====== CREATING ADVENTURES ====== The goal of creating adventures: \\ Crafting open-ended plots designed for Adventurers to wreck, overcome, and tell tall tales about in taverns for years to come. How many ways can Adventurers take risks and have fun doing so? ===== The Dungeon Delve ===== Fantastic treasure awaits the hand of those brave and strong enough to seize it from deep within trapped ruins full of monstrous inhabitants. ===== Three Act Drama ===== Handed down from antiquity, the Three Act Drama introduces a hero and a problem in its beginning, follows the hero's steps to resolve the problem leading to a climax encounter and resolution. ===== Nine Act Drama ===== Adding depth to the Three Act Drama, David Siegel's Nine-Act Structure adds a setback and change of goal within the traditional act two, sending the hero first down the wrong path until discovering the crucial clue that sets them on the right path to the climactic encounter and resolution. 0. Someone toils late into the night. \\ 1. Start with an image. \\ 2. Something bad happens. \\ 3. Meet the Hero. \\ 4. Commitment. \\ 5. Go for the wrong goal. \\ 6. The reversal. \\ 7. Go for the new goal. \\ 8. Wrap it up. ===== Thwart Crimes ===== Dustin Andrews created the Conspiracies and Capers((see References)) rules neutral system for investigation gaming for the 2014 One Page Dungeon contest, summarized here. A [[creating_villains|villain]] plans a crime which the Adventurers work to stop before they can perpetrate the deed. Before choosing the evil plan, be sure to review the Players' preferences and campaign constraints to make sure the evil plan doesn't stray into territory that makes Players uncomfortable. A crime requires 3 things: - Means - Motive - Opportunity A Simple Plan? - Mastermind concocts an evil plan (motive) * vs. people: Murder, Rape, Robbery, Assault * vs. property: Burglary, Theft, Vehicle Theft - Mastermind recruits lieutenants or ringleaders (means) - Lieutenants or Ringleaders recruit crews (means) - Operation Planned (means) - Target Investigated (opportunity) - Inside contact recruited or placed (means) - Passwords, maps, resources acquired (means) - Operation Rehearsed (means) - Operation executed (opportunity) - Victim / Loot moved to safe house (means) * Transportation * Escape Route * Safe House - Ransom / Fence arranged (means) * NPC: Fence * NPC: Receiver of Fenced thing - Trade made (means) - Shares divided (motive) - Mastermind, Ringleaders, and Crews go into hiding / retire (means) ===== 5 Room Dungeons ===== Johnn Four, and the gamemaster community at Roleplaying Tips distilled the Hero's Journey into a 5-Act Structure called the 5-Room Dungeon (not intended to be only 5 literal rooms). To help Guides plot adventures quickly but completely, consider these 5 core encounters for your plot "spine": An entrance where a guardian must be appeased or defeated. An encounter where a riddle or puzzle must be solved, possibly through parley or interaction with NPCs. A trap or setback which costs the Adventurers some of their strength. The climax or showdown encounter with who or whatever is blocking the Adventurers reaching the goal. The promised reward and a reveal of further adventure opportunity. ===== Core Adventure Design ===== ☐ **ADVENTURE NAME** \\ What catchy title would the movie made of this adventure have? ☐ **ADVENTURE DESCRIPTION** \\ What critical or key challenges may face the Adventurers? ☐ **ADVENTURE GOAL** \\ What do the Adventurers work to gain? ===== Additional Optional Adventure Design ===== ☐ **ADVENTURE OPPOSITION** \\ Who, or what, opposes or blocks the Adventurers from reaching the goal? ☐ **ADVENTURE NEUTRALS** \\ Who, or what, may complicate the Adventurers path to the goal? ☐ **ADVENTURE ALLIES** \\ Who, or what, may provide aid to the Adventurers when needed? ☐ **ADVENTURE SCENERY** \\ What wondrous or terrifying places might the Adventurers visit to complete the goal? ☐ **ADVENTURE TREASURE** \\ Beyond the goal, what other treasures or rewards might the Adventurers earn? ☐ **ADVENTURE RUMORS AND CLUES** \\ What rumors and clues to other adventures might the Adventurers stumble across along the way, especially at the end? ===== Additional Resources ===== [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/5-room-dungeons/|5 Room Dungeons Guide Book]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/adventure-writing-tips-the-goal-reversal-the-9-act-format/|Roleplaying Tips #0036 - Adventure Writing Tips: The Goal Reversal & The 9-Act Format]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/10-ways-to-use-traps-to-enhance-an-adventure-part-i/|Roleplaying Tips #0085 - 10 Ways To Use Traps To Enhance An Adventure - Part I]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/10-ways-to-use-traps-to-enhance-an-adventure-part-ii/|Roleplaying Tips #0086 - 10 Ways To Use Traps To Enhance An Adventure - Part II]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/players-characters/when-powerful-pcs-adventure-with-weak-pcs/|Roleplaying Tips #0134 - When Powerful PCs Adventure With Weak PCs]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/5-tips-on-using-dreams-in-an-adventure/|Roleplaying Tips #0154 - 5 Tips On Using Dreams In An Adventure]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/3-tips-for-writing-and-running-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #0175 - 3 Tips For Writing And Running Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/story-sparks-part-i-new-ways-to-begin-an-adventure-bring-the-pcs-together/|Roleplaying Tips #0227 - Story Sparks Part I: New Ways To Begin An Adventure & Bring The PCs Together]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/story-sparks-part-ii-more-ways-to-begin-an-adventure-bring-the-pcs-together/|Roleplaying Tips #0229 - Story Sparks Part II: More Ways To Begin An Adventure & Bring The PCs Together]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/inspired-by-song-use-song-lyrics-to-generate-adventure-ideas/|Roleplaying Tips #0288 - Inspired By Song: Use Song Lyrics To Generate Adventure Ideas]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/10-tips-for-crafting-adventure-based-holidays-part-1/|Roleplaying Tips #0336 - 10 Tips For Crafting Adventure-Based Holidays - Part 1]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/10-tips-for-crafting-adventure-based-holidays-part-2/|Roleplaying Tips #0337 - 10 Tips For Crafting Adventure Based Holidays - Part 2]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/holiday-adventures-entries-from-the-holiday-contest/|Roleplaying Tips #0344 - Holiday Adventures - Entries From The Holiday Contest]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/start-campaigns-with-unrelated-one-shot-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #0396 - Start Campaigns With Unrelated One-Shot Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/15-holiday-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #0403 - 15 Holiday Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/creating-adventures-from-small-ideas/|Roleplaying Tips #0454 - Creating Adventures From Small Ideas]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/the-pirate-queens-adventure-checklist/|Roleplaying Tips #0463 - The Pirate Queen's Adventure Checklist]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/your-teacher-was-right-how-to-create-adventures-with-the-6-ws/|Roleplaying Tips #0469 - Your Teacher Was Right - How To Create Adventures With THe 6 W's]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/make-your-adventures-feel-adventurous/|Roleplaying Tips #0476 - Make Your Adventures Feel Adventurous]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/when-adventures-are-too-easy/|Roleplaying Tips #0477 - When Adventures Are Too Easy]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/gms-guide-to-adventure-writing/|Roleplaying Tips #0489 - GM's Guide To Adventure Writing]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/gm-techniques/how-to-create-blockbuster-box-office-hits-with-your-players-every-adventure/|Roleplaying Tips #0523 - How To Create Blockbuster Box Office Hits With Your Players - Every Adventure]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/adventure-design-tip-how-do-you-use-chekhovs-gun-in-gaming/|Roleplaying Tips #0524 - Adventure Design Tip: How Do You Use Checkhov's Gun In Gaming?]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/how-to-make-your-aquatic-adventures-not-suck-like-a-giant-whirlpool/|Roleplaying Tips #0543 - How To Make Your Aquatic Adventures Not Suck Like A Giant Whirlpool]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/10-keys-to-suspenseful-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #0557 - 10 Keys To Suspenseful Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/how-to-gm-political-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #0566 - How To GM Political Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/how-to-stop-pixel-bitching-in-your-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #0596 - How To Stop Pixel Bitching In Your Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/10-wildly-creative-adventure-campaign-seeds/|Roleplaying Tips #0616 - 10 Wildly Creative Adventure & Campaign Seeds]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/adventures-in-business-how-to-gm-pc-entrepreneurs/|Roleplaying Tips #0634 - Adventures In Business - How To GM PC Entrepreneurs]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/more-mystery-adventure-gming-tips/|Roleplaying Tips #0638 - More Mystery Adventure GMing Tips]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/players-off-map-how-to-get-a-wandering-adventure-back-on-track-rpt640/|Roleplaying Tips #0640 - Players Off Map? How To Get A Wandering Adventure Back On Track]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/dresden-files-fairy-tales-adventure-tips-for-urban-fantasy-games/|Roleplaying Tips #0647 - Dresden Files & Fairy Tales - Adventure Tips For Urban Fantasy Games + 6 Interesting Hazards]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/rpt659-the-adventure-checklist-part-i/|Roleplaying Tips #0659 - The Adventure Checklist - Part I]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/rptn/the-adventure-checklist-part-ii/|Roleplaying Tips #0660 - The Adventure Checklist - Part II]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/rpg-adventure-themes-tie-the-room-together-2/|Roleplaying Tips #0728 - RPG Adventure Themes Tie The Room Together]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/welcome-to-adventure-hacking/|Roleplaying Tips #0799 - Welcome To Adventure Hacking]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/sandbox-adventures-5-essential-ingredients/|Roleplaying Tips #0842 - Sandbox Adventures - 5 Essential Ingredients]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/d20-great-starting-points-for-your-next-adventure/|Roleplaying Tips #0899 - d20 Great Starting Points For Your Next Adventure]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/the-best-adventure-structure-for-you/|Roleplaying Tips #0896 - The Best Adventure Structure For You?]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/7-adventure-building-mistakes-you-should-avoid/|Roleplaying Tips #0900 - 7 Adventure Building Mistakes You Should Avoid]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/how-to-scale-up-an-adventure/|Roleplaying Tips #0901 - How To Scale Up An Adventure]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/use-the-feature-method-to-make-adventure-design-a-whole-lot-easier/|Roleplaying Tips #0926 - Use The Feature Method To Make Adventure Design A Whole Lot Easier]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/5-more-adventure-feature-types-for-your-adventure-designs/|Roleplaying Tips #0937 - 5 More Adventure Feature Types For Your Adventure Design]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/a-nice-tip-on-adventure-puzzles/|Roleplaying Tips #0963 - A Nice Tip On Adventure Puzzles]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/the-four-levers-that-inevitably-pull-players-through-your-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #0974 - The Four Levers That Inevitably Pull Players Through Your Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/using-tv-plot-lines-for-adventure-ideas/|Roleplaying Tips #0989 - Using TV Plot Lines For Adventure Ideas]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building/crafting-intrigue-adventures-a-couple-of-quick-tips/|Roleplaying Tips #1055 - Crafting Intrigue Adventures - A Couple Of Quick Tips]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building/a-simple-but-effective-adventure-template/|Roleplaying Tips #1083 - A Simple But Effective Adventure Template]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building/adventure-design-world-meets-story/|Roleplaying Tips #1098 - World Story Meets RPG Story For Designing Better Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/make-monster-parts-puzzles-for-your-adventures/|Roleplaying Tips #1103 - Make Monster Parts Puzzles For Your Adventures]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/adventure-design-build-from-the-monsters-pov/|Roleplaying Tips #1108 - Adventure Design: Build From The Monster's POV]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/8-ideas-for-your-next-adventure/|Roleplaying Tips #1109 - 8 Ideas For Your Next Adventure]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/adventure-building-tip-must-all-encounters-advance-the-plot/|Roleplaying Tips #1114 - Adventure Building Tip: Must All Encounters Advance The Plot?]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/need-a-last-minute-halloween-one-shot-adventure-idea/|Roleplaying Tips #1133 - Need A Last Minute Halloween One-Shot Adventure Idea?]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/campaigns/ripping-up-adventure-drama-with-a-saw-blade/|Roleplaying Tips #1141 - Ripping Up Adventure Drama With A Saw Blade]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/ripping-up-adventure-drama-with-a-saw-blade-2/|Roleplaying Tips #1166 - Ripping Up Adventure Drama With a Saw Blade 2]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/use-this-clever-tool-to-herd-your-cats/|Roleplaying Tips #1173 - Use This Clever Tool To Herd Your Cats - Plot Factories]] \\ [[https://www.roleplayingtips.com/adventure-building-campaigns/3-easy-ways-to-generate-instant-adventure-ideas/|Roleplaying Tips #1175 - 3 Easy Ideas To Generate Instant Adventure Ideas - Plot Factory Tutorial Part II]] \\ ===== Salvage Space: Adventures ===== ◢ [[:salvage_space:adventures|Salvage Space: Adventures]] ▲ [[:Chronology:]] :: ◢ [[:Chronology:references#plots_and_complications_04.p|References: Plots and Complications]] ~~DISCUSSION~~