Spiteful Springs (Zathras Adventures)
ACKSII adventure for four to six PCs of levels 1st-3rd
I am reviewing these in the order they were submitted. For my review criteria, please check out this post. All reviews will (probably) contain *SPOILERS*; you have been warned! Because these are short (two page) adventures, it is my intention to keep the reviews brief.
More ACKS. Yay.
This particular author does not seem to understand the concept of "useable adventure design." We do not have numbered or lettered encounter locations; instead everything is word salad ("tepidarium," "palaestra," "lower tunnel") said place names being spread over SIX PAGES OF MAPS. Yes, Gibson's rules dictate that a MINIMUM of one page of maps be included...but, personally, I feel that giving THREE TIMES as many pages of maps as text is kicking the spirit of the contest in the teeth.
Plus, this technically has ZERO "keyed locations." Disqualified.
Sweet freaky Jesus and his ethereal choir of gossamer-winged aardvarks! I'm really starting to feel as if I'd have a legitimate chance should I decide to submit an entry next year. At least I understand what "two pages" means, how to key an area map, and why it's important to hew faithfully to the established rules-canon of a specific rule set when writing for a table other than your own.
ReplyDeleteYeah. It really shouldn't be this hard.
DeleteI think there are a couple different things making it difficult for contestants. Some of these folks are relatively new to the "dungeon cobbler" hobby, and they lack decent templates for adventure writing. Others are experienced cobblers that are intent on doing something "interesting"...either in hopes of scoring points or because they're just bored/jaded with the process.
The thing is, the adventure is just a tool designed to get you (the DM and players) to a particular 'experience.' It's not the dungeon itself that needs or should be celebrated. In the end, a bag of a thousand (imaginary) gold pieces is pretty much the same as a castle-full of (imaginary) gold pieces. Worrying about the external trappings of 'style' and 'color' is far LESS important than putting together a solid, nuts-n-bolts design which is going to reward you with a good Game Play Experience.
Anyway. That's my perspective.