LG, a player based system [Archive] - Wizards Community

LG, a player based system [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
LGMoses
01-16-07, 02:56 PM Does that phrase accurately describe LG to u? It seems to to me. When I was dm'ing home games I always used to agonize about how I brought my players together. I'd try to think out their reasoning and get them to a certain place or talk to a certain person etc. But I don't have to do that with LG. With LG they're where they're at by accepting to play the adventure. Its up to THEM to come up with their motivations and such. Its an actual player-based system. It takes motivation away from the DM/judge and puts it in the hand of the players. I love it.
CrystalBlue
01-16-07, 03:09 PM You'd be surprised. If a player doesn't think their character would ever set foot in a certain town, region, city, ect., they can just walk away from the table. Which is bad. >.<

One thing I wish was that there were custom LG mods. One's that a GM could put together themselves. Like the DM's Marks in Xen'drik. You are given a goal and you put together a nice 4 to 6 hour mod.

On a related note, this is why I wish I could right regional adventures. :D
LGMoses
01-16-07, 11:57 PM You'd be surprised. If a player doesn't think their character would ever set foot in a certain town, region, city, ect., they can just walk away from the table. Which is bad. >.<

One thing I wish was that there were custom LG mods. One's that a GM could put together themselves. Like the DM's Marks in Xen'drik. You are given a goal and you put together a nice 4 to 6 hour mod.

On a related note, this is why I wish I could right regional adventures. :D

You'll be amazed how much u can customize an LG mod if you stretch it. The mods I run seldom start the way it says.

Y can't u write regional adventures?
CrystalBlue
01-17-07, 07:30 AM Meh...I've tried to think up ideas, but unless the region triad knows you, they won't let you write one. Mostly because they have their own story lines, but another reason it cause they can't get mod's all the time from people and expect to read through them all. At least here, in Highfolk, the triad has a author pool. You wanna become part of the pool, you have to prove yourself by writting intro mods. I guess that's fair, but my ideas always stretch 2 or 3 games. Doing an intro mod...I don't know if I could come up with only 4 hours worth of entertainment.
LGMoses
01-17-07, 02:16 PM yeah, we could use some more intro mods in the Yeomanry it looks like. We've had like major edifices rebuilt since an earthquake in like.... year 2 I think and in the intro mod it mentions it as having just started rebuilding. I plan to write one during the summer if I can get around to it.
amnuxoll
01-17-07, 04:04 PM Meh...I've tried to think up ideas, but unless the region triad knows you, they won't let you write one. Mostly because they have their own story lines, but another reason it cause they can't get mod's all the time from people and expect to read through them all. At least here, in Highfolk, the triad has a author pool. You wanna become part of the pool, you have to prove yourself by writting intro mods. I guess that's fair, but my ideas always stretch 2 or 3 games. Doing an intro mod...I don't know if I could come up with only 4 hours worth of entertainment.

It's more than that, CB. If the triad has you write a mod, they are trusting you to finish it so that they get it out on time. They are also trusting that you're a team player who can work effectively with an editor. If you've never written anything before then you're an unknown quantity.

If writing an intro is too onerous then see if they'll let you be a coauthor with someone. We have a fellow in our region (Furyondy) who is doing that.

:AMN:
JohnduBois
01-17-07, 07:04 PM It's more than that, CB. If the triad has you write a mod, they are trusting you to finish it so that they get it out on time. They are also trusting that you're a team player who can work effectively with an editor. If you've never written anything before then you're an unknown quantity.

If writing an intro is too onerous then see if they'll let you be a coauthor with someone. We have a fellow in our region (Furyondy) who is doing that.

:AMN:

To back Andy up, I recently took over as Plots Triad in Furyondy, and got handed a stack of intro mod proposals and told to basically expect that half the mods would be lost either to wishy-washyness, displeasure with the LG writing requirements, problems with editing, or just plain disappearing.

Second, sometimes making new authors write intros to start is the only way to get new intros. :D

Also, as an author somewhat recently (a year and a half ago) subjected to the "intro first" rule, I can say that it really bumps up the quality of your first regional mod. There are ideas and issues that I never would have picked up on right away.
solbergb
01-17-07, 07:55 PM It takes motivation away from the DM/judge and puts it in the hand of the players. I love it.

Yeah, that is one nice thing.

I also think it mimics the style of the fantasy literature better, where the protagonist is a single person (your PC) who sometimes adventures with old companions and sometimes adventures with strangers.

Burke's story isn't the story of anyone else in LG, although many have shared his adventures and many more have played many of the modules he's played. Nobody else played them in the same order, with the same companions, DM, etc, at the same times. Even the chars that team with my wife's characters have occasional side-adventures on their own, or with other characters that she plays.

But you do have to play a character that is inclined to bite at adventure hooks by his nature, or you'll be kind of frustrated.
Madfox11
01-18-07, 11:47 AM Another good place to get writing experience and credit is in regions where there is a shortage of authors. For example, we only had 5 meta-regionals in the Splintered Suns last year and that took a lot of efford. If you have a great idea (even for a series), feel free to contact me and my meta-regional coordinator Pierre van Rooden. I am more than willing to take a gamble. If you proof to be able to work well with an editor (and this can be a real pain in the **s, I know) and deliver within the expacted time frame, I am more than willing to give you a recommendation for the High Folk triad. I have done so for an author in the past who wanted to write a Core and Creighton wanted to know whether he was up to it. You could also contact the Sunndi Triad, who is also always looking for authors and who has one author from abroad (I am not sure whether it is Australia or the USA) writing a series for them. You can find our E-mail adresses in the LGCS and on the RPGA web-site. If you fail, welcome to the big pile of good ideas but never finished adventures I have on my computer ;)
gomeztoo
01-18-07, 12:07 PM There are a few things I personally seek in authors, and while squeeky clean grammar and spelling is always nice, what I look for more is an ability to deliver on time, willingness to accept (and discuss) criticism, and, ofcourse, a good storyline and feel for what makes good encounters.
I have one author in the region who habitually messes up his grammar. Not his fault, but takes a while to edit. He is however open to criticism, has cool ideas, and delivers on time.
We also have one who writes perfect grammar. However, criticism is treated like a declaration of war.
As an editor, when choosing, I'll go for the former rather than the latter.
I can edit bad grammar. But I can't work with authors not willing to adapt.
(However, if you do not keep to the scenario template I will taunt you in a horrible french accent.).
Btw the LGCS does not contain my email address.
It's gomez (at) gryphonhill (dot) com

The following link may also be helpful:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgcn/20070116a

Though note that we are a bit more flexible than Creighton ;) and we have our own template (slightly adapted form the Core one).
Britt
01-18-07, 12:20 PM Don't worry, the draft already has your email :)
CrystalBlue
01-18-07, 12:53 PM I'd love to be an author for any region. I just thought that you could only submit mod ideas to the region or meta-region that you live in. Plus, I'll have to start researching the other region, as I don't live in it nor have I played in it. But I wouldn't mind authoring a mod. That's what I live for in being a DM. And you don't ever get to do that kind of thing, normally, in LG. I wanna weave a story and make the PC's dance like puppets on my strings. ^.^ Dance, puppets...dance!
Simpi
01-18-07, 01:26 PM I have one author in the region who habitually messes up his grammar. Not his fault, but takes a while to edit. He is however open to criticism, has cool ideas, and delivers on time.

Me? (if talking about metaregional authors...)

Sampo Haarlaa
Naerie Triad
Madfox11
01-19-07, 04:17 AM Just a minor warning CrystalBlue, do NOT underestimate the time and energy required to write a LG scenario. All too often we get enthausiastic people sprouting forth great ideas, who quickly learn that it takes much more than a great idea to get that adventure on paper.
CrystalBlue
01-19-07, 07:39 AM Yeah...I know. Making encounters, writing box text, planning, structuring the story, making NPCs, writing up monsters for each APL, drawing maps...
vvincent
01-20-07, 08:39 AM The things I look for in a writer are:

Has the author got a grasp of our regional flavor?
Are they aware of the history and continuity of our region?
Have they adhered to the guidelines in our region's Writer's Guide?

There are other things as well (brevity in writing boxed-text, technical aspects such as stat block mechanics, etc).

Many people have good ideas that stand well in a vacuum. But when you look at them in the context of a regional plotline - they don't always fit, or require far more work to integrate them into the over all arc then you can give them.

There's also the time factor. When someone submits something to us - I want it to be as complete as they can make it. I don't want to have to fill in a bunch of extra rules or generate 3 APLs worth of stat blocks. If you can make my editing an easy job - you're in a better position to have your proposal approved.

Vernon L. Vincent
Verbobonc Triad

Yeah...I know. Making encounters, writing box text, planning, structuring the story, making NPCs, writing up monsters for each APL, drawing maps...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
LGMoses 01-16-07, 02:56 PM	Does that phrase accurately describe LG to u? It seems to to me. When I was dm'ing home games I always used to agonize about how I brought my players together. I'd try to think out their reasoning and get them to a certain place or talk to a certain person etc. But I don't have to do that with LG. With LG they're where they're at by accepting to play the adventure. Its up to THEM to come up with their motivations and such. Its an actual player-based system. It takes motivation away from the DM/judge and puts it in the hand of the players. I love it.
CrystalBlue 01-16-07, 03:09 PM	You'd be surprised. If a player doesn't think their character would ever set foot in a certain town, region, city, ect., they can just walk away from the table. Which is bad. >.< One thing I wish was that there were custom LG mods. One's that a GM could put together themselves. Like the DM's Marks in Xen'drik. You are given a goal and you put together a nice 4 to 6 hour mod. On a related note, this is why I wish I could right regional adventures. :D
LGMoses 01-16-07, 11:57 PM	You'd be surprised. If a player doesn't think their character would ever set foot in a certain town, region, city, ect., they can just walk away from the table. Which is bad. >.< One thing I wish was that there were custom LG mods. One's that a GM could put together themselves. Like the DM's Marks in Xen'drik. You are given a goal and you put together a nice 4 to 6 hour mod. On a related note, this is why I wish I could right regional adventures. :D You'll be amazed how much u can customize an LG mod if you stretch it. The mods I run seldom start the way it says. Y can't u write regional adventures?
CrystalBlue 01-17-07, 07:30 AM	Meh...I've tried to think up ideas, but unless the region triad knows you, they won't let you write one. Mostly because they have their own story lines, but another reason it cause they can't get mod's all the time from people and expect to read through them all. At least here, in Highfolk, the triad has a author pool. You wanna become part of the pool, you have to prove yourself by writting intro mods. I guess that's fair, but my ideas always stretch 2 or 3 games. Doing an intro mod...I don't know if I could come up with only 4 hours worth of entertainment.
LGMoses 01-17-07, 02:16 PM	yeah, we could use some more intro mods in the Yeomanry it looks like. We've had like major edifices rebuilt since an earthquake in like.... year 2 I think and in the intro mod it mentions it as having just started rebuilding. I plan to write one during the summer if I can get around to it.
amnuxoll 01-17-07, 04:04 PM	Meh...I've tried to think up ideas, but unless the region triad knows you, they won't let you write one. Mostly because they have their own story lines, but another reason it cause they can't get mod's all the time from people and expect to read through them all. At least here, in Highfolk, the triad has a author pool. You wanna become part of the pool, you have to prove yourself by writting intro mods. I guess that's fair, but my ideas always stretch 2 or 3 games. Doing an intro mod...I don't know if I could come up with only 4 hours worth of entertainment. It's more than that, CB. If the triad has you write a mod, they are trusting you to finish it so that they get it out on time. They are also trusting that you're a team player who can work effectively with an editor. If you've never written anything before then you're an unknown quantity. If writing an intro is too onerous then see if they'll let you be a coauthor with someone. We have a fellow in our region (Furyondy) who is doing that. :AMN:
JohnduBois 01-17-07, 07:04 PM	It's more than that, CB. If the triad has you write a mod, they are trusting you to finish it so that they get it out on time. They are also trusting that you're a team player who can work effectively with an editor. If you've never written anything before then you're an unknown quantity. If writing an intro is too onerous then see if they'll let you be a coauthor with someone. We have a fellow in our region (Furyondy) who is doing that. :AMN: To back Andy up, I recently took over as Plots Triad in Furyondy, and got handed a stack of intro mod proposals and told to basically expect that half the mods would be lost either to wishy-washyness, displeasure with the LG writing requirements, problems with editing, or just plain disappearing. Second, sometimes making new authors write intros to start is the only way to get new intros. :D Also, as an author somewhat recently (a year and a half ago) subjected to the "intro first" rule, I can say that it really bumps up the quality of your first regional mod. There are ideas and issues that I never would have picked up on right away.
solbergb 01-17-07, 07:55 PM	It takes motivation away from the DM/judge and puts it in the hand of the players. I love it. Yeah, that is one nice thing. I also think it mimics the style of the fantasy literature better, where the protagonist is a single person (your PC) who sometimes adventures with old companions and sometimes adventures with strangers. Burke's story isn't the story of anyone else in LG, although many have shared his adventures and many more have played many of the modules he's played. Nobody else played them in the same order, with the same companions, DM, etc, at the same times. Even the chars that team with my wife's characters have occasional side-adventures on their own, or with other characters that she plays. But you do have to play a character that is inclined to bite at adventure hooks by his nature, or you'll be kind of frustrated.
Madfox11 01-18-07, 11:47 AM	Another good place to get writing experience and credit is in regions where there is a shortage of authors. For example, we only had 5 meta-regionals in the Splintered Suns last year and that took a lot of efford. If you have a great idea (even for a series), feel free to contact me and my meta-regional coordinator Pierre van Rooden. I am more than willing to take a gamble. If you proof to be able to work well with an editor (and this can be a real pain in the **s, I know) and deliver within the expacted time frame, I am more than willing to give you a recommendation for the High Folk triad. I have done so for an author in the past who wanted to write a Core and Creighton wanted to know whether he was up to it. You could also contact the Sunndi Triad, who is also always looking for authors and who has one author from abroad (I am not sure whether it is Australia or the USA) writing a series for them. You can find our E-mail adresses in the LGCS and on the RPGA web-site. If you fail, welcome to the big pile of good ideas but never finished adventures I have on my computer ;)
gomeztoo 01-18-07, 12:07 PM	There are a few things I personally seek in authors, and while squeeky clean grammar and spelling is always nice, what I look for more is an ability to deliver on time, willingness to accept (and discuss) criticism, and, ofcourse, a good storyline and feel for what makes good encounters. I have one author in the region who habitually messes up his grammar. Not his fault, but takes a while to edit. He is however open to criticism, has cool ideas, and delivers on time. We also have one who writes perfect grammar. However, criticism is treated like a declaration of war. As an editor, when choosing, I'll go for the former rather than the latter. I can edit bad grammar. But I can't work with authors not willing to adapt. (However, if you do not keep to the scenario template I will taunt you in a horrible french accent.). Btw the LGCS does not contain my email address. It's gomez (at) gryphonhill (dot) com The following link may also be helpful: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=lg/lgcn/20070116a Though note that we are a bit more flexible than Creighton ;) and we have our own template (slightly adapted form the Core one).
Britt 01-18-07, 12:20 PM	Don't worry, the draft already has your email :)
CrystalBlue 01-18-07, 12:53 PM	I'd love to be an author for any region. I just thought that you could only submit mod ideas to the region or meta-region that you live in. Plus, I'll have to start researching the other region, as I don't live in it nor have I played in it. But I wouldn't mind authoring a mod. That's what I live for in being a DM. And you don't ever get to do that kind of thing, normally, in LG. I wanna weave a story and make the PC's dance like puppets on my strings. ^.^ Dance, puppets...dance!
Simpi 01-18-07, 01:26 PM	I have one author in the region who habitually messes up his grammar. Not his fault, but takes a while to edit. He is however open to criticism, has cool ideas, and delivers on time. Me? (if talking about metaregional authors...) Sampo Haarlaa Naerie Triad
Madfox11 01-19-07, 04:17 AM	Just a minor warning CrystalBlue, do NOT underestimate the time and energy required to write a LG scenario. All too often we get enthausiastic people sprouting forth great ideas, who quickly learn that it takes much more than a great idea to get that adventure on paper.
CrystalBlue 01-19-07, 07:39 AM	Yeah...I know. Making encounters, writing box text, planning, structuring the story, making NPCs, writing up monsters for each APL, drawing maps...
vvincent 01-20-07, 08:39 AM	The things I look for in a writer are: Has the author got a grasp of our regional flavor? Are they aware of the history and continuity of our region? Have they adhered to the guidelines in our region's Writer's Guide? There are other things as well (brevity in writing boxed-text, technical aspects such as stat block mechanics, etc). Many people have good ideas that stand well in a vacuum. But when you look at them in the context of a regional plotline - they don't always fit, or require far more work to integrate them into the over all arc then you can give them. There's also the time factor. When someone submits something to us - I want it to be as complete as they can make it. I don't want to have to fill in a bunch of extra rules or generate 3 APLs worth of stat blocks. If you can make my editing an easy job - you're in a better position to have your proposal approved. Vernon L. Vincent Verbobonc Triad Yeah...I know. Making encounters, writing box text, planning, structuring the story, making NPCs, writing up monsters for each APL, drawing maps...