But where too next? Where can today’s modern web tools such as XHTML and HTML5.0 push design forward?

I recently read two very informative articles by two of RPG Blogging’s rising stars, Phillipe Menard (aka @ChattyDM) and Dave Chalker (aka @DavetheGame) that explored some of the possible scenarios that set my mind aflame.  Here were two popular vocal proponents advocating the same revolution in adventure design that I had been craving.

High Level Concept

Adventure Design 2.0 would feature some of today’s leading web application concepts to allow high quality content presented with the individual user (a DM in this case) in mind. Allowing that content to be dynamic, personalized, and shared.

Adventures designed to present different forms of media together in an application that allowed DMs to purchase access to an adventure that would be customized to their needs and allow for the DM to further modify and share their own customizations. The media incorporated, from maps and graphics, to text and formatted stat-blocks could be tailored to the DMs individual campaigns all in one tool.

Possible Features

Modular adventure content that can be customized and shared is a rather broad concept but some of the features that one can imagine include:

• System of Choice (4e, 3.5, PFRPG, OSRIC, etc) which would update all rules content in a saved adventure instance to that system.
• Adjustable scalable levels which could also update rules content and be saved.
• Customizable monsters that can be imported, exported, and saved.
• Customizable NPCs that can have additional notes or hooks added.
• Customizable treasure in the form of traditional loot or packet formats.
• Larger supporting images or links to external graphics.
• Hyperlinked content internally within the site or externally for referenced rules.
• Maps that allow you to hover over sections and display a quick synopsis or click to open the related encounter.
• The ability to share the customizations with other members.

Subscriptions

One of the difficult pieces of the puzzle centres around profitability. An enterprise like this would need serious capitol to succeed. Not only would you need to hire authors, artists, editors, and cartographers, but also web developers and the system to support it.

One particular model of financing such an endeavor would be around a subscriptions or around access purchases. So someone could buy an instance of a particular adventure for 4e at 1st level and gain access to the system for that adventure. Future adventure purchases could be added to the purchasers account and offered similar to how some game companies market download-able content.

In addition those customers could then be migrated to a subscription model where they gain access to a set number of adventures in a particular period and potentially to more advanced tools such as customization and sharing.

Dynamic Content

One of the features that was listed above that sounds the most intriguing is the customizability of content. If you look at the current list of WotC’s Dungeon adventures or Goodman Game’s DCCs you can see that there are adventures for many levels and I’m sure all levels will be covered eventually. But what if you like one adventure that is a couple of levels above the heads of your party.

Customizing that adventure is often left in the hands of the DMs often with no pointers from the authors. What if the adventure were written with a range in mind (similar to LFR/Pathfinder Society scenarios) that automatically updated the difficulty of the adventure.

Perhaps the adventure that really fits in a DM’s campaign is one from a system that their group does not use. Sure DMs could spend the countless hours converting that adventure to their system of choice but what if the adventure was already built with the appropriate monster stats, treasures, etc.

Even beyond altering adventures by overall settings what if a DM’s campaign features a specific set of villains such as the Order of the Emerald Claw or the Purifiers? A suite of tools could be available to import Monster Builder files and allow DMs to replace the opponents in a featured adventure, touch up encounter information, and make notes all without the difficult work of redesigning the whole thing.

In the grand scheme this is an immense idea and I hope to continue expanding on this little bit of brainstorming. Already I can picture user interfaces, data structures, and tools or modules that I’d want to build. Yes I’m more the guy who can design the system than write the adventure or draw the illustrations and maps.

Castle Shadowcrag © Wolfgang Baur, 2009

Wolfgang Baur is running another round of Open Design so this is the perfect time to get in on it.  This time is a little different as there are three proposals for people to vote on and any one or even all three can progress should they achieve enough funding.  I’ll outline below all 3 proposals, but only one is being written in 4e ~ Courts of the Shadow Fey! The Scathsidhe return from both the Ennie nominated Castle Shadowcrag and Wrath of the River King.

I have been a patron of Wolfgang Baur’s Open Design movement since Castle Shadowcrag (oh how I wish I’d signed on for Steam and Brass!).  At some point I’ll write a full description of all of the projects I’ve been a part of (Castle Shadowcrag, Empire of the Ghouls, Arabian Nights, Blood of the Gorgon, Tales of Zobeck, Wrath of the River King, and Halls of the Mountain King). For now I’d like to bring attention to the three projects up for patronage this round and a quick discussion on what is changing.

Patronage

Wolfgang Baur started the Open Design movement with the idea that during the Renaissance artists created works for private patrons, so RPG products could be written for a select small group of patrons who would provide input and direction into the process.  That simple idea has spawned a large following of people who get to watch first hand how a master writer crafts his finished works. Patrons also have the opportunity to provide input, suggest topics, pitch content, and in some cases even author some of the work.  There are two levels of patrons, the patron level which grants access to the discussion and allows patrons to provide input on the design; and the senior patron level who get advanced views of some content, is allowed to pitch suggestions, and takes part in deciding the next round of projects after the current one finishes.

In the past the projects were exclusive, only those who were patrons of the project while it was being written would get an electronic copy and would be given the ability to purchase the print on demand version. That changed a bit after the first project to allow those of the current project (ie. Halls of the Mountain King) to purchase the previous project (ie. Wrath of the River King). Only recently did Wolfgang open up the Ennie award winning Tales of Zobeck to the public because of the award.  With the three projects below, however, Wolfgang is not keeping them exclusive to patrons. Provided they achieve funding, each project will see the light of day as electronic books available for mass consumption. Patronage still has its perks as I’ve outlined above. For me the draw is seeing how an amazing adventure comes together behind the scenes.

Open Design Projects Seeking Patrons

Courts of the Shadow Fey ~ link ~ Sign up today!

Written by Wolfgang Baur, this adventure will be written for Dungeons & Dragons 4E. It has been pitched as a paragon level adventure that takes players to the Plane of Shadow when the intrigues of the Scathsidhe threaten the Free City of Zobeck.  The adventure will be one of politics, assassination, intrigue, and stealth. Personally this one gets my vote as it is both 4E and written by Wolfgang himself, oh and its set in Zobeck.  I loved both Shadowcrag and Wrath so I’m looking forward to more Shadow Fey goodness.

From the Shore to the Sea ~ link ~ Sign up today!

This one will be written by senior patron Brandon Hodge who contributed substantially to the Halls of the Mountain King project.  The project is being designed to use the newly released Pathfinder RPG rules and will hopefully be set in the Pathfinder campaign setting, Golarion (pending agreement by Paizo Publishing).  The adventure will draw players beneath the waves where an ancient kingdom of aboleth have reawakened and has enslaved an entire village.  The Pathfinder RPG shows promise and Golarion is one of the most intriguing settings currently being supported.

Red Eye of Azathoth ~ link ~ Sign up today!

Joshua Stevens is leading this Cthulhu-inspired collection of adventures.  The project will either use the Call of Cthulhu system or the Pathfinder RPG depending on how the patrons choose (talk about involvement!).  The adventures will span several time periods as sleeping elder gods seek to invade the mortal world.  These 5 adventures will be set on earth in 5 different periods of history and senior patrons for this project will get to pitch entire adventures.

Personally I wish I had funding available to join all three projects or even one at the senior patron level. As indicated the 4E adventure, Courts of the Shadow Fey is my current favorite.