What do you Want in a Module?
- Thread starter Momeeche
- Start date
RangerWickett
Legend
I want there to be something bad going on that the PCs can thwart. I want the PCs to have decisions that have consequences beyond simply whether they die in combat. There needs to be a story component, not just combat, and the PCs need to spend most of the adventure driving that story (though it's okay if occasionally they're reacting, rather than just acting).
At least one action scene needs to be distinctive and fun to tell your friends about. Almost no scene should come down to "fight some guys in some room." There needs to be something pivotal to the scene, either stopping a bad thing from happening, or unearthing a secret, or just a very unique set-up (possibly with weird rules changes just for this scene -- like variable gravity or having the PCs mind control wild animals or something).
At least one action scene needs to be distinctive and fun to tell your friends about. Almost no scene should come down to "fight some guys in some room." There needs to be something pivotal to the scene, either stopping a bad thing from happening, or unearthing a secret, or just a very unique set-up (possibly with weird rules changes just for this scene -- like variable gravity or having the PCs mind control wild animals or something).
A good story.
Actual effects on the PCs' world due to their actions.
A good large dungeon to explore with a fair amount of treasure.
A good challenge that is not impossible to overcome, just really tough.
Non linear.
Actual effects on the PCs' world due to their actions.
A good large dungeon to explore with a fair amount of treasure.
A good challenge that is not impossible to overcome, just really tough.
Non linear.
To separate the average from the good:
A good module has little to no railroading, with the possible exception of the "hook".
A good module has colorful NPCs with interesting personalities and Interesting dialogue suggestions.
A good module has opponents with resonable desires and motives... IE, outnumbered goblins don't pick fights with well armed adventurers. A pack of hyeneas with a fresh kill doesn't abandon the kill to chase after adventurers.
A good module is relatively free of spelling and grammer errors, has reasonably correct stat blocks for opponents, and is a pleasure to read.
A good module does not ever have the characters bystanders while major NPCs perform the real heroic actions.
A good module has one or more ethical problems... problems where there is no "correct" solution, but rather the solution that works best is what fits the characters motives... For example, if an important NPC is abusing his or her spouce, do you try to break up the marriage, ignore the problem, or threaten the NPC to change their ways?
In a good module, the maps are clear, correctly labeled, and have no problems like unreachable rooms or missing stairways.
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A great module has player handouts.
A great module has beautiful artwork that can be shown to the players.
A great module might have counters for the opponents (if it is a game system that relies on counters).
A good module has little to no railroading, with the possible exception of the "hook".
A good module has colorful NPCs with interesting personalities and Interesting dialogue suggestions.
A good module has opponents with resonable desires and motives... IE, outnumbered goblins don't pick fights with well armed adventurers. A pack of hyeneas with a fresh kill doesn't abandon the kill to chase after adventurers.
A good module is relatively free of spelling and grammer errors, has reasonably correct stat blocks for opponents, and is a pleasure to read.
A good module does not ever have the characters bystanders while major NPCs perform the real heroic actions.
A good module has one or more ethical problems... problems where there is no "correct" solution, but rather the solution that works best is what fits the characters motives... For example, if an important NPC is abusing his or her spouce, do you try to break up the marriage, ignore the problem, or threaten the NPC to change their ways?
In a good module, the maps are clear, correctly labeled, and have no problems like unreachable rooms or missing stairways.
-------------------
A great module has player handouts.
A great module has beautiful artwork that can be shown to the players.
A great module might have counters for the opponents (if it is a game system that relies on counters).
Oryan77
Adventurer
Roleplaying opportunities.
Boxed text that gives a sample of what an NPC might say (so the DM can get an idea for the personality of the NPC & roleplay it better). Why do adventures not do this anymore?
Nice maps with interesting layouts. I hate the square rooms with rectangle hallways over and over. It is also nice when the rooms have interesting features to them (maybe a fountain, a waterfall/stream, statues, odd trap, etc etc).
Boxed text that gives a sample of what an NPC might say (so the DM can get an idea for the personality of the NPC & roleplay it better). Why do adventures not do this anymore?
Nice maps with interesting layouts. I hate the square rooms with rectangle hallways over and over. It is also nice when the rooms have interesting features to them (maybe a fountain, a waterfall/stream, statues, odd trap, etc etc).
Ampolitor
Explorer
A good module HAS to have two things, 1) A good story that the PC's will actually care about and get involved in to help the story along. 2) A memorable villain, not the Kobold leader, it has to have a name personality. They have to have character, the PC's need to want to defeat him. Some of the best adventures were based on stories with great villains, like the I6 Ravenloft.
This is going to sound dumb but a good module should be modular. You should be able to use any module in any (relatively typical) campaign with minimal effort. You should be able to modify it quickly and easily. Finally, it should *not* leave a crater in your campaign world if things go horribly awry.
Extra points if it is easy to run at the table.
Extra points if it is easy to run at the table.
Maps for the DM.
Handouts for the players, with a DM marked version for anything special the players shouldnt see, but need to be denoted.
Well playtested adventure/scenario.
Plot related NPCs as opposed to generic ones.
Background info on places and NPCs enough in case the players go off the beaten track a little to guide the DM in direction to know what the NPCs would be doing if not standing around waiting for the PCs to meet them in Room 11a of the "dungeon". These motives and such could be in an Appendix to be read and understood before running.
Story that gives reason to play it.
Ability to plug into any game, while still allowing for the module to continue in a series if wanted.
Pre-gened character so you can just play right away if you don't want to take the time making them.
Tokens or fold-ups that can be photocopied/printed to have the correct representations needed for any combat situation where a physical representation is needed for some players. Properly named, not just images, for those needing names. Also becomes a good reference when meeting an NPC to speed up describing what the PCs see since they can see this character as the players.
Good organization. If printed, then goblins shouldn't be in the back of the book to flip back and forth but simple enough to print/photocopy to be found without flipping back and forth to the location they are in, or removed form the printed copy easily.
-KotS was in a folder I think, so the folder could have one side the adventure, and the other the resources for it like handouts, maps, pregens, monster sheets, tokens/fold-ups, etc.
Index/KEY maps not only offer room numbers for the DM to find Room 11a, but a page number to take them directly to it.
Handouts for the players, with a DM marked version for anything special the players shouldnt see, but need to be denoted.
Well playtested adventure/scenario.
Plot related NPCs as opposed to generic ones.
Background info on places and NPCs enough in case the players go off the beaten track a little to guide the DM in direction to know what the NPCs would be doing if not standing around waiting for the PCs to meet them in Room 11a of the "dungeon". These motives and such could be in an Appendix to be read and understood before running.
Story that gives reason to play it.
Ability to plug into any game, while still allowing for the module to continue in a series if wanted.
Pre-gened character so you can just play right away if you don't want to take the time making them.
Tokens or fold-ups that can be photocopied/printed to have the correct representations needed for any combat situation where a physical representation is needed for some players. Properly named, not just images, for those needing names. Also becomes a good reference when meeting an NPC to speed up describing what the PCs see since they can see this character as the players.
Good organization. If printed, then goblins shouldn't be in the back of the book to flip back and forth but simple enough to print/photocopy to be found without flipping back and forth to the location they are in, or removed form the printed copy easily.
-KotS was in a folder I think, so the folder could have one side the adventure, and the other the resources for it like handouts, maps, pregens, monster sheets, tokens/fold-ups, etc.
Index/KEY maps not only offer room numbers for the DM to find Room 11a, but a page number to take them directly to it.
jonesy
A Wicked Kendragon
It doesn't sound dumb at all, just difficult to implement properly.
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