Using Purchased Adventures: How much work do you do?

[WizarDru]

When you purchase an adventure for a game, how much customization do you do...and how much of that customization is because you have to as opposed to want to?

For example, do you prefer something that offers suggestions for customization in a module, or do you prefer the module to be more straightforward and leave that work to the individual DM?

 

[Crothian]

I do too much. Most of it is becasue I want to though. I want to include plot hooks in the module that fiit my campaign. I want to include special things for certain players that they will enjoy. I want to provide plots that will branch out into later adventures. I want the module to fit as seemlessly into my campaign as I can get it.

 

[cmanos]

I just recently bought the Shadows of the Last War, Whisper of the Vamps Blade, Grasp of the Emerald Claw trilogy. I've read through the Forgotten Forge and the first two published mods.

Forgotten Forge and Shadows are going to get extensive rewriting. While I love the setting, thes emods are a bit too straightdforward for my tastes. Vamps Blade, I really liked and can see a lot of fun in that one. Lots of chances for social faux pas. But the whole idea of one long running chase I like.

It all depends on the adventure. Some can be dropped right in with no customization at all, others I pick an overlying concept and change everything else, sometimes I just use the map and change it to whatever I want it to be.

 

[barsoomcore]

But the whole idea of one long running chase I like.

Hi. Somebody call?



Sorry, I'll try and stay on topic.

Since Barsoom is such a heavily-modded game (new magic systems, different basic classes, different races, different skills, different feats, different cosmology, different monsters...) I take for granted that any purchased adventure requires large amounts of tinkering before it will work in that campaign. Plus I am categorically incapable of NOT tinkering with game materials. I think it's genetic.

That said, I use a lot of published materials. Many DUNGEON adventures over the past few years have found their way into Barsoom, in some mutated for or other...

 

[jonesy]

Purchased adventure in strawberry marmalade by jonesy

Take a published adventure.
Replace its locales with appropriate locales in the current campaign.
Alter the encounters (read: monsters) to fit the campaign locale you placed the adventure into.
Increase/decrease the level of difficulty to fit the PC party, if necessary.
Hook up the adventure plots into the campaing plots.
Rewire current non-initiated plot lines of the campaign locale to fit or bypass the adventure plot.
Include possible small encounters, adventures and adventure hooks into the locale.
Add random dragon.
Serve with strawberry marmalade.

 

[Quickleaf]

I like adventures to offer options for customization. I have never used a single store-bought adventure without heavily customizing it. For a good example of adventures which accomodate multiple options check out the Ruins of Intrigue (UA) and the Periapt of Famidon.

Ideally an adventure includes the following options:
* Multiple PC motivations/backgrounds for being involved
* Sidebars for events like: -What if the group splits up? What if they kill the main villain too soon? How to control pacing? What if a PC dies? What changes will occur in later parts of adventure given a certain action? How do we get all this treasure out of here? What happens if the PCs fail?
* Multiple choice secrets behind each NPC and location (a la the old Al-Qadim Land of Fate boxed set with a list of secrets for each city for GM to chose from)
* Framing the adventure in different settings, (as an extended campaign, short en route adventure, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, etc)
* List of event/plot triggers that are either keyed to a timeline or open for the GM to use as they see fit.
* Detailed description of setting (locations and NPCs)
* Notes on using this adventure as part of a series, if there will be sequels
* Integrated stat blocks & detachable maps/handouts

Cheers!

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

I do too much. Most of it is becasue I want to though. I want to include plot hooks in the module that fiit my campaign. I want to include special things for certain players that they will enjoy. I want to provide plots that will branch out into later adventures. I want the module to fit as seemlessly into my campaign as I can get it.

I do pretty much the same thing when I run. I like prewritten modules, and I use them a lot. But I always make sure that they fit into the campaign, and give the players reasonable hooks and motives to do through the module. This could be as little as dropping into whichever country they're currently in, or it could be as vast as changing to the villains behind the plot to the ones the PCs have been fighting throughout the campaign.

Essentially, I use the maps, NPC and monster stats, and overall plot structure from the modules I buy. This last one (plot structure) is a bigger deal than some might think. I don't just use modules for maps and stats; those are handy, but I can come up with them on my own easily enough (and I wing the stats half the time anyhow). I also want something that's going to add to my campaign, even if it's just a quick story or a neat locale or NPC.

Really, I work things more like plug-and-play: I change the module so that it works with my system, but I still expect it to have enough to run on its own. As far as customization suggestions go, I'd like to see them, if only for the chance that the author might include something I haven't thought of. I can still use them or not, depending on how they fit into the game.

 

[TerraDave]

Alteration is of the "have to" variety. I like a good module, and I like to focus any design/prep time on the bigger campaing and of course the campaign world (see sig).

Some is flavour--changing names, that sort of thing; some is tying into the bigger plotline of the game, which again may just be a question of changing the affililation or backstory of important NPCs; some is customisation for the players, though I don't do to much of this, since I like the idea that the PCs have to take the world on on its terms. And, since there is so much out there, there is usually some cutting out/dropping/bypassing some of the adventure.

I also try to put some dynamics into the adventure, with things changing in reaction to what the PCs and NPCs are doing.

Overall though, over the years, I find I can get a lot out of fairly basic, flavour oriented changes while leaving the "stat blocks" and other crunchy stuff basically the same.

 

[the Jester]

It very much depends. Since I use a homebrewed setting, there are certain adjustments I can count on having to make- things to do with religion, geography or history- but a good module can be adjusted as needed on the fly.

 

[Crothian]

It very much depends. Since I use a homebrewed setting, there are certain adjustments I can count on having to make- things to do with religion, geography or history- but a good module can be adjusted as needed on the fly.

A good DM can adjust a good module on a fly. Adjusting on the fly is a learned skill and not everyone can do it no matter how good the module is.