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Wasn't sure where to put this, but I thought here would be the best place.
Problem:
I have no idea how to write an effective story, but want to become a DM. What are the best resources out there for ideas on Stories, Plots, Subplots, Twists, Conflicts, and all things story related?
The majority of the G/DMGs out there tell you how to build an encounter, but not how to get the PCs there. I've seen a few glimmers of hope, but they're a bit like an overview for what I want.
Any resources (online or dead tree) that you can suggest? How about game books (as they tend to relate to the subject I'm interested in)?
Any help is appreciated!
Thanks
I don't remember if I read this somewhere, or if I plain thought it up (likely the former), but I like the idea of a "Season" and "Episode".
The "Series" be the campaign, "Season" would be the story arc, and the "Episode" be the adventure. The way I remember it is like an X-Files or Babylon 5 setup. Roughly 22 Episodes in the Season with at least half of the Episodes relating to the overall Season's theme. The rest are one or two Episode adventures that have the same feal as the Season, but have no real link to the Season. A capaign could expand to two Seasons if the villian was strong enough to support it. Or, possibly an "super villian" that resides over an entire Series.
Has anyone tried this concept? Has it worked for you? Is there a "better way"?
I've also been reading some of the SpyCraft 2.0 Game Control section and like what I'm seeing. Are there other RPGs that put more information into their setup? I would guess that the White Wolf systems would tend to expand on this due to their more "Role"playing attitude versus "Roll"playing. Can anyone help in this arena?
Alternity (TSR/WotC) also had a nice way of presenting their structure for an adventure using the style of a Play. Basically, you have a three Act play that breaks down into "Scenes" that would be considered Encounters.
Has anyone tried this approach? Has it worked out?
Again, Thanks!
Zen and the Art of Dungeon Mastering and Roleplaying Tips. (Also, GM Gems and PC Pearls.) How to craft a good campaign is pretty much exactly the same as crafting a good story. I have a diagram posted next to my computer that I keep for reference, here's the breakdown.
- Regular stuff going on
Beginning of your campaign or adventure - here is where you introduce your PCs to each other, and it helps to have a unifying element of some sort beyond "they meet at the tavern." It could be they went to school together, were (or are) a part of a mercenary company, slaves, members of the thieving guild, etc.
- Some sort of problem
This is your bait, and sometimes players don't take the bait. If it's a new campaign, trying to figure out your PCs motivations can take a bit of flexibility, but if your players have already made even a minor one paragraph backstory, TAKE IT AND RUN WITH IT. I have yet to meet a player that didn't enjoy it when the GM pays attention to the little details and crafts and adventure around that. Make sure to rotate the spotlight on different players as well - don't let one of them hog the glory.
- Trying to fix it
Problems need solutions, and adventurers are there to provide those solutions. Sometimes the solutions your players will come up are incredible, and sometimes I change things on the fly based on what they say.
- The First Big Encounter
This is what the first problem leads up to...but this is not the end. Whether it's a cadre of orc guards, or one of the BBEG's minions, this should be a good encounter, but with every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction...
- Problem Caused by the First Big Encounter's Resolution
Maybe the PCs knocked down a wall in their fight, which maybe killed an NPC, or destroyed a piece of their property. Maybe an orc guard that the PCs killed had a brother. A stronger brother, who happens to be a leader of a clan, or a shaman, or or or. On a lighter note, the PCs acquire some annoying groupies/hero worshipers. Again, the little details.
- Trying to fix the problem (again) The stakes are a bit higher this time...
- Big Encounter #2 ...leading to this encounter.
- Dealing with the Consequences This is where your players are in the shit. The results of Big Encounter 2 should have some serious consequences, good or bad, and its good to have PCs fail, if for no other reason than character and story development. As a GM though, you can always "win" so it's best not to be too heavy handed.
- We suck!
It's make it or break it time for the PCs - time to man up, as they say. The road to the next step is like finding the martial arts master who teaches you a secret (*cough* feat *cough*), finding a new spell, finding an enemy's weakness.
- The Final Confrontation
This is it - the moment of truth. PCs vs the BBEG. This is where you pull out all the stop, no skimping, no cheese. Everything you've done so far should build up to this point.
- Resolution!
Time for beers, wenching, and the lewts...after you get out of the BBEG's lair.
Wash, rinse, repeat. The art of building a campaign is gradual - each session should keep building the tension to the Campaign Final Encounter, but be sure to take a break from the main plot once in a while. More tips...
NPCs: Use them. A lot. Keep a section of your GM notebook (which you have, right?) to write down the pertinent info - name, race, sex, appearance, job, relation to the PCs. Don't just throw names out there though - everybody that the PCs meet in your campaign should have a motivation to do what they do (which you should write down as well), "earn money to feed my brothers and sisters" or "do my job so that I can get promoted."
The Six W's: Who, What, Where, When, How and Why. Ask these questions to yourself often, and at frequent stages when crafting your adventures or campaign. Why is the BBEG after the Sacred Macguffin of Gygax? Where is the Sacred Macguffin, who is the BBEG, what is the BBEG/Sacred Macguffin...you get the idea. It sounds like a lot of work, but you'll get used to it in no time.
Clichés: We know them, we use them...but that isn't a bad thing. This article on RPG cliches is worth reading, and can help point out things that you want to avoid using all the time in your campaign. Think of a cliché as salt - too little and your adventure might be bland, too much and it becomes inedible. To extend the metaphor, add things to complement the salt, such as rivals, annoying family members, or class-specific quests. For an example, take the Macguffin cliché - the PCs need to find an object (we'll use a classic Macguffin, the Maltese Falcon). One of the PC's siblings takes the Falcon to sell because he owes somebody money, a not insubstantial sum. The Falcon itself might not be important at all - but it is to the PC's family. Maybe an ancestor plucked it out of a dragon's hoard, or maybe the Falcon is the key to an ancient Osirion king's tomb...but it's worth pursuing in some fashion, because if the PC doesn't get it back, Ma and Pa PC will tan the PC's hide something fierce.
The number one piece of advice that I can give you is pay attention to your PCs' actions. If you've got halfway decent players, they will give you nuggets that you can spring on and use to enhance your campaign. Simply paying attention to their characters can make a mediocre player a great one.
I did pick up GM Gems and PC Pearls, but haven't had a chance to look at it. I'll check out the others when I get the chance.
[list]
Some sort of problem
This is your bait, and sometimes players don't take the bait. If it's a new campaign, trying to figure out your PCs motivations can take a bit of flexibility, but if your players have already made even a minor one paragraph backstory, TAKE IT AND RUN WITH IT. I have yet to meet a player that didn't enjoy it when the GM pays attention to the little details and crafts and adventure around that. Make sure to rotate the spotlight on different players as well - don't let one of them hog the glory.
This is my problem. I know there are ... "archtypes"? for a plot, but I've never been able to find them. Something beyond "Man vs Man, Man vs Nature, etc". I'm not sure if "Conflict" is the right word, but I think that a cross between Plot and Conflict is what I'm looking for. The "job" part of the "you're in a bar and a guy comes up to you and offers you a job," if you will.
I'm not sure of the "writer's terms" for any of these, so it makes it a little difficult to search.
Thanks for the info! It is helpful!
I know there are ... "archtypes"? for a plot, but I've never been able to find them. Something beyond "Man vs Man, Man vs Nature, etc". I'm not sure if "Conflict" is the right word, but I think that a cross between Plot and Conflict is what I'm looking for. The "job" part of the "you're in a bar and a guy comes up to you and offers you a job," if you will.
I'm not sure of the "writer's terms" for any of these, so it makes it a little difficult to search.
Thanks for the info! It is helpful!
Ah yes, the Seven Basic Plots: The Quest, Voyage and Return, Rebirth, Comedy, Tragedy, Overcoming the Monster, and Rags to Riches. It sounds like you're looking for the main goal of the adventure or session, and those should help, as should Campbell's Monomyth postulation. This mercenary job generator might provide nuggets of inspiration as well.
Please keep posting, this is a great mental exercise. :D
This is a shameless plug for an RPG I wrote.
Get your players to help you build the plot; have them build their characters with Minimus in addition to whatever game engine you're using.
This ALSO solves the problem of "Well, Bill always makes a character motivated by f+!*ing with everyone else...."
The first page is character creation, the second is how to play the game, the third is how, as a GM, you use the characters generated, and the fourth is how to build a plot based on what your players gave you for characters, including building scenes.
Because the 'schtick' of Minimus is that it's a very small RPG, this is a dense read; it doesn't have room for examples, and it makes assumptions that you will stop and think about what you read before continuing to the next section.
Ah yes, the Seven Basic Plots: The Quest, Voyage and Return, Rebirth, Comedy, Tragedy, Overcoming the Monster, and Rags to Riches. It sounds like you're looking for the main goal of the adventure or session, and those should help, as should Campbell's Monomyth postulation. This mercenary job generator might provide nuggets of inspiration as well.Please keep posting, this is a great mental exercise. :D
That's what I was looking for. However, I thought I heard that there may be more subdivisions than that. It might be taking each of those and doing the "Man vs" thing. I'll have to do some searching when I get some free time. I'll take a look at the other links as well.
Thanks!
This is a shameless plug for an RPG I wrote.
Get your players to help you build the plot; have them build their characters with Minimus in addition to whatever game engine you're using.
I'll take a look at this when I get the chance.
Anyone else know how other systems suggest putting together an adventure?
I've been looking at some of the old systems I've accumulated over the years (Alternity, Now Playing, LUG Trek, still more to go) and they have different suggestions, but it seems to be either a play or TV episode so far. Anyone with links on screenplays or such?
Again, thanks for the help!
Perhaps you should just start with a very simple adventure. The nice thing about a campaign is that it evolves. When I started as a DM I made my first adventure based on the story of the pied piper. It was about a villain with pipes of the sewers who abducted all the children from the city because he wanted to train them into a resistance army (the city was then ruled by an evil wizard). He hid in the sewers under the city where the children were locked up. I added rats, wererats and other sewer monsters.
Then after every session I started looking what the PCs had done and what they found interesting and what they found less interesting. I used the ideas they found interesting as the basis to develop the rest of the campaign. It turned out the group's cleric was interesting in finding out why the wizard ruling the city was so evil and whether he could not be converted. That became the basis of the rest of the campaign. I started with making one of the children the bastard child of this evil wizard. The mother turned out to be the leader of the thieves' guild, which was also a resistance organization. And so the campaign evolved further and further from just this basic story.
It helps to make notes. Write down what the PCs say and do if it inspires you. Write down the NPCs you improvise (in the DM journal mentioned earlier). You will see that the notes inspire you, and you can go on from there.
Good luck with your campaign.
When I'm stuck for an adventure idea, I pull out the Big List of RPG Plots by S. John Ross. It gives quick summaries of just about every RPG plot you could ask for.
To get your players motivated to adventure, you may choose to fall back upon reliable plot hooks such as the "damsel in distress", the "ancient map", the "mysterious guy who dies on the doorstep", or "patron offers a load of cash". These may be clichéd, but they generally work. Prepare for the times when they don't work: If your PCs turn out to be amoral scum who watch apathetically while the damsel is hauled off by orcs, perhaps the local magistrate suspects they were in collusion with the orcish raiders. The new adventure becomes the PCs' attempts to evade the local Watch and get out of town. Perhaps the orcs' true leaders contact them, hoping to recruit the PCs to their side. You get the idea: Every situation generates unresolved complications, which generate the next adventure.
If possible, get the players to agree about why their characters became adventurers and how they came together. Roleplaying is an interactive game, not just the DM throwing things at the PCs. The players' choices can define the game just as much.
While the players develop their characters' pasts, you can ask about things like the PCs' greatest regrets and losses. Is there some person, place, or thing the character lost? Many great adventures can be built around a hero's exile from his homeland or the rumor that his long-dead lover is actually alive and working with a villainous antagonist.
Once you know what the PCs love and hate, you can develop antagonists that they'll really despise, enemies they'll eagerly try to annihilate.
A cynical mercenary might yawn at damsels in distress, but eagerly murder a deceitful noble who once cost him his reputation and knighthood. An embittered ex-slave may not care about treasure, but might relentlessly hunt a band of slavers.
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Indeed take a look at what's been done before, and extrapolate. Building an adventure or campaign can be as simple or complex a process as you like. Collaborate with your players so that the plot-hooks appeal to them. Steal, adapt, copy and use any published material you can find to make your job easier. Being a GM is a hard job, but a rewarding one. Your job is to ask questions, the players provide answers. A campaign can be done in 2-3 or 12-20 adventures. So don't let yourself get worried about the long term, just focus on how you can provide fun for your players next game night.
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I have no idea how to write an effective story, but want to become a DM.Don't get caught in the trap of To Be a real DM you have to have an elaborate Home-Brew and write all your own adventures.
Steal like crazy!
Have an overarching campaign idea and fit parts into that, modify as required.
Use the character's backgrounds to tie into the plots. Find out what type of plot the players like.
You can use the episode/season format as most players are familiar with that. Players actually like it when their not sure exactly what's going on. I'd second the Big List of RPG Plots for inspiration.
You don't need to write a full campaign, just keep ahead of your players, that's what real tv writers do.
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I don't remember if I read this somewhere, or if I plain thought it up (likely the former), but I like the idea of a "Season" and "Episode".
The "Series" be the campaign, "Season" would be the story arc, and the "Episode" be the adventure. The way I remember it is like an X-Files or Babylon 5 setup. Roughly 22 Episodes in the Season with at least half of the Episodes relating to the overall Season's theme. The rest are one or two Episode adventures that have the same feal as the Season, but have no real link to the Season. A capaign could expand to two Seasons if the villian was strong enough to support it. Or, possibly an "super villian" that resides over an entire Series.
Has anyone tried this concept? Has it worked for you? Is there a "better way"?
I've also been reading some of the SpyCraft 2.0 Game Control section and like what I'm seeing. Are there other RPGs that put more information into their setup? I would guess that the White Wolf systems would tend to expand on this due to their more "Role"playing attitude versus "Roll"playing. Can anyone help in this arena?
I think you did indeed read this somewhere ... namely Dragon mag! It sounds like you are quoting from an excellent article (one of my favorite articles, in fact) that suggests that you treat your campaign like a TV series, right down to "special guest stars", cliffhangers, seasons arcs and focusing on various "actors" in the cast.
I don't recall what issue it was (it was definitely an older issue though) but it's a great article.
I think you did indeed read this somewhere ... namely Dragon mag! It sounds like you are quoting from an excellent article (one of my favorite articles, in fact) that suggests that you treat your campaign like a TV series, right down to "special guest stars", cliffhangers, seasons arcs and focusing on various "actors" in the cast.
I don't recall what issue it was (it was definitely an older issue though) but it's a great article.
I'm pretty sure that it might have been the Now Playing, but I'd also like to see the Dragon article. Do you have an idea of a range (100's, 250+, etc)?
I have a pretty extensive collection of Dragon and Dungeon mags.
The Dragondex told me that there was an article by Robin D. Laws about structuring your campaign setting like a TV show in Dragon #293. Perhaps that is what you are looking for.
Stefan
Problem:
I have no idea how to write an effective story, but want to become a DM. What are the best resources out there for ideas on Stories, Plots, Subplots, Twists, Conflicts, and all things story related?
Question: You don't know how to write an effective story, but do you actually have a particular story in mind?
That's something I haven't seen asked yet :p
Question: You don't know how to write an effective story, but do you actually have a particular story in mind?
That's something I haven't seen asked yet :p
I have something running around in my head. Mostly game mechanics for a possible "lead up" to the 4e/3.x ruleset (think of Harry Potter as negative levels). Plus, it never hurts to know how to set up a story/adventure.
I do appreciate the feedback, lots of good suggestions. That being said, I'd still like to go back to the basic structure. While "stealing" good ideas is nice, I feel knowing how to structure helps get a variety of different adventure types by getting down to basics. For example, if I am only interested in Plots X, Y, and Z because they sound cool, I could miss out on Plots A, B, and C because I don't know they exist.
The Dragondex told me that there was an article by Robin D. Laws about structuring your campaign setting like a TV show in Dragon #293. Perhaps that is what you are looking for.
Stefan
Geez, I haven't thought about Robin in years. Always good analysis. A friend of mine has his little "pamplet" on player types. The stuff in the DMG2 (3.5) was pretty good, if I remember correctly. I'll look up that issue.
A little searching found that the 295 reference was for Robin's Laws of Good Gamemastering. The actual TV article was 293 (I'll read it later) and another reference to 294 (haven't looked at that).
I also found references to See Page XX and articles in series from Annual #5, #276-296 (Annual #5 isn't available in the Paizo Store). These may more be G/DM related.
OK, I think I've come closer in my search. This page shows different versions of "The "Basic" Plots in Literature". Most notable is the 36 which I think will give plenty of diversity to adventures.
I'm still looking into my other questions, and I appreciate all help given. Let's try and keep this one alive and possibly use it as a "help thread".
Now that I found one of the pieces I'm looking for, I'm still searching for Conflicts, Structure of a Story, and thinking about Plot Twists.
As always, any help is GREATLY appreciated!
EDIT: I'm going to search around on this site. There's a LOT of stuff that makes sense. Scroll down below the add on the left hand side of the page, the "Narrative" section.
I'm still looking into my other questionIMHO, you're overthinking a lot of this at the moment.
True, but that's the perfectionist procrastinator in me. The overall plan is to piece some stuff together (I have some ideas, just no idea how to structure it) that focuses more on the story and PCs than on the rules. Something easy to get the foot in the door and prompt the players on a Roleplaying path (as opposed to Rollplaying). Then I plan to dive into an AP.
I'm still searching for Conflicts, Structure of a Story, and thinking about Plot Twists.Here's an older but similar thread that you might find helpful.
Actually, just came from that thread. I'll check it again, but I'm trying for more "syntax" than "DM help". Don't get me wrong, I need a lot of the DM help as well, but I'm not to that point yet. I have three DMs (two regularly) in my group so I'm not really pressed to do an adventure, more of a desire.
I've written a lot for others on similar questions about the "Three Act Structure". I encourage it's use in developing everything from Campaigns to Story Arcs to Adventures to PC Backstories.Don't forget that a key element is the "Turning Point", the definition of which is "a plot event that sends the story in a new and unexpected direction." Most people forget that italicized bit, and that's what makes stories predictable.
I while ago I discussed the concept of Metaplot with someone else. You'll find a link in that thread that may be helpful.
I guess I thought "Turning Point" was "Plot Twist". I never really cared for writing back in school, so I never paid attention to the terminology.
I want to understand the terminology so that I can explain myself and understand what they're saying back. I was giving the "deer in headlight" look when talking about Plot the other day. I know because I see that look a lot at work ; )
Again, thanks! I'll look at that thread.
You know, the only thing I have had any luck with is adventure paths. Good luck though!
Before you get too caught up in pulling your hair out over plot, put some thought to concept too and that'll make the plotting a lot easier.
First thing I do is figure out what the core concept is, what's cool or interesting about your idea.
Then ask yourself what the point of the story is. Introductory adventure for the PCs? Building up characters, events or ideas you want to draw on later? Tying up loose ends from previous adventures?
Then what mood or theme do you want to follow, mystery, dark, light-hearted, etc.
Toss in a few characters, settings, conflicts and now you have the puzzle pieces you can put together into a good story and a plot is just a matter of how you can fit those pieces together.
Also keep in mind that there'll be a few times during your GM career when you'll put hours and hours of work into something that the players never end up seeing or completely ignore, so keep on your toes and try not to run everything in a straight line.
You had mentioned you were going to read Minimus - have you yet?
How experienced are you with your players? Have you gamed alongside them prior, or do you have yet to get a group together?
A HUGE part of being a DM is knowing the kinds of players you have. Would they enjoy the kind of game you are going to run? Would they be opposed to it? Would they "play along", or do they want to do their own thing while you only provide the backdrop?
I can't stress enough that you have to know your players well before you build a campaign. It sometimes takes a few tries. It's going to get frustrating, but there's always another game. Here are some examples:
My group tends to gloss over a lot of plot hooks, but then will randomly fixate on a minor aspect of the game a drive it like it's the gospel. I was running a Star Wars KOTOR campaign, wherein the players were carrying very important cargo, trying to keep it safe from the Sith. Long story short, the players somehow got the idea there was a fixed time limit to "complete" the campaign. I take responsibility for this. From that point on, it was IMPOSSIBLE to get the players to deviate from a railed path even the slightest, because they got so fixated on how much time was left. I even told the players repeatedly, "Guys, don't worry so much about time, there's lots of OTHER things going on" and they just ignored it. They wound up completely bypassing about 5 or 6 major adventures to hurry up and get to the end. Oh, they got there all right. The party were about 5 levels shy of where they were supposed to be XP-wise, so I had to go through and re-adjust all the opponents they would be facing at that point in the game and make them level appropriate. That was fun[/sarcasm].
Needless to say, by the end I had gotten pretty soured on the game. We would sit down and discuss the game, and I'd ask what maybe I should have done differently or what about it did they not enjoy, to want to plow through it so fast and "get it over with". They said that they enjoyed the game; they were just doing what their characters would have done in that situation...
Another gem is from the first campaign I ever DM'ed. I ran Ravenloft, because I was a huge fan of adventure/horro themed games and the setting fit my needs. I would lay out creepy plot hooks, and the players would literally run screaming the other direction. The defacto "leader" of the party nearly made it a point to completely avoid whatever adventure I had planned out of fear of what would happen to the party. A couple of sessions, the group just sat in town and did nothing. I wuold ask why on earth the player's were so against actually adventuring, and they replied that it sounded too scary! There's no way their characters would go near anything like I described. AAARRGH!!!!
So, do your best to get to know your players AND their characters at the beginning of the game!
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I generally use the Star Wars/opera method of plotting a story.
I plan three acts.
Act One is an introduction to the PCs, the setting and the problem.
Act Two I put the PCs into a horrible situation where the bad guys are the apparent victors.
Act Three is the triumphant victory of the PCs.
For each Act I subdivide into Scenes. Generally a minimum of 3 scenes per Act.
In essence it is very similar to the TV seasons listed above, which I really like that idea. I may even actively convert my method to that.
I try to shoot for a cinematic feel to my games. So this works well for me.
The first Scene is the hardest. You are forcing together the players into your setting. Easiest way I deal with it is to realize that the first Scene is actually just opening in the middle of events. There is a whole backstory and history already in place, the characters already have a history.
Trick is to figure out what the backstories of the characters are. Works best if everyone works together for their characters, or is patient for the first Scene to include them in the group. In Star Wars, it took a while to bring Han Solo into the group, and Leia had her own storyline running before it merged with the group.
To simulate that method, you can run a few solo sessions before the game "really" starts. Get a couple of players together (Han and Chebacca, R2-D2 and C-3PO for example) and run them together, run a couple of others separately but have their stories all drive them to one place with similar goals, so when they meet up it works.
Lots of extra work I know, but it makes for a nice game.
You had mentioned you were going to read Minimus - have you yet?
Yep, interesting. A bit simplistic, but I do like the character generation. Unfortunately, the group won't go for it. However, I could possibly sneak a variant into my idea for starting the campaign.
Regarding Krome and Rez's posts, this is one of the things I'm looking for. The Alternity GM guide mentioned the 3 Act Play, but never expanded on it.
I've only focused a little research on the term. What I have found is lacking. While what I've found explains the concept, I have yet to find something that suggest what goes where. How to make a compelling 3 Act Play, so to speak. Can somebody point me in the right direction? Some keywords I can use on Google?
Laddie and Jandram bring up some good points. As far as my group's background, we've been together since the mid-90's. The majority are pretty much resistant to change, but still enjoy a good idea. My introduction to the AP (the "Harry Potter at Negative Levels") is a rehash of another DM's idea. Unfortunately, we didn't make it much further than a few game sessions but everybody loved the concept.
The issue that I find is the two main DMs have D&D ADHD. We usually don't make it much further than 3 game sessions before there is lost interest, a "great idea for a campaign", or a switch in game systems. My plan is to "draw them in" with the introduction and continue with the AP. The AP will gaurantee a, possibly, long running campaign that they can develop their characters.
While I'm running the AP, it will give me experience running for the group, running the game, and the ability to think on my feet. The purpose of this thread is to help me along learning how to build Campaigns/Adventures/Encounters. In essence, what's an Encounter? A mini adventure that follows the same structure?
Anyway, this has helped a lot! Thanks for everyone's help! I look forward to more suggestions/pointers!
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Well, after reading this thread I am tinkering with a campaign I have been working on. I am looking at applying the TV season idea to the campaign and seeing how it breaks down.
But prior to this I arranged the story into three parts like I said before.
In Act 1 I divide the story into three Scenes. Sort of an Intro, the Quest, and Resolution.
Within each Scene I then divide into Encounters. An Encounter, for me, is a specific, planned adventure that generally revolves around an important moment in the story. Encounters can be as simple as a role-playing encounter where the PCs are rewarded for the heroism, and then invited to a hunt (where the story's plot will further develop), a combat encounter between the PCs and assassins, or a puzzle. Regardless, my encounters are designed as a moment that advances the story, or plot and rewards the PCs with XP (not all encounters need be combat to award XP).
This method provides me with a clear outline from top to bottom. In essence I have a framework and just fill in the pieces I need to advance the story.
BTW, since your group seems to have RPG ADHD (lmao) I would suggest using another classic story telling device when possible to keep them hooked... the cliff hanger.
Also some things I think can really enhance the story is to occasionally (in other words use sparingly) use cut scenes. Video games and movies occasionally use this device. You can cut to a narrative that describes what the bad guy is up to. This can be difficult to do unless you can write a pretty good story and are pretty good at reading out loud. But it can be a really forceful tool. Imagine the player's reactions when they learn that the Bad Guy is about to sacrifice the poor, battered and abused maiden-to-be-rescued in a ceremony that will raise an army of undead. The players will gain some insight into plans and really really hate the Bad Guy and hurry to rescue the maiden. Now, it would be important to time the Cut Scene so that the PCs have the general clue that there could be an undead army invading- that does not mean the players need to have figured it out yet- just that they should have everything they need to arrive at that conclusion so you are not giving away free info. Also you can describe the events in such a way as to hide the identity of the Bad Guy if you need to... really frustrate the players that way!
I might suggest plotting out a few game sessions in some detail and just having an outline for the rest because of the RPG ADHD. This way you don't invest a huge amount of time in planning a game that might not continue for a long time, but can be quite compelling and perhaps hold their attention into a longer game.
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the Star Wars/opera method of plotting a story.
I plan three acts.
Act One is an introduction to the PCs, the setting and the problem.
Actually, there is an "Introduction" that is separate from Act I. In a movie it's about the first 10 minutes or so. In Star Wars it was the Star Destroyer's attack on the Tantive IV, capture of Leia and escape of the Droids. Act I starts with the first appearance of Luke.
The definitions of Act II and Act III are pretty much spot on.
:) I was thinking more along the lines of Act 1 being Star Wars IV, Act 2 being Star Wars V, and Act 3 being Star Wars VI. The story was originally conceived as one movie with three acts. Lucas realized he could never tell such a large story in one movie so he broke it up based upon the Acts.
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*sigh* [shameless plug]
Ultimate Toolbox has an enire chapter on adventure creation, including nearly a hundred charts, flowcharts, and an adventure design worksheet.
:-)
[/shameless plug]
*sigh* [shameless plug]
Ultimate Toolbox has an enire chapter on adventure creation, including nearly a hundred charts, flowcharts, and an adventure design worksheet.
:-)
[/shameless plug]
I take it this is the new version that has the referenced material in it? I have the old one and I didn't see anything...
Some keywords I can use on Google?story structure
Searching around a bit, I found this : )
Perhaps you should just start with a very simple adventure.
I'm edging toward this as a very valid answer as well. I'm not sure players with D&D ADHD are going to be 'drawn in' by really complex detailed plot lines, at least initially.
If your players are the type to spontaneously grab a pad of paper and start doing a flow chart to figure out the plot line then complexity is going to be your friend. On the other hand if they won't do that then complexity will probably need to be introduced slowly as the campaign goes on our your just going to end up with players that are confused - confusion will very quickly lead to frustration and its not very long after frustration sets in that your players will be talking about how it'd be absolutely fantastic if they were playing some other RPG that was any RPG but the current one.
Aim for your players comfort level or maybe a fractional amount higher then that if your trying to get them to expand their role playing horizons. For every group out there that's interested in engaging in some in depth plot with twists and turns there is another group that came to the table to hang with friends, laugh and blow off some steam. Which type of group you have will likely be a mixture of the personality of the players involved but also of what they do during the normal day - there is only so much mental effort that any one person wants to do in their life and if their day job can be described as problem solving in a pressure cooker then their is a pretty good chance that this is not what they are looking for in their entertainment.
Searching around a bit, I found this : )
I liked the article but I'm questioning some elements of how this works in an actual RPG. Novel's, Movies and TV all have writers that control the characters but RPGs don't - the players control the characters. This is one of the reasons why RPG stories tend to be simpler in over arcing plot - much of the time the real story is less in the twists that make for great drama and more in the locations of the stories themselves or in the NPCs that the players interact with.
If your playing Star Wars and the players infiltrate an Imperial base a great deal of the story for these few sessions is really about what they find while blundering around the Imperial base - in the movies the hero's don't blunder around the base at all - you just see them get in the elevator and voila they arrive at the important part of the plot. RPG characters though don't do that - they move through the base checking things out and exploring it. The result is that there is a fair bit of time between each element of the story and one needs interesting things going on in the Imperial base itself to keep everyone entertained. Each location is often full of a number of 'mini' stories meant to be uncovered and after a few sessions (and now we are usually talking about many hours of play...enough to watch the whole second trilogy likely) they arrive at the next major plot point...and then they kill it. After that they head off to some other location to deal with another element of the plot.
The closest media for considering the kinds of stories we tell in RPGs is actually likely the media that is derived from RPGs themselves. If you like CRPGs you might want to consider some of your favorites and think about what you liked in them. I bet when you think about this you'll find that much of the time what you really remember about the CRPG was not actually the plot itself so much as how much you liked your character, how much individual locations where fun to play in, and some totally cool and/or funny NPCs.
Complex plots are essentially puzzles - some groups (or at least certain players in the group) love working out the puzzles (i.e. the plot) while others are not nearly so inclined. Nonetheless even for such groups I suspect that the plot itself is not the key to good gaming in RPGs - its the people and places encountered while following the plot that are the take home message. The plot merely serves to get them into proximity to these people and places.
I'm not saying don't have a plot but I am saying that if your going to start sweating the details then the plots not really where you want to focus your sweat and tears - you'll get a bigger bang out of slaving over the elements of the locations that contain the plot then sweating over the plot itself.
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Ultimate Toolbox has an enire chapter on adventure creation, including nearly a hundred charts, flowcharts, and an adventure design worksheet.I take it this is the new version that has the referenced material in it? I have the old one and I didn't see anything...
CORRECT!
I'm not sure players with D&D ADHD
Just a quick clarification, the DMs are the one with "D&D ADHD". They are fine when playing, just lose interest when running.
The rest of your post is good advice for the situation presented.
Also some things I think can really enhance the story is to occasionally (in other words use sparingly) use cut scenes.
I open every session with one of these. I find that if I'm going to go for a high drama moment its best to do it when I'm at my very freshest - oh and the players are most willing to spend four minutes listening to me try and wow them with stuff that does not immediately impact their characters. Wait two hours to try and pull this off and the results tend to be much less impressive and effective.
Actually this has me thinking...in some ways my RPG campaigns have many plots. There is the campaign plot and, by and large I tell the campaign plot in these cut scenes though there are definitely times where the PCs interface with the campaign plot with their characters. There is also the players plot which is essentially the story of how the characters interact with the campaign plot plus all the other sub plots they have on the go. Finally there is usually some kind of adventure plot which is basically the story of the location the players are at during the current session.
Searching around a bit, I found this : )I liked the article but I'm questioning some elements of how this works in an actual RPG. Novel's, Movies and TV all have writers that control the characters but RPGs don't - the players control the characters. This is one of the reasons why RPG stories tend to be simpler in over arcing plot - much of the time the real story is less in the twists that make for great drama and more in the locations of the stories themselves or in the NPCs that the players interact with.
The closest media for considering the kinds of stories we tell in RPGs is actually likely the media that is derived from RPGs themselves. If you like CRPGs you might want to consider some of your favorites and think about what you liked in them. I bet when you think about this you'll find that much of the time what you really remember about the CRPG was not actually the plot itself so much as how much you liked your...
I've noticed when reading the "story structure" sites on the net that they do not neatly fall into our niche, or at least I don't believe they do. While the 3 Act does fit, the way they break down the Acts into Scenes seems a little corny. I think I'm going to consider the Scenes as more Encounters with the "Resolution", "Plot Points" or "Pinch" as another clue to figuring out the Plot of the Adventure.
In the long run, my structure will need to be modified to fit the media (as suggested). I just need to find what works.
Again, thanks!
You might want to specifically grab the following elements from Minimus
1) Have every player create a relationship diagram.
2) Have every player create two goals; tell them that any encounter worth XPs where they further their goals gets a 5% bonus.
3) Set up your antagonist and his relationship diagram.
4) Draw your player's relationship diagrams around the antagonist's and tie them together.
5) Write your scene cards, based on what each character wants (their goals) and who their relationship interactions are, using the six elements given on page 4.
6) Go draw your Aristotelian "W" three act diagram ("Introduction, Problem, First Rising Action, Setback, Low Point, Final Rising Action, Big Damned Battle Scene") and assign scenes to each part of it.
Those can work with any RPG out there, and so simplify DMing when you embrace them that it's the difference between night and day for making an adventure run smoothly and engagingly.