What kind of dungeon or location product would you like?

[Darran]

So with talk about megadungeons and the like for Glorantha, what would you want for playable aids for games?

A Megadungeon, going from one 10' x 10' room to another?
A sprawling mass of rooms and levels filled with monsters [that seem not to eat each other] that would grind the PCs towards multiple TPKs.

A small number of linked 'dungeons' or locations for a large campaign?
Dungeons in a smaller piecemeal size that are linked and can be fully explored one after the other. Paths or secret tunnels link these up.

A small number of locations for a large campaign that could be linked?
Numerous dungeons or locations that fit into an ongoing campaign. A castle, a temple, some ruins, a tavern, old caves, etc. Paths or secret tunnels link these up.

A detailed area with a full gazetteer for all locations?
An area of Glorantha [or a gateway setting?] that is fully detailed with not only the key locations for adventure but with other possibly useful locations detailed.

Some small 'dungeons' or locations that could fit in anywhere?
Small generic adventure locations that can be dropped in anywhere in anyone's campaign. A castle, a temple, some ruins, a tavern, old caves, etc.

No Dungeons!
Full story playing only.

 

[SJE]

A detailed area with a full gazetteer for all locations? = JUGGERNAUGHT!¬!!

 

[mallard]

So with talk about megadungeons and the like for Glorantha, what would you want for playable aids for games?

A Megadungeon, going from one 10' x 10' room to another?
A sprawling mass of rooms and levels filled with monsters [that seem not to eat each other] that would grind the PCs towards multiple TPKs.

A small number of linked 'dungeons' or locations for a large campaign?
Dungeons in a smaller piecemeal size that are linked and can be fully explored one after the other. Paths or secret tunnels link these up.

A small number of locations for a large campaign that could be linked?
Numerous dungeons or locations that fit into an ongoing campaign. A castle, a temple, some ruins, a tavern, old caves, etc. Paths or secret tunnels link these up.

A detailed area with a full gazetteer for all locations?
An area of Glorantha [or a gateway setting?] that is fully detailed with not only the key locations for adventure but with other possibly useful locations detailed.

Some small 'dungeons' or locations that could fit in anywhere?
Small generic adventure locations that can be dropped in anywhere in anyone's campaign. A castle, a temple, some ruins, a tavern, old caves, etc.

No Dungeons!
Full story playing only.

Darran,

I am glad you figured out how to post a poll on these forums but your poll is biased. No one is suggesting a megadungeon that is noting more than "A sprawling mass of rooms and levels filled with monsters [that seem not to eat each other] that would grind the PCs towards multiple TPKs"

Furthermore, role playing and megadungeons are not mutually exclusive ideas.

As I have said previously, a megadungeon scenario is no more silly or absurd than adventuring in a giant floating baby cradle or flying trollkin that live in a hollowed out brontosaurus corpse.

I wish I knew how to post my own poll with less biased questions. I bet the results would be different.

 

[PhilHibbs]

I wish I knew how to post my own poll with less biased questions. I bet the results would be different.

I agree. I'm not voting.

 

[hanszurcher]

I found this in the FAQ section.

Creating a poll is easy -- when you post a new topic (or edit the first post of a topic, if you have permission) you should see a Add Poll form below the main posting box. If you cannot see this then you probably do not have rights to create polls. You should enter a title for the poll and then at least two options -- to set an option type in the poll question and click the Add option button. You can also set a time limit for the poll, 0 being an infinite amount. There will be a limit to the number of options you can list, which is set by the board administrator

mallard, I'd like to see your new poll.

(I'd also like to see Nehwon's Quarmall detailed as a megadungeon)

 

[Darran]

I wish I knew how to post my own poll with less biased questions. I bet the results would be different.

To make a poll you just need to start a new thread.
Below the text box you write the main message in and after the four tick boxes, after a red line with "Add a Poll" as the title.

You just add the main question and add the number of options you want, one at a time.
Preview it first as the poll itself can't be edited after.

 

[soltakss]

I wish I knew how to post my own poll with less biased questions. I bet the results would be different.

All polls are biased. Darran's poll seems to be crafted in a way to get long-term Gloranthaphiles to answer in a certain way and I, of course, voted accordingly.

If you offered a Megadungeon with a lot of background and hooks to other supplements/places then I am sure that people would vote for it.

The trick is background and hooks, in my opinion.

 

[troy812]

I would like to see a book that ... provides "inspiration" and not "definition".
I would like a book that ... after I read it, I say "WOW, I never thought of that!"
Gazetteers are nice but... they always seem like a two edged sword. Perhaps they help me save time in world creation but... I usually feel more "bound" to follow what the "rules" say about the region. When I run a game... I want my creativity to to fly like a bird, not charge along like a train.

I'd like to see something like... treasure maps. With player handouts... The players map and the GM's map. And have all of the treasure very "Gloranthanian"
or better yet a book of quests for HeroQuesting... OOOO very nice. :shock:

Either way, I would prefer something I can just "plop down" in a game one night when I don't have anything really planned. I don't want a bunch of connected adventures because that becomes a campaign, that would start to "define" my game, not "inspire" my game.

Well that my 2 bits.
T

 

[PhilHibbs]

I'd like to see something like... treasure maps. With player handouts... The players map and the GM's map. And have all of the treasure very "Gloranthanian"
or better yet a book of quests for HeroQuesting... OOOO very nice. :shock:

Indeed, treasure maps should play a bigger role in Gloranthan gaming than they have. I'd also like to see hero quest maps or decision trees, e.g.

1. Issaries offers his guidance. If taken, go to Stage 4. If refused, go to Stage 2.

2. Plant foe. Fighting is difficult but gives a bonus later when bargaining or pleading with darkness foes. Pleading for mercy or bargaining gives a penalty against darkness foes. Bargaining, if successful, yields a Pitcher Pod that can be used to help in the desert crossing or kept as a treasure.

3. Desert Crossing. Resilience or Persistence test.

4. Darkness foe. Fighting is normal. If Issaries is present, bargaining is easy. See Plant foe for other bonuses...

etc.

 

[duncan_disorderly]

Indeed, treasure maps should play a bigger role in Gloranthan gaming than they have.

I'm sure Treasure Trove Hurbi would agree!

(I also agree with the rest of your post come to that)

 

[duncan_disorderly]

So with talk about megadungeons and the like for Glorantha, what would you want for playable aids for games?

A Megadungeon, going from one 10' x 10' room to another?

I'm not interested in buying or running this sort of product. With the right sort of ruleset (and I'm not sure RQ is the right sort...) this can provide "old school" fun, but is really more a tactical wargame than anything else.

A small number of linked 'dungeons' or locations for a large campaign?

This would be more useful. I am imagining (in AD&D Terms) these would be like the "A1-4 Against the Slavers" or "G1-3/D1-3/Q1 -Giants/Drow" series in that the locations are "logically" linked - A clue found in Part 1 leads to part 2, but without much/any information on anything directly related to the adventure itself. It would be possible for a GM to skip one or more "installments" and/or to add in adventures of his own without too much difficulty

(Living Glorantha may, in part follow this route?)

A small number of locations for a large campaign that could be linked?

...or maybe this is the Living Glorantha route. Each "adventure" is stand alone, but an enterprising GM could link them together (with or without additional adventures of their oen devising) to provide a campaign setting.

A detailed area with a full gazetteer for all locations?
[\quote]

Soemthing like the HQ "Dragons Pass", or something more like "Dara Happa Stirs"? Either are good. The former gives you more detail on a larger area, but leaves you to do all the work in actually making the adventure "work", the latter gives you a prepared campaign ark, but, in contrast to the earlier examples, gives you much more help in what is going on if the players deviate from the script.

Some small 'dungeons' or locations that could fit in anywhere?

These are always useful, though may be better suited to S&P or other "online" support. I sort of expect a collected volume of this sort of material to link them together in some way...

No Dungeons!
Full story playing only.

Even if there are No Dungeons!, I wouldn't advocate no dungeons (where the former are the stereotyped collection of 10' rooms full of monsters, and the latter are published scenarios that may or may not contain underground areas, whether natural or man-made)


If you want to look at a good model for scenario books, I'd suggest looking at the Savage Worlds Plot Point books (eg "50 Fathoms", or "The Flood" for Deadlands reloaded). These books provide a gazeteer with a mixture of story ideas or mini scenarios linked to the locations therein, along with a complete story arc, allowing PC's to start as relative newcomers, get involved with the major plotlines and eventually resolve them. Players (and GM's) can ignore the Campaign Arc and just explore the area, or break off from the (published) Arc to follow plots of their own devising, before coming back to continue the published campaign.

 

[Loz]

or better yet a book of quests for HeroQuesting... OOOO very nice.

One is on the cards...

 

[PhilHibbs]

A Megadungeon, going from one 10' x 10' room to another?

I'm not interested in buying or running this sort of product. With the right sort of ruleset (and I'm not sure RQ is the right sort...) this can provide "old school" fun, but is really more a tactical wargame than anything else.

No-one is interested in a derisive parody of another thread that is the sole purpose of this disingenuous poll. Well, actually 2 people are, but I assume that they are voting for a serious, non-strawman version of this option.

 

[Darran]

No-one is interested in a derisive parody of another thread that is the sole purpose of this disingenuous poll. Well, actually 2 people are, but I assume that they are voting for a serious, non-strawman version of this option.

Why are you getting so angry about it?
You do not have to vote.

The current trend in RPGs at the moment is playing the 'old skool' way, digging out past editions of D&D and playing the old fashioned modules. Gamers, new and old, are going back to playing that way and are making up dungeons and megadungeons to support that style of play.

To me a dungeon is one of two things.
It is a map of 10' x 10' rooms filled with different kinds of monsters as used in D&D or it is a gaol or prison under a keep.

Others use 'dungeon' to describe any location for the PCs to explore.

 

[mallard]

No-one is interested in a derisive parody of another thread that is the sole purpose of this disingenuous poll. Well, actually 2 people are, but I assume that they are voting for a serious, non-strawman version of this option.

Why are you getting so angry about it?
You do not have to vote.

The current trend in RPGs at the moment is playing the 'old skool' way, digging out past editions of D&D and playing the old fashioned modules. Gamers, new and old, are going back to playing that way and are making up dungeons and megadungeons to support that style of play.

To me a dungeon is one of two things.
It is a map of 10' x 10' rooms filled with different kinds of monsters as used in D&D or it is a gaol or prison under a keep.

Others use 'dungeon' to describe any location for the PCs to explore.

Darran,

The reason some of us are getting annoyed at your posts is because you keep making absurd statements like the one above. I don't know of any dungeon product that is just a "map of 10'x10' rooms ..." Snake Pipe Hollow (the closest Chaosium came to making a megadungeon) is not just a bunch of 10'x10' rooms and a lot of people enjoyed that scenario.

You are a smart guy and you know what kind of megadungeon we are talking about but you keep belittling the idea as if it is childish, silly or your style of play is superior. I haven't been in England in about 20 years but I believe its called taking the piss out of something.

There is room in Glorantha for a megadungeon and if it is done right it will be a great product and a lot of fun to play/run.

 

[PhilHibbs]

No-one is interested in a derisive parody of another thread that is the sole purpose of this disingenuous poll. Well, actually 2 people are, but I assume that they are voting for a serious, non-strawman version of this option.

Why are you getting so angry about it?
You do not have to vote.

You made this "poll" purely to ridicule another thread's serious discussion, you stacked it so that only people that agree with you could vote, why do you think I'm annoyed?