What makes for a good Early 1E module?

[Valiant]

Iv'e been trying to come to grips with coming up with a good list, but am a bit stumped.
So far, I'd say:
1. it has to have a good old fashioned dungeon map. and big enough to fill a page at least.
2. that at least 70% of the module should consist of exploring that dungeon (or equiv. such as a lost city).
3. Expressive and interesting text. No body could write like Gary Gygax. His description of ruins and places were fantastic, and really peaked your imagination.
4. Text Boxes (the ones you read to your PC instead of summarizing it for them). I think these were best left out. THey seemed to act too much like cruches for the lazy DM.
5. Minimal Story. The players should be able to create there own, rather then follow along the module writers.

Do you old schoolers agree with these, if not why? What else made those early 1E modules so destinct?

 

[Doug McCrae]

I started a thread on a somewhat similar topic recently. You might want to take a look at:

Classic dungeons: What makes them great?

 

[Mark Hope]

Giant frog monsters! If it doesn't have frogs, it isn't 1e!!

 

[Delta]

That it probably originated in convention tournament play.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Ideally, the dunegon map should be cross-linked enough to provide multiple possible paths through the dungeon, so that every time the party goes to explore, they find something new.

There should be some memorable NPCs (though they only get a few minor lines of explanation)

Throw in a few oddly placed but highly lethal traps, the occasional bizarrely random bit of treasure (+3 dwarvenm thrower in the corner, anyone?), a new monster or two, and a new magic item or two, and you're there.

 

[Valiant]

Thanks Doug, thats a good thread and just what I was looking for.

 

[the Jester]

There was a certain je ne sais quoi about the art, too.

I love me some Erol Otus creepiness.

 

[thedungeondelver]

Layout.

Nice clean layouts, simple monochrome maps (I'll even give the isometric maps a nod); none of trying to make it look like an old scroll, or cram little "map bites" off in one corner of the page.

 

[MerricB]

Layout.

Nice clean layouts, simple monochrome maps (I'll even give the isometric maps a nod); none of trying to make it look like an old scroll, or cram little "map bites" off in one corner of the page.

Oh, and 10 foot squares.

Cheers!

 

[Melan]

Giant frog monsters! If it doesn't have frogs, it isn't 1e!!

Damn Straight.