I was introduced to DnD when I was in HS. the majority of the last 15 years I have had the same DM for all but a few sessions that never panned out to long games. Our DM has just sucked it up and went back to DM'n and never made a real fuss, but I know he wants to play. We don't have a large group of gaming friends and the desire to create a game that he can play in is pretty much left up to me. I have toyed with the idea, but work and other life things come up and then time and so forth excuses and I just never get around to it. So I am planning to try and write out a full AP slowly while he is DM'n a game and possibly be able to attempt to DM the next one. Our group games slow and actually have never gotten past lvl 10. We get to around 10 take a break try to get a new DM and the group falls apart and we never finish. So my hope is to have a story completed and ready and not need to take a break to get more story for the group.
This is where the problem begins. I have tons of ideas of story and plot twists mini games in adventure good guys bad guys etc... However, when it comes time to put it together and start writing I have no clue where to start besides writing it out in story form. So what are you guys approach to creating an AP? Do you go story mode and just leave the battles and skill challenges blank allowing the RP and fights to be filled in during gameplay? Or just outline the hot points and toss in some random encounters and what not? Ive read some of the 5w h techniques and will try to implement them more, but I like to change it around and change a character from the good guy to the bad guy when I just feel like it would be a nice twist. Have the party think they are doing good and find out they were actually doing bad and now having to race to fix the screw up. Maybe I read one to many George RR Martin books. I know it is all basic questing stories and the like, but I just need to figure out the best way to convert my ideas to a solid game format.
As always thanks in advance for the tips!
Is there anything wrong with using an already published AP? The paizo stuff is incredibly well done, and can be easily adapted to fit what you need. If you want a pre-published AP with lots of room to customize, take a look at Kingmaker.
That being said, I usually just scrawl notes in a book when I'm brainstorming things, and plan battles out using my whiteboard (has a 1 inch grid engraved into it).. When I DM'd my personal campaign I used Masterplan, it's a great tool to help keep everything organized.
Well, first I don’t think there is a “best” way to do. Just listen, get advice like your doing now, and then try things out till you find out what works for you. Everyone has there own style so don’t be afraid to experiment a little and try different things out till you settle into what you like.
As for me, the games I run tend to be an open sandbox in which I throw out hooks and let the players decide where they go next. Usually when first starting a campaign I pick out a low level adventure to get things started and go from there. It lets me get a feel for the characters and a chance to plan adventures that are tailored to them.
After that I usually make my own material though I frequently fit in other existing modules here and there. These may be played as is or so heavily modified as to be unrecognizable. I’ve even been known make entire adventures based on a handful of monsters determined randomly. Apparently, I do all right at it since my players have on occasion requested for me to do exactly that.
I think a sand box style of play is fun and lends itself well to creativity since it can change direction at a moments notice. On the other hand it often requires more work for the GM and the more open you allow it to be the more you need to be able to wing it when players go off in an unexpected direction. So while it works for me and my group it may or may not be right for you.
If you do like a sandbox style of play I recommend sketching yourself an outline that you can flush out more as you go. For me, the outline usually starts with modules I’m tentatively planning on using, important decision points, and a list of the next several random encounters that the party is expected to come across. Then it continues to get flushed out more as I go.
In any case hopefully this helps, good luck.
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What I do for regular AP:
1.Planning the Big Boss (no stat):
- What are his goals?
- How can he achieve them?
- Why do he want this?
- Who is he?
2. Planning the generals (no stat):
- Why do they follow the big boss?
- What can they do for him?
- How can they help him?
3. Story
- What his the background? The history?
- Where does it begin?
- Where does it finish?
- Are there any other important places?
- Why would the PC try to stop him?
- How can they stop him?
4.Place
- Why are the PC here?
- Who is living here?
- What will find the PC?
5.Encounter design, stat and map
Again, I tried my best to express myself. I hate the language barrier.
There is nothing wrong with running a pre made AP except that since my DM is always looking for new material he usually reads them. I guess I could ask him to hold off on reading one or two so I can pick one to attempt to run. We just started the Carrion Crown AP and with the rate we play if this goes to lvl 15 like I believe most of the pre-made adventures do we won't finish for a year at least.
As for a giant sandbox that concept makes me nervous due to my inexperience running a game. I know how creative my DM can get so I don't want him to come up with some off the wall idea that makes sense in character that I wouldn't be prepared for.
Also we have had instances where pre-made games lost its appeal and the DM wasn't enjoying where the story was going and in the end he just didn't want to finish it. The party was losing the appeal as well and while we would have been fine with finishing the story once we stopped there wasn't a mass fight to finish it.
Then there is that accomplished feeling you get when YOU make an AP and the players really enjoy it. I will keep working on my story and read over some APs and see how the structure is and try to model mine like theirs is set up and hope I can come up with something that works in my mind and on paper.
I'm not sure if this would help you all that much. But something that gave me a bit of help was writing out a couple of different ways the plot could branch out if the PCs did something unexpected. Helped me keep the story more focused in the event of PC randomness.
What I do for regular AP:
1.Planning the Big Boss (no stat):
- What are his goals?
- How can he achieve them?
- Why do he want this?
- Who is he?2. Planning the generals (no stat):
- Why do they follow the big boss?
- What can they do for him?
- How can they help him?3. Story
- What his the background? The history?
- Where does it begin?
- Where does it finish?
- Are there any other important places?
- Why would the PC try to stop him?
- How can they stop him?4.Place
- Why are the PC here?
- Who is living here?
- What will find the PC?5.Encounter design, stat and map
Again, I tried my best to express myself. I hate the language barrier.
Well writen and well explained, i use pretty much this exact method.
However if its your first go i would recommend a published AP, even in published AP's you have to opportunity to flex your creative muscles with random encounters and such. I would strongly suggest kingmaker as a wise investment.
I am currently running it (cause i'm having a lazy writing campaign) and the first book went by with just a few minor numbers tweaks, the second book with kingdom making had me spending a little time writing event encounters and planning out some extra bits, book three is proving to be enjoyable and i'm making a few more changes for the parties power level. doing things like this over the course of a six book pre written ap spanning levels 1-17 is a really good way to get into the swing of things and kingmaker gives you loads of room to expand. at the moment we're doing a "book" each between me and another gm (1-3, then 4-7, then 8-11, then 12-15, then 16-17/18) then i think i'm gonna write a dragon plot arch for 18-21 when they retire.