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Post by wrathofzombie on Mar 3, 2011 12:04:25 GMT -5
As a GM what do you turn to for inspiration? For your adventures how much is your own work VS modules or written adventures?
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Post by anarkeith on Mar 3, 2011 13:42:40 GMT -5
Mostly books. My travel experiences (and pictures). Existing modules and settings, which I pilfer from and re-purpose to suit my own homebrewed stuff. The RPG bloggers network for game mechanics ideas, and GM techniques. My players. What floats their boats, either mechanically or flavor-wise?
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Post by wrathofzombie on Mar 3, 2011 15:55:03 GMT -5
I take from books, songs, VG, comics, friends, movies, etc. I'm not a big fan of modules and adventures. I sometimes read them and think they are cool, but usually stay away.
I dunno.. I just have a weird chip on my shoulder about em, like they are cheating or something.. lol. I know that's not that case.. Just how I feel sometimes.
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Post by anarkeith on Mar 3, 2011 19:56:42 GMT -5
Oh, yeah, video games. I actually went to the Oblivion (Elder Scrolls) wiki and downloaded a bunch of the cave and ruin maps. I then populate them with my own stuff and re-use them. Assassin's Creed and Dragon Age have both been influences on me. I have some songs that shuffle up on iTunes, or the pod while I'm working on game stuff that take me back to the early '80's, and put me in the mind of some of the dungeons I was designing at the time. Two recent issues of National Geographic featured this massive cave in Viet Nam, and the catacombs under Paris. Great stuff!
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randy
New Member
Posts: 34
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Post by randy on Mar 4, 2011 0:20:14 GMT -5
I agree with Wraith on modules, although I wouldn't have any problem stealing anything cool I saw and enjoy reading them sometimes. I do like to design my own stuff (including game rules), although I have some weaknesses that frustrate me (puzzles that involve the whole party being one of them).
I love just brainstorming and thinking of cool ideas. At first they are not complete, but as I bounce them around over time, I keep adding and subtracting things until the idea gets internal consistency and balance.
A great source of inspiration is the players. Should I pick on their weaknesses (of course), should I play to their strengths (absolutely), as long as it stays fun I do like to play with different aspects and characteristics of the party.
I also like to think about what we have been doing and just brainstorm things that are simply different. If the party has been fighting a lot of small monsters how about a big one? Have the last few big ones been bricks (tanks/defenders- whatever they are called these days), how about a big creature that is totally different? How? I also like to use different creatures that use different tactics. My players seemed very engaged with the tactics of the angsty elf (highly mobile, organized, skimish type tactics, etc) after they had been fighting orcs for awhile. Can we switch up the environment? What would be cool? How do I fit it in? Can a build a whole multi-session story around that?
I'm getting wound up just thinking about it!
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Post by wrathofzombie on Mar 4, 2011 7:29:01 GMT -5
lol. Awesome! I also like to play on my players fears as motivations. Call it the Lovecraft fan in me.
The fact that they are wary about anything I put in front of them because it's often more than what it seems makes me happy:)
I've trained them well.
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