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.
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?
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.
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!
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:
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.
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.
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 ;)
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.)
Having done that type of run before, I wholly endorse it!! Sounds like a blast!
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.
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.
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.
I kinda wish I was playing with you guys.
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!
It isn't at all. For one thing, there isn't enough hallway.
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 06:41:47 AM
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!
I have a copy. It blows chunks.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 30, 2011, 04:21:06 PM
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 06:41:47 AM
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!
I have a copy. It blows chunks.
I never said it was good! LOL It was a good idea, but what they ended up with was clunky and a pain in the rear to run. I was using it for a store game for awhile and we pull it out when we're bored and no one is willing to agree on anything. I'm really curious about how yours ends up though, I've toyed with the idea myself. Making smaller maps would condense the action a lot (one of my largest peeves with it) and keeping it linear (1-2-3) rather than the weird matrix they had (1/3 to either 3/5 a or b) sounds like it would work a lot better in actual play. Also, if I missed it I apologize, are you going to have an overarching theme to tie the different levels together or just a theme for each level?
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 09:30:01 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 30, 2011, 04:21:06 PM
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 06:41:47 AM
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!
I have a copy. It blows chunks.
I never said it was good! LOL It was a good idea, but what they ended up with was clunky and a pain in the rear to run. I was using it for a store game for awhile and we pull it out when we're bored and no one is willing to agree on anything. I'm really curious about how yours ends up though, I've toyed with the idea myself. Making smaller maps would condense the action a lot (one of my largest peeves with it) and keeping it linear (1-2-3) rather than the weird matrix they had (1/3 to either 3/5 a or b) sounds like it would work a lot better in actual play. Also, if I missed it I apologize, are you going to have an overarching theme to tie the different levels together or just a theme for each level?
Alternate names:
Biggest Damn Hallway
Biggest Group Wrecker
Biggest Waste of a C-Note
And we're doing a DM's choice per level, probably. This got backburnered by the Hog Waller campaign.
And my campaign too, whch needs a name.
Quote from: Jenkem and SPACE/TIME on May 31, 2011, 01:26:38 AM
And my campaign too, whch needs a name.
Same region, but yeah, you're not doing the whole hobgobby thing.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 01:16:08 AM
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 09:30:01 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 30, 2011, 04:21:06 PM
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 06:41:47 AM
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!
I have a copy. It blows chunks.
I never said it was good! LOL It was a good idea, but what they ended up with was clunky and a pain in the rear to run. I was using it for a store game for awhile and we pull it out when we're bored and no one is willing to agree on anything. I'm really curious about how yours ends up though, I've toyed with the idea myself. Making smaller maps would condense the action a lot (one of my largest peeves with it) and keeping it linear (1-2-3) rather than the weird matrix they had (1/3 to either 3/5 a or b) sounds like it would work a lot better in actual play. Also, if I missed it I apologize, are you going to have an overarching theme to tie the different levels together or just a theme for each level?
Alternate names:
Biggest Damn Hallway
Biggest Group Wrecker
Biggest Waste of a C-Note
And we're doing a DM's choice per level, probably. This got backburnered by the Hog Waller campaign.
If you're doing GM choice of theme per level and it's supposed to be one campaign/dungeon do you think it might get disjointed without an overarching concept? World's Largest has that whole celestial thing going on which tied all the inanity together. If you ever do get around to building it and running it I would be very interested in hearing how it works out.
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 31, 2011, 01:56:25 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 01:16:08 AM
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 09:30:01 PM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 30, 2011, 04:21:06 PM
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 30, 2011, 06:41:47 AM
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!
I have a copy. It blows chunks.
I never said it was good! LOL It was a good idea, but what they ended up with was clunky and a pain in the rear to run. I was using it for a store game for awhile and we pull it out when we're bored and no one is willing to agree on anything. I'm really curious about how yours ends up though, I've toyed with the idea myself. Making smaller maps would condense the action a lot (one of my largest peeves with it) and keeping it linear (1-2-3) rather than the weird matrix they had (1/3 to either 3/5 a or b) sounds like it would work a lot better in actual play. Also, if I missed it I apologize, are you going to have an overarching theme to tie the different levels together or just a theme for each level?
Alternate names:
Biggest Damn Hallway
Biggest Group Wrecker
Biggest Waste of a C-Note
And we're doing a DM's choice per level, probably. This got backburnered by the Hog Waller campaign.
If you're doing GM choice of theme per level and it's supposed to be one campaign/dungeon do you think it might get disjointed without an overarching concept? World's Largest has that whole celestial thing going on which tied all the inanity together. If you ever do get around to building it and running it I would be very interested in hearing how it works out.
So what? It's a dungeon crawl. It doesn't have to be connected. Save that for story arcs. This is pure, undiluted hack n slash, old school.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 01:58:08 AM
So what? It's a dungeon crawl. It doesn't have to be connected. Save that for story arcs. This is pure, undiluted hack n slash, old school.
Some of the best RP stories I've ever had the joy of watching unfold happened during straight up hack and slash modules. When not handed subplots to play with, my old group would come up with their own. God, I miss them.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 01:58:08 AM
So what? It's a dungeon crawl. It doesn't have to be connected. Save that for story arcs. This is pure, undiluted hack n slash, old school.
I was just curious what your take was on it. Lots of my dungeon crawls are more story based than hack and slash and I was curious how you were going to do it.
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 01:58:08 AM
So what? It's a dungeon crawl. It doesn't have to be connected. Save that for story arcs. This is pure, undiluted hack n slash, old school.
Here is an interesting (to me) thing I've observed this weekend; Players are more frustrated by challenging fights and storyline if there isn't a prize at the end of the road. I'm not put off by it, as such, but I think it's an interesting look at mindset and what gamers have been hardwired to want, other than killing stuff.
I think I'm probably babbling, you should just ignore this post if I accidentally offended you. Didn't want to/mean to, nor do I even really see anything in therethat could be taken as such.
I promise, however, your next treasure stash won't be mostly stuff you have to save for another campaign.
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 31, 2011, 03:28:23 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 01:58:08 AM
So what? It's a dungeon crawl. It doesn't have to be connected. Save that for story arcs. This is pure, undiluted hack n slash, old school.
I was just curious what your take was on it. Lots of my dungeon crawls are more story based than hack and slash and I was curious how you were going to do it.
:crankey:
KEEP YOUR STINKING STORY BASED SHIT IN TOWN, OR JUST USE VAMPIRE/GOTH ALMIGHTY! THERE ARE NO STORIES IN DUNGEONS. THERE ARE HORRIBLE FUCKING MONSTERS AND TRAPS AND SWAG!
:crankey:
YOU WANT PLOT???
I GIVE YOU PLOT!!!
THERE ARE THINGS WITH SHIT YOU WANT, ALSO SOMEONE'S SHEEP GOT EATEN!!!!!
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 04:07:17 PM
Quote from: Wyldkat on May 31, 2011, 03:28:23 AM
Quote from: The Good Reverend Roger on May 31, 2011, 01:58:08 AM
So what? It's a dungeon crawl. It doesn't have to be connected. Save that for story arcs. This is pure, undiluted hack n slash, old school.
I was just curious what your take was on it. Lots of my dungeon crawls are more story based than hack and slash and I was curious how you were going to do it.
:crankey:
KEEP YOUR STINKING STORY BASED SHIT IN TOWN, OR JUST USE VAMPIRE/GOTH ALMIGHTY! THERE ARE NO STORIES IN DUNGEONS. THERE ARE HORRIBLE FUCKING MONSTERS AND TRAPS AND SWAG!
:crankey:
Hey, whoa, plot hooks are stories, too. DON'T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THE HOOKS, MAN!