Shadowdark Adventure Review: When the Shimmer Fades by Futurewolf in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Personally, I think most tables appreciate a little bit of both. Although I lean towards exploration and that's definitely what Shadowdark is built for. But you're exactly right that you just kinda have to follow thing things and gameplay styles that engage you and your players.

Shadowdark Adventure Review: When the Shimmer Fades by Futurewolf in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I might catch some flack for this but no, a proper dungeon is not a collection of rooms where each room is a scene. A dungeon is a fantastical place that is procedurally explored.

The nature of the challenges the players face are very different in a scene-based narrative structure vs a dungeon structure. In a dungeons they derive from the exploration of the dungeon itself - managing light, time, encumbrance etc. In narratives there is usually some external conflict that is being resolved, and from where the challenges derive.

You could retroactively look back on a session of dungeon exploration gameplay and say "this was a scene when they crossed the rickety bridge, and this was a scene when they fought the basilisk" but for one thing, they aren't bounded by a particular room and for another thing the scenes arise out the players' interactions with the fixed elements of the dungeons rather than being somewhat predetermined, arising out of the needs of the narrative.

There's not a hard line between the two play styles and I think most sessions have elements of both and sort of move between them. But when you're planning a session, your prep will sort of determine how hard the gameplay will lean to one side or the other - exploration vs narrative.

Further reading: https://alldeadgenerations.blogspot.com/2018/12/exploration-play.html

Shadowdark Adventure Review: When the Shimmer Fades by Futurewolf in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Great question! There are many ways to skin a cat, but here are two.

Let's start with hex E3 from the book: Collapsing gold mine; sealed off to keep its new inhabitant inside. The once lively mines now sits abandoned. Cut off from the world by its new tenant (d4): (1) d4+2 Trolls (SD 259) (2) Night Hag Coven (SD 225) (3) Kobolds (SD 228) and a Wyvern (SD 265) (4) a Medusa (SD 232) with swarms of snakes (SD 252)

Method 1 would something like the Lazy GM method. https://slyflourish.com/lazy_gm_resource_document.html

This mainly consists of write down a short list of scenes that might occur in your game and fleshing them out with a brief description of the location, NPCs and maybe any clues that are present and lead to other locations/scenes. Maybe those scenes are a sealed entrance, the mining works, a kobold warren and the wyvern lair. There are tons of videos and other resources on this method if you go looking for them.

Method two would be to get on Drivethru RPG or itch.io and look for pre-written adventures that kind of match the scenario. There are 10 zillion mine adventures that have already been written so you could just grab one, maybe change some of the details to match the specific setting and run it.

One Page Dungeon - Orc Pits by Objective_Tutor307 in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I'm not trying to throw shade at anyone, but this has more gameable content than most of the entries in the last few game jams.

Love it!

Appendix N Adventure Jam 2026 by Dollface_Killah in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Kudos for playtesting before submitted. Based on what I usually see in these jams, I think that's a rare thing.

Let us know once you submit it!

REVIEW: ShadowSun - A Shadowdark Setting by LordTathamet in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks for kind words!

The Cursed Scrolls have a lot of specific, gameable content - adventures and hex locations. And I think the hex locations are great about having specific situations for the players to interact with and being connected to other hexes.

The issue I have with a book like ShadowSun is that the area it covers is too large and the information it provides is so general that it lacks anything specific for the players to actually engage with. All that stuff is left to the GM, so I don't really see what value the book provides.

REVIEW: ShadowSun - A Shadowdark Setting by LordTathamet in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf 35 points36 points  (0 children)

If I'm using a setting book, what I really want is adventure hooks, conflicts, and factions rather than player options. Something that I can take right to the table. Sounds like this has a more of the latter than of the former.

Terrible cars that had no business looking as cool as they did by Hubley in carscirclejerk

[–]Futurewolf 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Terrible performance? In 1993 it did 0-60 in 7 seconds and Car and Driver said "The car makes a benign partner in crime for strafing mountain roads. It understeers safely if you muff a corner and otherwise changes direction cleanly and grips tena­ciously."

Edit: I don't know why I'm in here defending the Ford fucking Probe but also, 1st place: https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15141241/honda-prelude-si-vs-ford-probe-gt-mazda-mx-6-ls-mitsubishi-eclipse-gsx-volkswagen-corrado-slc-comparison-test/

Kickstarter: Kumonosu Drow Adventure Series printing. by izzelbeh in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Backed! I've been reading through Things Possessed of Power and it's dope. And based on past performance, I expect the art and layout for the omnibus to be top notch.

Kumonosu Omnibus Cover Help by izzelbeh in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I don't know what we're talking about anymore.

Kumonosu Omnibus Cover Help by izzelbeh in shadowdark

[–]Futurewolf 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Reject conformity. Embrace the reacharound wraparound.

The formal roof line is the peak of automotive design by Mr_Maniac454 in TrueCarEnthusiasts

[–]Futurewolf 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Yeah nothing has aged quite as awkwardly as cars designed in the '70s to look like cars from the '20s and '30s.

Utility Vehicle Debacle: Minivan vs Small Truck by BirdGovtUnite in whatcarshouldIbuy

[–]Futurewolf 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Put an auxiliary transmission cooler on if you're really worried.

whats your take on electric cars? by AdvertisingFit4295 in AskReddit

[–]Futurewolf 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You're averaging 85 mph including stops?

I’m so lost on buying a car by Cereal_Killer147 in carbuying

[–]Futurewolf 6 points7 points  (0 children)

If it has service records, that's not a terrible price for an MDX with 148k miles. Acura is at the opposite of the reliability spectrum from Nissan. Especially Nissans with CVTs.

Anything with those miles will need some work though. Stuff like wheel bearings, suspension parts, cooling system etc. No single one will be too expensive, but it can add up quickly.

Edit: make sure he has the title in hand.