So many new adventures are full of adventure and ideas, it is hard to put them down. I admit, I enjoy the characters and plots that appear in the pages of so many books and magazine covers. However, I can never forget many of the adventures where dungeons were crawling with goblins, or where a lich covered his tomb with traps galore. But unfortunatly, many of these adventrues have become hard to find, or are so expensive I am forced to use my own imagination... I know many will explain that I can always buy the PDF; but I don't wan't the PDF, I want something of substance, something that I can hold in my two hands. I think it would be an intersting idea if Paizo would publish several hardbound books, with the most exciting adventures of the past. Birthright, Ravenloft, even The Village of Hommlet if they so please. Bring these adventures back to our hands and into the experiences of the players. They know what we like, hey they even published the ones we like best (Dungeon 116). I may be old fashioned, but I still enjoy many of the good 'ol "Module's," and would be very interested in a product that could bring some of em back into the light.
Gaming is like coffee: there are so many ways to enjoy it, some people are addicted to it, and others yet can’t stand it.
I have the original Keep on the Borderlands module, which on its own is nothing more than a “kick-the-door-in” module, and because I remember it from my childhood, it has an amount of sentimental value. I think it would be very difficult to publish an adventure like that today, and Dungeon would probably pass this adventure over for something much more sophisticated and engaging. I could only use an adventure like this today in parts; I would have to insert it into a long-term campaign and also have to make wholesale changes to the encounters/dungeon design/ecology to help the module make sense.
Today’s modules reach a more sophisticated player; does it make sense that an Ogre lives in this 10’ by 20’ room with a Kobold leader? Maybe, but it has to be thought out with purpose. The adventures in Dungeon tell me that players are playing in a fantasy environment with rules and laws; they want to be challenged. More importantly they want to be entertained – the majority of the players probably enjoy the realism that writers like Vaughn, Pett, Greer and Decker inject into their stories.
That said, there are players that are cool with the no-holds-barred room to room fighting
that a module like Maure Castle provides. I’ve bought a number of clearance modules from my local gaming shop that are hack-and-slash oriented. Also, you might want to try some of the original 3.0 WOTC modules like Forge of Fury.
My 2 copper pieces
I think the only reason gamers have become more "sophisticated" is because the young blood has dried up a little bit. Look at most of the people posting here--I'd venture to say at least 70% of us are 30 to 40 somethings who started playing in the heydey of D&D. It's quite obvious that even the 1st level adventures in Dungeon are designed for more experienced gamers--and that's okay, however....
I would welcome a 3.5 remake of Keep on the Borderlands--it's still so very appropriate as an introduction to D&D. Even my old veteran gaming crew would cheer with delight if I ran it for them again...."Bree YARK!!"
It's quite obvious that even the 1st level adventures in Dungeon are designed for more experienced gamers--and that's okay, however....
I would welcome a 3.5 remake of Keep on the Borderlands--it's still so very appropriate as an introduction to D&D. Even my old veteran gaming crew would cheer with delight if I ran it for them again...."Bree YARK!!"
Oddly enough I am working on a 1st-level adventure with a home base sort of feel to it. It's not "Keep on the Borderlands" though it does have ties to a classic low number "B" module. Before you go asking what it is let me just say that for now it has to remain a secret but that right now its looking like an adventure that will offer a lot of options to DMs who want to extend it farther.
Though I suppose you (F2K) at least know it involves an alcoholic.
;) GGG
I'm looking forward to that adventure getting printed, then!! I read some more about kumiss and I don't think I'll be brewing that anytime soon.....maybe this adventure of yours will be good for starting off my next campaign.
Bree-Yark indeed! I'm part of that 30 something group you mentioned. Keep on the Borderlands was the first module I ever played. I'd love to see some of those out of print modules revamped for 3.5. A hard cover is a great idea.
If you want some hack-n-slash, hold onto your hats for "Kings of the Rift". Lions and tigers and bears and giants and dragons and worms, oh my!
P.S. Bring back-up characters.
Oh my - and it's TOUGH...it's so very, very TOUGH...
the original Keep on the Borderlands module, which on its own is nothing more than a “kick-the-door-in” module, and because I remember it from my childhood, it has an amount of sentimental value. I think it would be very difficult to publish an adventure like that today, and Dungeon would probably pass this adventure over for something much more sophisticated and engaging.
This says it all. I couldn't agree more. Nostalgia accounts for a great part of the appeal of these classic modules, I suspect if we were to run them for young players today who are spoiled with the superior quality of adventures available from so many sources - Dungeon Magazine being the primary - they would be hard put to tell why they have been placed so high on the pedestals that they have been.
Cheers
Llowellen
I remember the Caves of Chaos in KotB more than KotB itself. My first adventure...solo mage was killed. Lots.
I am, however, in the process of convering KotB over to Fantasy Grounds. Working in the maps right now, though, which does take some time. Fun time, but time nonetheless.
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I remember the Caves of Chaos in KotB more than KotB itself. My first adventure...solo mage was killed. Lots.
I am, however, in the process of convering KotB over to Fantasy Grounds. Working in the maps right now, though, which does take some time. Fun time, but time nonetheless.
How are you liking Fantasy Grounds? Is it hard to get a grip on? Have you actually played yet? If so how is it? I was thinking of picking it up and trying to get in a weekly game.
FH
So far, I'm really liking it. The interface is pretty intuitive once you get used to it and linking to reference items is very quick. I have not run or played a game in it yet, so I can't comment on that yet. The built-in chat system is very IM-like, you can do emotes ("Lilith scratches her head") and the text will change color if you're talking in character, out of character, emoting, telling the story and what not. The GM can change the hue of the screen, to make it feel like it's nighttime, or daytime, or by a campfire, or in a forest. It's a minor thing, but I think it will help with setting the mood. Another minor thing is changing the color of your dice. It's such a little thing, but it's a very personal choice that I'm glad they included.
Dice rolling is a blast - you right click on the dice you want to use, select how many you want to roll, and move your mice around in a circle and toss 'em! Somehow, they've managed to capture the same feel of the dice rollin' around on the table. Modifiers are as easy as dragging from a character sheet onto the modifier grid.
Pretty much everything you want to do is handled through a series of right or left clicks and through a radial menu. Adding images (read: maps, NPC portraits, item pictures) is stupid simple - simply copy the file into your campaign directory where Fantasy Grounds is installed, and you can access it in game. There is a clear separation between what the players can see and what the GM sees. If the GM doesn't "share a sheet" the players don't see what he's looking at. The neat thing I noticed is that you can add images to your campaign while FG is running - since I have a dual monitor set up, this works out REALLY well.
There is an option to draw maps on the fly as well, but there doesn't seem to be an option to erase something. Images can also be "masked", meaning you can hide portions of the map that the players haven't seen yet - great potential if you're doing a dungeon crawl.
If you haven't played around with the demo, I'd get that and get a feel for the interface. I'm not going to say "buy it" until I've actually had a chance to use it fully and give a better review on it. My initial reactions are all "WOW! Neato!" but those don't make a good review, ya know?
How are you liking Fantasy Grounds? Is it hard to get a grip on? Have you actually played yet? If so how is it? I was thinking of picking it up and trying to get in a weekly game.
FH
I've got a few art commissions I need to get started on and a big local SCA event to partake in this month - hopefully by the end of the month. There's a lot of prep work involved, and I want to get it done right. :-D
If you haven't played around with the demo, I'd get that...demo downloaded. will start foolin' with it soon. If I get the full-version I'd love to join your group, if there is an open spot and the timing is right. When do you think you'll be ready to run?
FH
I'm looking forward to that adventure getting printed, then!! I read some more about kumiss and I don't think I'll be brewing that anytime soon.....maybe this adventure of yours will be good for starting off my next campaign.
Kumiss! Hehe. The beverage of choice for Othgars (steppe nomad tribe) and Stone Giants in my Silk Road flavored homebrew campaign. Several humorous roleplaying scenes have resulted when the PCs accepted hospitality from said groups, and had to down this wondrous beverage. (*Description of foul taste and Fort saves all around to prevent tossing of cookies and resultant penalty to subsequent diplomacy checks*). Perhaps I should try making some for "campaign flavor" in a future roleplaying session. Hard to get mare's milk, though, and of course I'd have to drink the stuff myself, so it probably won't happen, but it's an entertaining thought, nonetheless.
Kumiss...that's one homebrew I won't be trying, F2K. Braggot, melomels and sake are next on the list, I believe, along with some strega.
Archade, I play in the Kingdom of An Tir, Principality of the Summits, Shire of Corvaria. Rani Ignia la Nomada, to use my SCA name, suifu (cook) of the Japanese pirate ship Oni Ryu.