|
|
|
|
Author |
Topic: Creative Module Scenarios? (Read 461 times) |
|
Carlo One
Forum God
Last On: 02/08/12
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 2250
|
NWN is quite mature by now, but in my opinion still has a great deal of scope in terms of module scenarios. Classic module scenarios have done and continue to do well - I don't take anything away from them. I'd judge the city-based open-ended campaign I run is a "classic" style one heavy on intrigue, for example.
That said, I'd be interested to see some more DM'd module scenarios that break the mold, either in content or presentation. I think this is especially important for one-session modules, helping them stand out from the crowd, but might provide for unique campaigns too.
What are your ideas - what would you like to see? I understand DM/builders working on their own creations may not want to give away their ideas for free, but perhaps a limited overview would be stimulating. Players not in the business of module creation, of course, have no such constraint, so if you fall into that category, you could always think of this as a wish fulfillment deal - maybe someone will pick up your idea!
As for me, I have two private ideas in reserve, one pretty well blocked out. I don't want to give away the plot, but it would focus on one player as the central actor in four short "chapters", all of it playable in one session. It would be rather intense, both regarding subject matter and with one-on-one DM attention; I understand this has been done before on NWC and worked well. Would be useful to be able to plug in other PCs as well, will have to think about that more.
|
|
 I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Rofelli
Forum God
Last On: 12/04/08
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 1433
|
There are a few vauge things I'd like to see, and none of which I have time to build/run.
-A class-centered game; i.e., players are a group of mages, paladins, rangers, rogues, druids... etc. Perhaps part of a guild or order, or perhaps thrown together by chance (rogues in a jail, perhaps?). I can see a lot of potential, especially for a rogues guild (perhaps delving into Rogue Spear-ish types of missions, which I would love to run/play) or a paladin's/cleric's order. This would also work with unusual races; i.e., the players could be a group of centaurs fleeing to new lands as civilization spreads, vampires being mercilessly hunted, etc.
-A game of real political intrigue. The type of stuff I like to DM, but as a player instead. Haven't found one at the level of complexity that I enjoy yet. But I may just be missing what's already around.
-A city-based game. While there's always a home town of sorts, I've never seen a game in which the majority of the game takes place within the city itself (and I don't mean the sewers). The OC excepted, of course.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Stammer
Expert Poster
Last On: 11/14/07
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 111
|
Without giving away too much of my story, it will span several cities and should include a good amount of overland travel as well(it needs to include overland else my traveling encounter system is for naught). I'm trying to make it story with social impact with references to the events in Neverwinter, Waterdeep and the Baldur's Gate series. I intend to present PCs will challenges to their belief system, as well as the player's beliefs. Done before? I know. But what can you expect? I can't give away details, else I'm telling the story.
*My* biggest challenge is likely to be in the area of puzzles for the players. I'm not a good puzzle maker.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
J'Dai Voisin
Forum God
Last On: 12/13/07
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 4596
|
on Jun 30, 2004, 6:18 PM, Rofelli wrote:| -A class-centered game; i.e., players are a group of mages, paladins, rangers, rogues, druids... etc. Perhaps part of a guild or order, or perhaps thrown together by chance (rogues in a jail, perhaps?). |
|
Oh, boy - I would love to see that, too! In my early NWN days I played a lot of 'tree-huggers' (Rangers and Druids) and was continually disappointed by the lack of materials for them. Yeah, everyone wants to be a hero or a rogue but no one wants to save the trees. 
***
I could brag on and on about the module my husband created *cough, cough, Kingdom of Sif, cough, cough* but there is one aspect of it that I've not seen in other modules, DMed or otherwise. His is scripted (no DM required), but it would be easy enough for a DM to perform. About midway through the module he has created a series of small frustrations for the players, just annoyances that work under the party's skin - places to get separated, tough battles, whatnot. Just when you think the team is about to start brawling amongst themselves, one group member gets kidnapped. Suddenly the group HAS to work together and one player short.
The psychology of it is astounding. I have played this module a number of times - campaigning and testing - and the results are remarkable. The unity that comes out of this quest in unshakakable and well-timed, considering you are a short way from the Boss battle.
In a nutshell, the mind is a powerful and underutilized tool. The modules/sessions that I remember most fondly are the ones where my brain was as occupied as my hands. A good psycho thriller is a great angle for a DM and/or builder to consider!
- J'Dai
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Ochobee
Extreme Poster
Last On: 09/26/08
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 339
|
I would kill for the haks from the educational game Revolution that was mentioned on Bioware's NWN site.
http://www.educationarcade.org/
I would love to throw together an "alternate history" module and drop a party in via mysterious portal or some such thing.
The idea I have been kicking around lately is along a similar vein but is an interpretation of a Gilbert & Sullivan opera with the party dropped in the middle of things to make a mess. The difficulty so far (in the very early stages) is coming up with ideas that keep true to the source, without pigeonholeing the party along one plot path. That and making it fresh enough for people who know the work to not have an easy go.
Is pigeonholeing a word? Time for more coffee...
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Druid of the Western Star
Veteran Poster
Last On: 12/09/04
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 83
|
I'm not a mod builder so it is beyond my power, but something I would find interesting to see done, or atthe very least tried is a mod based on the Drenai lands, or even the Rigante, of David Gemmell's books. The lands themselves would be amazing to RP in, and if some of the characters could be made it would be even better. His characters and lands are so memorable.
Other then that I would like to see more mods that are class specific. Particularly druids who are often overlooked, but any class or race would be enjoyable.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
ashcaster
Experienced User
Last On: 03/19/05
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 10
|
on Jun 30, 2004, 6:18 PM, Rofelli wrote:
-A class-centered game; i.e., players are a group of mages, paladins, rangers, rogues, druids... etc. |
|
I had an idea to do a one off that would make all the players members of an evil cult (any class) that was given a mission by their cult's leader. You don't see too many Evil one-offs or campaigns.
I played in a one-off that had all the players as orcs (we used the Half Orc race). I forget the DM's name, but it was an absolute blast and would make for a great campaign.
I don't think it would be too difficult for a DM to give all the players custom skins, such as goblins or kobolds, and even use a tiny Hak of some sort to force certain Ability modifiers and class restrictions.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Elbast
Forum God
Last On: 08/09/11
View Profile
Message Player
United Kingdom
Posts: 764
|
on Jun 30, 2004, 6:18 PM, Rofelli wrote:There are a few vauge things I'd like to see, and none of which I have time to build/run.
-A class-centered game; i.e., players are a group of mages, paladins, rangers, rogues, druids... etc. Perhaps part of a guild or order, or perhaps thrown together by chance (rogues in a jail, perhaps?). I can see a lot of potential, especially for a rogues guild (perhaps delving into Rogue Spear-ish types of missions, which I would love to run/play) or a paladin's/cleric's order. This would also work with unusual races; i.e., the players could be a group of centaurs fleeing to new lands as civilization spreads, vampires being mercilessly hunted, etc.
-A game of real political intrigue. The type of stuff I like to DM, but as a player instead. Haven't found one at the level of complexity that I enjoy yet. But I may just be missing what's already around.
-A city-based game. While there's always a home town of sorts, I've never seen a game in which the majority of the game takes place within the city itself (and I don't mean the sewers). The OC excepted, of course. |
|
I played in a short-lived game TOJ ran that was 1 and 3 together. Lithan was about a rogues guild based entirely within a city. Unfortunately he began to run it at a time when life meant NWN slipped down the priority list some (in a good way) so it didn't last long, despite being the absolutely coolest new idea I'd seen about in ages. I was, at one point, also building a mod specifically for paladins, but that was a year and more ago now, and I was working on many different things at the time, and got burnt out on it all. I doubt very much I'll ever pick the idea up again, but it was a race-against-time jobby - to save a settlement from an overwhelmingly evil army (demonic-lead humanoid monsters).
2... well, I'd like to think that in some respects that's the kind of game I'm running, too. Certainly it may not always be obviously so, but the way things are falling into place behind the scenes fits very much with this mould, even if the characters aren't acutely aware of it yet (and believe me, they are aware of intrigues to some degree).
Mods have been done with PCs as "monster" races, too. Dungajin built one where the PCs are orcs, I believe, and Fleet Street's Isle of Silk has at least 2 different options I'm aware of. Haks aren't even needed, since modifications to PCs can be done with LETO, though obviously this can lead to a standard appearance in which case haks may be desired.
I agree there's plenty of scope for new and interesting design. I personally feel there is a tendancy to ovre-rely on combat as a means of sorting problems, and that we'd be better off for more mods with viable, and interesting non-combat solutions.
|
| « Last Edit: on: Jul 1, 2004, 7:25AM » |
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Lilivati
Forum God
Last On: 09/08/11
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 2016
|
Perhaps this is where the line between module design and RP becomes quite blurred indeed, but I would like to see a module that isn't based on the premise that the PCs are adventurers- one in which the PCs have some other purpose in life, and get sucked into events rather than go looking for them. One in which perhaps the PC's only motivation is not treasure or glory or honor, but simply to get back home to the life they used to have.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
hahnsoo
Veteran Poster
Last On: 05/14/06
View Profile
Message Player
Unknown
Posts: 76
|
How about a game where the players are drawn into masquerading as actors/stage hands/techs in a play or an opera, while trying to catch the Phantom/Werewolf/Murderer/Politician/Spy at the behest of the Theater Owner/Local Authorities/King/Duke/Political Prisoner/Underground Resistance leader? The particularly charismatic ones could take a title or bit part role, while the others are moving around "behind the scenes" as it were. Sure, it sounds Scooby-Doo-ish (you darn kids!) but I think it would be fun to have player attempt to memorize lines and perform before an audience while bigger things are afoot... which is more stressful, public speaking or catching the Fugitive? *grin*
It's been done, of course. But I haven't heard of anyone doing it in NWN.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Gornt
Forum God
Last On: 06/09/11
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 758
|
I'm currently interested in timed modules.
Heros learn that disaster is about to strike town. Must get as many people to safety as possible before X at which point the dragon invades or the tidal wave hits or whatever. Or a building is burning, if you don't get the kid out in x sexonds, you run the risk of passing out and dying. Or you have to hold off the invaders for x amount of time before assistance arrives.
I'm also trying to build time in other ways. I'm making a mini-mod for a PW where players explore an island. The guy that drops them off on the island is only waiting so long for them to come back and then he's gone. If they spend too much time resting and re-resting, they'll have to find another way back to the mainland or wait for rescue.
|
| « Last Edit: on: Jul 3, 2004, 1:26PM » |
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Arawen
Forum God
Last On: 05/29/11
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 998
|
I'm currently running a Planewalkers campaign chapter called Dreamland in which the PCs have entered a young boy's dreamworld to save his life. The boy has immense but latent godlike and powers. His soul has become trapped in a tangible Dreamworld Plane, and to save his life his soul must be rescued.
However, in the Dreamworld, the young boy's fantasies and nightmares now seem to have minds of their own, and his awakened powers have attracted unwanted outside attention.
It's a psychological roleplay campaign in a surreal setting where horror and fairy tales meet. How the PCs deal with the dreamworld is open-ended. Their choices though will have fateful consequences.
In my other campaign, Castellar Chronicles, anything can happen and even serious drama can turn a little zany. Lastone and I improvise the game each week in the toolset around the characters and their backgrounds. There is a main plot, but how players are connected to it depends on their characters.
For example, one PC in the campaign, Tristo, is an amnesiac halfling fighter. For many months, Tristo continually spoke with his imaginary dwarf friend, making the party wonder at his sanity. Eventually, the party discovered that Tristo's condition was due to a terrible battle that had led and lost. Further, he had once been a king before he lost his memory and his dwarf friend became a ghost. His mission and the party's is now to remedy what went wrong, if they can find out what happened before it's too late.
Another campaign PC, Khyrie, was an orphan sorceress who had been saved by a mysterious stranger. Meanwhile, the party was being harassed by a mage who kept attacking the party. However the attacks always fell short. The mage never sent quite enough minions to kill them. It turns out the that the mage nemesis is her father and though he sees the party as a threat, he kidnaps the PC to explain why she should believe his actions are right, making the entire party's stuggle with their nemesis much more complicated.
A third campaign PC, Tia, was the daughter of nobility fleeing its stultifying expectations. Unfortunately, she is being dogged by a persistent ex-suitor who happens to be a powerful prince who cannot take no for an answer.
We've also turned the players into trolls, let them visit the Abyss to meet a summoned demon whom they befriended, and replaced one party member with a doppleganger spy.
Each of these plot twists has helped develop a specific PC's backstory while advancing the main plot. As a DM, I enjoy challenging roleplay situations. These surprising twists can enable both the character and party relationships to grow.
The Castellar Campaign is designed and literally built entirely around the PCs. Their decisions literally shape the direction of the story.
Orienting a game to make the PCs central means that they become part of the story and in my experience, the trade-offs of flexibility and cooperation are very worthwhile. The characters grow, the story becomes personal, and the NPCs grow as well.
Each of my players, my co-DMs and I shape the campaign together. Doing that is more than participating in the campaign. They become part of the story, co-authors, and even I wonder each game what will happen next.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Talondale
Experienced User
Last On: 05/08/09
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 20
|
Perhaps a traveler captured by an army in a border war. PC must decide to join the army (and possibly sneak off later,)try to talk their way out, remain a prisoner, warn or join opposing faction. Maybe add political intrigue by not making either side necessarily evil but just having different motives for war.
Isn't there a ranger only mod rated at number 4 on NWC's homepage called Kale's Rangers? Anyone played that?
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Carlo One
Forum God
Last On: 02/08/12
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 2250
|
I like the above idea, for multiplayer it would work well if, for example, you had all of the PCs in a joint "press gang" cell to begin with, then drafted into the army. Could have "basic training" for them all to start out with, bringing the (however unwilling) party together.
On my own idea, although the module would be focused around the actions of a single PC over time, I think I could work in a "jury" of sorts to allow for a more interesting multiplayer experience.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
Elbast
Forum God
Last On: 08/09/11
View Profile
Message Player
United Kingdom
Posts: 764
|
on Jul 7, 2004, 10:25 AM, Carlo One wrote:I like the above idea, for multiplayer it would work well if, for example, you had all of the PCs in a joint "press gang" cell to begin with, then drafted into the army. Could have "basic training" for them all to start out with, bringing the (however unwilling) party together.
On my own idea, although the module would be focused around the actions of a single PC over time, I think I could work in a "jury" of sorts to allow for a more interesting multiplayer experience. |
|
The first campaign idea I had - and started to develop, though it never reached fruition - was along these lines. PCs were all green recruits to a resistance army, on a continent that had been conquered in living memory. While not strictly press-ganged into signing up they would have been lumped together as a unit (meeting this way) and forced to make the best of it. More freedom would've crept in later - including the chance to really learn about their conquorers, and switch sides etc if desired. Unfortunately I got burnout on tooling and it never really got going - probably for the best, actually, since I doubt what I'd planned originally would actually hold my interest now, different play priorities and all.
|
|
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
stonedragon1027
Veteran Poster
Last On: 02/26/05
View Profile
Message Player
United States
Posts: 90
|
I am currently making several modules including one for an order of paladins and one for the tree-huggers. I would love to play in the centaur thing.
|
| « Last Edit: on: Jul 13, 2004, 9:11PM » |
I.P. Logged |
|
|
|
|
|
|
