Interesting Links for Builders

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

I normally hang-out in the custom content threads. On there I started a (now quite long running) thread of posts with links to what I think are interesting links for custom content creators called "Just drool". Today I came across 4 links, 3 of which are not really of interest for the cc community. They may well be of interest (and quite possibly be of use) here. So I am posting the links in here.

 

The first is to "The Basic Fantasy RPG" home page. This is a complete PnP role playing system that can be freely downloaded. The reason I am including it here is because there as well as the rule sets, there are also complete modules that you can download for free.

 

Do you need help with your NPC's back stories? Well the next 2 sites at the end of the next 2 links should help. The first is is a list of 100 character flaws as per the D&D 3,5 Edition rules with links to the D&D Wiki for each one.

 

Lastly we have "101 Player Character Background Hooks". This should help with getting a module off the ground by giving you a starting premise for a story.

 

Hope these are use. If so, post here and I will keep an eye out for more such links. If not, I won't bother.

 

TR

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

OK a couple of sites I've recently stumbled on (and bookmarked for future reference). Both sites have loads of links (Don't know if any are broken) on them. The first is featured on The Campaign Builder's Guild Wiki - Campaign Building Resources. This page mostly has links to reference material for world building, some of which might just be useful to storey module builders.

 

The second is a page full of links to Free Role Playing Games (PnP). In fact at the top of the page the author claims that there are over 500 such links (you think I'm going to count them already?) on the page. I would suggest that taking the premise of one or more of these games could lead to a very interesting module indeed. For example -

 

B-Movie: Scared Stiff by Mike Demetro Keywords: genre horror rules-lite long A parody of both horror movies and horror RPGs, this uses simple attributes and "stereotype" classes. As an interesting inverse, character have stats for flaws instead of abilities. Thus, your stats are Weakness, Clumsiness, Ignorance, Cowardice, Paranoia and Belief. (instead of Strength, Dexterity, etc.) ~44 pages HTML.

  

TR

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Verilazic]

               

That wiki looks really nice. Even with the tons of dead links, it's still really interesting.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

I followed a link in an email (from a trusted source) and thought I would share. The kink leads to an intermittently updated blog called "Fantasy Roleplaying Planes". While this blog is really targeted at PnP games I thought there is enough in it to interest builders here. Oh and despite its name, it is not all about other planes. Hope this is of use to someone.

 

TR

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

Just came across what I think could be a really useful article on dA. While it is written primarily for budding writers it should be of help for module creators too. Not only that but there are a lot of links to related articles too. Here's the link to 7 Suggestions for Mapping Your Fictional World.

 

TR

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Verilazic]

               

Looks like there are a lot of good little lists in there.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

OK, so it's been a while since I've found anything that I thought worthy of posting a link to. The tutorial I'm pointing you towards really grabbed me when I came across it and it was immediately obvious that a lot (OK relative term these days I know) of people should find this useful. Anyway, enough blathering. It's a tutorial on deviantArt on coming up with original storey ideas.

 

TR

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Verilazic]

               

Here's a short video from one of my favorite youtube channels that takes a slightly more academic (but very engaging) perspective on video games in general. This video is about The Witcher 3 (spoiler-free), and the advantages of the approach it took to the main romances available to Geralt and how the choice between them makes him a more interesting character.

 

That channel (Extra Credits) has a bunch of enjoyable, but more importantly interesting and useful little videos about various aspects of game design, some of them potentially useful to builders here too.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

If you are as long in fang and claw as I, may remember (even if somewhat hazily) an old TSR P&P Sci-Fi RPG called "Star Frontiers". Well just when you thought it was safe to let it slip into the dustiest pages of history, it turns out there are some enthusiasts that won't let it die... (Hmmm, that seems a familiar story, I wonder why). The web page I am pointing you too in this post has (with minor editing) the original rule books and half a dozen original modules available to download in pdf format. Along with these there are also various maps etc. and 25 enthusiast generated magazines to download.

 

So what's this to do with NwN? It seems to me that these works could be of great use to anyone contemplating building a D20 module or even to inspire someone to do so.

 

Anyway, here's the link to the Star Frontiersman website.

 

TR

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_CaveGnome]

               Great find ! Maybe I can scavenge a little idea here and there in these...
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MayCaesar]

               

If we are talking about how to build story and characters, I cannot recommend enough this book:

 

http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/0312302762

 

Despite the title (its second half that is), it really is a book on how to make excellent fiction in general (not just in writing), and it applies to creating custom story-heavy modules as well. Basically, the author goes deep into what makes interesting stories (characters, worlds, anything) interesting, and then, based on that, he explains how to create an engaging story from scratch and how to keep developing it into perfection.

 

I've been working on my fantasy and sci-fi stories for as long as I remember, mostly in my head throughout daydreaming and, rarely, writing short novels. But it was a very chaotic experience, I didn't know the method, I just made everything up on the fly. This book gave me the definitive structure to use both when I am stuck, unable to come up with any ideas, and when I have too many ideas in my head and don't know which one to select. Also it made me appreciate good stories more, since now I know better how they are constructed and why they are as good as they are. '>

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               

The Amazon UK link for that book. A cheaper (as in free) alternative can be found on deviantArt here. That link takes you to top page (of 4) of the deviant's writing advice gallery. The gallery appears to contain only tutorials and tips for budding authors.

 

TR