Adventure (role-playing games)
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An adventure is a playable scenario in a tabletop role-playing game. These can be constructed by gamemasters[a] for their players, and are also released by game publishers as pre-made adventure modules. Different types of designs exist, including linear adventures, where players move between scenes in a predetermined order; non-linear adventures, where scenes can go in multiple directions; and solo adventures, which are played alone, without a game group.
Overview
[edit]An adventure is a playable scenario in a tabletop role-playing game which a gamemaster[a] leads the players and their characters through. Various types of designs exist, including linear adventures, where players need to progress through each predetermined scene in turn; and non-linear adventures, where each situation can lead in multiple directions. The former is more restrictive, but is easier to manage, whereas the latter is more open-ended but more demanding for the gamemaster. A series of adventures played in succession are collectively called a campaign.[2] Adventures meant to be played alone, without a game group, are called solo adventures.[3]
Adventures can be created by gamemasters, but are also released by game publishers in the form of modular, supplementary books for role-playing games, sometimes combined with additional game mechanics or background information on the game's setting.[2][4] Pre-written adventure modules have the advantage of being easier to run for new gamemasters,[5] especially linear ones.[2] Still, it is most common for groups to play adventures they have made up themselves, and even when playing published adventures, it is common for alterations to be made.[6]
History
[edit]Published adventure modules began in 1975 with Dave Arneson's The Temple of the Frog, released for the Dungeons & Dragons setting Blackmoor,[7] and have since then become commonplace in the role-playing game industry; White Wolf Publishing, a major role-playing game publisher in the 1990s and 2000s, stood out by rarely publishing adventure modules, preferring to let gamemasters construct their own adventures.[4][8] Solo adventures rose in popularity in 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic preventing people from playing role-playing games together in person.[3]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ a b The role of the person leading the game is variously called the "gamemaster", "storyteller", or "dungeon master" in different role-playing games.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ Allison, Peter Ray (2020-02-06). "Shedding light on World of Darkness, the gothic-punk universe of RPG Vampire: The Masquerade". Dicebreaker. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 2020-07-13. Retrieved 2020-09-04.
- ^ a b c "Glossaire" [Glossary]. Casus Belli Hors Série (in French). No. 25, Manuel Pratique du Jeu de Rôle. Excelsior Publications. May 1999. p. 6.
- ^ a b "New Solo Adventure Released for Call of Cthulhu". Tabletop Gaming. Warners Group Publications. 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
- ^ a b Baker, Eric T. (August 2000). "Games". Realms of Fantasy. No. 6. Sovereign Media. pp. 74–79.
- ^ Heller, Emily (2019-02-21). "A beginner's guide to playing Dungeons and Dragons". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2020-12-19.
- ^ Beatie, Scott (2007-10-01). "Voicing the Shadow—Rule-playing and Roleplaying in Wraith: The Oblivion". Law, Culture and the Humanities. 3 (3): 477–492. doi:10.1177/1743872107081432.
- ^ Appelcline, Shannon (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '70s (2nd ed.). Evil Hat Productions. pp. 19–20. ISBN 978-1-61317-075-5.
- ^ Appelcline, Shannon (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '90s (2nd ed.). Evil Hat Productions. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-613170-84-7.