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Adventure styles
There is many ways to roleplay, each scenario
is different and has its own interests. This classification defines what
theses interests are (but it doesn't tell anything about quality). It
fits much more one-shot adventuresthan campaigns.
The aim of this classification
is to help people to know what they will play before the beginning
of the advenure
(in a convention for instance)
some
examples
please note: it
is certainly not an attempt to classify all adventures made for a certain
game! it is only a landmark
For a specific D&D
adventure:
GENRE: Heroic-Fantasy in Forgotten Realms
SYSTEM: D&D
| ACTION |
PLOT
|
ATMOS |
PSY |
IMPRO |
SIMU |
| III |
III |
|
I |
|
III |
|
|
For a specific CoC adventure:
GENRE: Contemporary and fantastic
(Horror) in USA
SYSTEM: Chaosium
| ACTION |
PLOT
|
ATMOS |
PSY |
IMPRO |
SIMU |
| I |
IV |
II |
I |
|
II |
|
| MOOD |
SCALE |
FUN |
COOP |
| - |
|
- |
+ |
|
For a specific Vampire adventure:
GENRE: Contemporary and fantastic (Horror) in World of
Darkness
SYSTEM: White Wolf
| ACTION |
PLOT
|
ATMOS |
PSY |
IMPRO |
SIMU |
| II |
IV |
I |
I |
|
II |
|
| MOOD |
SCALE |
FUN |
COOP |
| - |
+ |
|
- |
|
For a specific Murder
Mystery game:
this is not really RPG, but it can give an
idea!
GENRE: Contemporary in USA
SYSTEM: none
| ACTION |
PLOT
|
ATMOS |
PSY |
IMPRO |
SIMU |
|
V |
I |
I |
III |
|
|
|
For a specific multiform game (in
Australian way):
GENRE: Contemporary
SYSTEM: none
| ACTION |
PLOT
|
ATMOS |
PSY |
IMPRO |
SIMU |
| I |
I |
II |
III |
III |
|
|
| MOOD |
SCALE |
FUN |
COOP |
| - |
-- |
- |
- |
|
Style that I prefer...:
GENRE: Contemporary
SYSTEM: none
| ACTION |
PLOT
|
ATMOS |
PSY |
IMPRO |
SIMU |
| I |
I |
IV |
III |
I |
|
|
| MOOD |
SCALE |
FUN |
COOP |
| - |
-- |
-- |
++ |
|
First part
Genre
and System
You need to define the background, the settings
and the genre of the adventure. This field is very free. Some examples:
Heroïc-Fantasy, Horror, S-F, Contemporary, Thriller, Historical in
ancient Egypt, etc...
You have also to define what system will be used (if there is one): D20,
Chaosium, Rolemaster, etc...
Second
Part
Style
You need to allocate 10 points
between 6 categories: Action - Plot - Atmosphere
- Psychology - Improvisation Theatre - Simulation.
This enables to tell how you can appreciate the adventure. Note that this
classification has absolutely no link with the quality of the adventure
since every adventure has 10 points. This classification is an information
about the harmony of the adventure.
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Action
Interaction - Open story
|
0
: PCs can't step in the progres of what's happening.
I : PCs can't do many things (except thinking and inquiring).
Physical actions are not encouraged.
II : normal
III : very sprightly adventure, or with an open plot (GM doesn't
know the end).
IV, V : PCs can make many varied actions. The adventure
is very sprightly or the plot is very open.
VI : PCs must build the adventure itself and can do anyhing.
+ : this game is more the cooperative
construction of a story than a RPG. |
This
catagory judges the time that is spent by the players to describe
the action of their characters. |
Classic
ADD : II to VI
Classic CoC: I to III
Classic Vampire: II to IV
Murder Mystery: 0 to V.
|
|
Plot
Reflexion - Inquiry
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0
: no plot.
I : the adventure doesn't rely on its plot to be interesting.
II, III : normal
IV, V : the base of the adventure is inquiry and/or
reflexion.
VI : the adventure is almost exclusively an inquiry. More over
the plot is complicated.
+ : the adventurele is a riddle, it isn't
a real RPG |
This
catagory judges the time that is spent by the players to
think about the plot. |
Classic
ADD : I à IV
Classic
CoC: II à VI
Classic
Vampire: II à IV
Murder
Mystery: III à VI |
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Atmosphere
Narration - Description
|
0
: classic simple background
I : original background (Renaissance in Italy, a swamp in Florida,
space in 2036) or detailed (World of darkness, Amber), but the this
is not the prime focus of the adventure.
II : original or detailed background. Atmosphere is an element
of the adventure.
III : original and detailed background. Atmosphere is one of
the most important element of the adventure (more than plot or PC's
actions)
IV : Atmosphere is the prime focus of the adventure.
+ : the GM is telling a story (it is
not RPG anymore).
|
This
catagory judges the time that is spent by the players to
listen to the description of the GM, or to attend narrative
passages |
Classic
ADD : 0 à I
Classic
CoC: 0 à III
Classic
Vampire: I à III
Murder
Mystery: 0 à II
|
|
Psychology
Characters - Philosophy
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0
: the description of the character is purely informative (no personality)
I : be in his character (acting) is not fundamental in this
adventures, or the adventure doesn't rely on the characters' psychology
at all (for instance: characters have a mission
and must fulfil it).
II : the development of the adventure depends partly on the
(psychologic) choices that the characters must make.
III : the incarnation of the
character is one of the main elements of the adventure.
IV, V : the adventure is mainly based on the incarnation
of the character. There can be philosophical elements.
+ : it is a philosophic discussion (it
isn't RPG anymore). |
This
catagory judges the time that is spent by the players
to think through their characters (on intimate and personal questions). |
|
Classic
ADD
: 0 à II
Classic
CoC:
I à III
Classic
Vampire:
I à III
Murder
Mystery:
0 à II
|
|
Improvisation
Theatre
this is an unusual dimension of ROLE-playing.
it is one of the important elements of what australians call "multiform
RPG"
|
0 : normal
I : the players will have to act (move and talk) sometimes
during the play.
II : the players have to act during a big part of the
adventure.
III : the players act during the whole adventure (like a murder
mystery)
IV : the adventure is somehow experimental and close to improvisation
theatre
+ : this is more improvisation theatre
than RPG. |
This
catagory judges the time that is spent by the players
to make improvisation theatre. |
|
Classic
ADD
: 0
Classic
CoC:
0
Classic
Vampire:
0
Murder
Mystery:
III
|
|
[calculated]
Simulation
Rules - Dices
|
0 : fuck
the rules! (or systemless RPG)
I : only the fights are ruled by rules and dices (or diceless
RPG)
II to III : normal
IV : rules are applied with no exception. So some actions will
take much (real) time to be processed.
V : dices are the true master. |
This
catagory judges the time that is spent by the application of rules. |
|
Classic
ADD
: II to V
Classic
CoC:
0 to III
Classic
Vampire:
I to V
Murder
Mystery:
0 to II
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Third
Part
ambience
This part describes the exepected ambience
of the play and between the players.
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Mood
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++
: very optimistic. No one really dies, the good people are really
good and you can easily recognize evil people.
+ : optimistic
0 : neutral
- : pessimistic
-- : very pessimistic, depressing.
+-
: the adventure put together optimistic and pessimistic passages.
In general this ambiguity is a main element of the adventure.
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Scale
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++
: world (universe!) scale. PCs are powerfull and the fate of the
world is at stake.
+ : PCs
are important for many people arround. Some big overthrow will happen
during the game.
0 :
PCs are a bit above average, and will accomplish some important
actions for some people.
-
: intimist, PCs are almost alone
in this adventure.
-- : intimiste.
PCs will make action only for themselves. More over the characters
are ordinary
+-
: "ordinary people save
the world". There
is a big evolution of the scale during the game.
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Fun
"unseriousness "
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++
: furry (Toon), or anti-simulation.
+
: the
world is not very realistic (or not stricly simulated). Some incredible
events can happen.
0 : normal. The
plot is serious but player can have some fun along the game.
-
: adventure is supposed
to be serious. Players have to stay serious.
--
: adventure is serious. The world is serious
and realistic.
+-
: there is a difference between PCs and the
world they are in. (for instace Brazil from Terry Giliam: serious
characters in a funny world)
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Cooperation
team spirit
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++
: PCs
work together during the whole play without any doubt.
+ :
PCs are a team and they have no real interest to act solitary.
0 : the adventure leave
the choice to the PCs: they can work together or not.
-
: PCs
are not a real team, and have no strong links between them. Every
PC think of him and not of the team. The departure of a PCs is completely
possible (if he can).
-- : PCs are explicitely
opponents (most of mystery murder parties) |
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