Adventure (role-playing games)
Encyclopedia
An adventure is either a published or otherwise written collection of plot, character, and location details used by a gamemaster
to manage the plot or story
in a role-playing game
. Each adventure is based upon a particular gaming genre
and is normally designed for use with a specific game or gaming system. However, skilled gamemasters can often convert an adventure to different game systems, and many adventures are designed with such conversions in mind.
Generally an adventure will have an overall goal to be accomplished by a party of player characters, and guidelines about the prerequisites for success. It then subdivides the plot into a set of scenes that the players
could encounter
during the course of play, and provide descriptions of the location
s, details on creatures and other characters
that could be encountered, and information concerning potential obstacles and hazard
s. The adventure will often contain one or more maps that the gamemaster can use to locate points of interest and manage movement.
"Dungeon crawl
"-style adventures for combat
-intensive games such as Dungeons & Dragons
may allow or require large amounts of combat and little or no interaction
with other characters outside of combat; storytelling game
s such as the World of Darkness
games may focus on character interaction and provide little opportunity for combat. So-called linear adventures will restrict the actions of the players to a significant degree, requiring them to resolve each part of the plot in turn. Non-linear adventures are more flexible about the order of player activities, and allow the players a greater opportunity to "write" their own adventure.
An important component of the adventure are the often colorfully-written blocks of descriptive text that are read out loud by the gamemaster
to the players. These blocks ("flavor text") provide atmosphere for the game, and can provide clues about what the players are about to face. Significant attention is spent describing important locations or plot stages, such as the player's introduction to the setting.
There are several broad categories of role-playing adventures:
There are a multitude of commercial adventures published as modules for different published game worlds
. However many gamemaster
s enjoy writing their own adventures, an activity that can require considerable effort and labor.
Different games have different names for their adventures; for example, White Wolf Game Studio calls their adventures "chronicles", while Dungeons & Dragons
adventures are often called "modules
" or "scenarios" ("module," "scenario" and "campaign" are all loanwords from the miniatures wargames that were the hobby's roots). Games with televisual or cinematic pretensions often call adventures "episodes" with a campaign referred to as a "series."
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
to manage the plot or story
Narrative
A narrative is a constructive format that describes a sequence of non-fictional or fictional events. The word derives from the Latin verb narrare, "to recount", and is related to the adjective gnarus, "knowing" or "skilled"...
in a role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
. Each adventure is based upon a particular gaming genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
and is normally designed for use with a specific game or gaming system. However, skilled gamemasters can often convert an adventure to different game systems, and many adventures are designed with such conversions in mind.
Generally an adventure will have an overall goal to be accomplished by a party of player characters, and guidelines about the prerequisites for success. It then subdivides the plot into a set of scenes that the players
Player (game)
A player of a game is a participant therein. The term 'player' is used with this same meaning both in game theory and in ordinary recreational games....
could encounter
Random encounter
A random encounter is a feature commonly used in various role-playing games whereby encounters with non-player character enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random...
during the course of play, and provide descriptions of the location
Location (geography)
The terms location and place in geography are used to identify a point or an area on the Earth's surface or elsewhere. The term 'location' generally implies a higher degree of can certainty than "place" which often has an ambiguous boundary relying more on human/social attributes of place identity...
s, details on creatures and other characters
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
that could be encountered, and information concerning potential obstacles and hazard
Hazard
A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment. Most hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm; however, once a hazard becomes "active", it can create an emergency situation. A hazard does not exist when it is not...
s. The adventure will often contain one or more maps that the gamemaster can use to locate points of interest and manage movement.
"Dungeon crawl
Dungeon crawl
A dungeon crawl is a type of scenario in fantasy role-playing games in which heroes navigate a labyrinthine environment, battling various monsters, and looting any treasure they may find...
"-style adventures for combat
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
-intensive games such as Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
may allow or require large amounts of combat and little or no interaction
Interaction
Interaction is a kind of action that occurs as two or more objects have an effect upon one another. The idea of a two-way effect is essential in the concept of interaction, as opposed to a one-way causal effect...
with other characters outside of combat; storytelling game
Storytelling game
A storytelling game is a game where two or more persons collaborate on telling a spontaneous story. Usually, each player takes care of one or more characters in the developing story...
s such as the World of Darkness
World of Darkness
"World of Darkness" is the name given to three related but distinct fictional universes created as settings for supernatural horror themed role-playing games. It is also the name of roleplaying games in the second and third settings...
games may focus on character interaction and provide little opportunity for combat. So-called linear adventures will restrict the actions of the players to a significant degree, requiring them to resolve each part of the plot in turn. Non-linear adventures are more flexible about the order of player activities, and allow the players a greater opportunity to "write" their own adventure.
An important component of the adventure are the often colorfully-written blocks of descriptive text that are read out loud by the gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
to the players. These blocks ("flavor text") provide atmosphere for the game, and can provide clues about what the players are about to face. Significant attention is spent describing important locations or plot stages, such as the player's introduction to the setting.
There are several broad categories of role-playing adventures:
- A campaignCampaign (role-playing games)In role-playing games, a campaign is a continuing storyline or set of adventures, typically involving the same characters. The purpose of the continuing storyline is to introduce a further aspect into the game: that of development, improvement, and growth of the characters. In a campaign, a...
is a lengthy adventure, or series of adventures, that is run over many sessions. It is often designed to provide a plot of epic scope, arranged in an episodic manner. The campaign normally has a common theme holding it together, such as a major villainous opponent, a great disaster, or an epic journey. - A scenario is shorter than a campaign, and can often be restricted to a limited geographic location such as a townTownA town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
or a forestForestA forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
. It has a brief plot that can be concluded within a few gaming sessions. Several related scenarios can be strung together by a gamemasterGamemasterA gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
to create a campaign. "Campaign" and "Scenario" are derived from wargamingWargamingA wargame is a strategy game that deals with military operations of various types, real or fictional. Wargaming is the hobby dedicated to the play of such games, which can also be called conflict simulations, or consims for short. When used professionally to study warfare, it is generally known as...
terminology, as early role-playing games were derived from contemporary wargames. - The one-shot adventure is designed to be played in a single evening, and usually involves battling a small group of opponents or resolving a difficult or dangerous problem. A one-shot is often intended to demonstrate a new setting or to hold a gaming session when many regular participants are not able to make it that night. It will typically use pre-generated characters for the players in order to limit start-up time.
There are a multitude of commercial adventures published as modules for different published game worlds
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
. However many gamemaster
Gamemaster
A gamemaster is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for questions regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer game...
s enjoy writing their own adventures, an activity that can require considerable effort and labor.
Different games have different names for their adventures; for example, White Wolf Game Studio calls their adventures "chronicles", while Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
adventures are often called "modules
Adventure (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, an adventure or module is a pre-packaged book or box set that helps the Dungeon Master manage the plot or story of a game...
" or "scenarios" ("module," "scenario" and "campaign" are all loanwords from the miniatures wargames that were the hobby's roots). Games with televisual or cinematic pretensions often call adventures "episodes" with a campaign referred to as a "series."