Addressing the Elephant in the room (No, not you Sir! Please, sit down.)

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

Definitely going to be interested in quality programmed adventure (solo scenario, whatever you calll it) submissions. This will be true regardless of the format of the first re-release.

Of course, this means we have to revive our submissions procedures, since we have not been an active market for freelance work for several years now - too much in the pipeline already.

How practical/financially viable is it to provide a programmed version AND a refereed version of a particular adventure? Or is that something best left to the fans?

In any case, a map of the programmed adventure that is indexed with the paragraphs would allow GMs to run it reasonably efficiently. And if the adventure is available in electronic form, a sufficiently motivated GM can copy/paste the text into a more GM-friendly format.

[Jackal]

Originally Posted by Steve Jackson

... quality programmed adventure (solo scenario, whatever you calll it) submissions ... means we have to revive our submissions procedures ...

You probably have (or had) submission standards. Regardless, you might want to check out http://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/

Bryce Lynch, who isn't a technical writer but has been reviewing published scenarios for a decade or so, has developed an excellent checklist of adventure technical writing do's & don'ts. And he has a simple guiding principle: the writer's job is to make running the scenario as easy as possible.

For what it's worth, I can attest that the scenarios he reviews favorably, while sometimes not to my taste, are excellently crafted, viscerally but simply described, very well organized and thematically coherent.

Just my $.02.

[Kirk]

In reference to programmed vs. books of ideas, maps, suggestions, backgrounds, etc., both can be fun, but it takes a LOT of work to design an adventure, make allowances for what the players might want to do and what the GM is prepared to do, keep it balanced, etc. etc. in a populate the world approach with just a book of "stuff". Like is said, ideas are free for the taking, it's the implementation that shows the work.

Not a lot of players will volunteer for that, nor may they have the time, and left with having to prepare for days and weeks to design something in the hopes that potential players won't turn their noses up on or sit silently while they consider mowing the lawn, programmed adventures can be the answer.

"Hey, why don't we play TFT?" becomes a real option when everyone can sit down and try once more to get through a particularly challenging and interesting adventure without much up front work by the GM. Someone is selected to forego their character to instead survive the entire evening as GM, while the others design away and the GM preps quickly. Without that option, it probably won't be played, in my experience.

I don't think anyone in our group *ever* played a programmed module solo, it's interesting that people call it that! Of course, a skilled and dedicated person can design, through many months of hard work, a programmed adventure as a GM unmotivated by compensation or publication, but it almost certainly will not rise to the standard of a professionally developed and tested commercial venture.

Excellent programmed replayable adventures are what I would want to see to help get people into the system quickly and easily, then books of ideas for those who have the motivation, time, and interest to develop them into worthwhile adventuring.

[JLV]

Originally Posted by Jim Kane

Thank you JVL. I think it's one of those situations that a person would need to live through - as we did - to really get it.

However, now that I think about: "a sweet-smelling Houri Fan-dancer",... from,.. AUSTIN, TX ?!?

ROFL!!!!!

Hey, I lived in Austin back in the day (alas, after the demise of Metagaming and TFT, but Steve was still there) and a "sweet-smelling Houri Fan-dancer" was entirely possible! It's a college town, you know -- anything's possible! ;-)

[JLV]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

I agree re: solo/programmed adventures. While they can be very engaging, they are difficult for GMs to use. At the very least, a map with relevant paragraphs indexed should be available for GMs who want to run a group. (I created such a map for Death Test I/II and Grailquest, but lost them years ago.

Genuine adventure modules, in my opinion, would be better. Obviously, we'd love to have lots of both. But in a world of limited resources, priorities must be established.

I didn't have the same reaction as you to Tollenkar's Lair. I thought it was/is an excellent example of a plausible dungeon. But agreed, it is not a classic FRPG dungeon.

One of the nice things about Dark City Games' various programmed adventures is that they DO try to make them usable by GMs as well as solely programmed adventures. Mind you, the very nature of programmed adventure dictates very small dungeons and limited plots (too many branches and sequels to keep track of in programmed instructions otherwise); but clearly it's something that is do-able.

One way to increase replayability of something like Death Test is to list all the rooms (and maybe even a few extras so you're never quite sure what you'll get) and then have the players roll randomly to see what room comes next -- the predictability of the encounters drops off dramatically that way... (I can't take credit for the idea -- it's actually Marko Tabyanan's idea.)

As far as GrailQuest goes, I have to say I think it was one of the best microquests ever designed. I sincerely hope that it somehow makes it back into print one of these days! Basically, it broke the mini-dungeon mold set by DT and DT2, and widened the horizons of a programmed adventure quite brilliantly!

I totally agree with you on Tollenkar's Lair, my only objection being that it always felt like we were only getting about half the story... ;-)

[JLV]

Originally Posted by Jackal

You probably have (or had) submission standards. Regardless, you might want to check out http://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/

Bryce Lynch, who isn't a technical writer but has been reviewing published scenarios for a decade or so, has developed an excellent checklist of adventure technical writing do's & don'ts. And he has a simple guiding principle: the writer's job is to make running the scenario as easy as possible.

For what it's worth, I can attest that the scenarios he reviews favorably, while sometimes not to my taste, are excellently crafted, viscerally but simply described, very well organized and thematically coherent.

Just my $.02.

Thanks for the link! A very valuable site. (To find the standards, click on the "About Bryce" tab and the "Review Standards" sub-tab...)

[Kirk]

Originally Posted by JLV

One of the nice things about Dark City Games' various programmed adventures is that they DO try to make them usable by GMs as well as solely programmed adventures. Mind you, the very nature of programmed adventure dictates very small dungeons and limited plots (too many branches and sequels to keep track of in programmed instructions otherwise); but clearly it's something that is do-able.

I'm glad someone noticed! :)

That was the intent from the beginning, but I look to the original creator of TFT to either continue with his ideas or massage others' to ensure a great product worthy of many repeated playings.

[JLV]

Originally Posted by Kirk

I'm glad someone noticed! :)

That was the intent from the beginning, but I look to the original creator of TFT to either continue with his ideas or massage others' to ensure a great product worthy of many repeated playings.

I love DCG's work and will continue to buy everything they offer, but my sincerest hope and wish is that they will "subcontract" with SJGs in order to produce new and wonderful programmed adventures (along with the DM info needed to just run them) for the new TFT!

Two great companies working together!

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by tbeard1999

I agree re: solo/programmed adventures. While they can be very engaging, they are difficult for GMs to use. At the very least, a map with relevant paragraphs indexed should be available for GMs who want to run a group. (I created such a map for Death Test I/II and Grailquest, but lost them years ago.

Genuine adventure modules, in my opinion, would be better. Obviously, we'd love to have lots of both. But in a world of limited resources, priorities must be established.

I didn't have the same reaction as you to Tollenkar's Lair. I thought it was/is an excellent example of a plausible dungeon. But agreed, it is not a classic FRPG dungeon.

Dark City Games has a decent pile of adventures that are TFT compatible. (For a while they were actually using the TFT trademark.)

I've not looked at the adventures because they're priced about $13... but they've got about 20 titles out. (Their "Retroclone" rules are more pseudo-clone - they handle skills different from TFT talents.)

[tbeard1999]

Originally Posted by JLV

One of the nice things about Dark City Games' various programmed adventures is that they DO try to make them usable by GMs as well as solely programmed adventures. Mind you, the very nature of programmed adventure dictates very small dungeons and limited plots (too many branches and sequels to keep track of in programmed instructions otherwise); but clearly it's something that is do-able.

One way to increase replayability of something like Death Test is to list all the rooms (and maybe even a few extras so you're never quite sure what you'll get) and then have the players roll randomly to see what room comes next -- the predictability of the encounters drops off dramatically that way... (I can't take credit for the idea -- it's actually Marko Tabyanan's idea.)

As far as GrailQuest goes, I have to say I think it was one of the best microquests ever designed. I sincerely hope that it somehow makes it back into print one of these days! Basically, it broke the mini-dungeon mold set by DT and DT2, and widened the horizons of a programmed adventure quite brilliantly!

I totally agree with you on Tollenkar's Lair, my only objection being that it always felt like we were only getting about half the story... ;-)

You know, I forgot that Dark City Games included GM-friendly maps. And I completely agree with you about Grail Quest. Excellent example of what the preprogrammed format is capable of. I also like the random room idea.