Over on Daniel Davis' blog is a post on "How to Make a Serpent Cult Dungeon", which was both entertaining and reminded me of how much I need to organize my improvisational tools for my game.
The challenge of a city-based game is that there is no inherent structure for exploration. Unlike, say, a dungeon, the city gives a lot of sandboxy options, but adds the concern that players want to rely on higher-ups and other resources. You need to get players going places, you need to get them self-reliant, and you need to be ready to improvise some sort of adventure based on their decision to ignore your five plot hooks and go with their own deduction.
This is where random tables like the one above come in handy. Even if you don't actually roll up anything, the inspiration that comes from running through ideas becomes a useful brainstorming tool.
The challenge of a city-based game is that there is no inherent structure for exploration. Unlike, say, a dungeon, the city gives a lot of sandboxy options, but adds the concern that players want to rely on higher-ups and other resources. You need to get players going places, you need to get them self-reliant, and you need to be ready to improvise some sort of adventure based on their decision to ignore your five plot hooks and go with their own deduction.
This is where random tables like the one above come in handy. Even if you don't actually roll up anything, the inspiration that comes from running through ideas becomes a useful brainstorming tool.
No comments:
Post a Comment