ZGG's 2006 Call for Blackmoor Writers

[FXR]

It looks alright to me. As a reader, I really enjoyed your online campaigns and I'm really looking forward for your modules.



FX

[RobJN]

Looks all right to me. Why limit ourselves to one or the other when we can do both? I like my cake and pie, thankyouverymuch. With ice cream.

[Yaztromo]

I just had an idea about both the rule set to use and other practical / editorial issues (that would be good to uniform to a standard), but it's quite a bald idea, so it's better I email it to Havard first.

PS WRT the two options, I can see that the players and the DMs will appreciate more the first one, that after all will be set in the world directly described by Dave Arneson, while the authors will appreciate more making just references to the world described by Dave Arneson, but de facto using a world that comes from their own elaboration of the previous.
As a player I'dgenerally prefer something that I can play straight in Dave Arneson's setting and that's why I initially proposed it, but I can understand that authors may feel a bit under pressure, as they probably feel that there's too much preliminary study to do.

[Havard]

So here is my proposal: Let us proceed with BOTH options. I propose that we introduce TWO adventure lines here at the Comeback Inn, based on the options presented above.


1. BLACKMOOR JOURNEYS (BMJ Series)
The goal of these adventures is that it should be possible to drop them into any Blackmoor Campaign

• The modules should feature the BMJ logo on the cover (To be designed later).
  
• This line of adventures all conform to a specific set of restrictions:
  
• All adventures in the Journeys Series should be written so that they can be set in the Year 1025-1030.
  
• The adventures should not make references that tie the adventure to a specific version/continuity of Blackmoor
  
• The adventures should not by design introduce dramatic changes to the setting (kill off official NPCs, destroy locations, organizations etc).
  
• The Journey Series should be usable for parties of level 7 of lower.
  
• Links to the Comeback Inn website must be included in the module.
  
• A standard paragraph describing the BMJ and BMX Series must be included with each module.

1. BLACKMOOR CROSSROADS (BMX Series)
This line of adventures produces edgier stories and allow more freedom for each author to present his or her visions of Blackmoor.

• These modules should feature the BMX logo on the cover (To be designed later).
  
• The author is pretty much free to design any type of adventure he wants
  
• The author is asked to include a paragraph in his introduction of the module explaining how the module will differ from the generic version of Blackmoor (does it belong to a specific continuity for instance) and if possible include a few words on how the module may be adapted to other versions of Blackmoor. Continuity logos may be placed on the cover should the author wish to do so.
  
• Links to the Comeback Inn website must be included in the module.
  
• A standard paragraph describing the BMJ and BMX Series must be included with each module.

It looks alright to me. As a reader, I really enjoyed your online campaigns and I'm really looking forward for your modules.

Thanks! Glad to hear it!

Looks all right to me. Why limit ourselves to one or the other when we can do both? I like my cake and pie, thankyouverymuch. With ice cream.

Indeed! That was my thinking as well
And most importantly, it is in line with the main philosophy of this site: Being a home for All Things Blackmoor.

PS WRT the two options, I can see that the players and the DMs will appreciate more the first one, that after all will be set in the world directly described by Dave Arneson, while the authors will appreciate more making just references to the world described by Dave Arneson, but de facto using a world that comes from their own elaboration of the previous.
As a player I'd generally prefer something that I can play straight in Dave Arneson's setting and that's why I initially proposed it, but I can understand that authors may feel a bit under pressure, as they probably feel that there's too much preliminary study to do.

Looks like we are getting somewhere here. I don't know if the worry of having to study too much would be the main reason for people to choose the Crossroads Series for their modules. We have alot of really creative people here, and I want to encourage everyone to have an outlet for their creativity rather than restrict it. At the same time, I see your point about a straight Arneson Setting module being easier to adapt. That is what the Journey Series would be for.



-Havard

[Rafael]

No offense, but where's the benefit for the writers of the *Crossroads* stuff to put another label on their work?

Remember how you felt about the "Evensong" label.

Now, what can you OFFER to people for their efforts? - Editing? Mapmaking services?



I have another suggestion: It's not like we're talking in a vacuum here. You, Rob, me, and others, we all have our own, very specific projects. What about we team up to get them done, and THEN look for a sort of universal publishing formula. - And understand me right: *I* probably need the least of help of all of us, because my stuff is done, outside a few editing issues. But for example, what if we helped Rob prep a small novelette, regardless whether it'd for BM, or not?

That way, we all get ahead a bit, and we create a infrastructure that is generally more favorable to realizing projects like the ones we routinely talk about.


That all said - not to shoot your idea down, Havard. Good stuff, overall.

[Yaztromo]

Sounds to me like we have two possible options:[....]

So here is my proposal: Let us proceed with BOTH options. I propose that we introduce TWO adventure lines here at the Comeback Inn, based on the options presented above.


1. BLACKMOOR JOURNEYS (BMJ Series)
The goal of these adventures is that it should be possible to drop them into any Blackmoor Campaign
[...]

1. BLACKMOOR CROSSROADS (BMX Series)
This line of adventures produces edgier stories and allow more freedom for each author to present his or her visions of Blackmoor.
[...]

I don't know if in this post you didn't mention about rulesets purposefully or not. My gut feling is that it would be more suitable for the Journey series having a ruleset broadly similar to original Dave Arneson's adventures / modules (probably some sort of OD&D or d 20 or BECMI retroclone or maybe something broadly compatible with them all, as mentioned earlier...), while for the Crossroad series every author can pick his/her favourite ruleset or the one that they believe is most suitable for their story and flavour.
Does it make some sense?

[Havard]

No offense, but where's the benefit for the writers of the *Crossroads* stuff to put another label on their work?

Remember how you felt about the "Evensong" label.

Fair question.
The main difference between Crossroads and the Evensong concept was that Evensong required everyone to write within a specific continuity. Crossroads offers a sense of unity, but combines that with complete creative freedom.

Now, if people have a problem with adding the logo we can talk about that. I'd like to see more people to Blackmoor stuff. Not force anyone to wear a t-shirt.

Now, what can you OFFER to people for their efforts? - Editing? Mapmaking services?

At this point I'm not offering much.
We can offer the following:
1) The modules will be hosted at this website.
2) Most likely there will be a room created here for the modules. Either a combined forum for the two series or one for each. That will be linked to the kind of activity

Perhaps further down the line, more can be offered.

I'm not really concerned about selling this concept. If people think this is a good idea, then go for it. If not, that's no big deal either.

I have another suggestion: It's not like we're talking in a vacuum here. You, Rob, me, and others, we all have our own, very specific projects. What about we team up to get them done, and THEN look for a sort of universal publishing formula. - And understand me right: *I* probably need the least of help of all of us, because my stuff is done, outside a few editing issues. But for example, what if we helped Rob prep a small novelette, regardless whether it'd for BM, or not?

That way, we all get ahead a bit, and we create a infrastructure that is generally more favorable to realizing projects like the ones we routinely talk about.

A few things:
I will not be working on your or Rob's projects. I will be focusing on my own stuff. Parts of it could fall under the Journeys/Crossroads headings, while other projects will fall under other headings.

If you guys want to cooperate on those projects you mention that is great though. You have my moral support, but I cannot offer much more than that.


Secondly, the Journey/Crossroads project is a response to an idea from Yaztromo. While it would be awesome if you and Rob want to write modules for those series, an important point here is that it is open to other contributors as well. The main point here is to encourage Blackmoor fans to

That all said - not to shoot your idea down, Havard. Good stuff, overall.

Thanks!
But really some credit for this needs to go to Yaztromo and everyone else who has contributed to this thread so far

-Havard

[Havard]

I don't know if in this post you didn't mention about rulesets purposefully or not. My gut feling is that it would be more suitable for the Journey series having a ruleset broadly similar to original Dave Arneson's adventures / modules (probably some sort of OD&D or d 20 or BECMI retroclone or maybe something broadly compatible with them all, as mentioned earlier...), while for the Crossroad series every author can pick his/her favourite ruleset or the one that they believe is most suitable for their story and flavour.
Does it make some sense?

Wow, this thread gets alot of activity!

Note that the requirements listed under each series is just a rough draft. I want you guys to give me input such as you are doing right now

For the Crossroads Series, I completely agree. Authors should have complete autonomy on rulesets.

Go here to see my thoughts on the Journey Series.

Just tossing out ideas.

-Havard

[Rafael]

Now, if people have a problem with adding the logo we can talk about that. I'd like to see more people to Blackmoor stuff. Not force anyone to wear a t-shirt.

All good, for me.

Perhaps further down the line, more can be offered.

That is what you should focus on, IMO. All members here ARE creative; it's the procedural competence that is lacking.
But that can be fixed in a very short timeframe.

In other words, it's not about *what* you want to do, it's *how* to do it most efficiently; for starters, who here knows how to layout a document?
Who here has ever written a document longer than fifteen letter-sized pages?

- Depending on what resources and skills you really have, you can more efficiently set your goals.

A few things:
I will not be working on your or Rob's projects. I will be focusing on my own stuff. Parts of it could fall under the Journeys/Crossroads headings, while other projects will fall under other headings.

All okay with me, but then we are at the start, again. The labels you name, they have no value so far. What's people's motivation, outside of it being a cool thing? - Because chatting with you guys over the forum during my coffee break is "a cool thing". Writing and editing a 20-page module is more like "work".

Secondly, the Journey/Crossroads project is a response to an idea from Yaztromo. While it would be awesome if you and Rob want to write modules for those series, an important point here is that it is open to other contributors as well. The main point here is to encourage Blackmoor fans to

...To what? :wink:

I'll be busy over the next few days, so here, my opinion, in a nutshell:

Don't go for a series, go for ONE solid, well-done netbook.
Make the content variable, and easy to produce. Set a limit of participants, or a page limit.
Then, just merrily go onwards.

I for my part wouldn't mind doing a BM fiction netbook with you guys, for example. I think everybody has at least one longer campaign journal or short story he or she can beef up and share.

[RobJN]

Don't go for a series, go for ONE solid, well-done netbook.
Make the content variable, and easy to produce. Set a limit of participants, or a page limit.
Then, just merrily go onwards.

I for my part wouldn't mind doing a BM fiction netbook with you guys, for example. I think everybody has at least one longer campaign journal or short story he or she can beef up and share.

A thought struck me yesterday (just as I was about to go to bed, of course) that, rather than doing a module, put together something vaguely Gazetteer-like, outlining the area, the people, with adventure hooks, skeletons, and perhaps a full blown adventure at the end. 64-96 pages fill up fast