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Cooperative dungeon

Started by The Good Reverend Roger, January 31, 2011, 01:19:05 AM

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The Good Reverend Roger

Freeky, Frank the Bastard, and I have begun a new project...A massive, 20 level dungeon designed to take Pathfinder characters from level 1 to epic level.

Basically, Freeky is designing level one, I'm doing level two, Frank is doing level 3, then repeat as you go down in levels.  The players will be TGG, Frank, Freeky, Enabler, one of TGG's friends, and myself.  Freeky will DM the first level, and one of us will run her character.  Then I'll DM the second level, and someone will run my character, etc.  

The idea is that each level levels each character once exactly (assuming a clean sweep of the level), and the kicker is, each level has to fit inside of a box of 5 foot squares, 32X46, so that the whole thing fits on the wet erase map without having to erase...And each level is designed to be completed in a single 6 hour session.  This puts a strain on the DM creating the level, and calls for a great deal of innovation on the part of that DM.  Also, levels can branch out to multiple levels below, but can only have the entrances given to it by the levels above.  Any level can connect to the sewers or to a basement in a building above the dungeon, but that has to be done in a manner that won't interfere with the levels above.

Each level has a title and a theme (mine for the 2nd level is the "Palace of the Slime Lord", which isn't what you'd think it is.), and the overall dungeon has an arcing theme (kidnapping rescue, then stomp out the kidnappers).  We're trying to use a variety of hazards, haunts, traps, and tricked-out creatures to make this unique without becoming corny.

When the campaign is complete, I'm going to wad the entire dungeon up into a massive file, and anyone else who wants to take a crack at playing it can use it.  I expect this will be a while, so I may release it a level at a time as PDF files.  Consider the work to be creative commons...If copies are distributed, they have to have the names of the writers attached in some way.  We're doing this for free, so you can stroke our egos just a bit.  And it may help get a little attention here, so that I can try pimping out future projects to Paizo.

So far, by the way, this is looking like a hell of a lot of fun, and it lets each DM take a turn, which avoids burnout.
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- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Telarus

That sounds awesome. Looking forward to seeing it. May sketch up some art for you when I see the first few levels. Maybe a 3d rendering of the dungeon entrance?
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The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Telarus on January 31, 2011, 02:18:34 AM
That sounds awesome. Looking forward to seeing it. May sketch up some art for you when I see the first few levels. Maybe a 3d rendering of the dungeon entrance?

Pretty sure the entrance is a trap door in the tavern's basement.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Cramulus

That sounds like a lot of fun! I love the idea of a very modular game - every session is a complete unit, everybody playing gets to sit behind the DM screen. I can't wait to read it!

Cainad (dec.)

This sounds like a blast, and a lot of work. Definitely looking forward to seeing how it plays out.



EDIT: waaait a second... if I'm counting right, this means Roger is designing Level 20. Oh fffuuuu- :scared:

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Cainad on January 31, 2011, 04:24:37 AM
This sounds like a blast, and a lot of work. Definitely looking forward to seeing how it plays out.



EDIT: waaait a second... if I'm counting right, this means Roger is designing Level 20. Oh fffuuuu- :scared:

You damn straight. 

I'd encourage anyone to do this.  The only problem is that you have to play straight book,  or ensure that all the DMs are using the same house rules.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Luna

I'm really liking this idea.  Don't know Pathfinder well enough to design a level, yet, but if it takes awhile, maybe...

And if you get done before I get my feet under me to design, I'd be very interested in a copy to run.   :evil:  I've seen the ideas some of you get.
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Quote from: The Payne on November 16, 2011, 07:08:55 PM
If Luna was a furry, she'd sex humans and scream "BEASTIALITY!" at the top of her lungs at inopportune times.

Quote from: Nigel on March 24, 2011, 01:54:48 AM
I like the Luna one. She is a good one.

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Richter

Quote from: Luna on February 11, 2011, 01:08:53 PM
I'm really liking this idea.  Don't know Pathfinder well enough to design a level, yet, but if it takes awhile, maybe...

And if you get done before I get my feet under me to design, I'd be very interested in a copy to run.   :evil:  I've seen the ideas some of you get.

By this logic, I don't know it well enough to run anything either ;)
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Anyone ever think about how Richter inhabits the same reality as you and just scream and scream and scream, but in a good way?   :lulz:

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Luna

Quote from: Richter on February 11, 2011, 01:48:19 PM
Quote from: Luna on February 11, 2011, 01:08:53 PM
I'm really liking this idea.  Don't know Pathfinder well enough to design a level, yet, but if it takes awhile, maybe...

And if you get done before I get my feet under me to design, I'd be very interested in a copy to run.   :evil:  I've seen the ideas some of you get.

By this logic, I don't know it well enough to run anything either ;)

Running and designing are two different animals.  (Either one, done poorly, can sink a campaign, but if you can't design, at least there are pregens out there to work with.)
Death-dealing hormone freak of deliciousness
Pagan-Stomping Valkyrie of the Interbutts™
Rampaging Slayer of Shit-Fountain Habitues

"My father says that almost the whole world is asleep. Everybody you know, everybody you see, everybody you talk to. He says that only a few people are awake, and they live in a state of constant, total amazement."

Quote from: The Payne on November 16, 2011, 07:08:55 PM
If Luna was a furry, she'd sex humans and scream "BEASTIALITY!" at the top of her lungs at inopportune times.

Quote from: Nigel on March 24, 2011, 01:54:48 AM
I like the Luna one. She is a good one.

Quote
"Stop talking to yourself.  You don't like you any better than anyone else who knows you."

Bebek Sincap Ratatosk

Having done that type of run before, I wholly endorse it!! Sounds like a blast!
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Cainad (dec.)

BUMP

Did you guys ever run this? After years of running story-heavy, intricate campaigns that always seem to end up half finished and abandoned, my friends and I are on board with doing something a lot like this.

Stories, advice, etc all greatly appreciated.

The Good Reverend Roger

Quote from: Cainad on May 19, 2011, 04:06:06 PM
BUMP

Did you guys ever run this? After years of running story-heavy, intricate campaigns that always seem to end up half finished and abandoned, my friends and I are on board with doing something a lot like this.

Stories, advice, etc all greatly appreciated.

We're doing something different...A 5 GM ("The Furious Five") KILLER dungeon.

However, I need another playtester or two for The Ghoul-Wizard of Hog Waller and the subsequent modules for my Orcs at the Gates campaign.
" It's just that Depeche Mode were a bunch of optimistic loveburgers."
- TGRR, shaming himself forever, 7/8/2017

"Billy, when I say that ethics is our number one priority and safety is also our number one priority, you should take that to mean exactly what I said. Also quality. That's our number one priority as well. Don't look at me that way, you're in the corporate world now and this is how it works."
- TGRR, raising the bar at work.

Cainad (dec.)

Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 19, 2011, 04:10:39 PM
Quote from: Cainad on May 19, 2011, 04:06:06 PM
BUMP

Did you guys ever run this? After years of running story-heavy, intricate campaigns that always seem to end up half finished and abandoned, my friends and I are on board with doing something a lot like this.

Stories, advice, etc all greatly appreciated.

We're doing something different...A 5 GM ("The Furious Five") KILLER dungeon.

However, I need another playtester or two for The Ghoul-Wizard of Hog Waller and the subsequent modules for my Orcs at the Gates campaign.

Gotcha. Heading over to that thread now.

Mesozoic Mister Nigel

I kinda wish I was playing with you guys.
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Wyldkat

Sounds sort of like World's Largest Dungeon, but with reasonably sized maps, even down to the themes for the levels.  Paging through a copy might be interesting and/or helpful if you can find one.  The actual set up for play is a pain though.

Should be a heck of a lot of fun to play!