** ARCHIVED FORUM - ANY CHANGES ARE REVERTED HOURLY **



It is currently Nov 12, 2024 6:43 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: I am working on an Arneson style megadungeon
PostPosted: Jun 29, 2015 4:17 pm 
Offline
Lord of the Regency Council
Lord of the Regency Council
User avatar

Joined: Nov 17, 2009 2:48 pm
Posts: 7335
Location: Norway, Europe
Well, maybe not a megadungeon, but we shall see how big I care to make it. Anyway I want it to have some nods to Arneson's design style. Probably I will make it closer to a traditional BECMI D&D type dungeon when it comes to placing monsters by room, and I am not sure I want to make all the corridors be 90' off the grid, but are there other things a true Arneson dungeon ought to include?

-Havard

_________________
Currently Running: The Blackmoor Vales Saga
Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: I am working on an Arneson style megadungeon
PostPosted: Jun 29, 2015 10:36 pm 
Offline
Le Noir Faineant
User avatar

Joined: Nov 19, 2009 6:47 am
Posts: 6029
Location: Germany
Do you have a map/basic setup, already? I'd say, that would be the defining factor, before anything else.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: I am working on an Arneson style megadungeon
PostPosted: Jun 30, 2015 6:38 pm 
Offline
Lord of the Regency Council
Lord of the Regency Council
User avatar

Joined: Nov 17, 2009 2:48 pm
Posts: 7335
Location: Norway, Europe
I don't have too much ready to be shared yet and I was hoping for some intial advice before I develop this further. But mainly we will have a Castle and a dungeon below it.

A few things I consider Arneson-style in dungeon design:

1) Dungeon corridors that are not aligned with the grid.
2) Vast hallways leading off into far distant dungeons.
3) Devices from the City of the Gods piled among treasure heaps
4) Secret stairways concealed in pillars.
5) Arneson favorite monsters? Slimes and puddings, Vampires, Dragons, werewolves, Dragons...what else?

Other things that belong on this list?

-Havard

_________________
Currently Running: The Blackmoor Vales Saga
Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: I am working on an Arneson style megadungeon
PostPosted: Jul 01, 2015 3:00 am 
Offline
Le Noir Faineant
User avatar

Joined: Nov 19, 2009 6:47 am
Posts: 6029
Location: Germany
I seriously would do it the other way round - define your necessities, then go from there. Arneson essentially worked on a fixed premise as well (orcs run over a castle from the inside), and built up on that. - As to *dungeon conventions*, I don't really think they exists, personally. :) - Not saying I am not curious to see how this develops, but I wouldn't really know how to start with it.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: I am working on an Arneson style megadungeon
PostPosted: Jul 02, 2015 7:28 pm 
Offline
Baronette
Baronette
User avatar

Joined: Jan 16, 2010 8:02 am
Posts: 658
Location: suburbs of Chicago
I think that randomness was a big part of the orignal Arnesonian dungeons, not as much a "master plan" as a "what would be cool here."

I'd look at the Monsters & Treasures Assortment for inspiration. I think that Dave keyed a lot of NPC "monsters" using level names: sorcerer, myrmidon, hero, and so on.

_________________
Marv / Finarvyn
Member of The Regency Council
Visit my board
since 1975

"Don't ask me what you need to hit. Just roll the die and I will let you know!"
- Dave Arneson



Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: I am working on an Arneson style megadungeon
PostPosted: Jul 05, 2015 4:48 pm 
Offline
Lord of the Regency Council
Lord of the Regency Council
User avatar

Joined: Nov 17, 2009 2:48 pm
Posts: 7335
Location: Norway, Europe

_________________
Currently Running: The Blackmoor Vales Saga
Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: I am working on an Arneson style megadungeon
PostPosted: Jul 09, 2015 9:46 pm 
Offline
Count
Count
User avatar

Joined: Feb 01, 2010 11:59 am
Posts: 1023
Location: Schenectady
You absolutely need to use Arneson's point based stocking method - it's what he did.



Also NO planted treasures. Use the one of the two treasure tables in the FFC to randomly determine all treasures.

Here is the Loch Gloomin stocking tables reformatted



:lol:

_________________
"The gamemaster may find that sometimes it is a good idea to just let the unexpected lead where it will." Dave Arneson - DNA DOA

'blog https://www.blogger.com/home


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 82 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
Copyright © The Comeback Inn
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
[ Time : 0.018s | 13 Queries | GZIP : Off ]