 December 29, 2011 - 9:50pm | Is the concept of the adventure module, as promoted by TSR, dead? Killed by the trend of the source book by the young blood RPG publishers? What do you prefer, source book or adventure module? Are there other concepts? One pages? Could there be a hybrid of the source book and adventure module? Perhaps a more detailed setting brief and an adventure module? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 29, 2011 - 11:10pm | I like both. Specific mapped out adventures and detailed information about a planet/city/system to allow the GM to expand or do other things. So a hybrid might be called for. I always envisioned doing a source book for each system detailing the system, planets and cities as well as the people and culture and then adding in some small mini adventures as part of that. Then you could use the source material to write some more larger scale modules that were separate. Ad Astra Per Ardua! My blog - Expanding Frontier Webmaster - The Star Frontiers Network & this site Founding Editor - The Frontier Explorer Magazine Managing Editor - The Star Frontiersman Magazine |
 December 29, 2011 - 11:20pm | I have rediscovered that I really like source books. But source books that have a few adventures associated with them. Maybe even some fiction included that describes certain locations or encounter possibilities; I think that Full Thrust did this by adding some 2-3 page stories in with the sample adventures that set the stage for the gameplay. The adventure I am working on (https://sites.google.com/site/stariumx/ - which has had some recent updates) is turning into more of a source book with an adventure. It's been fun developing timelines, races, NPC characters, etc. |
December 29, 2011 - 11:57pm | I suppose we should specify that mini module/ mini adventures are perhaps more Warriors of White Light type encounters and the classic adventure module is more Crash on Volturnus. The beauty of WoWL style encounters is that they can support a campaign and don't require being run in order or that all of them should be run. So, in compiling ideas: A hybrid could contain the following: 1. some fluff fiction to set the mood- doesn't need to be too long, perhaps similar to the fiction from the begining of Zebs Guide (you know the ifshnit trader, yazirian, omega bolt, and the krik hide case) - something that spotlights the new material in the product. 2. something that is more of a Greek letter section in a SF module as a setting brief. couple of 3 maps and good solid framework that a GM can run with. In other words more than just one page, front and back, but rather 4-6 pages of detail on the setting (focus of the setting material is on the action in the layover and adventure sections). 3. some "layover" style encounters (or WoWL style encounters)- short one session encounters that usually tie into the setting (about three of these). These would be optional and could be used in any order or to just cover a whole when the the whole group is not in attendance and the GM needs to rabbit trail from the main adventure for one session to ensure that everyone is present for the main campaign. 4. a classic adventure module; but since we're adding so much extra material, as detailed above, perhaps its "Crash on Volturnus" but without the caves dungeon crawl. No doubt that one of the layover adventures could be the set up for the adventure mod, thus giving you a full up adventure mod. 5. the "goodies": new equipment, each module has some new goodies, like how Dark Side of the Moon module had that lap top style computer or 2001 had that moon buggie. 1-2 items is enough. 6. each module leads to another in a trillogy. All modules of a trillogy have the same content: setting brief, maps, adventure, goodies. This makes for subtle pressure to "buy"- the setting will be expanded and there are new goodies that you will miss out on if you don't get parts 2 & 3. Anything I miss? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 December 30, 2011 - 8:04am | Folks you seem to have forgotten the "hybrid" already exists. It is commonly known as "The Sandbox" and was (I believe) originally presented as the Gamma World module "The Legion of Gold" Now it had a series of encounters like "Warriors of the White Light" but there was alot more there and in fact the GM could ignore the actual adventure and create alot more from it. Yes I know "Warriors of the White Light" had some of that but in comparison I find "The Legion of Gold" could be more easily expanded and worked with as the PCs had a bigger role than just simple soldiers. Commence arguments. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
December 30, 2011 - 8:13am | The case could also be made that the random encounters in the volturnian desert combined with the overall adventure follows this style to a certain degree. I suppose the next questions is what do people like and prefer? There are some examples of sandbox modules but all the ones I'm aware of date from 30 years ago. Seems the new dynamic in the 90s was source book. WOTC has tried some new wrinkles with its 4.0 modules almost a series of wargame encounters for miniatures posing as an adventure module, though Thunder Spire had some elements for sand box usage. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 30, 2011 - 8:18am | WOTC is of course going with the current trends in video games which are more based on that stupid car jacking/pimp series where you don't need to play the game just roam around doing stuff if you want. Which is perfect for people who don't want to accomplish anything but sit around. Yeah I am not a fan. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
December 30, 2011 - 8:48am | No there was a storyline in the two 4.0 modules given me but one nice feature was the full color fold out maps that came in the module. Sound like something we like around here? Except that these maps were slick and glossy, and scaled for one inch. They even showed some thought in them that tactical movement would be rewarded rather than the standard D&D line up with the monsters and play whack-a-mole until something breaks. Certainly a value to the maps. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
December 30, 2011 - 12:58pm | In the spirit of the original question I dug out a box full of game material this morning, mostly full of source books. Some material is from games I never even played (and may not even have the core rulebook for like 1st edition Star Wars planet source books). I kept all these books through a few moves primarily because they were source material & really fun just to thumb through for ideas in writing and gaming. Selecting the top 3 books on the stack, this is what I found related to source books. All three happened to be source books from "Cyberpunk 2020", so only random in style not game system. First book, Chromebook 3 : pure source, no adventures, encounter tables, or hints. Full of material/items for the game categorized in sections like weapons, cyberware, vehicles, and housing. All this gear could probably be adapted to SF or another system pretty easily. For example, one of your players get their hand sliced off by a Kendachi M-33 Powersword (pg 55) in a bar melee? Well, for 750credits they can have a new Psiberstuff Cyberhand (pg 31), complete with interchangeable finger tools (pg32, dart guns, lockpicks, etc) and crushing strength. To help combat depression from loosing their hand the player could then buy a new Harley Davidson Thundergod (pg 20) Second book, When Gravity Fails : A sourcebook for George Alec Effinger's novels. The first 81 pages are essential background information on the world, a detailed timeline from 2000 to 2199, slang and proverbs, details on Islamic culture for the GM, items from the book, and major characters/locations/events. Pages 82-100 is a complete adventure using the source material in the rest of the book. This is probably my favorite type of source book (as my original reply mentioned). Third book, Night City : Pure sourcebook, 184 pages of details of a fictional California master planned city. Packed with city history (and some national events that tied into city decisions/events), computer network maps, locations (malls, parks, transit hubs, casinos, and corporate offices), premade characters/gangs/contacts, major personalities described, etc. Each area described in detail has random encounter tables that range from corporate execs looking for someone, aka the players, to off a rival VP to cannibal gangs in the park looking for breakfast. Wouldn't it be awesome for authors, or fans, to create source books of some of the recent sci-fi series' to use in gaming? One I am thinking about that would apply very well to the SF game system is the Kris Longknife series, lots of different adventures : squad combat, infiltrations, tactical ship combat (with ships that seem to follow the KH designs for deck plans and basic combat), bug hunts and first contact situations, outlaw colonies, etc. Looking at those source books, and the other hundred or so in the box I realize how bare the SF system supporting material was originally. Granted it was a different era in gaming, and the early systems lead to the later ones that were supported with a plethora of materials. And of course community support and SFMan have filled in these gaps. The morning diversion really solidified my understanding of the direction I am taking with the Mystery of Starium adventure. I had been kicking myself over worrying too much about timelines and background material. I'm still working on a map for a lunar refinery that is in a system the initial adventure timeline never lets the characters get to. So I guess I am creating a "sourcebook" with an adventure at the end. :) |
December 30, 2011 - 6:16pm | In my writing classes I have found that backgrounding does help but one should not limit oneself to it if when writing the story you find you need to change something. However once something has been written or has been in play in a game then it becomes canon. For it is written not even Doctor Who and the Time Lords can change their own time lines without causes paradoxes. Source books I find useful only up till the point I use what is in them and then make that a fact. But if the Starport the PCs land at has six landing pads and I really need it to have ten then a little editing is gonna happen. Also if you have players who just happen to acquire the same source book and like to throw thier knowledge around. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
 December 30, 2011 - 7:28pm | I would love a source book on every system, one for ships/vehicles, one for races, and one for corps and militaries. Those would help me make my own adventure mods. But I am lazy enough to prefer somebody else make the adventure mods for me. I would pick and choose from from the resource books, modifying what I want. I would do the same for the pre-made mod. So why not just get to the end? Though I do love to read the materials. |
 January 28, 2012 - 10:30pm | @rattraveller: I loved the 'Legion of Gold' module. It was perfect for creating an area for players. It had mini-adventures as well as background information for creating your own ideas. |
January 30, 2012 - 4:00am | Funny that during my life I was out of gaming for the 3rd edition of Gamma World and missed those modules. Trying to get them now if anyone knows where PDFs are available. The weird part is that this is where most Sci-Fi TV shows have gone these days. Starting with B-5 you have many episodes with mini-adventures and slowly building up to the grand sweeping epic story. Part of this was to set up all the background stories and get you heavily invested in sticking with the plot. Oh and Babylon Five as a title was kinda a play on words since the show was supposed to last five seasons. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
January 30, 2012 - 6:06am | Scribe.com is a good place to find PDFs of gaming material if you upload something, I usually upload a star frontiersman issue, you can do unlimited downloads for the day. There are others sites as well. If you check back from time to time you can amass a collection of stuff. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
January 30, 2012 - 7:30pm | I have not been able to find PDF's for any of the 3rd addition GW stuff. Thanks to all the work done for SF I have copies of everything I had lost or never picked up. hope 30 years from now, someone will say the same thing. Thanks for keeping Star Frontiers alive. |
January 30, 2012 - 8:35pm | I have not been able to find PDF's for any of the 3rd addition GW stuff. Thanks to all the work done for SF I have copies of everything I had lost or never picked up. hope 30 years from now, someone will say the same thing. Thanks for keeping Star Frontiers alive. Funny you should mention that; i just read this: http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/12/what-to-do-when-your-favorite-rpg-goes-out-of-print About what to do when your RPG goes out of print. We are doing most of what is in the article but perhaps its time to get serious bout the virtual con. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
