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This outline must include a breakdown of all the encounters in the adventure, a statblock and write up of your new monster, and one sample encounter. Those who are selected will be notified by October 15th and will have until November 1st to submit their outlines.
It's a few days off before the announcement is made for those advancing to round 2, but is anyone working on their outline just in case?
I figure competition will be fierce in round 2 so I'm using all the time I can get. It's good practice either way.
This outline must include a breakdown of all the encounters in the adventure, a statblock and write up of your new monster, and one sample encounter. Those who are selected will be notified by October 15th and will have until November 1st to submit their outlines.It's a few days off before the announcement is made for those advancing to round 2, but is anyone working on their outline just in case?
I figure competition will be fierce in round 2 so I'm using all the time I can get. It's good practice either way.
I've been working on my outline since before the Open Call closed ;-)
Like you said, its good practice. And I fully intend to run this adventure at some point for my group, so it won't be wasted effort regardless.
I put serious thought into it, but to be honest, my work is absolute rubbish unless I'm under pressure and freaking out.
Yes, I've been scribbling away since I sent in my query. I can always use a new monster, NPCs, town and encounters.
Besides, it gets my brain up to speed ready to write the full thing if necessary. :D
Not a formal outline, at least nothing I would submit - but I do have notes in my journal about monsters, locations, and encounters.
When I think of something I'd like to explore further, I jot it down.
Thats pretty much the stage I am at right now. I've broken up my idea for the adventure into 4 parts/chapters, and now I'm just writing down brief notes about encounters for each chapter.
I figure I'll need ~35 encounters when I get to the Outline stage of the Open Call*, so I'm just brainstorming and organizing now.
Hopefully this will prevent me from including any lame duck encounters.
* I'm being optimistic here.
I can't say I have anything wrtitten down outline-wise. However, my partner and I have been discussing what we might like to do at length. I don't want to start actually drafting anyhting until I have a style guide, though.
I can't say I have anything wrtitten down outline-wise. However, my partner and I have been discussing what we might like to do at length. I don't want to start actually drafting anyhting until I have a style guide, though.There is going to be a style guide?
I would assume so. Doesn't the Outline stage require us to write a full encounter as well as the stat block for the new monster(s)?
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I put serious thought into it, but to be honest, my work is absolute rubbish unless I'm under pressure and freaking out.
Ditto. Though now that I think about it, I should probably get started myself. Got a lot of ideas roiling around in there.
I pose a question, however, to expand upon the original post. Has anyone begun to work upon the entire thing? That is, has anyone started the 22,000 word adventure?
Oh! One last thing...
A bird in the bush can't lead a dog new water with two hands and a horse.
There is going to be a style guide?
There will almost certainly be a style guide for the final module (that's just how publishing works).
As for the outline, I'm not so sure. I believe it was mentioned that we would at least get an example outline of a released module to compare with. I might be wrong.
Will the style guide for Dungeon submissons be sutible or will you be expecting something else?
Here is something that might be useful. Its from page 2 of the Open Call thread:
500 words per encounter remains a pretty good rough estimate method for an adventure. Check out, for example, Seven Swords of Sin. It's got 36 encounters, so that'd be 18,000 words right there, which leaves only 4,000 words for introduction, sidebars, new monsters, and the appendix.
Works pretty good for Crown of the Kobold King too: The dungeon has 33 encounters, for an estimate of 16,500 words. There's also another 2,000 words or so spread out over the wilderness encounters, though, once again leaving us about 4,000 words for the rest of the adventure.
It's probably best to limit yourself to about 35 encounters for a 32 page adventure, in any case. Leave yourself a little bit more elbow room for unanticipated extra stuff, and when you're drawing your maps, remember that if you have more than 35 rooms, you'll be locking yourself in to a too-big setup.
If you actually go and count the encounters, I'm pretty sure James was referring to encounter as a numbered location on a map which gets its own write-up, not necessarily a combat encounter with an EL.
I put serious thought into it, but to be honest, my work is absolute rubbish unless I'm under pressure and freaking out.
I feel this, but when under pressure I tend to write too much. The good news being I can then cut out the bad stuff leaving only the good. The first draft of my proposal was over 1600 words. It took me a couple of days to cut that down however, so yes I have begun.
Contributor
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Yeah, I started. I figured that if the results didn't come out until the actual deadline of Oct 15, that wouldn;t leave much time for the outline, so I've started. The weird thing about it is just how fast the words come down sometimes. My outline is well over 2500 words already, and I'm still working on getting my encounter count up to at least 30 (which seems typical for the Gamemastery line).
I've also had to start a few rough drafts of maps just to get my head around exactly what I was trying to do with the adventure. The free-form nature of a wilderness adventure also has ahd me thinking about random encounters. I'm leaning toward the Crown of the Kobold King narrative style encounters mixed in with a few "regular" ones.
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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I've also had to start a few rough drafts of maps just to get my head around exactly what I was trying to do with the adventure. The free-form nature of a wilderness adventure also has ahd me thinking about random encounters. I'm leaning toward the Crown of the Kobold King narrative style encounters mixed in with a few "regular" ones.
I plan on using Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale as a guideline since it's already a wilderness adventure.
Also, is the deadline for the 2,000 word outline going to be October 15th? I thought I remembered something about November 1st... or is that when they're going to have the winner chosen by? Either way, it's no big deal for me. I managed to crank out my 800 word submission in about an hour, including the proofreading, so I'm not worried about time. :)
Unless it's changed since the original document, the top ten will be told by Oct 15, then they have until Nov 1 to send in their outline and the overall winner will be notified by Nov 15.
I've also had to start a few rough drafts of maps just to get my head around exactly what I was trying to do with the adventure. The free-form nature of a wilderness adventure also has ahd me thinking about random encounters. I'm leaning toward the Crown of the Kobold King narrative style encounters mixed in with a few "regular" ones.I plan on using Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale as a guideline since it's already a wilderness adventure.
Also, is the deadline for the 2,000 word outline going to be October 15th? I thought I remembered something about November 1st... or is that when they're going to have the winner chosen by? Either way, it's no big deal for me. I managed to crank out my 800 word submission in about an hour, including the proofreading, so I'm not worried about time. :)
FYI, I already went through my copy of W1 as well, and I came up with the following if anyone is interested:
W1: Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale has 4 parts, which breaks down into 38 encounters, 19 of which are encounters with an EL (ie. combat, trap, etc)
Part 1: Missing Workers has 10 encounters, 6 of which are fights.
Part 2: Other Vale Sites has 11 encounters, 5 of which are fights.
Part 3: Fire Plague is the shortest, with only 2 encounters, 1 of which is a fight.
Part 4: Master of the Vale is the largest with 15 encounters, 7 of which are fights.
*By encounter I mean a named location or one that is numbered and corresponds with a map, etc
Thanks T9 I had that in my head, but it helps to see it written out.
I've also had to start a few rough drafts of maps just to get my head around exactly what I was trying to do with the adventure. The free-form nature of a wilderness adventure also has ahd me thinking about random encounters. I'm leaning toward the Crown of the Kobold King narrative style encounters mixed in with a few "regular" ones.I plan on using Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale as a guideline since it's already a wilderness adventure.
Also, is the deadline for the 2,000 word outline going to be October 15th? I thought I remembered something about November 1st... or is that when they're going to have the winner chosen by? Either way, it's no big deal for me. I managed to crank out my 800 word submission in about an hour, including the proofreading, so I'm not worried about time. :)
FYI, I already went through my copy of W1 as well, and I came up with the following if anyone is interested:
W1: Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale has 4 parts, which breaks down into 38 encounters, 19 of which are encounters with an EL (ie. combat, trap, etc)
Part 1: Missing Workers has 10 encounters, 6 of which are fights.
Part 2: Other Vale Sites has 11 encounters, 5 of which are fights.
Part 3: Fire Plague is the shortest, with only 2 encounters, 1 of which is a fight.
Part 4: Master of the Vale is the largest with 15 encounters, 7 of which are fights.
*By encounter I mean a named location or one that is numbered and corresponds with a map, etc
Well, Wilderness adventures also have random encounter tables, which can drastically increase amount of XP awarded in an adventure with lots of outdoor travelling.
Well, Wilderness adventures also have random encounter tables, which can drastically increase amount of XP awarded in an adventure with lots of outdoor travelling.I've also had to start a few rough drafts of maps just to get my head around exactly what I was trying to do with the adventure. The free-form nature of a wilderness adventure also has ahd me thinking about random encounters. I'm leaning toward the Crown of the Kobold King narrative style encounters mixed in with a few "regular" ones.I plan on using Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale as a guideline since it's already a wilderness adventure.
Also, is the deadline for the 2,000 word outline going to be October 15th? I thought I remembered something about November 1st... or is that when they're going to have the winner chosen by? Either way, it's no big deal for me. I managed to crank out my 800 word submission in about an hour, including the proofreading, so I'm not worried about time. :)
FYI, I already went through my copy of W1 as well, and I came up with the following if anyone is interested:
W1: Conquest of Bloodsworn Vale has 4 parts, which breaks down into 38 encounters, 19 of which are encounters with an EL (ie. combat, trap, etc)
Part 1: Missing Workers has 10 encounters, 6 of which are fights.
Part 2: Other Vale Sites has 11 encounters, 5 of which are fights.
Part 3: Fire Plague is the shortest, with only 2 encounters, 1 of which is a fight.
Part 4: Master of the Vale is the largest with 15 encounters, 7 of which are fights.
*By encounter I mean a named location or one that is numbered and corresponds with a map, etc
True, I didn't count the Random Encounter tables, but that could easily add another half dozen battles to the adventure.
Personally, I practice Vancian submissions - I query and forget. :)
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RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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Another thing to bear in mind, according to page 49 of the DMG, a 'proper' adventure should attempt to keep with the following guidelines pertaining to encounters:
- 10% of the encounters should be 'Easy' - ECLs 1-3 levels lower than the average party ECL
- 50% of the encounters should be 'Challenging' - ECLs equal to the average party ECL
- 15% of the encounters should be 'Very Difficult' - ECLs 1-4 levels higher than the average party ECL
- 5% of the encounters should be 'Overpowering' - ECLs 5 or more levels higher than the average party ECL. These encounters are optional and I imagine most modules should not feature them.
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Another thing to bear in mind, according to page 49 of the DMG, a 'proper' adventure should attempt to keep with the following guidelines pertaining to encounters:
These guidelines leave you with an additional 20-25% of encounters to play around with. I would put most of these encounters in the 'Challenging' area with maybe a few in the 'Very Difficult' category to keep things interesting.
- 10% of the encounters should be 'Easy' - ECLs 1-3 levels lower than the average party ECL
- 50% of the encounters should be 'Challenging' - ECLs equal to the average party ECL
- 15% of the encounters should be 'Very Difficult' - ECLs 1-4 levels higher than the average party ECL
- 5% of the encounters should be 'Overpowering' - ECLs 5 or more levels higher than the average party ECL. These encounters are optional and I imagine most modules should not feature them.
I suppose it depends what type of "feeling" you want for your module as to how you play around with these. Personally, I prefer a more threatening style of play (ala the adventure paths) that keeps the players on their toes. The emphasis then becomes more upon ECLs being regularly a little higher than the average party ECL.
Unfortunately with the outline I've done so far, the PCs will end up deep into 6th level by the finish (assuming they start at 4th with 4 PCs). I think the best margin here is to have the PCs just into 6th level approaching the final "showdown".I'm hoping I get a chance to show my wares in the top ten, but either way, I feel like I've got a fantastic adventure to thrust upon my group. It's good when you get a series of ideas to just click.
Best Regards
Herremann the Wise