Megadungeon Project?

[Zulgyan]

Cali, I got a question:

You surely know that there many styles to write modules. In some modules, descriptions are long and sometimes include backround. In other products, such as old JG modules, descriptions were minimal, giving just what you need. Most of the time no backround or justification at all.

Now... I prefer the JG approach but with a bit more of information. But I don't like it when the description gets too long with information you will actually never see in play.

So..... how should we write?? Is the minimalist way acceptable??

I think that melan's module in Fight On! is just right on this. It says the indispensable but is not as naked as some JG modules.

What do you think?

[calithena]

I have a mild preference for shorter descriptions like you do, but I think people should write their levels the way they like. When we edit it all together for the stand-alone dungeon, then we'll maybe add a little more flesh to some and cut some from others to make it a little more uniform. But mostly I think people should just be creative in their own way.

Hackman, I think I put most of my ideas for the first level in the thread already. You want to write it?

[sham]

May 15, 2008 9:15:52 GMT -6 coffee said:

Do they, by any chance, walk sideways?

Indeed they do!

I'm torn concerning the level of detail of these crustaceans, though. I'll just run with it and do what feels right. A somewhat detailed description, but a nice simple stat block.

Thanks for the responses, guys.

I will stop thinking in terms of the other levels. What'll I'll do is create two generic entrances, two generic one-way chutes, and probably two hazardous connections above an underground river. It's up to the referee to fill in these details.

I'll include information to this effect in the foreward.

As far as my desire for pits, shafts and elevators, all of these features can be confined to Level 3. It might have a good bit of verticality to it, but Crab-men like to climb up and down, sideways at that.

I like the giant idea, I'll need to sort that one out. As well as the pets idea...Giant Crabs will of course be featured.

[hackman]

Hey Calithena, You did I'm a bit ADD per se. I'd love to work on Level 1. How big? I'd seen that you mentioned possibly splitting it up. I like the idea of dark fay folk. I was thinking of doing a dungeon with a mu leprachaun and his black Hobit servitors along these lines.

[calithena]

That's a good idea, why don't you start with that and run with it. The way I see it level 1 should be about the old standard, sort of one-piece-of-paper dungeon level size, or it could be bigger. Why don't you start and see how far you get with it and then send it to me when you feel you're done or have had enough?

[sham]

I hope this is OK, but I wanted to let you know I like this idea so much I posted about it on my blog, and I am trying to get some cross-pollenation of ideas going there for my own module.

shamsgrog.blogspot.com/2008/05/spawning-grounds-of-crab-men.html

Kudos to Calithena (and Busman) for getting this off to a great start.

[James Maliszewski]

I'll snag Level 4, unless someone else has dibs on it.

[calithena]

It's yours! What I had for this other than the evocative title was rumor 13:

13. A glorious temple to the lord of light has long lay buried there. Those who pass its trial by fire will be rewarded with an eternal blessing. (F, and see Level 4 to appreciate just how dangerously so.)

and then some seriously dangerous magnesium elementals in the hemisphere. But it's yours now, so just make it the way you want it! What I've done with this in the past isn't as important as what we make out of it now.

Oh, and James, with respect to your email, this is the kind of project that once it's done we can pull the stuff out of FO! and make a stand-alone product with higher production values, maybe engage some more substantial layout help, even think about putting it in stores if there are any left that carry game stuff by the time we're ready. So that would be one way to go in terms of getting higher production value stuff out of the magazine over the long haul.

[calithena]

Hi all -

So I think in Issue #2 I'll publish a schematic of the dungeon (I'll scan my own in and then hopefully a better artist can draw up a nice version of it) and do a short description of the overall thing (not the rumors or hooks - just a bare bones what it is type deal). Then a 'make it your own' text bit and one sample level. Since I've already done level 10 I can put that one in there if no-one finishes a submission in time, but if something comes in I'll use that instead.

The schematic and up-front text I'll post here for inspiration and critique when I get a chance.

[hackman]

Hey Calithena. I've got severla ideas going for this, I'm going to write it up this afternoon and over the weekend. This is a really cool idea, I'm very excited. What is the submission deadline for issue #2 at this point?

[calithena]

June 2. Maybe a little flex in there in that this won't be the leadoff article.

[ant]

Cal, would it be possible to edit the original post so we can easily find who's doing what and which levels still need attention?

And I can't believe no-one has snagged Level 12 yet! Yog-Shoggoths away!

[calithena]

Hi Ant -

I was planning on starting a new thread when I had time to scan the schematic for it. In the meantime here's who I think is working on what...apologies if I missed anything:

Hackman...Level 1
Sham....Level 3
JamesM...Level 4
Zulgyan...Level 7
Busman...Level 9
Calithena....Level 10
Ant...Level 12

Geoffrey should do something too. Geoffrey, with all your gamma world love, maybe you'd like to do Level 14, the City of the Ancients?

[sham]

Calithena, may we use this thread for specific level related questions? If you prefer I can start a new thread.

I'm looking for a little info on OD&D Troglodytes, so I can include some on my level, and on the Wandering Monsters table I'm putting together.

I don't see them in the LBB, or Supp.s I or II (I don't have any other Supp.s) and I want to make sure we have some continuity between the level 2 and 3 Troglodytes.

Thanks!

[calithena]

Trogs can be however we want them. I like 1D+1 hits to kill and base defenses about at the leather armor level, with cool weapons and armor and some bigger leader-type models. Also specialty-bred lizards to help them out. I view them as sort of the basic grunts of the upper levels of the dungeon.

[geoffrey]

May 17, 2008 5:54:16 GMT -6 calithena said:

Geoffrey should do something too. Geoffrey, with all your gamma world love, maybe you'd like to do Level 14, the City of the Ancients?

Oh, so it's THAT kind of Ancients. You're on. I'll do it.

[hackman]

Hey Sham, Have you made any decisions on the Crabmen? I'm planning on having a couple that wandered up to level 1? I'm planning on having a couple of trogs as well, with 1+1 HD.

[sham]

I have a very basic stat block worked out, but the much longer descriptive piece is not done yet.

I'll send you a PM, since there's more than enough to add them as Wandering Monsters.

<edit> oh, and I am in the process of writing up Troglodytes, and their lizard 'pets' right now. I'll post that here when done in case anyone wants to edit it or take on level 2, since they're not my babies, just visitors.

<edit> I made a new thread in the Workshop so people can chime in on the Trogs:

odd74.proboards76.com/index.cgi?board=workshop&action=display&thread=928

[sham]

While this is not my ultimate plan for Level 3, I've been kicking around the idea of a truly open ended, old school approach to one of the levels.

I think it might be fun to design a level, perhaps not one of the titled levels, but maybe a sub-level, that is essentially a fill in exercise for the end user.

It would be very basic. Perhaps a level that consisted of 40 or so rooms, but only 'filled' and detailed 10 of those rooms. The rest would be left empty.

A guide would be given for referees to dice randomly for the remaining 30 or so rooms.

It would be a playable example of how to effectively use the Vol. III guide for stocking a dungeon. The tables could be tailored for this specific module, and it would include a custom Wandering Monster table as well.

Essentailly, the prospective referee would have a fancy map and a bunch of tables to go along with the major rooms.

It would likely take up very little room in Fight On!

Do you think that this sort of open-ended 'module' might work? If so, I'll begin to consider this approach after SGotC is finished.

[calithena]

Amazingly, Hackman has already sent Ig a draft of level 1. I need to lean on him to check it out though... Good work!

I think the open-ended level approach might work for level 5 or 8. Maybe level 5, we could put Longspear's Halfway Inn on there with a few NPCs, a wandering monster chart, maybe two oppositional 'leaders' for the level, and set it up that way - the ol' "Red Nails" approach if you follow my meaning. (EGG used this all the time, for those who had eyes to see it, and so did Jaquays of course.) So, that's a great idea if you want to rock out on that next, Sham.

[sham]

May 23, 2008 6:49:29 GMT -6 calithena said:

Amazingly, Hackman has already sent Ig a draft of level 1. I need to lean on him to check it out though... Good work!

I think the open-ended level approach might work for level 5 or 8. Maybe level 5, we could put Longspear's Halfway Inn on there with a few NPCs, a wandering monster chart, maybe two oppositional 'leaders' for the level, and set it up that way - the ol' "Red Nails" approach if you follow my meaning. (EGG used this all the time, for those who had eyes to see it, and so did Jaquays of course.) So, that's a great idea if you want to rock out on that next, Sham.

Wow, Hackman! Seems I'm a bit behind the curve here. No worries, I have off for the next nine days ;D

Once I've got SGotC done, I'll come back to this idea. Level 5 sounds pretty cool, and I'd be looking to include other authors/contributors in the design process.

[busman]

d**n, I'm behind then! I planned on sending in my first draft after this weekend.

[hackman]

Thanks for the praise Calithena. I would not sweat it guys. The first level is somewhat vanilla in nature, though I attempted to put some oddities here and there. Also, I was not sure how much was really wanted, so I sent Calithena a pretty rough draft and I stuck to about the number of areas that I saw in Figh on 1's dungeon/encounter areas.

[makofan]

Calithena

Can you expand just a bit more on your vision for levels 11, 13 and 15?

[calithena]

11 - fungus forest and mold falls - haven't really thought this one through too much, but I imagined it sort of super-dangerous alice-in-wonderlandy, with a few possible allies and lots of enemies and everything being different

13 - like levels 12 and 15, this one contains a lot of horrible slimes and at least one god/demon lord level foe - if you ever thought you could do Juiblex one better for slime demons this is your level. Shoggoths wouldn't be out of place here either.

15 - Um, if someone wants to take this, we'll talk privately. It's not a big level size-wise, but it has some very unique supernatural entities.

I could probably think of more but no-one's ever gone down this leg, I'll go riff around in my notes and see what I come up with...

[makofan]

I have an idea or two for level 11, I'll think about it over the weekend

[makofan]

Level 11 is a high-level dungeon, so it can be deadly. Deadly spores and molds, and a completely alien ecology would be de rigeur

Objects have color by absorbing and reflecting different wavelengths of light (itself a narrow band of the electro-magnetic spectrum). Some of the fungus/creatures have adapted to the dark and mutated from radiation and only reflect wavelengths of energy in the infra-red or ultra-violet spectrum. The infra-red reflectors would be effectively invisible unless a PC has heat vision of some sort. The ultra-violet monsters might be visible to elves or people who can see like a cat. Since these are naturally invisible, they don't turn visible when they attack.

I can envision an environment where the normal five senses function poorly, and in fact mislead the party.

[calithena]

Sweet. Maybe even some general color puzzles that players need to solve (spells/items to correct?) to get through (or get through more easily). I like that.

[makofan]

Intelligent mold, communicating telepathically, with psionic-type attacks.

[makofan]

Sluggish slime carpeted with various molds, meandering slowly like a swampy river through the fungus forest, over cliffs and creating the Mold falls for which it is reknowned