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 Video Game DND - Quest Certs

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T O P I C    R E V I E W
Rhewtani Posted - 05 Aug 2011 : 17:10:39
In one table top game I played in anything that a few of the players disapproved of was referred to as "Video Game DND." Things such as ressurection without level loss, or fireball spells that did not fill up the area and blow back into the hallways, et cetera, were placed in a category of "kids stuff." I think, as a result of that experience, I've had some hesitation ever adapting ideas from Neverwinter Nights or anything else, really.

However, I keep coming back to this idea and I wanted to throw it out there and look for advice and ideas related to it.

As a result of playing every 2-weeks and not having everyone there, the group seems to lose track of their goals and the various plot lines. They will completely miss clues that will build on their own side plots.

So, I was thinking of making "quest certificates." Basically a 4x6 card with stating some basic info and also a story reward connected to it.

For Curse of the Azure Bonds, for instance, you would give out 6 cards - 1 for each of the tattoos and each one would be titled "Remove Arcane Sigil" with a picture of it on the card. Once they find out about the artifacts, they'd get three more quest cards: "Recover the Sword of Lathander, Claim the Gauntlets of Moander, Find the Helm of Dragons." Perhaps I could also give out "Vanquish Tyranthraxus."

Meanwhile, I might also give out some character background ones to various characters.

The fighter of Tempus might receive "Defeat five combatants in equal weight gladiatorial matches." To another, I could give out "Gain revenge on Gorok the slavemaster. Gorok is a slaver in Zhentil Keep as well, who often attends gladiatorial matches. So, upon reaching Zhentil Keep they will have at least 4 cards to "work on" while they are there.

Also, as they players are running multiple characters, I thought a couple of side quests might be available to take characters out of the main game from time to time. One PC is assembling a magic item set and knows the next one is in Tilverton. I don't really want to have him drag the whole group out of Hulburg, so ...

Retrieve the Luck Belt of Tymora
Initial Cost:
-Time: 20 days plus travel time
-Gold: 200 gold pieces
Checks:
-Diplomacy dc 25 (+1 week per failure)
-Perception dc 30 (+1 day per failure)
-Stealth dc 18 (melee combat #12 on failure)
-Melee combat #15 (failure results in 1 year imprisonment and loss of possessions)

This kind of adds skill challenges to flesh it out.

What do you all think?
7   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
MisterX Posted - 09 Aug 2011 : 09:18:07
I didn't want to tell him that he's wrong, but that he can easyly avoid the problems Wooly Rupert pointed out if he leaves the job up to the players. Plus, even IF the card's style would be too much WoW-style, no player will complain – since it's their own work.

In my groups, I use the following two "mechanics" to remember my players of their quests:
First, I start every session with a short summary of the last. This way, any player who was absent can catch up and they all remember the key situations and major plotlines of the last session.
Second, I encourage them to take notes. I've stated that my notes are for my eyes only, since they're full of background-info and vital parts of other (past or future) plots, so they really don't want to read them, unless they want to spare themselves of a certain amount of fun during the sessions…

Another merit of this procedure is that the players focus on information valuable for them (while they occasionally might find information supported by the DM as not so useful…) and they think while writing, thus connecting information by themselves. Good for the process of solving quests or riddles, I think.


@Hawkins:
He asked for opinions, that is mine. I tried to render a good idea better (in my opinion). No offense intended.
Hawkins Posted - 09 Aug 2011 : 01:00:53
quote:
Originally posted by MisterX

I like the idea of those quest-summary-cards, but your players should do them, not you als DM. If they can't catch up with the plotlines, they should begin to write diaries or at least keywords while gaming.

I think that should be entirely up the GM. Every GM has a different style. And if this fits Rhewtani's GMing style, then I do not think that other people should tell him that it is wrong.
MisterX Posted - 08 Aug 2011 : 23:20:41
I like the idea of those quest-summary-cards, but your players should do them, not you als DM. If they can't catch up with the plotlines, they should begin to write diaries or at least keywords while gaming.
Rhewtani Posted - 05 Aug 2011 : 19:15:08
Hawkins hit exactly what I was trying to explain with the concept. These are plot threads that are stored until they come up through roleplay. In Curse, you wouldn't get them until you found out what the tattoos were or until you first had the artifacts explained to you. I threw one together a few minutes ago which should have been given out last week after one of the PCs had a discussion with his character's wife.

{front}

Quest

Investigate Hammerbold Abbey

(picture of symbol of tyr)
(picture of abbey ruins)

Reward: 2,000 xp

{back}

Details:

After several weeks of research, Amali Hulmaster requested that she be escorted to Hammerbold Abbey within the ruins of Hulburg. The majority of the Hulmaster line is interred in the crypts below.

Hammerbold Abbey overlooks the Moonsea to the south and west. It was once the grandest temple in all of Hulburg, but has since been reduced to a shell. The roof is collapsed and all of its stained glass has been shattered or stolen. The interior is now overgrown with vines and shrubs.

The abbey is dedicated to the head of the triad, Tyr, and is named for his signature hammer.

Then I put some lines on their for additional notes.
Hawkins Posted - 05 Aug 2011 : 19:05:20
I think the idea has merit. I think that the application might be better if the players first interacted with the NPCs to receive the quests, and then just have a summary of the goal(s) of the quest on the card with any promised rewards (and promised penalties for failure) so the players can go back and review the quests without necessarily having to ask for a recap every session (in my group, recaps are necessary because we alternate games every other week). I do think it would still be good to have all of the mechanics written out, but to keep those to yourself.
Rhewtani Posted - 05 Aug 2011 : 18:01:26
I probably shouldn't have mixed those two concepts into one post. As for being "too" video-gamey I was just thinking that I let that thought prevent me from taking any, even good, ideas from video games. I'm hoping more for an elder scrolls feel to them rather than WoW. You could be right, though.
Wooly Rupert Posted - 05 Aug 2011 : 17:47:24
I dunno... Those quest certificates sound a lot like NPCs that hand out quests in WoW, LotRO, or any other MMO. I'm inclined to say that's not the right direction for getting away from a video/computer game feel.

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