What does well designed mean?
- Thread starter Hussar
- Start date
The Shaman
First Post
Lost Abbey... was one of two adventure modules published by Phoenix Games, an all-too-brief line from a small press. I looked for but never found a copy of the second adventure, Mines of Keridav.Akrasia said:I've never heard of this module. Any additional info?
The production values were very good for the time and the setting itself moody and atmospheric, and very well thought-out: the "dungeon" is the basements of the abbey, its storerooms, underground temples, and so on plus an cavern complex, but with the twisted effects of the lich-priest and his demons.
Here's a scan of the cover, which does a nice job of capturing the atmosphere - the picture of the abbey on the hill is faithfully reproduced in the adventure maps.
Like a DCC, it can be dropped anywhere into an existing campaign - with the amount of material provided, it can be a long adventure or a short campaign, depending on how you play the monks and the lich (lots of great social interaction potential!). The abbey also makes a good base of operations if the adventurers eventually succeed in destroying the evil presence.
One of my all-time favorites.
jmucchiello
Hero
I can't believe no one has said (unless I missed it) consistency and logic. I go nuts when there are bits in a module that defy logic or there are plot holes you can herd tarassque through.
I particularly don't like creatures that fight to the death for no reason. In the lastest Dungeon.... hold on, I'll spoiler it.
Another problem is mechanical. In that same Dungeon, there's a 15th level adventure where Gather Information checks have a max DC of 25. Why should I bother with the checks at that point? 15th level characters generally can't fail at DC 25 skill checks.
I particularly don't like creatures that fight to the death for no reason. In the lastest Dungeon.... hold on, I'll spoiler it.
In the one with the pirate village, why is the guy who sents the spider eaters against the arinae willing to fight to the death at the end of the module? (I don't have my copy nearby or I'd say his name. Darin or something) This guy is greedy. He's not some insane cultist. Why in the world would he fight to the death?
Another problem is mechanical. In that same Dungeon, there's a 15th level adventure where Gather Information checks have a max DC of 25. Why should I bother with the checks at that point? 15th level characters generally can't fail at DC 25 skill checks.
Psion
Adventurer
gizmo33 said:Yes, another necessary criteria for a "well designed module" is that it BE A MODULE! Thanks for clarifying.
True, but don't lose sight of my point here. There are certain necessary and desirable qualities in a module that allow it to perform its function as an entertaining module.
Psion said:
There are probably very few modules (if any) that have qualities that prevent it from performing it's function. All the pages being glued together is one case. Bad grammar ain't.
So while what you're pointing out is logically true, I'm not sure that's really applies to what usually goes on message boards (assuming I understand what you mean). In any case, in the spirit of not losing sight of each other's points, I refer you to my original comments regarding use of the phrase "well-design" vs. inherent belief in the objectivity of opinions.
dougmander
Explorer
The teacher in me wants to write a rubric for grading adventure modules. I'd rank them in each of these categories:
Design
The adventure is a moderate challenge for characters of the stated level. TPKs are possible through patently foolish or rash decisions by the party as a whole, and individual recklessness or carelessness could spell death for a single party member. The party's objectives may evolve over the course of the adventure, but at any given point, their goals are clear. Each puzzle solved or monster defeated moves the story forward, and the adventure unfolds with a growing sense of wonder, dread, and excitement. The adventure is rich with moments of revelation in which the PCs realize connections between seemingly unrelated elements, achieve a clearer understanding of the problem, or see past events in a different light. The resolution of the adventure is a moment of high drama and a logical conclusion to the story. The DM is given an opportunity to continue the story or make it a self-contained adventure. Players exit the adventure with a satisfying reward of treasure, items, XP, and new insights about the campaign world, eager to continue.
Writing
The adventure uses language that is clear and concise. The read-aloud descriptions are vivid and evocative without being too wordy. Notes to the DM are unambiguously worded and organized to allow a reader to pull out key information quickly. Seldom-used rules from the SRD are included to remove the need to look them up in-game.
Production
The editing is thorough. No typos. Text formatting is consistent throughout. The layout has a clear information hierarchy, with essential information easiest to find, not unlike a newspaper. Stats for monsters and items are easy to find.
Visuals
The illustrations are of professional quality, whet the DM's appetite for running the module, and actually help clarify the text. The maps are easy to read and cover the action of the adventure comprehensively.
Design
The adventure is a moderate challenge for characters of the stated level. TPKs are possible through patently foolish or rash decisions by the party as a whole, and individual recklessness or carelessness could spell death for a single party member. The party's objectives may evolve over the course of the adventure, but at any given point, their goals are clear. Each puzzle solved or monster defeated moves the story forward, and the adventure unfolds with a growing sense of wonder, dread, and excitement. The adventure is rich with moments of revelation in which the PCs realize connections between seemingly unrelated elements, achieve a clearer understanding of the problem, or see past events in a different light. The resolution of the adventure is a moment of high drama and a logical conclusion to the story. The DM is given an opportunity to continue the story or make it a self-contained adventure. Players exit the adventure with a satisfying reward of treasure, items, XP, and new insights about the campaign world, eager to continue.
Writing
The adventure uses language that is clear and concise. The read-aloud descriptions are vivid and evocative without being too wordy. Notes to the DM are unambiguously worded and organized to allow a reader to pull out key information quickly. Seldom-used rules from the SRD are included to remove the need to look them up in-game.
Production
The editing is thorough. No typos. Text formatting is consistent throughout. The layout has a clear information hierarchy, with essential information easiest to find, not unlike a newspaper. Stats for monsters and items are easy to find.
Visuals
The illustrations are of professional quality, whet the DM's appetite for running the module, and actually help clarify the text. The maps are easy to read and cover the action of the adventure comprehensively.
Fun + Ease of Use = Well Designed (IMO).
A module should include lots of stuff that makes the game fun for DM and players. If that stuff is difficult to translate into gaming action at the table the design is poor. If you're using the criteria of "entertaining" you should make sure to distinguish between entertaining to read and entertaining to play. There are a lot of modules that are vastly entertaining to read through but fall dead at the table.
A module should include lots of stuff that makes the game fun for DM and players. If that stuff is difficult to translate into gaming action at the table the design is poor. If you're using the criteria of "entertaining" you should make sure to distinguish between entertaining to read and entertaining to play. There are a lot of modules that are vastly entertaining to read through but fall dead at the table.
