Thursday, January 10, 2019

Module vs World Creation


Last week I mentioned using a module when I run my Marvel Superheroes FASERIP game (which you can listen to over on the Class 1000 podcast). I thought that I should expound on why I chose that.

The main reason that I'm running a module is that I'm rusty. I've run games in the recent past, but I haven't run a FASERIP game in over 20 years. So I thought that it would be a good way for me to ease into the system again. This way the villains, plot, Karma awards, pretty much everything is laid out for me. That doesn't mean that a GM running said module is on autopilot (especially not with the players I have), but it does make things a bit easier since I know where things are going.

Then there's the fact that Classic Marvel Forever exists. This site has EVERYTHING I could want to run my game, and part of that are the adventure modules. The one that I'm running is something that I don't remember ever coming across, and even if I did I wouldn't remember the particulars. The fact that it's the first part of a trilogy helps quite a bit as well, since I can keep the story going if everyone is having as good a time as I am.

For those systems that I'm more comfortable with, I have no problem creating worlds of my own, even just using the published material as a starting point. That can allow me to be more creative, but I do need that solid foundation of being familiar with the rules as a starting point. I don't think I've ever created a full campaign world from scratch, though. The best that I've ever done is base my world on something else.

What about the GM's out there? Do you prefer modules, world building, or some kind of hybrid?

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4 comments:

  1. I've always preferred World Building. Maybe I'm not a great GM or I'm missing something, but modules seem limiting, where as building your own world, the players can (and often do) go off script and do... odd or different things.

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    1. Modules are limiting, but they do help novice (or rusty) GM's get used to how to run the system. You can also take stuff (characters, locations, maps) from them and use them in your own way. Even with World Building, modules can be a good resource.

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  2. I played this game way back in 1986 and found the store bought modules rather boring and restrictive. We all had much more fun just making things up as we went.

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    1. Having just finished running a module for this (which you can listen to at https://class1000pod.podbean.com/), I can fully understand what you mean. There were certain times that the railroad tracks were visible, which is unfortunate.

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