to Kupolu might relate that 'Maui' left the beach of Vevau and followed the 'Maiden' (planet Venus) for three days until he reached the Old Man (a reef) and then was sent over towards Mahu (Southern Cross) were he finally found the maiden at Kupolu.

For land maps I use the SE Asia 'text' maps. These were more art peices with embeded text than detailed maps and as such I tend to draw up a grid of 6 - 20 numbered squares and overlay this on a quick 'sketch' map. I then have a text statement stating what each square represents (eg Square 1 =mountains- Goblin cave) and then use text to link them

eg Square 1 = SLum, Square 2 Docks leaving the docks you find yourself in a old run down part of town, drab and grey.

 

[Cador]

Re: maps...

I much prefer running homebrew adventures to anything boxed... especially anything that also has any published non-game material associated with it (ie novels etc)... players read everything and get so antsie if you don't make everything match perfectly ... (lousy players... )

My players are exactly the opposite. I run a FR campaign, and I could never run a homebrew campaign, as my players very rarely read the handouts about the FR that I ask them to read between sessions. If I made a homebrew world, and my players didn't bother to do any reading about my world between sessions, I would get mightily depressed. So I don't even try

OTOH, they play my homebrew FR adventures with much interest. But they still don't do any homework between sessions...

 

[barsoomcore]

I use descriptive maps based on Polynesian Story-Maps and the Textual Maps of SE Asia

Okay, you NEED to post some examples of these. No, I mean it.

 

[Desdichado]

I've done both in my many years of playing, but as I really prefer making my own adventures, I find I do not have the time to do that AND worry about the big picture. So I tend anymore to use prepublished settings and make them my own. This frees me up to worry about plot, dungeons, villains, etc. without worrying about borders, oceans, gods, etc.

I much prefer microcreation to the macrocreation if you know what I mean.

I know what you mean, but I'm completely the opposite of that. Macro creation is tons of fun, but the details like maps and adventure plots and the like I often pilfer.

 

[Hand of Evil]

I use homebrew but steal everything I can from the box sets. I hope to run something in the Scarred Lands setting.

Some of it has to do with mapping, enjoy that, but some of it has to deal with the story I am building/telling with my players.

It just does not feel like mine when I use the box settings.

 

[kengar]

I am running a FR campaign right now, but often make homebrews.

That said, most "box" CS's I deal with usually get severely tweaked before running.

 

[Desdichado]

I use homebrew but steal everything I can from the box sets.

No kidding. I'll raid everything from Forgotten Realms to Different Strokes, and like a mind-less monkey, I scoop out those elements with a spatula and slap them into my own "homebrew." I'm not above stealing a good idea, nosir!

 

[barsoomcore]

Congratulations, Joshua. Is that for real?