big problem [Archive] - Wizards Community

big problem [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RPGNOOB
08-08-06, 08:03 PM hay umm yay any one know where i can get a pree made campign ( i can add stuff i want later) i need one cause im broke and really wanna start a game with my friends
Toloran
08-08-06, 08:19 PM . is a period. It is used to break strings of words up into sentences. It allows for easier reading.

Now that that is aside, making up a campaign isn't too expecially difficult. You don't have to use a pre build/modified one.
Azezel
08-08-06, 08:56 PM Toloran is right on both counts.

The more serrious one - that of creating a campaign is what I'll expand on.

By Campaign you might mean one of two things, either a Campaign Setting, or an Story Arc.

I think you are asking about a Campaign Setting - now the main ones, the Forgotten Realms and Eberron are dear - though not as dear as you might think - I saw a softover Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting for Ł20 recently - which is well worth the price.

That said - there is a great deal of satisfaction to be had in creating your own. The most common way to do this is to get a great big peice of paper and draw a shape on it. Call this shape a continent and draw some rivers and some mountains on it. Next add a couple of cities - you're practically there.

The alternative is the oposite - create a city, and then, work outwards from there.

Have fun, it is in intensly rewarding experience.

If you meant 'Story Arc' then the process is sometimes like this: Start off by deciding the scale of the Story - a single dungeon or neighbourhood or a continent/plane spaning quest?

Create a BBEG - or Big Bad Evil Guy (or Girl, whatever floats your boat) and decide what he/she wants (money, power, girls - it's usually something like that).

Decide on the BBEG's plan for getting what he/she wants. Something along the lines of 'Align the Twelve Stones of Power during a total eclipse. or 'March my army of orcs up to the city and bash down the gate.'

Decide how the Party will get invovled in this whole sorry afair (this is called a plot hook).

Create one or more Adventures. A Story Arc is like a book, and Adventures are Chapters. One Adventure typically lasts one to three sessions and takes place in a fairly limmited area - a dungeon for example or a court room.

Now - the above steps will probably create a fairly chliched Story - but chliches are chliches because they tend to be quite good. Once you become more familiar with the game and with your players, branch out.

Incidentally - aproposs of nothing at all - in about ten years time you are going to really regret choosing 'RPGNOOB' as your nick...
The_Black_Dragon
08-09-06, 12:34 AM How to create a great fantasy world in 5 easy steps.

1) Create a civilized location (city, town, thorp, whatever).

2) Create environs around the location. Make sure that at least one of them is a dungeon or other adventure site.

3) Run a game dealing with the location, its environs, and the adventure site.

4) Expand a little into nearby areas.

5) Repeat steps 1-4 until you've got a good campaign setting created.

I believe that's how Gary Gygax created Greyhawk, and it's how I've created my homebrew world of Thaelin. It's not too much work, and its fun.
Masterfulks
08-09-06, 12:38 AM Once you create your land mass, you can easily take some of the free modules offered on this site and fit them into your game.

They can fill up several nights of play until you get the hang of it.
RPGNOOB
08-09-06, 12:58 AM first of all where are the free campign things you were talking about second i cant think of good names please help? thanks :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken:
noobguy15
08-09-06, 01:06 AM I find that it is easer to start small and build out. rather than big and go in
Dire_Rhino
08-09-06, 01:19 AM http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b
Original Adventures

Enjoy!
RPGNOOB
08-09-06, 01:26 AM thanks you guys,but does any one have any way for determaning places names( im not so creative with names ) thanks
pres_man
08-09-06, 01:35 AM Pick a real world country that has the "feel" of the location, and look at the maps of that country and the town names and you might get some ideas (change the name a bit sometimes).
DarthMarasmus
08-09-06, 01:47 AM thanks you guys,but does any one have any way for determaning places names( im not so creative with names ) thanks

Get some of those blocks that kids play with (you know, with the letters on them), put them in a coffee can, shake, and toss (essentially, each block is a d6 with letters instead of numbers). Voila!! Instant name creation. Pronouncibility may be a bit of a problem, but who cares. It's fantasy, nobody can pronounce fantasy names correctly.

Or, try Googling "random name generator." That should give you some fun (and interesting) results.

As for creating the world, I prefer to start with a macrocosm and work down to a bunch of microcosms. For example, I'd draw a world map, then decide where to put everything ("generally European continent goes here, African type continent goes there, and here's the Asian continent"). Some people that works for, others, not so much. Just try a few different methods and go with what works best.
RPGNOOB
08-09-06, 12:22 PM :bump:
ccerose
08-09-06, 04:07 PM Here are some links to fantasy name generators:

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~pound/sfng.html

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20010208b

http://www.squid.org/tools/names/

Shop Name Generators

http://www.hackslash.net/?page_id=53

Street Name Generator

http://www.geocities.com/phillipriley/otngstreet.html

People/Place/Thing Name Generator

http://nine.frenchboys.net/

Name/Location Generator

http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php

Some are better than others.
RPGNOOB
08-09-06, 08:48 PM I have another question and I did not want to start a new thread, k here it goes, when im designing a town what type of buildings should I have in my town?( should I have alot of houses or churches exectra?)
RPGNOOB
08-10-06, 12:40 AM :bump: :bump:

b
bu
bum
bump
bumpi
bumpin
bumping
bumpingw
bumpingwi
bumpingwit
bumpingwitm
bumpingwitmy
bumpingwitmyh
bumpingwitmyho
bumpingwitmyhom
bumpingwitmyhomi
bumpingwitmyhomie
bumpingwitmyhomies
bumpingwitmyhomie
bumpingwitmyhomi
bumpingwitmyhom
bumpingwitmyho
bumpingwitmyh
bumpingwitmy
bumpingwitm
bumpingwit
bumpingwi
bumpingw
bumping
bumpin
bumpi
bump
bum
bu
b

BUMPING WIT MY HOMIES LOLOLOLOL :pile: :bounce:
ChaoticGood
08-10-06, 01:15 AM At bare minimum, you'll need:

- Armory: Either armor and weapons for sale, or stocks for the local guards.
- Blacksmith: A necessity in any medieval town.
- Courthouse or Meeting Hall: A place where official town business is done.
- Guard tower or City Watch station: In case the PCs get unruly in town.
- Inn or Tavern (or both) with a catchy name (like the Wailing Wench, the Poor Piper, or the Gull's Perch): PCs need a good place to spend the night and get drunk!
- Marketplace: Just a big open area where local farmers and craftsmen can sell their wares.
- Shrine or Temple of at least one relevant deity: For example, a farming village would definitely have a shrine to the goddess of agriculture, while a mining town needs a temple to the god of mountains or the god of wealth. (If the town is the PCs base of operations, include a shrine or temple to the patron deity of the party's cleric so that they can get some church assistance on occasion.)
- Well or other source of water.
- Enough houses to reasonably contain the number of people you want to live in the town. There should be at least a dozen for a small village, and up to as many as a few hundred for a large town. You don't need to label each one or who lives there (although it may be helpful to know where important people like the mayor, blacksmith, and the local wizard live).

While it's not necessary, it is also good to give important towns at least one unique feature to make the town memorable (for example, the village is on the side of a hill so steep that there are stairs rather than streets, or the town square features an unusual ring of standing stones, or there is a law that forbids anyone from wearing red during daylight hours).

(For the record, I still kinda think you're probably a troll... but you're a nice troll, and I get a warm fuzzy feeling from answering your questions! :) )
RPGNOOB
08-10-06, 01:53 AM (For the record, I still kinda think you're probably a troll... but you're a nice troll, and I get a warm fuzzy feeling from answering your questions! :) )[/QUOTE]

k thanks for the help.( but why a troll )
InkBlot
08-10-06, 02:34 AM "Troll" is internet slang for a person who posts just to stir up trouble and annoy people.

Even though your posts aren't the most eloquent, you're not being a troll. You're asking for help, and that's what this forum is here for.

On creating a world: I find that starting from a large scale and working my way down is best when I'm a bit low on adventure ideas.

The shape of the land helps inspire different civilizations. Different civilizations interacting inspires history and politics. The history and politics inspires locations for ruins and dungeons, motivations for BBEG, and hooks for the adventurers.

On the other hand, if I already know what adventures I want to run then I'll sculpt the setting to facilitate them.
ChaoticGood
08-13-06, 10:15 PM It's just that your questions are often so basic that I end up thinking, "Is this guy for real, or he just coming up with the most basic of all questions to make us think about the nuts and bolts that we often take for granted?"

If it's the first, I apologize for the "troll" label. I don't think you're stirring up trouble. You seem like someone who is genuinely excited about the game, and I appreciate that.
BrotherMarcus
08-13-06, 11:42 PM Make your own. If your short on time, start with one town and some surroundings. Expand from there. It is not that hard.
BrotherMarcus
08-13-06, 11:47 PM I have another question and I did not want to start a new thread, k here it goes, when im designing a town what type of buildings should I have in my town?( should I have alot of houses or churches exectra?)

Start out small. Begin with the basics. Shops, Mills, Farms, Inns, Churches. It does not have to be historically acurate. If you live in, or have been to a small town, use that for inspiration. There are even online town generators if you are at a complete loss. The wizards site has a document that helps you create cities. Some people map cities some people don't. You also need to decide who is in charge, who keeps order, powerful NPCs etc. I usually start with the most important gathering place and work from there.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RPGNOOB 08-08-06, 08:03 PM	hay umm yay any one know where i can get a pree made campign ( i can add stuff i want later) i need one cause im broke and really wanna start a game with my friends
Toloran 08-08-06, 08:19 PM	. is a period. It is used to break strings of words up into sentences. It allows for easier reading. Now that that is aside, making up a campaign isn't too expecially difficult. You don't have to use a pre build/modified one.
Azezel 08-08-06, 08:56 PM	Toloran is right on both counts. The more serrious one - that of creating a campaign is what I'll expand on. By Campaign you might mean one of two things, either a Campaign Setting, or an Story Arc. I think you are asking about a Campaign Setting - now the main ones, the Forgotten Realms and Eberron are dear - though not as dear as you might think - I saw a softover Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting for Ł20 recently - which is well worth the price. That said - there is a great deal of satisfaction to be had in creating your own. The most common way to do this is to get a great big peice of paper and draw a shape on it. Call this shape a continent and draw some rivers and some mountains on it. Next add a couple of cities - you're practically there. The alternative is the oposite - create a city, and then, work outwards from there. Have fun, it is in intensly rewarding experience. If you meant 'Story Arc' then the process is sometimes like this: Start off by deciding the scale of the Story - a single dungeon or neighbourhood or a continent/plane spaning quest? Create a BBEG - or Big Bad Evil Guy (or Girl, whatever floats your boat) and decide what he/she wants (money, power, girls - it's usually something like that). Decide on the BBEG's plan for getting what he/she wants. Something along the lines of 'Align the Twelve Stones of Power during a total eclipse. or 'March my army of orcs up to the city and bash down the gate.' Decide how the Party will get invovled in this whole sorry afair (this is called a plot hook). Create one or more Adventures. A Story Arc is like a book, and Adventures are Chapters. One Adventure typically lasts one to three sessions and takes place in a fairly limmited area - a dungeon for example or a court room. Now - the above steps will probably create a fairly chliched Story - but chliches are chliches because they tend to be quite good. Once you become more familiar with the game and with your players, branch out. Incidentally - aproposs of nothing at all - in about ten years time you are going to really regret choosing 'RPGNOOB' as your nick...
The_Black_Dragon 08-09-06, 12:34 AM	How to create a great fantasy world in 5 easy steps. 1) Create a civilized location (city, town, thorp, whatever). 2) Create environs around the location. Make sure that at least one of them is a dungeon or other adventure site. 3) Run a game dealing with the location, its environs, and the adventure site. 4) Expand a little into nearby areas. 5) Repeat steps 1-4 until you've got a good campaign setting created. I believe that's how Gary Gygax created Greyhawk, and it's how I've created my homebrew world of Thaelin. It's not too much work, and its fun.
Masterfulks 08-09-06, 12:38 AM	Once you create your land mass, you can easily take some of the free modules offered on this site and fit them into your game. They can fill up several nights of play until you get the hang of it.
RPGNOOB 08-09-06, 12:58 AM	first of all where are the free campign things you were talking about second i cant think of good names please help? thanks :chicken: :chicken: :chicken: :chicken:
noobguy15 08-09-06, 01:06 AM	I find that it is easer to start small and build out. rather than big and go in
Dire_Rhino 08-09-06, 01:19 AM	http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/oa/20030530b Original Adventures Enjoy!
RPGNOOB 08-09-06, 01:26 AM	thanks you guys,but does any one have any way for determaning places names( im not so creative with names ) thanks
pres_man 08-09-06, 01:35 AM	Pick a real world country that has the "feel" of the location, and look at the maps of that country and the town names and you might get some ideas (change the name a bit sometimes).
DarthMarasmus 08-09-06, 01:47 AM	thanks you guys,but does any one have any way for determaning places names( im not so creative with names ) thanks Get some of those blocks that kids play with (you know, with the letters on them), put them in a coffee can, shake, and toss (essentially, each block is a d6 with letters instead of numbers). Voila!! Instant name creation. Pronouncibility may be a bit of a problem, but who cares. It's fantasy, nobody can pronounce fantasy names correctly. Or, try Googling "random name generator." That should give you some fun (and interesting) results. As for creating the world, I prefer to start with a macrocosm and work down to a bunch of microcosms. For example, I'd draw a world map, then decide where to put everything ("generally European continent goes here, African type continent goes there, and here's the Asian continent"). Some people that works for, others, not so much. Just try a few different methods and go with what works best.
RPGNOOB 08-09-06, 12:22 PM	:bump:
ccerose 08-09-06, 04:07 PM	Here are some links to fantasy name generators: http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~pound/sfng.html http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20010208b http://www.squid.org/tools/names/ Shop Name Generators http://www.hackslash.net/?page_id=53 Street Name Generator http://www.geocities.com/phillipriley/otngstreet.html People/Place/Thing Name Generator http://nine.frenchboys.net/ Name/Location Generator http://www.seventhsanctum.com/index-name.php Some are better than others.
RPGNOOB 08-09-06, 08:48 PM	I have another question and I did not want to start a new thread, k here it goes, when im designing a town what type of buildings should I have in my town?( should I have alot of houses or churches exectra?)
RPGNOOB 08-10-06, 12:40 AM	:bump: :bump: b bu bum bump bumpi bumpin bumping bumpingw bumpingwi bumpingwit bumpingwitm bumpingwitmy bumpingwitmyh bumpingwitmyho bumpingwitmyhom bumpingwitmyhomi bumpingwitmyhomie bumpingwitmyhomies bumpingwitmyhomie bumpingwitmyhomi bumpingwitmyhom bumpingwitmyho bumpingwitmyh bumpingwitmy bumpingwitm bumpingwit bumpingwi bumpingw bumping bumpin bumpi bump bum bu b BUMPING WIT MY HOMIES LOLOLOLOL :pile: :bounce:
ChaoticGood 08-10-06, 01:15 AM	At bare minimum, you'll need: - Armory: Either armor and weapons for sale, or stocks for the local guards. - Blacksmith: A necessity in any medieval town. - Courthouse or Meeting Hall: A place where official town business is done. - Guard tower or City Watch station: In case the PCs get unruly in town. - Inn or Tavern (or both) with a catchy name (like the Wailing Wench, the Poor Piper, or the Gull's Perch): PCs need a good place to spend the night and get drunk! - Marketplace: Just a big open area where local farmers and craftsmen can sell their wares. - Shrine or Temple of at least one relevant deity: For example, a farming village would definitely have a shrine to the goddess of agriculture, while a mining town needs a temple to the god of mountains or the god of wealth. (If the town is the PCs base of operations, include a shrine or temple to the patron deity of the party's cleric so that they can get some church assistance on occasion.) - Well or other source of water. - Enough houses to reasonably contain the number of people you want to live in the town. There should be at least a dozen for a small village, and up to as many as a few hundred for a large town. You don't need to label each one or who lives there (although it may be helpful to know where important people like the mayor, blacksmith, and the local wizard live). While it's not necessary, it is also good to give important towns at least one unique feature to make the town memorable (for example, the village is on the side of a hill so steep that there are stairs rather than streets, or the town square features an unusual ring of standing stones, or there is a law that forbids anyone from wearing red during daylight hours). (For the record, I still kinda think you're probably a troll... but you're a nice troll, and I get a warm fuzzy feeling from answering your questions! :) )
RPGNOOB 08-10-06, 01:53 AM	(For the record, I still kinda think you're probably a troll... but you're a nice troll, and I get a warm fuzzy feeling from answering your questions! :) )[/QUOTE] k thanks for the help.( but why a troll )
InkBlot 08-10-06, 02:34 AM	"Troll" is internet slang for a person who posts just to stir up trouble and annoy people. Even though your posts aren't the most eloquent, you're not being a troll. You're asking for help, and that's what this forum is here for. On creating a world: I find that starting from a large scale and working my way down is best when I'm a bit low on adventure ideas. The shape of the land helps inspire different civilizations. Different civilizations interacting inspires history and politics. The history and politics inspires locations for ruins and dungeons, motivations for BBEG, and hooks for the adventurers. On the other hand, if I already know what adventures I want to run then I'll sculpt the setting to facilitate them.
ChaoticGood 08-13-06, 10:15 PM	It's just that your questions are often so basic that I end up thinking, "Is this guy for real, or he just coming up with the most basic of all questions to make us think about the nuts and bolts that we often take for granted?" If it's the first, I apologize for the "troll" label. I don't think you're stirring up trouble. You seem like someone who is genuinely excited about the game, and I appreciate that.
BrotherMarcus 08-13-06, 11:42 PM	Make your own. If your short on time, start with one town and some surroundings. Expand from there. It is not that hard.
BrotherMarcus 08-13-06, 11:47 PM	I have another question and I did not want to start a new thread, k here it goes, when im designing a town what type of buildings should I have in my town?( should I have alot of houses or churches exectra?) Start out small. Begin with the basics. Shops, Mills, Farms, Inns, Churches. It does not have to be historically acurate. If you live in, or have been to a small town, use that for inspiration. There are even online town generators if you are at a complete loss. The wizards site has a document that helps you create cities. Some people map cities some people don't. You also need to decide who is in charge, who keeps order, powerful NPCs etc. I usually start with the most important gathering place and work from there.