Timewaster's Guide Archive
Games => Role-Playing Games => Topic started by: Spriggan on May 19, 2005, 07:37:50 AM
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I thought it would be nice to have one thread just for discussing the creating of adventures for TWG, which I've dubbed TWGventure!
So in another thread EP was talking about makeing advenutres or modules for supplements like MM3 or one of the weather/climate books (like sandstorm).
As long as it dosen't reprint any copyrighted stuff from those book (since they're not in the SRD) there should be no problem.
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Well, I'm keen to write a Paranoia adventure or two - thing is, I'd need someone else to do all the PDF and presentation stuff, I can just provide the text. I have some ideas though.
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Go ahead and do all the text and send them to Fell and me, we'll take care of the rest.
Now there's no guarantee that 42 will do the layout and art for them (that takes a lot of work) but I have no problem doing maps, layouts and using clip art.
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I've been working with a guy from the Palladium forums on a Splicers adventure. So we should get that done eventually.
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Well, this is what I hope to get done this summer.
I want to write a sequel to Admist Sumter involving Gen. Sherman's march to the Sea. I've already started work on this.
I want to write a D20 future adventure, probably randomly choosing scifi thematic elements and seeing what I can come up with.
Then I want to branch outside of D20 and try another system, not sure what system right now.
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Ambitious, I'm only praying to survive the summer myself.
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Spriggan, keep reminding me to work on the adventure I just started. Godzilla vs the D1million.
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42 how goes the D&D adventure EP sent you? It would be good to have that go up the middle of this month.
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yes, I should finish that, it's nearly completed.
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I was thinking a cool adventure would just be a detailed dungeon. No real plot or anything, just a dungeon that you could use however you wanted.
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Maybe add a map section?
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I was thinking more like the Undermountain dungeon on the D&D website.
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Hey 42 this should be your next adventure once you're done with your Sumter sequal
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050603/od_afp/britainfranceanimal_050603121956;_ylt=AqsyG3xWu4wWjMR8NlVyu9as0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2YnFncG91BHNlYwNvZA--
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Cool. That presents so many adventure possibilities.
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Plus it's got a monkey in a uniform wich is allwayse a win-win situation.
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So I'm looking over EP's second mini-adventure he sent us and trying to think of a catchy name for them. I think haveing longer adventures (like HWSA and Sumpter) and short things that can be thrown in to waste time or work as a side quest are a good idea.
What I'm thinking of doing is just come up with a standard template, for D&D stuff at least, that these will use so we don't have to design a new layout for every one of these 4-6 page adventures. Right now I'm thinking a good one will be a tomb or book of somekind.
I don't like the sound of TWGmini-venture or TWGventure mini much. anyone have any ideas or thoughts?
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Sidetrips...
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You mean like how they have a standard format for PrCs, feats, etc, but do that for the miniadenture layout? That would probably make it faster to make them and easier to use. Speed is probably important to the original idea, since it was like you're not ready so you just toss one of these in.
I have no idea for a name. Something clever would probably play off wasting time. Sidetrips sounds okay.
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Side Quests
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cuentos diabólicos
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42 and I were discussing doing the adventures as an entry into a book or a scroll, so like chapter one: Wizard's tower, chapter two: The Fellfrosch!, ect.
So I was thinking something dealing with that, like "Scrolls of adventure" or "Tomb of quests" though I would like to imply that they were short, mini-quests, but that may not be necessary.
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Do you mean "Tome" or "Tomb"?
THe first is an old book, usually of handwritten vellum or other older writing surface. The latter is a place where you put dead people.
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Either, depending on how things turn-out.
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Putting dead people into a book is an interesting idea.
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the dead book?
That makes me wonder when are we starting a Planescape game?
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Hey, I ran a Planescape PBEM once called "Pages of the Dead Book."
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Ya, ya SE, you say "Tomato" I say "parrot". Anyway I just had the idea of doing, as part of these "pages", mini-adventures each featuring TWG personalties as the main NPC or Monster.
So "Curse of the Fellfrosh" could have a new monster stats for an evil frog demon, MrP could easly have a NPC where he's a doctor wanting the PCs to recover a lost box of eye glasses, and of course there's plenty to do with Jeffe, SE, Entropy, EP, and EUOL. It could be fun.
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Sounds interesting.
I like the idea of having most of the adventures for characters of 10th level or lower, with alternate stats for the main monsters that have been scaled up for higher-level play. Its more work, but should be worth it. Plus you can get more use out of them, instead of 'oh too bad, this one is for 3rd level PCs... no good for my 8th level game'.
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Well I'm wanting to eventually have a wide array of these things so people won't have to worry as much about scaling, though ones for lower levels (less then 10) would be more popular.
I'm hoping to have time this weekend to work on the layouts since I wont have any more time until the end of the month and I still need to discuss possible looks with 42, though the scroll look might be what we end up doing since it's graphically easier.
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We could just call them Dungeons. Or if we wanted to be obscure and witty, playing off the small size, we could call them Cellars.
I'm a big believer in the mini-adventure. AORPers may remember the town where they investigated an undead infestation? That was a short from Dungeon magazine I converted to my own ends. Short adventures are usually much, much better for this purpose than full-length ones.
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heh, we could say they're for the time-waster without a lot of time to waste.
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Ok me and 42 have decided to go with Scrolls as the base so suggest your names if you've got them.
I'm thinking Scrolls of Unending Adventure though it's not set in pixels yet.
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Here's another one needing your input Guys and Gals, me and 42 have a dissagreeance over which direction the scrolls should flow, ie horizontal or vertical. Now PDF wise you'll still scroll down with either so we're only talking about the graphically style here. So here are two early builds of the possible PDFs for your viewing pleasure. There's no text on these just background image. Have a look and tell us what you think.
horizontal (http://www.legacieslost.com/TWG/Adventures/Scrolls/scroll1.pdf)
vertical (http://www.legacieslost.com/TWG/Adventures/Scrolls/scroll2.pdf)
As a side note I'm thinking of adding a seal of some type on the top part of the scrolls (ie the start) that would be waxish and the seal would include the adventure number some way. If that doesn't work out I'm going to try and show some type of bindings.
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diagreeance sounds like Gemm word
Anyway, gotta vote for the vertical style. It just makes more sense, imo.
Also, the seal sounds cool. Should have the number and a stylized TWG or something.
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Scrolls are vertical, that's why they call it a frikkin' scroll
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lol nice try JP, both methods have been used.
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People have tried stuffing four cheesburgers in their mouth at once.
Just because it's been tried doesn't mean it's a good idea, or that I won't laugh at you.
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*Butts in*
The Bayeux tapestry was horizontal.
*Butts out fast enough not to get slapped*
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I vote vertical because the program will be scrolling vertically, ne?
Just makes more sense to me.
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Just got another great adventure written by Eagle Prince with a great design/layout by 42, it's for d20 D&D and 10 pages long. You can expect it either at the end of the week or the start of next week.
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Ok fine vertical it is you traditionalists.
The first one of these should come up this week granted I get the last few things done.
Still need to get set on a name, those that have been suggested so far are:
Scrolls of Unending Adventure
Sidetrips
Side Quests
Cuentos diabólicos
Dungeons
Cellers
Again you can see a test scroll at
http://www.legacieslost.com/TWG/Adventures/Scrolls/scroll_verticl.pdf
This is just one I had to help with sizing and such, the font size and style nor the layout aren't the final versions. Though I do like the font. Though the biggest problems with these adventures will be getting the OGL legal stuff to fit in nicely.
this is the wax seal that I'm planning on using, I don't have it on the PDF yet. Me and 42 worked out a numeric system to show the adventure number as the time on the seal, right now I'm using 10 minutes=1 adventure on a 24 hour time clock though I've been debating using 1 hour=1 adventure (that would be 2 years at 1 a month before a new design was needed).
(http://www.legacieslost.com/TWG/Adventures/Scrolls/seal.jpg)
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I like the wax seal.
Also, how about calling it: The Scrolls of Unending Side Quests
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Heh, I like that 42.
Everything is going well for Thursday, I've got an outline of the map done and I just need to texture it some, which I should be able to do tonight easly enough.
I'm working on today's Nerdery which discusses these adventures and I got the idea of making some generic towns that could be used with these, or other adventure. I don't know when or if I'd make them, though I'd like to do a few of each size. Maybe once I get done with next months Scroll, if EP ever gets the last part of it done, I'll do like a small hamlet or farming village for the end of this month.
Though the question is do I do NPC stats? And if so do I only do one system's or do I try and include as many as I can?
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NPCs don't usually need stats unless they are supposed to really stand out stat-wise. Every system has generic NPC stats that you can use, and if there are any important NPCs for the adventure, then their stats would be in the adventure.
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That's a good point. Though sometimes in D&D and Palladium towns they at least mention the class levels, though I'm thinking we can come up with our own multi-purpose scale that would make it so you could see that there are mid level guards or a high level one. Something like that.
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The part that has been taking me extra long with the adventure was that stupid custom axe I was making. I think I finally got it done though. I changed it to a heavy pick and used the intelligent item rules and the cursed item rules. Until you meet all the weapon's requirements, it functions only as a +1 adamantine heavy pick with a minor drawback of spraying fake blood all over whenever it hits stone. Hopefully you'll appriciate the effort after that Nerdery about making +1 weapons seem cool.
Possessions: Helljack has an intelligent, unique pickaxe called Stonebleeder (worth 5058 gp, but is only fully functional if the wielder meets all the weapon's requirements), detailed below. If you have Weapons Of Legacy, you could make Stonebleeder into a legacy weapon with a little work. If you do this, the drawback should be used as the weapon's Omen, and its intelligence and associated powers part of its legacy (and thus only granted to Helljack and others who spend the time and money to unlock these powers). Otherwise, use the rules below.
Stonebleeder: +1 adamantine heavy pick, +2 circumstance bonus on Profession (miner) checks (due to being a masterwork tool, see page 131 of the PHB); AL LN; Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 10; Empathy, 60 ft. vision and hearing; Ego score 6.
Lesser Power: Item has 10 ranks in Profession (mining) (total modifier +13), Golembane 3/day (each use lets Stonebleeder deal critical hits and sneak attacks to constructs and objects for one round).
Requirements: Stonebleeder only functions as a +1 adamantine heavy pick, with its +2 circumstance bonus to Profession (miner) skill checks due to being a masterwork tool (pg 131 PHB), unless certain requirements are first met. A PC can learn of these requirements (along with an idea of the new powers it will gain) with a bardic knowledge or Knowledge (history) check DC 20, or with an identify spell (or equivalent). First, a new wielder must break at least 8775 gp worth of precious stones and metals using the pick, along with permanently investing 702 xp. The weapon's threat range doubles (making it a +1 keen adamantine heavy pick) in the hands of a wielder with at least 5 ranks in Profession (miner).
Drawback: Sprays Illusory blood when it strikes objects and creatures that are made of or that appear like stone (this can grant a bonus to Intimidate checks, as mentioned above).
Personality: This pickaxe used to belong to a great dwarven miner and fighter. The dwarf had many dealings with the Elemental Plane of Earth and its natives, and it is rumored it was these dealings that brought such power to his pickaxe. Happy whether mining or sundering an enemy's shield, Stonebleeder loves clawing into the earth and tearing through items made from what the earth has yielded. Stonebleeder can use its Empathy to guide the hand of its wielder while mining, which functions similiar to the Aid Another action (granting the wielder a +2 to his Profession check; this bonus stacks with the +2 bonus for being a masterwork tool). Alternatively, the wielder can make a Profession (miner) check for himself and another for Stonebleeder, then take the better result.
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Ha, no comments on the weapon?
So I am almost done with another adventure called The Imaginary Mr. Skulk, and starting to think of another adventure. But I was wondering if you can make NPCs using PrCs from other books, like say if I made a NPC with the Blighter PrC from Complete Divine? Or do I have to mostly stay just core only?
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I sure you can make it but I'm not sure what we can or cannot print, but I'll have to defer to 42 on that one since he knows more about what we can and cannot do via the license.
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Continued from the Hell's quarry thread about JK converting previous adventures:
Also get permission from the author of the original adventure, while TWG publishes the adventures they're still copyrighted, and I know how much you hate that word, to the author. Again I'd rather have you write new material, especially when you're only converting a few pages worth of stuff, but I don't make the final decision. Just realize that it'll be a few weeks after you finish until it gets published since I have no idea when I'm going to have time to make a new layout. Letting us know what system will help so I can start thinking of a generic template for it, the current scroll one is our D&D generic template, since I feel that it's best to keep the different "generics" looking different so people don't get confused with what version they have. (I'm assuming GW in your above comment means Games Workshop and you're wanting to convert to WFRP)
Also, and I want to get SE and 42's comments on this one, I don't think anyone that converts an adventure to a different system should get a writing credit only a convert by credit.
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I'm not really too keen on publishing conversions for our adventures.
If we did write-up conversions, I would want to include a conversion for several systems at the end of the adventures.
Conversions created by someone other than the author just seems very amateurish. Mostly because it's not something I would ever pay money for. I would pay for an original adventure, but not for a conversion of an adventure written by someone else and not included in the original adventure.
I think it would be better to maybe just have a part of the site that has conversions for other systems, but I don't think it would be worth putting much effort into conversions as I can't see them as being a big draw for the site. So in other words, I wouldn't want to go through all the effort of design and layout for conversions.
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ya and all that's basically being done is changing the stats of the monsters, if you're a GM who has to rely on a site to convert their adventures from one system to the other then you're not a very good GM.
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I'm just thinking that the only way I'm going to run the scenarios is if I convert them to WFRP 2nd. And if I go to the trouble of converting tests/stats/etc., we may as well publish it for the convenience of others.
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You are always welcome to post your conversions on the forum.
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Again there's not so much of a problem of you converting them as us publishing them since it would require extra work on our part for something that's not really worth the effort. I do like the idea of posting them on the forum though, don't see much of a problem with that.
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Just thought it was time to give you all an update on the lack of TWGventure articles the past month.
I've been very busy with freelance work and school projects, so I haven't been getting around to it.
Now the SUESQ are very short and don't take much time to do but I've been putting them off since I need maps done, heck I've been so busy I forgot to e-mail MR. P about the maps.
Anyway things are calming down, I do still have free lance work but it's PHP/JS backend which is a lot less time consuming the Flash (which is what the last project was). Also I'm getting InDesign in a few weeks so I'm probably going to download the trial to convert the templates to that.
I've got some other TWG priorities to take care of right now and some stuff to do for my brother's site but I should have time Friday or Saturday so should I get the templates over to inDesign easy enough I'll get some done for next week.
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Since we played that one, I think I want to change how many hit points the crystals had, cause I thought it drug out the fight too long.
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cool, just drop me an e-mail sometime or let me know Saturday.
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Oddly enough even though InDesign says it can read free hand files/templates it won't let me import them so I'm having to do it from scratch. But I guess that's not so bad since I've been wanting to clean a few things up and add some better boxouts, we'll be starting these back up next week with WIND AND FLAME by Eagle Prince plush I'll probably update the previous ones with the cleaned up template and style guide.
I do have a question though, with CS2 Premium I can create PDFS that anyone can comment on and was wondering if I posted such a PDF for people to look over and comment on if they would? This is for style changes (like boxouts) or editing and what not.
And since I like to do this, here's the introduction to WIND AND FLAME
Djinn and Efreet are two races at complete odds with each other. However, champions of these two races joined forces to battle a common enemy. They failed, but the PCs will have a chance to redeem this strange duo for a second chance at defending geniekind. A group who is successful has a chance of laying their hands on two unique magical swords or the genies granting them a wish!
Wind And Flame is an adventure for characters of 10th level.