tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post3229205240868275898..comments2024-03-02T02:38:54.061-06:00Comments on The Sandbox of Doom: What are these "modules" of which you speak?Victor Raymondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05928494560036528653noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post-70923639341567941252009-09-14T00:21:28.254-05:002009-09-14T00:21:28.254-05:00More sandbox and setting, less story. Isn't t...More sandbox and setting, less story. Isn't that a central part of the propulsion behind old-school?Aaron E. Steelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789462075611254929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post-81969072881536166392009-09-06T08:52:25.641-05:002009-09-06T08:52:25.641-05:00"In some ways, yes. Before packaged modules, ..."In some ways, yes. Before packaged modules, were there any common experiences gamers could use to communicate with other gamers?"<br /><br />Sure - the dungeon itself. How to design them, what made them tick, why were they there, what happened. The dungeon was the frame of reference, not an adventure. Using the same module might have made communication easier, but I'm not sure about more *productive*.<br /><br />"Takes me out of my comfort zone as a referee and forces me to adapt to other styles, and it gives the players a new challenge as longtime campaigners can easily learn to 'read' a referee, and running someone else's module takes that away."<br /><br />Oh, sure - but one clear difference I've noticed is that referees in the past would grab a published adventure, and if they didn't like something, they would switch things around, add in stuff, change it all up.<br /><br />"Seems simple to me."<br /><br />Me, too - but why is it that some many published adventures <b>don't</b> do this? It's a mystery to me.Victor Raymondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928494560036528653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5391338032578456039.post-89564753048829419742009-09-06T03:18:55.484-05:002009-09-06T03:18:55.484-05:00>>So it seems to me that the period of 1974 ...>>So it seems to me that the period of 1974 to 1977 could be marked as being fundamentally different from roleplaying after 1977.<br /><br />In some ways, yes. Before packaged modules, were there any common experiences gamers could use to communicate with other gamers? It seems to me that DMs talking about how they approached Keep on the Borderlands, and players talking about their experiences in that module, make for more productive communication.<br /><br />I also don't understand some people's fetish (I can't think of a better word for it) of <i>only</i> running their own creations. Running something different than you would ever create yourself is something I love about modules. Takes me out of my comfort zone as a referee and forces me to adapt to other styles, and it gives the players a new challenge as longtime campaigners can easily learn to 'read' a referee, and running someone else's module takes that away.<br /><br />>>Put another way, think about this - how would you design an adventure to share with others that didn't have a "greased rail" approach, like so many adventures written at the time?<br /><br />Describe a location or situation. Detail what happens if the PCs get involved, and also detail what happens if they don't. Don't make the "if they don't" results world-ending or campaign-wrecking so as to really punish players for not going along.<br /><br />Seems simple to me.JimLotFPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02992397707040836366noreply@blogger.com