Topic: Tell me what you Want

[PhillipAEllis]

OK: I'm sitting here thinking about writing adventures for HARP, and rather than imposing my vision on what is best for the game, I thought I'd do some market research. So...

what sort of adventures do you want for HARP? What sort of adventures do you love to play? What would get you salivating as soon as you saw the cover?

That way it helps me help you get what you love.

[Falenthal]

First of all, I like adventures where combat isn't the main part of the plot. HARP has lots of interesting skills that PCs can develope, so please don't show us another "dungeon full of goblins waiting behind their traps" so that the heroes only use Perception, Disarms Traps and Combat skills.

Influence skills should matter not only to bargain for a higher reward; travelling is important in adventure games, so Outdoor skills should be used with consequences (PCs could get lost, be afflicted by hunger or thirst, cold for not being able to find a shelter against the rain,...); Lore skills should allow to gather information that helps facing the plot with advantatges for the PCs; etc.

Also, I like a lot when adventures include different ways to solve a situation or even crossroads when the plot can go one way or another depending on the PCs choices and actions.

[Cory Magel]

I'd want you do dual stat them for RM first.

Take this with a grain of salt, because our gang usually create our own adventures, but sometimes do it using materials from published ones.  Now, I'm an RMSS user, but the adventures I want to see can be large in scope and I'd need to be able to potentially drop them into my own setting without much reworking.

There's always the traditional 'dungeon'.  While it's rather common I don't know as if there is one out there for the HARP/RM products.  This could include something as simple as an abandoned mine shaft the local semi-intelligent creatures (knolls, kobolds, goblins, etc) have taken over, the locals want to start using it again and you need to clear it.  A full on dungeon under a seemingly innocuous smaller structure (small keep or something) that has become suspicious.  An evil fortress that has a prison below which you need to free people from (good idea for a 'stealth' adventure option possibly).

A local wood which has had something wicked move in and is causing troubles.

A town that has been taken over by thugs.  Characters would stumble upon it, detect something is wrong, 'scout' out what the deal is so to speak (i.e. not just a big confrontation/fight with the bad guys - if they try that maybe make it plain they've bitten off more that they can chew using a full frontal assault tactic), then take whatever action they feel they should.

Create some city based or sea-going adventures.  These are particularly uncommon from what I've seen.  City based adventures might be harder to make is a more generic manner - you'd have to be vague about some of the details, which might draw criticism from some.

My campaign in progress right now will be about 25-30% City Based, 20-30% Sea Based, 25-35% Wilderness Based, and 10-20% Dungeon Based (those are obviously rough guesses, but it give you an idea what I'm shooting for).

[Turbs]

First of all, I like adventures where combat isn't the main part of the plot. HARP has lots of interesting skills that PCs can develope, so please don't show us another "dungeon full of goblins waiting behind their traps" so that the heroes only use Perception, Disarms Traps and Combat skills.

Influence skills should matter not only to bargain for a higher reward; travelling is important in adventure games, so Outdoor skills should be used with consequences (PCs could get lost, be afflicted by hunger or thirst, cold for not being able to find a shelter against the rain,...); Lore skills should allow to gather information that helps facing the plot with advantatges for the PCs; etc.

Also, I like a lot when adventures include different ways to solve a situation or even crossroads when the plot can go one way or another depending on the PCs choices and actions.

this but please always consider that a party may not have these skills at all and nothing is worse than having a key plot hook being dependent on PC's making a successful perception/influence (etc) roll.

I agree with the "crossroads" mentality. particularly morally ambiguous crossroad
i.e. the PC's get hired to stop bandit raids on caravans but find out the bandits are simply starving farmers who the merchants have "shut out" of competition due to their consortium. PC's must decide which side to support, especially when the merchants have power and influence within the region and have a key/link to <insert overarching campaign plot hook here>

these kind of adventures always make the PC's face tough choices and are more rewarding as they leave plenty of new plot seeds in their aftermath

[Zut]

A political campaign for Cyradon!

I have a vague idea for a plot involving Janieal and Desnia and a peace treaty between those two nations.

[DavidKlecker]

This is a very interesting thread that I will keeping track of as well, since I would also like to create adventures for HARP to publish. 

[JUNKdeLUXE]

Hey PhillipAEllis,

You seem like a very productive man, always creating new stuff LOVE IT

I hope you will still have time to look at what we discussed earlier about how to create a mage's guild etc.

Can't wait to see what you pull out of the hat next time !!!  Good job.

[PhillipAEllis]

I haven't forgotten about the mages' Guild, and hope to set to on it this weekend, when I also try and find time to work on the next Psionics chapter.

I've got to find time to volunteer at the local polling booth on Saturday morning, vote and (on Sunday) read at a book launch with 2 hours travel each way from the venue.

[Old Man]

A political campaign for Cyradon!

I have a vague idea for a plot involving Janieal and Desnia and a peace treaty between those two nations.

A HARP/RMU version of War Law a/o Bladestorm set on Cyradon might be fun ...

[Falenthal]

First of all, I like adventures where combat isn't the main part of the plot. HARP has lots of interesting skills that PCs can develope, so please don't show us another "dungeon full of goblins waiting behind their traps" so that the heroes only use Perception, Disarms Traps and Combat skills.

Influence skills should matter not only to bargain for a higher reward; travelling is important in adventure games, so Outdoor skills should be used with consequences (PCs could get lost, be afflicted by hunger or thirst, cold for not being able to find a shelter against the rain,...); Lore skills should allow to gather information that helps facing the plot with advantatges for the PCs; etc.

Also, I like a lot when adventures include different ways to solve a situation or even crossroads when the plot can go one way or another depending on the PCs choices and actions.

this but please always consider that a party may not have these skills at all and nothing is worse than having a key plot hook being dependent on PC's making a successful perception/influence (etc) roll.

Agreed with that. I'm just suggesting that other skills than combat and perception have an influence over the development of the adventure/plot. In most adventures, having a Harper character with high influence skills doesn't change a bit the way the plot resolves. Or having a Scholar-type doesn't give more information to the characters. Also, travels are the same if they have a Ranger with them or if they don't. Of course, that shouldn't mean that the party can't travel if they don't have a ranger, only that they could easily get lost and arrive to their destination point a few days later than they could with a ranger... and the plot would have evolved without them being there.