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  1. #1

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    Model Professional Module

    For Smiteworks and any content creator who wants to weigh in:

    Which module from a formatting and category perspective would you say most typifies the best example to emulate for content creation?

  2. #2
    LordEntrails's Avatar
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    Wow, tough question. And something I'd like to include in the module best practices guide. Will have to see where this thread goes.

    I haven't seen one that I would say is best in everything. And I think the format needs to adapt to the content. (For instance, LMoP is well done, but it doesn't work for everything. PoTA is bad, but that's because it's a conversion from a print format.) If a module is more linear, then a chapter/book format works well. If a module is more sandbox, then it needs some sort of central resource for navigation, such as a area map or plot map.

    For instance, this is the story format for locations (rooms) that I use in Ultimate Undermountain;
    Screen Shot 07-12-18 at 10.39 AM.PNG
    Note, I think a consistent layout is important, so the DM knows what is where. These are the categories and the order I feel is best. (Can discuss in detail if you want.) I will add the "Coordinates" section is something a mega-dungeon needs and not something most adventures need. I'll also add you notice I do not use chapter numbers in the story title, again, most adventures need that, and a mega-dungeon doesn't.

    All of the group categories also start with a prefix. In the case of Ultimate Undermountain I use a "UM##-" prefix for each level, where each level is a separate module.

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  3. #3

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    Great response, Lord. I am in concept development for tool that should dramatically simplify and speed up content development from a non-DRM PDF and need to know the types of layouts the tool would best need to support. Your input very valuable.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Bidmaron View Post
    Which module from a formatting and category perspective would you say most typifies the best example to emulate for content creation?
    I picked up Storm King's Thunder from FG as a model for a big, multichapter adventure.

    Quote Originally Posted by LordEntrails View Post
    If a module is more linear, then a chapter/book format works well. . . . Note, I think a consistent layout is important, so the DM knows what is where.
    DMs post many good reviews about the organization of Storm King's Thunder. The adventure is laid out in chapters. DMs especially like the flowchart that comes with the adventure. In the FG version, the flowchart is under "Images & Maps/Flowchart."
    Last edited by L. R. Ballard; July 12th, 2018 at 19:01. Reason: Changed to "Images & Maps/Flowchart"

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    So converting from a PDF has a slightly different (to me) perspective. And the issue comes around do you convert to FG and keep the same linear concept? i.e. a book or PDF is presented in a linear format (since everything has to be placed on a page and all the pages have to be given a specific order). FG can do that, by using the chapter numbers which give you the next/previous arrows.

    Some adventures are good like that, and other are not. For instance, PotA authors should have included (imo) something like one of these plot maps (example 1, example 2, example 3). But, since they didn't, SW couldn't put something like this in the FG module, but it would have been very beneficial to a sandbox type of adventure (module).

    And then something as "basic" as the story entry... hopefully the pdf would already have a standard format for it's location entries, you probably wouldn't want to change that. But you would want to move any npc stat block or stat summaries to encounter links. Maybe those would get linked in the same place, but hard to say.

    I'm not sure though I'm sticking to what interests you for this tool you are considering development of. Hmm, well, let me know anything I can add to or things that might help you.

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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by L. R. Ballard View Post
    DMs post many good reviews about the organization of Storm King's Thunder. The adventure is laid out in chapters. DMs especially like the flowchart that comes with the adventure. In the FG version, the flowchart is under "Images & Maps/Flowchart."
    Don't have STK, but this type of flowchart (I suspect) is exactly what I think is good/useful for non-linear adventures. (and referenced in my other post you ninja'd me on )

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  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by LordEntrails View Post
    Don't have STK, but this type of flowchart (I suspect) is exactly what I think is good/useful for non-linear adventures.
    I would've posted a screenshot of the flowchart, but I'm not sure I can do that.

    Quote Originally Posted by LordEntrails View Post
    (and referenced in my other post you ninja'd me on )
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    Quote Originally Posted by LordEntrails View Post
    For instance, PotA authors should have included (imo) something like one of these plot maps (example 1, example 2, example 3). But, since they didn't, SW couldn't put something like this in the FG module, but it would have been very beneficial to a sandbox type of adventure (module).
    Yeah... a flow chart with PotA would have helped quite a lot. I went to my FLGS and sat down to read portions of the book to try and understand what the hell was supposed to be happening at certain points.
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  10. #10
    Plot point campaigns are beastly things. The Flood has huge tracts of adventure that is not supposed to happen until other events occur. So of course they organized this chronological material alphabetically because that made sense. (The module authors remained true to the text and faithfully regurgitated it as written.) A timeline tool would have been immensely helpful - I spent like 4 to 6 hours creating the timeline.

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