Mark one thing off my "Things to do 'ere I die" list!

[smerwin29]

As a young kid playing D&D in my friend's basement in the late 70s and early 80s, I would leaf through the classic D&D adventures--Keep on the Borderlands, White Plume Mountain, Tomb of Horrors, and others--and dream that maybe someday I could create something similar. How cool would it be to create something that thousands--or maybe even tens of

Comments

[ishldgetoutmore]

Can I assume there'll be free copies for certain GMs? I promise to leave on my shirt... :p

[smerwin29]

For you! Anything! But not for those other NTACs!

[bccreations]

My first reaction: Congratulations!

My second reaction: Only a couple dozen? You slacker. :P

My third reaction: Thinking inside a format? Help help, I'm being repressed! ;)

[smerwin29]

Thank you! Yes, I am embarrassed to say that I have officially lost count of adventures I wrote (or co-wrote) for the RPGA. While on the Keoland Triad, it seems like I was writing an interactive a week. I lost some of them when I moved to a new computer.

I think you know what I mean by thinking inside a format being a focusing process. If you are writing a screenplay, you work within a format that encourages you to think about certain elements that, rather than restricts you, makes you aware. Skill challenges do this: they encourage you to think of encounters in such a way that opens up possibilities rather than restrict them. At least that's how I see it.

[bccreations]

I reserve judgment until I see them. I suspect false advertising! WotC (and TSR for that matter) have never paid skills the proper respect. I think skills are what can make D&D a more cinematic experience. I always enjoyed thinking outside the box. I'd say "this is what I want to do, this is what I feel fits into one round action, tell me what skill checks you need."

Judges would either say no I couldn't do it or say "just give me a X skill check". The good judges would dissect it just like I had constructed it and say "I need X, Y, and Z skill checks." That was always fun. :)

[smerwin29]

Ironically, the skill challenge system does exactly what you mention above. It empowers the players to come up with outside-the-box answers to challenges, and it gives DMs a way to deal with that while also encouraging them to use their imaginations. And it gives writers a framework to think laterally about creating encounters to allow skill usage. Both as a game mechanic and a story-telling mechanic, it is a great tool. Good writers and GMs were doing something like this anyway, so it is codifying a good procedure for everyone to use.

[michaeltlh]

Is this just for R&D or will it be released to the public and all that (sorry, I've not had coffee yet).

Congratulations, in any event. :)

[smerwin29]

Look for it at a game store or book store near you. I'm not sure of the release date, but I am guessing early 2009. And thanks!

[alanajoli]

Ah ha! This must be the super secret project. :) Congratulations, Mr. Merwin. That look that all of us Kalamarans gave you at DDXP (in regards to a product featuring writing by the best developers) now has actual factual support!

[smerwin29]

Thank you. This is actually a different super secret project. The other super secret project is so super secret that I don't even know the details yet. I think they tell me what I need to do after I finish the work: THAT'S how super secret it is!