Player's Guide Update & Adventure PDF Design Discussion
almost 7 years ago
– Tue, Jul 11, 2017 at 10:31:28 PM
I mean seriously I can't apologize enough how long it's taken us to get these done. Herding the cats are, well, herding the cats. Anyway, I'm hoping to turn in the Player's Guide manuscript to editing by the end of the week.
The Adventure PDF
Primary format is finished, but we to looking at it, and well, we had the following discussion. I figured you'd enjoy reading the through process. Because of this work, I need to go back and restructure some things. It's not a lot but it's just time to move things around and write some more things. We're close!
And now, enjoy:
Adventure PDF Design Discussion, with Cam Banks, Don Early, and Jimmy McMichael:
Cam Banks So this is what used to be in older modules around the time of Ravenloft II from TSR, and that’s a timeline of what happens when the PCs do nothing.
That’s helpful as a way for the DM to go “this scenario is telling me here’s what the fail state is for this thing”
I think that’s clear in the rulebook. What the scenario isn’t giving the DM is a set of success states.
For me, the best way to run any RPG is to know that any time you pick up the dice the outcome of those dice will change the status quo one way or another. If the heroes try to save a dude, and fail, that’s different from if the heroes aren’t even there and don’t try.
Jimmy McMichael
Exactly this. The sinistra are the story that happens if the Demon Hunters called in sick.
Don Early
I am totally open to changing this or reorganizing it
Cam Banks
To begin with I think we don’t want to change the structure of setting up scenarios at all, that’s all in the core and it is solid theory and application
I think in this case we are doing some of the work of the DM, AKA “OMG I am so unprepared and out of time and I want to run Demon Hunters help me please Dead Gentlemen”
So we say, “aha, now that you see how this is set up, here we show you how to use it with these cunning examples of some major choice points in these scenarios”
Don Early
I like that
Cam Banks
Yeah, so it’s not like a trad module or anything but it DOES instruct and inform
Don Early
That's the goal really. I want to provide a short form series of adventures that prepare the DM specifically and help the DM provide for the players, and to be able to show where you can change things up, using tables or whatever, to even be able to reuse these adventures
that last part is less important
And honestly I do sometimes find myself unprepared for when the PCs are successful, that's definitely missing from this process
Cam Banks
I think it’s a habit we want DMs to acquire for themselves based on their PCs
So much of the successful outcome of any scenario is PC-dependent
A lot of trad modules seem designed for anybody, any skills, any class/stats
My suggestion then is to mention that the examples you’re going to provide are keyed on a chapter like Omega Fifteen or Sigma Seven, and so that helps DMs think about their players and their choices in making Demon Hunters
Don Early
That makes a lot of sense
How would you explain that to help DM's tailor to their players' chapter?
Cam Banks
You look at the aspects.
Think about their trouble aspects and figure out some cool things that can tie to those, and the chapter aspects also.
DH more or less writes up the menu of things to poke at your players with right there on the profiles.
Don Early
Right, so do we instruct a little on that, or just give examples with a sample chapter, and tell people they can look at their own players and do similar?
Cam Banks
The second one, I think?
So take a scenario from Burnout
Take a chapter that you like and know well - I suggest the one from the core rulebook, Sigma Seven.
Here’s what you do: for each step along the plot identify the primary choice points, i.e. the big pass/fail situations OR the places where the players can go one way or another
Ignore minor ones
Don Early
ok
Cam Banks
Assuming that players can always come up with something else entirely to do, figure out what the big choices are in each place and list out: here’s what should happen if the PCs do well, here’s what should happen if they fail, here’s a demon dice table
Refer to the Sigmas if you can, since you can see what their trouble aspects are.
So like, “in this scene there’s a big fight with a dude, Doctor Zorbo. If the players win this fight, X. If one or more of them are knocked out, Y. If they choose to do nothing at all and avoid the fight altogether, Z.” And X is “stop sinestra” and Y is “sinestra probably stopped but something else as consequence” and Z is “sinestra happens whoops game over”
And like in [PROJECT REDACTED], you can provide a couple of examples of PCs who might face some issues relating to their Trouble and you point that out.
So you get:
- Win condition looks like
- Fail condition looks like
- Do nothing condition looks like
- Demon Dice
- Some trouble to watch out for
Don Early
I do like structure
Cam Banks
Yes you do
Anyway you only have to do this for one scenario.
It’d be good to make a note at the start saying you’ve taken the mission profile and used it to make the mission prep, and that this is something they can do for the rest, go do it yourselves you lazy bastards
Don Early
and maybe in the structure I'll put your above sequence for them to write out
Cam Banks
Yup
And it’s all flexible
Some people run games by the seat of my pants, like me
My pants, not their pants
They run them by the seat of my pants
Don Early
who doesn't?
Cam Banks
Noobs
Don Early
Everyone knows that Cam's pants are how you run by
Cam Banks
Yes they do
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