| frad |
Hi
I have almost always run my own world, and encourage the pc's have as much freedom as possible in where they go and what they do. I tend to get my idea for the campaign together and a map of the intial area then write a starting adventure for them, which may have clues for the larger campaign or be stand alone.
after a few sessions I start offering them options on what to do next within the drawn out area via in game events such as hunting down the nearby orcs causing problems or travel north to the iron mines that have gone quiet.
once they answer me I can get on with writing the next adventure whilst progressing what they didn't do for example in my game since a fire elemental in a certain temple was killed the seasons are out of kilter resulting in short summers and long winters my party has gone of to hunt one down, but in doing so ignore an outpost of the big baddies men meaning they get more entrenched.
this way also gives me time to flesh out the next map area. I tend to work with my players in what type of campaign they want and come to basic agreements on what they want to do next. my party at the moment said they want to sail back to their base of operations pick up a seaworthy ship, sail to a large port to stock up and then head out to the pirate island where the elemental (and treasure)is. so I have the basics of whats occuring without the worry they might bugger off somewhere completley differant, though sometimes you simply have to wing things.
hope that helps
ps. the gamesmaster guide has rules to make towns easier by helping to generate what type it is, what bonuses and minuses to rolls it has, maximum amount paid for goods and items available and prominant npc's. this has helped me loads generating town adventures by simply laying it out for me.