While making my very first adventure...

[dreaded_beast]

I started coming up with all these ideas for the world, NPCs, other dungeons, etc.

The thing is though, I wanted something small and simple to teach my friend how to play DND. I also wanted something small and simple to teach me how to DM. I figure small and simple would be easy for me to get accustomed to being a DM.

Should I stick with being small and simple for creating my very first adventure or should I start using my ideas and make my adventure and campaign world bigger?

My friend and I have only rolled up the character and selected a class and talked about the type of adventures and campaign we want so far.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Start small & simple.

In fact, if you're just learning how to DM, I recommend starting with a pre-done module (download something free off of the WOTC site, if nothing else). You'll have enough to juggle getting the rules down from the other side of the screen without worrying about play balance, world building and consistency, etc.

If you want customization, try building your original work linking the published stuff at first. The first few adventures will suggest areas you need to flesh out, and then you can go wild -- by that time you'll have the DMing bit down well enough to put more mental energy into world building.

 

[Woas]

You could do a few things based on how you and the players feel.

Here are a few ideas:

- Go right ahead on making a large world with any size backstory, history, culture, geopgraphy, etc. If you are all new to the game, there is a large chance that the players will move out naturally. When they first begin they might not have the ambition or forthought to pick up their bags and start a journey. So just go with the flow.

- Create a large world with any size backstory, history, culture, geography, etc. Except put some sort of physical (or maybe magical) barriers that prevent the players from traveling outside a certain area without reaching a certain level. Thus allowing the players to get some levels and learn. Some examples could be: The game starts on an island area and the players need to get to a high enough level were they can afford their own boat or cast a teleport spell to get to the main land. The game starts in a mountain valley area. The mountains around the valley are very dangerous and they players would not be able to venture through them until at least 7th or so level (assuming you guys are starting at 1st or lower levels). The game starts in an underground environment. There is no way to go to the surface without going through a magical teleportation portal. The only way to use the portal is by completing some handy quests you create or use and in the favor of the portal keeper or something, or find the lost portal key... ::shrug::

- Start small. You can always add things to it. A catographer just came into town with news of a new frontier. A ship pulled into port looking for crew and the players reach a new area to explore after they 'finish' the small area you create from them to learn in.

- Do both. Try a few random dungeon crawls. Let the players experience combat. Then try a few roleplayed/non-combat encounters that link the dungeon crawls. Very simple stuff. All you need is a small hamlet, a town mayor, a town guard capitan, a shop keeper and a few townsfolks with some lost heirlooms or something. After that, have time progress a few years and 're-start' the campaign/game in a new area, basically your world you originally created. The players learned the ropes and moved on.

Hope that helps...

 

[Erratic K]

I'm a big fan of small and simple.

My home brew campaigns are built like lego buildings, many small simple peices snapped together (hopefully seamlessly), to make a bigger whole.

Have you run any pre-made modules or games?

-E

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

(Small and Simple sounds like the title of a Halfling book)

I also suggest to start small and simple. Run a few mock combats first, to give you the feel of the game. Maybe the monk and his helper are sparring a bit in the beginning (make sure both deliver non lethal damage).

Run a basic adventure. Dungeon crawl, a few traps, the BBEG, retrieve something and get rewarded. Nothing too complicated first, but don't forget that the game is more than rolling dice. Try to play the PC-NPC interactions. Don't have too many NPC's, but try to give them all a different personality.

Try to give the PC a reason to stay in a small locale in the beginning. Perhaps there is something brewing in the village, and when this is resolved, it will lad to a bigger city, with more adventure. I know a lot of people are against this, but perhaps you will have to / should railroad the player a bit, especially if he's new to role-playing games and has mostly played computer games (I'm assuming).

Hope this helps.

AR

 

[dreaded_beast]

Thanks for all the great ideas!

I like all the ideas, the one about creating physical boundaries sticks out in my mind, something akin to Final Fantasy games and finding the Airship.

I like the idea as well as making a "mock-combat" between the PC and an NPC. I could use that as an introduction to combat and the first encounter in the adventure.

I haven't run any modules or pre-made adventures, but I've read a few to get an idea of how an adventure should be written and run.

I've looked at the Wizard's Amulet and the Caves of Shadow, to name a few.

Once again, great ideas and thanks!