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Kiirnodel
Sergeant
484 Posts
    
 | | 04/21/2005 6:37 PM |
| | recovered topic 2685 | |
Official Smiter of Min/Maxers and Powergamers. | |
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Kiirnodel
Sergeant
484 Posts
| | 04/21/2005 6:37 PM |
| I love doing homebrew stuff. Less PCs correcting me. [:D] Actually the PCs know the world well enough to where I do get corrected.
You kind of have to spend a lot more effort to create your own homebrew world though.
Homebrew is just what I like, I also like Eberron [:P] | |
Official Smiter of Min/Maxers and Powergamers. | |
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Can of the Cave Beer
Commander
2838 Posts
| | 04/21/2005 7:02 PM |
| | Unless there's something specific that I want from a particular published setting, I go homebrew. Even then, some things will pop up here and there, but mostly I have enough kooky ideas kicking around my skull to keep things from getting (too) boring. | |
Champion of the Werewolf Lord, Knight of Anything Duergar, and Squire of Things Gnollish
List reset with the start of previews for each new set...got Chainmail®? | |
| The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 04/21/2005 7:34 PM |
| | While I love designing new campaign worlds, i find I don't have to time to do it much anymore. Therefore, I tend to favor published scenarios. Everything is done and it's ready to go. I will change things occasionally where needed. to fit my personal style. | |
WotC - making me wish more and more every day for a return to the TSR days. :(
I fought the snark and the snark won. I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!
Some of my favorite Maxminis quotes
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
Could somebody explain Snatch to me? I understand the basics, but not how to enter/use it. - Posted by orcmonk220
G's the man. - Posted By greyhaze on 11/11/2008 8:58 AM
I dont mind butting heads every once in a while. It makes thing interesting. Thats why I'd be heartbroken if Ghendar ever left - Posted By Count Dooku on 04/03/2006 11:58 AM
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| Thoth, Gatherer of Knowledge
MerricB
Underboss
2353 Posts
Australia
| | 04/21/2005 7:47 PM |
| Both. I use the World of Greyhawk, and then heavily modify it to meet my needs. (See articles on Canonfire about Xan-Yae, Ulek and Cofston...)
I use both published and homebrew adventures.
Cheers! | |
Merric Blackman
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Avatar of the Irrelevant
Diomedes
Commander
3185 Posts
| | 04/21/2005 8:44 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Ghendar
While I love designing new campaign worlds, i find I don't have to time to do it much anymore. Therefore, I tend to favor published scenarios. Everything is done and it's ready to go. I will change things occasionally where needed. to fit my personal style.
I agree. I also get nuts about it. I spent several months programming an economic simulator that would respond to supply and demand shocks. I had an /exact/ tally of how much ore was mined in a day, how much /could/ be mined in a day if the workers hired temps and really pushed it, how much it cost to transport that ore, how the weather was acting, how that influenced farm prices, how taxes changed everything... man it was a heck of a program. However after a couple of months, I /still/ didn't have anything close to an adventure ready. It's stuff like that that makes me use someone else's setting to preserve my sanity. Now I typically just tweak to my liking ;)
-Diomedes | |
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kestrel.ca
Underboss
1687 Posts
| | 04/21/2005 8:54 PM |
| I guess it depends on the type of campaign. I don't have the time to create really interesting adventures (my brother-in-law does that), but I don't mind creating an overall world/setting to place other's adventures into.
I've collected hundreds of adventures from the internet and other places -- mostly small single session adventures. I've entered them into a database, and can sort by approximate EL, environment, and main villains. I then use those to flesh out my homebrew world, creating chains of effect between otherwise disparate adventures. In other words, the setting is mine, the adventures are published. I generally adapt them slightly (place name changes, recurring villain references, etc) or use them to develop my world. So far it's been working relatively well. | |
Completed Trades/Transactions: 94 || Bad Trades: 3 (Chaotic Good x2, MackeyV) | |
| 
B
Underboss
1189 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 12:24 AM |
| | I definately prefer to play in a homebrew setting. In some of the more established settings you end up feeling like a small fish in a big pond even when you are above the power curve. Forgotten realms is the worst for it. If you play a mage you probably won't surpass Elminster or the Simbul, so why try. When Toril is in danger who are they going to call.....not you. I find that with a homebrew world you have a better chance to make it your own, and not have to live in someone else's shadow. Just my take on it though. [:)] | |
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.--Dylan Thomas
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Phoenix
Underboss
1933 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 12:54 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by kestrel.ca
I guess it depends on the type of campaign. I don't have the time to create really interesting adventures (my brother-in-law does that), but I don't mind creating an overall world/setting to place other's adventures into.
I've collected hundreds of adventures from the internet and other places -- mostly small single session adventures. I've entered them into a database, and can sort by approximate EL, environment, and main villains. I then use those to flesh out my homebrew world, creating chains of effect between otherwise disparate adventures. In other words, the setting is mine, the adventures are published. I generally adapt them slightly (place name changes, recurring villain references, etc) or use them to develop my world. So far it's been working relatively well.
I did something similar with one campaign and it worked out really well. The world was designed and various adventures were placed at the start of the campaign. Some were homebrew adventures others were published adventures. Some were placed geographically others were triggered when certain events occured in the game. The adventures were in place for about fifteen levels of play. For first through ten levels there were probably about twice the number of adventures need.
Having a ready supply of adventures already placed in various spots around the land was very useful. As the campaign went on more adventures were added and many were ignored. All in all it worked very well. It was very nice to have so much mapped out in advance even though much of it was never used in the game.
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H/W List
Successful trades (94)
Well, the links don't work anymore but I'm sure I can still find a few old timers who'll vouch for me.
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Fun Guy from Yuggoth
Cthulhufnord
Warlord
11113 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 04/22/2005 1:45 AM |
| | Most of the adventures I've grown up playing in have been homebrew, that's my general prefrence as a GM. It's so much easier for me to bs details rather than look through a setting book. I do have a series of notebooks that over the years I've been filling with campain seeds and adventure hooks, I do most of my consulting with those books than any setting book. | |
Pathetic Earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void - without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe - anything at all - you would have hidden from it in terror. | |
| Knight of Argenis
Corim Danex
Warlord
6842 Posts
West Valley City, Utah
| | 04/22/2005 2:12 AM |
| | Though I am not a practiced DM, I prefer what some above have described a bit: creating my own place and using some premade adventures (with necessary adaptations) and deciding where those are in the world. I think that for me this would be the funnest part of being DM. | |
"Look to God and live." Alma 37:47
Vindicated Champ of Hippogriff (Arcadian Hippogriff) and Uncommon Horse | |
| Knight of Argenis
Corim Danex
Warlord
6842 Posts
West Valley City, Utah
| | 04/22/2005 2:13 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Diomedes
I spent several months programming an economic simulator that would respond to supply and demand shocks. I had an /exact/ tally of how much ore was mined in a day, how much /could/ be mined in a day if the workers hired temps and really pushed it, how much it cost to transport that ore, how the weather was acting, how that influenced farm prices, how taxes changed everything... man it was a heck of a program. However after a couple of months, I /still/ didn't have anything close to an adventure ready. It's stuff like that that makes me use someone else's setting to preserve my sanity. Now I typically just tweak to my liking ;)
That's a lot of work. Impressive. I enjoy getting lost in the details. | |
"Look to God and live." Alma 37:47
Vindicated Champ of Hippogriff (Arcadian Hippogriff) and Uncommon Horse | |
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Oni
Underboss
1131 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 3:05 AM |
| Wow I seem to be the odd duck out. I rather play in Published games.
My 4 fav. of all time are
Dark Sun
Rakugan
Garweeze Wurld (as close as I can remember hackmaster world)
Forgotten Realms
When I say I am starting a new game to my players odds are good it will be set in one of those four worlds.
When I play in a game I have a strong dislike for homebrews. I normaly play characters with a high score in history, and Int. I don't want to have to ask the DM for information I just like having it. I ask DM if I know such, and such roll, and he says yea or nay he does not have to take time out of the game to explain things to me.
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"...don’t try to outweird me, I get stranger things than you free with my breakfast cereal."
- Zaphod Beeblebrox
Champion of the Nymph!
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glauron
Underboss
1379 Posts
Sydney, Australia
| | 04/22/2005 6:31 AM |
| I prefer the published adventures.
I have to read them half a dozen times so my head isn't buried in them come game day, but they have all the traps, loot, characters and fluff that I don't have time to create. Overall I come out in front. The ones I select are always better than anything I can come up with myself.
Adjustments are usually to challenge rating, and I generally flesh out the NPCs a bit. I like to make them real, not just cannon fodder. It's cool when the players brag about defeating specific characters or monsters in gory detail. | |
I have always been here. | |
| Hero of the Force
Siddartha of Suburbia
Underboss
2277 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 7:08 AM |
| For players there is a certain amount of advantage in a homebrewed world. Even a group that has played together a long time have different levels of interest in D&D. Some members read novels, others MEMORIZE sourcebooks , and others are in it only for the game.
In a homebrewed world all the characters are on the same footing, because they all have equal experience. Especially when you have a newer player and are big on the ROLEPLAY part of a world, it seems to make a big difference. | |
"We can't stop here...This Is Bat country!"
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| The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 04/22/2005 7:29 AM |
| Homebrewed worlds are both great and terrible.
Great - YOU control everything. It's your baby. No one can contradict your details. No one can know more than you. You don't have to alter anything because you created it.
Terrible - It's a LOT of work. You have to design EVERYTHING. God forbid you have players who need to know what holy days are relevant to his god and how they fall on the calender. While it is fun to create, it can be a daunting and almost (at times) overwhelming task. Especially if you have real life issues that take up most of your time.
I have two homebrew worlds that I'm toying with at the moment and neither is anywhere close to being ready for play. It would take much, much more design time than I currently have in order to brings these up to snuff. | |
WotC - making me wish more and more every day for a return to the TSR days. :(
I fought the snark and the snark won. I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!
Some of my favorite Maxminis quotes
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
Could somebody explain Snatch to me? I understand the basics, but not how to enter/use it. - Posted by orcmonk220
G's the man. - Posted By greyhaze on 11/11/2008 8:58 AM
I dont mind butting heads every once in a while. It makes thing interesting. Thats why I'd be heartbroken if Ghendar ever left - Posted By Count Dooku on 04/03/2006 11:58 AM
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| Hero of the Force
Siddartha of Suburbia
Underboss
2277 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 7:40 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Ghendar
Homebrewed worlds are both great and terrible.
Great - YOU control everything. It's your baby. No one can contradict your details. No one can know more than you. You don't have to alter anything because you created it.
Terrible - It's a LOT of work. You have to design EVERYTHING. God forbid you have players who need to know what holy days are relevant to his god and how they fall on the calender. While it is fun to create, it can be a daunting and almost (at times) overwhelming task. Especially if you have real life issues that take up most of your time.
I have two homebrew worlds that I'm toying with at the moment and neither is anywhere close to being ready for play. It would take much, much more design time than I currently have in order to brings these up to snuff.
I used to build bits and pieces of campaign worlds all the time. I find it fun to do even though I have not run a regular game of my own for probably about 2 years now (wow has it been that long?). Of course now I post here so who has time for all that.
The trick when building a campaign world is to start with what you need, then spread out at leisure. Many times I'd mention something in the world in an offhand way, so that night I'd have to figure out what I was talking about. It's fun. | |
"We can't stop here...This Is Bat country!"
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kyrin
Commander
3171 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 9:20 AM |
| In high school, I sorta ran a Greyhawk campaign. Which means I used the world map, mostly. My group wasn't much into politics and economics.
In college, an Ancient History class motivated me to create my own world. Mostly what motivated me was what I saw as the pathetic pantheons of most published worlds. I looked at a lot of those "gods" and said, "Someone would actually worship THIS?" So I created a world that draws from "real" mythology. Naturally, I ripped off published worlds in a couple of places, and it's changed over time, but I've been using the same world for almost 20 years now. And I think the players like the idea of gradually discovering the world rather than reading about it in a sourcebook.
I still use modules, I just place 'em in my world, and change the gods as needed.
JIM
aka kyrin | |
My Have/Want List <-|-|->My Trades and References 1 <-|-|->My Trades and References 2
Pronounce "Drow" like "crow"! Viva la Revolution! We Shall Overcome!
Vindicated Champion of the Stirge! Vindicated Champion of the Githyanki Knight on Red Dragon!!
Vindicated Champion of the Androsphinx! | |
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Avatar of the Irrelevant
Diomedes
Commander
3185 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 10:04 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by kyrin
In high school, I sorta ran a Greyhawk campaign. Which means I used the world map, mostly. My group wasn't much into politics and economics.
In college, an Ancient History class motivated me to create my own world. Mostly what motivated me was what I saw as the pathetic pantheons of most published worlds. I looked at a lot of those "gods" and said, "Someone would actually worship THIS?" So I created a world that draws from "real" mythology. Naturally, I ripped off published worlds in a couple of places, and it's changed over time, but I've been using the same world for almost 20 years now. And I think the players like the idea of gradually discovering the world rather than reading about it in a sourcebook.
I still use modules, I just place 'em in my world, and change the gods as needed.
JIM
aka kyrin
One of my friends got his anthro degree a few years back and spent most of his life traveling the world with his anthro father to document stuff from the India/Pakistan region. Anyhow, he has pretty much the exact same complaint ;) He also hates the oriental adventures and has spent the last 3 years writing his own source book for his games that he claims won't be an insult to the Asian continent. Then again, he always goes a /little/ overboard ;)
-Diomedes
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Captain Harlock
Sergeant
450 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 10:49 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Diomedes
quote:
Originally posted by kyrin
In high school, I sorta ran a Greyhawk campaign. Which means I used the world map, mostly. My group wasn't much into politics and economics.
In college, an Ancient History class motivated me to create my own world. Mostly what motivated me was what I saw as the pathetic pantheons of most published worlds. I looked at a lot of those "gods" and said, "Someone would actually worship THIS?" So I created a world that draws from "real" mythology. Naturally, I ripped off published worlds in a couple of places, and it's changed over time, but I've been using the same world for almost 20 years now. And I think the players like the idea of gradually discovering the world rather than reading about it in a sourcebook.
I still use modules, I just place 'em in my world, and change the gods as needed.
JIM
aka kyrin
One of my friends got his anthro degree a few years back and spent most of his life traveling the world with his anthro father to document stuff from the India/Pakistan region. Anyhow, he has pretty much the exact same complaint ;) He also hates the oriental adventures and has spent the last 3 years writing his own source book for his games that he claims won't be an insult to the Asian continent. Then again, he always goes a /little/ overboard ;)
-Diomedes
Any chance your friend will be publishing that source book?
Dan Cooper | |
Dan Cooper
For there is surely nothing so beautiful than the sight of a lone man facing single-handedly half a ton of angry pot roast.
You will all go directly to your respective vahallas, Go directly, do not pass go do not collect two hundred dollars
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Avatar of the Irrelevant
Diomedes
Commander
3185 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 10:53 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Captain Harlock
Any chance your friend will be publishing that source book?
Dan Cooper
Almost zero as he lacks the ambition to actually try and sell it to someone (don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, but not a very ambitious fellow). I'll e-mail him however, he might be able to send me a copy that I can send your way. It'll depend a lot on his mood.
-Diomedes | |
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Niccolo
Sergeant
392 Posts
| | 04/22/2005 12:35 PM |
| As a judge, I prefer to run homebrew campaigns. I love the work/creativity in putting together histories, religion, factions, and it allows you to flavour a campaign towards your goals.
Funny though... I've never asked my players if they'd rather play in one of my homebrews, or in a published setting... makes me think... | |
Have/Want list: http://www.maxminis.com/hwlist.asp?user=niccolo | |
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Fun Guy from Yuggoth
Cthulhufnord
Warlord
11113 Posts
Umass Amherst Baby!
| | 04/22/2005 1:13 PM |
| I did a bit of Ancient History cribbing myself for a couple of homebrewed games. I like using the Fates or the Hecate as inspiration for godesses.
Prior to Third edition I put together a world kinda like the Scarred Lands, only there was only One Titan. A fell Alien Godess representing Birth and Death(Shubb Niggerauth anyone?). The other gods started warring against her when it seemed aparent that she was entering her devour/destruction cycle. They sundererd her and bound her forms both physical and spiritual but at a great cost to themselves. The three largest portions became three wicked Godesses, the Maiden(Huntress), the Mother(of monsters) and the Crone(Hags).So with this setting I'm not only borrowing from some universal european myth and legend but Summerian as well. I loved my Ancient History classes.
quote:
Originally posted by kyrin
In high school, I sorta ran a Greyhawk campaign. Which means I used the world map, mostly. My group wasn't much into politics and economics.
In college, an Ancient History class motivated me to create my own world. Mostly what motivated me was what I saw as the pathetic pantheons of most published worlds. I looked at a lot of those "gods" and said, "Someone would actually worship THIS?" So I created a world that draws from "real" mythology. Naturally, I ripped off published worlds in a couple of places, and it's changed over time, but I've been using the same world for almost 20 years now. And I think the players like the idea of gradually discovering the world rather than reading about it in a sourcebook.
I still use modules, I just place 'em in my world, and change the gods as needed.
JIM
aka kyrin
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Pathetic Earthlings. Hurling your bodies out into the void - without the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you had known anything about the true nature of the universe - anything at all - you would have hidden from it in terror. | |
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Iksander
Underboss
1010 Posts
| | 04/23/2005 12:15 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by MerricB
Both. I use the World of Greyhawk, and then heavily modify it to meet my needs. (See articles on Canonfire about Xan-Yae, Ulek and Cofston...)
What he said. Except, I took all my articles off canonfire, 'cause it's stinky. | |
Bite me. | |
| Hero of the Force
Siddartha of Suburbia
Underboss
2277 Posts
| | 04/23/2005 11:20 AM |
| | What i like about homebrew, is that sometimes an idea for a culture or tribe, or guild or whatever will pop into my head while I'm running the game, and I can just start to work it right there, in little ways as the players explore. Then by the next week it can be fully fleshed out, and not be stepping on the toes of any other group or story, because it's all mine. | |
"We can't stop here...This Is Bat country!"
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Avatar of the Irrelevant
Diomedes
Commander
3185 Posts
| | 04/23/2005 12:23 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Siddartha of Suburbia
What i like about homebrew, is that sometimes an idea for a culture or tribe, or guild or whatever will pop into my head while I'm running the game, and I can just start to work it right there, in little ways as the players explore. Then by the next week it can be fully fleshed out, and not be stepping on the toes of any other group or story, because it's all mine.
Well... I've never had a problem adding extra races/cultures into pre-made settings. Sometimes the older players will raise an eyebrow, but I'm the DM ;) I can do what I want. I see it as more of a mtter of how many races/cultures need to be added. If it's a ton of 'em then maybe you should just make a homebrew, but if it's just one or two I don't have a problem just plunking 'em in ;)
-Diomedes | |
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mazra
Sergeant
442 Posts
Canton, GA
| | 04/23/2005 8:33 PM |
| Hi Everyone,
When I first became a DM, back in 1978, I created a gaming world. I still use this world today in all my campaigns, but have used both bought or downloaded scenarios and homebrew adventures. Usually, I created all the adventures up to about 5th level, and used more modules like the Giants trilogy at upper levels. However, the Sunless Citadel is an excellent third edition adventure for a beginning campaigns.
This gives me an idea to start a new thread.....
Have a Blessed Day,
Mazra | | | |
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eryador
Sneak
109 Posts
| | 04/23/2005 10:11 PM |
| | I use a canned world (FR to be exact) but with some added towns or areas of my own. Most of my adventures are made up by me, the last one being one of the few exceptions. I don't have the time to create and maintain a homebrew world, and sometimes don't have time to make a new adventure (our 1 year old keeps us busy). But that should not happen often. I want to get back to one adventure I have planned for the players. [}:)] Hee hee | |
My Trades | My Have/Want List
You are not brought upon this world to "get it!"
-Lo Pan | |
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brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 04/27/2005 2:46 AM |
| I prefer homebrew, although I ran Forgotten Realms way back in High School and so feel great playing in that setting under another DM.
My World, Thandoria, has everything I need and love, and is full of rich history and many campaigns. I've even had one player meet one of his retired characters from three campaigns back in a sea port. Whenever we start a new campaign I usually select a different part of my main continent to start them out adventuring, so as a result of over 20 years play, each little zone gets really fleshed out.
I love how the world grows like this. I usually set these campaigns within the same time period, maybe space em a year apart (gametime).
My players complain about me only giving 1/3 XP for combat though. I don't like the Video game mentality of the advancement system. I don't want character going from 1st to 20th level in 8 months or however long Wizard's decided that the average campaign lasted. Why is it not all right to end a campaign at 5th level? if a character tires of adventure, they tire of adventure and settle down...
I want the low level play to last longer. It seems more fun to me as a DM. I can DM high level play, but it just becomes so monty haulish and epic that the rest of the world seems to diminish by these heroic standards.
I thought it would be cool to have characters start off with an NPC class and make them advance through like five or so levels of those before they could gain a "real" class, and then have all spellcasters be prestige classes that top out at 10th level, so there would only be 4th level magic in the world... Seems to me that the game world would be radically fantastical beyond any medieval setting we could imagine with all that high level magic. I think fantasy enthusiasts are starting to finally wonder what a world would really actually be like ngiven magical power (Eberron?) and books like A Magical Medieval Society, etc.
I even toned down my teleport spell, because I didn't like the Journey being taken out of adventures. Teleport on a common usage level is for video games or Sci Fi, otherwise gandalf would have just teleported Frodo to Mount Doom and had him drop the ring, and wala no story, no struggle no quest...
I'll stop rambling...
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Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
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IanB
Commander
3112 Posts
| | 04/27/2005 2:56 AM |
| I do both. Really the main limitation I find I have is I'm bad at keeping maps at all similar in scale from one version to another so having something like the Greyhawk world map to keep me honest is a good thing.
Speaking of which, any of you really good with Campaign Cartographer? I need a more permanent version of my maps. ;) | |
Anson on WotC boards | |
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Frederyck
Sneak
139 Posts
Uppsala, Sweden
| | 04/27/2005 8:06 AM |
| I always use a premade campaign since it is much easier with a lot of the fluff (holy days, gods, climate and whatnot) but I am never able to use it completely out of the box. My latest campaign is set in FR, but I wanted to create a country of my own, so I basically eradicated The Vast from Faerun and put in my own concoction instead, a country called Trattorien ruled by matriarchic families with lots of bad blood towards eachother. Also, I try to excise all the uber-characters, and the somewhat silly good or evil organisations that always seem to spring up in FR (harpers, zhentarim etc). I prefer my world to be much more fractured, without global organisations bent on saving/ending the world. Sure, there are plenty of evil groups scheming to overthrow this and that ruler, but noone has any grand plans for everything. The world is just to big for that.
Also, I always try to emulate real world cultures into the campaigns I use. Cormyr? They're British. Sembia? German/Teutonic. The lands south of Cormyr? France. The Savage Frontier? The Nordic countries. The city states around the Moonsea? Eastern Europe. That way it is much easier to make things up on the spot. The characters enter a bar and order some ale? It might be imported from Cormyr. That way makes it easier to describe scenery as well - the thick forests of Sembia with the Dalelands to the north are easy to picture when you use photographs of the Schwartzwald. The rolling farmlands of Cormyr - no problems, just use pics from the Cotswold, or Lake District or something like it. There are millions of pictures like this up on the web, easily findable through google. | |
If voting could really change things, it would be illegal. | |
| The Great
Choco Monster
Ghendar
Warlord
13069 Posts
Mud Lick, Kentucky
| | 04/27/2005 8:14 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by brazenwood
My players complain about me only giving 1/3 XP for combat though. I don't like the Video game mentality of the advancement system. I don't want character going from 1st to 20th level in 8 months or however long Wizard's decided that the average campaign lasted.
I have this similar problem with 3rd ED. Advancement is too fast. Great for players, not so great for DMs. | |
WotC - making me wish more and more every day for a return to the TSR days. :(
I fought the snark and the snark won. I'm baaaaaaaaaaack!
Some of my favorite Maxminis quotes
I actually love to be swallowed. - Posted By gss_000 on 09/04/2007 2:32 PM
Could somebody explain Snatch to me? I understand the basics, but not how to enter/use it. - Posted by orcmonk220
G's the man. - Posted By greyhaze on 11/11/2008 8:58 AM
I dont mind butting heads every once in a while. It makes thing interesting. Thats why I'd be heartbroken if Ghendar ever left - Posted By Count Dooku on 04/03/2006 11:58 AM
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kyrin
Commander
3171 Posts
| | 04/27/2005 8:32 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Ghendar
quote:
Originally posted by brazenwood
My players complain about me only giving 1/3 XP for combat though. I don't like the Video game mentality of the advancement system. I don't want character going from 1st to 20th level in 8 months or however long Wizard's decided that the average campaign lasted.
I have this similar problem with 3rd ED. Advancement is too fast. Great for players, not so great for DMs.
Complete agreement here. Probably my biggest problem with 3.5. I use a sort of hybrid 1st Ed / 3rd Ed Experience system, that slows down advancement a little bit. I don't like it when players go through levels too fast -- enjoy the level, stay awhile, revel in its abilities before you move on.
Then, again, I play with an older group that may not be so ADHD as the typical modern roleplayer...
JIM
aka kyrin | |
My Have/Want List <-|-|->My Trades and References 1 <-|-|->My Trades and References 2
Pronounce "Drow" like "crow"! Viva la Revolution! We Shall Overcome!
Vindicated Champion of the Stirge! Vindicated Champion of the Githyanki Knight on Red Dragon!!
Vindicated Champion of the Androsphinx! | |
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Pale Rider
Underboss
1023 Posts
London, Ontario, Canada
| | 04/27/2005 8:55 AM |
| I use the Scarred Lands from Sword & Sorcery Studios. I t has everything I want in a campaign world, good, evil a rich history, unknowable enemies evena good background and society for gnomes (think eco-terrorists and nearly feral).
I generally use by the book advancement but some combats get less XP awarded if they were too easy. I also use story awards when certain goals are met. | |
Completed Trades: Crescent Hawk, Vimes, demagogue, vidman, Eric is God, Strachan Fireblade, FungiMuncher, Dudeeehm, Shasack, gausse, kyrin, nyjastul69
Champion of the Remorhaz | |
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brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 04/27/2005 1:25 PM |
| I was thinking that in my next campaign starting them off as NPC classes but include a wizard one (Sage) and a rogue one (Thug from Dragonstar) along with the Adept, Aristocrat, Commoner, Expert, and Warrior.
Then still only give 1/3 XP for combat, but also an equal amount even with the last most important combat for accomplishing story awards.
Then just treat all the PC regular classes like prestige classes. but allow them to start training with a mentor around NPC 3rd level, and as a result of the training they just, make level 4 but really just become a 1st level whatever along with their NPC levels.
The players I know will hate it, but I will love it as a DM, due to more emphasis on storytelling and character development, rather than character advencement just to gain more power.
Also thinking of having all spell casters top out at 6th level, maybe allow 12 levels for wizard/divine types, and then the hihger level spells will have to be attained and accoplished through special quests or gifts from the Gods, or group rituals, etc.
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Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
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PatEllis15
Commander
4463 Posts
| | 04/27/2005 1:46 PM |
| Homebrew can be so cool and rewarding, but SUCH a time sink. I tried it in college, and I "didn't like it"... I exclusivly use Greyhawk. Its the best of both worlds really. As is, it is but a skeleton, and the DM can flesh out to his hearts content, but the skeleton is strong, and supportive...
Pat E | |
"Games evolve. Otherwise we'd still be pushing rocks around the dirt. What do you think the cavemen said when some dude showed up with sticks?" - Chairman7w | |
| DDM Australian Champion 2005
psistef
Underboss
1572 Posts
| | 04/29/2005 8:55 AM |
| Wow, never knew how lazy I was....
I'm knee-deep in my first campaign as a DM, which I would, after reading previous entries, describe as "homebrew lite".
First up, I should explain that, living in a small city in outback australia, when I decided I wanted to play DnD, I had to convince my friends to take up the hobby (ie, no experienced players to draw upon)
We started @ LvL 3 with the adventure path series and went through to about LvL 9, and about then my creative juices started flowing...
I started connecting the adventures together, creating underlying storylines from stratch, etc.,
From there it just evolved into a homebrew, but its really a city rather than a world. The adventurers are based there and the adventures grow out of there and the surrounding area.
The advantage, I suppose, is that the players really enjoy the game, and are quite content to address the issues at hand, and have no interest in economics, dense world level history, what month it is outside of time passed, etc.,
This frees me to concentrate on adventures.
Now don't get me wrong, the history of the narrow area the party is involved in I have created with ridiculous clarity, and the things they are doing is quite dense and involving, but I can't imagine creating something on a world scale.
I suppose, rather than world creation, I have really just created a site layer adventure hooks.
One last point, I love this board! My group started playing basically off our own backs, learned the core books from scratch, and really established the whole thing in a complete vacuum. And while it's been an amazing experience, I've always had that thought of "If we ever met another established player, would they find our playstyle ridiculous/simplistic?" While I think we do tend to breeze over certain elements to concerntrate on the things we like the most, it's so refreshing to be able to here how others are doing it, from the DMs' mouth.
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Champion of the Prestige Class where mages focus on telekenesis and start throwing people into the ceiling and uber stuff like that.
Desirer of a Commander Effect in CG that grants Sidestep to followers with a ranged attack. | |
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gordonboom
Sergeant
393 Posts
| | 04/30/2005 12:27 AM |
| I have played both. Back in when I first started we played exclusively homebrew. Now that we all(or most) have full time jobs and families we tend to stick with whatever we can buy or download. Once in a while we venture back but the group just keeps getting smaller that remembers it so well.
If you are willing and have the time I find nothing in the game more rewarding than creating a world for your players. Just start small and expand as need dictates. It took us almost 7 years to fully detail a realm and there are still places that PC's have never been.
Wow, now I want to play it again. Thanks[:)] | |
Champion of the Phaerimm
Trade References
gordonboomhour@kos.net
I am willing to trade minis for Magic cards. | |
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brazenwood
Sergeant
386 Posts
Etowah NC
| | 04/30/2005 11:56 AM |
| When designing a fantasy world I like to start from the big picture and then about half way into the process abort and start over from the small picture of one continent and specifically one realm/land/region that will host the upcoming series of adventures.
In the big picture you can start by mapping out your solar system and deciding how many moons your world has and if it has rings and asking questions like how did those rings get there, and who were the first races to incarnate on the planet. Then you can sketch out your continents and decide what kind of major races/cultures/situations/and historical elements you'd like to have there. One you've got a good idea of the global map it makes thinking about cultural influences easier because you can see the proximity of continents and you'll have a good idea about who has made contact with each other and you can start to form a history, complete with characters and all.
At that point it's good to zoom in and start fleshing out one of those cultures in detail from the perspective of a campaign zone that will host your first series of adventures. You can make up a calendar, a set of gods based on the planets you've already put in the sky...you might even win an award for Norway like Slartibartfast on Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy...
I enjoy the creation process at both ends of the spectrum, and I like to alternate between them as i go... | |
Kelly Lee Phipps
Visit my New Fantasy World Website: www.astrofantasy.com
Email: kellyleephipps@gmail.com
My Have/Want List: http://www.maxminis.com/hw_list.asp?user=brazenwood
My Reference List Link: http://www.maxminis.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6375 | |
| Hero of the Force
Siddartha of Suburbia
Underboss
2277 Posts
| | 05/01/2005 5:20 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by brazenwood
...you might even win an award for Norway like Slartibartfast on Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy...
Or you could be like Keith Baker, and design a world so well that WotC makes it their new campaign setting after a contest advertised in Dragon magazine. | |
"We can't stop here...This Is Bat country!"
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