Writing Adventures

[jbdk]

Why is there so few quality materials around about writing your own adventures for roleplaying games?

So far, the best thing I've found is an RPGA article on "Adventure Publishing - Writing Adventures", but I would have expected more. What I'm looking for is something of high quality.

The guidelines in GURPS 4th Edition are also good, but it would be nice to have an example to go along.

So, do you have a really cool article on writing adventures for RPG's, then I'd like to hear from you!

[Knartz]

http://www.treasuretables.org/

Lots of stuff, don't miss the downloads and links, have fun.

[Anaraxes]

The SJGames writers' guidelines for adventures as found on e23:

http://e23.sjgames.com/includes/template-adventure.doc

This document is very much a style guide for submissions specific to SJGames, not writing adventures in general. So, it has requirements for particular formatting, styles, sections, and so on, which make it a little hard to read as a treatise on "how to write an adventure". On the other hand, there are lots of comments on approach and things to consider that are useful. The net effect is much like the RPGA one you mentioned -- fairly general, and much like the suggestions on adventures in the Basic Set.

I have a few books about writing fiction which I think are useful for gamers.

Orson Scott Card, "Characters and Viewpoint"
Orson Scott Card, "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy"
Ansen Dibell, "Plot"

These books have a lot of good advice on how to create and structure plots, make characters vivid, and so on, which is readily applicable to RPGs.

The biggest difference between an adventure and a story is that PCs are self-willed, and are going to do surprising things. You need a plan that's somewhat flexible in case they don't do what you expect. The GM actually performing also needs some skill at improvisation, whether that means making things up on the fly or slyly reworking the existing adventure to show up in the PC's new path anyway without looking like they're being railroaded.

And remember these famous words of wisdom:

Aw, that's not a story! That's just a bunch of stuff that happened.
- Homer Simpson

[NeverCool]

Well.... I did a complete book on the subject! While the updated version is not for free (digital is circa $5 at my little store), the old version, which contains 95% of the stuff on adventures, is still available for free at my site. The layout of the old version is pretty chunky, but you got over 200 pages right there, most of it centered around using characters and worlds (and even rules!) to produce or improve adventures. It even has 24 pages (89-113) exclusively for creating both simple and advanced adventures!

If that cannot push you in the right direction, I don't know what will :D

(just for the sake of publicity, I am currently designing an 'easy reader' version of that book, to meet the demands of less patient gamemasters. The TAYDS OC itself is very detailed...)

PS: The book at the store is TAYDS OC. The other is my newly published magazine, NewGameMaster. It has good stuff for adventures, too, but TAYDS would be what you're looking for right now.

[jbdk]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

The SJGames writers' guidelines for adventures as found on e23:

http://e23.sjgames.com/includes/template-adventure.doc

Thanks, I didn't know that one -- looks interesting!

About Orson Scott Card: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy -- I have read that and I agree. Still some parts are more useful than others. I use the M-I-C-E concept a lot when I write and also when I analyze other peoples work. Very useful.

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

I have a few books about writing fiction which I think are useful for gamers.

Orson Scott Card, "Characters and Viewpoint"
Orson Scott Card, "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy"
Ansen Dibell, "Plot"

A lot of thanks for the references! I was seeking books as these months ago. Great.

[AmesJainchill]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Orson Scott Card, "How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy"

These books have a lot of good advice on how to create and structure plots, make characters vivid, and so on, which is readily applicable to RPGs.

Sweet, I'll have to reread that one.

[demonsbane]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

I have a few books about writing fiction which I think are useful for gamers.

Perhaps these, too? I don't have them, but wondering about:

Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint
by Nancy Kress

Plot & Structure
by James Scott Bell