DiceMasterNick
This is sort of a part 2 to my other "topic":http://forums.obsidianportal.com/comments.php?DiscussionID=1272&page=1
RPGs have been around for a long time, and every video game designer/directer has struggled to create the perfect RPG formula.
Many elements can be incorporated into the equation.
1.*Reoccurring Villain*: There are many kinds of villains but they pretty much brake down into 3 groups. The Mastermind whom the players only hear about for a very long time but never see. The Thug, who arrives suddenly to the story and is dispatched immediately. And the reoccurring Villain who the players often times know about from the very beginning of the campaign. This villain shows up time and again to thwart the party and get away by slipping through the adventurer's fingers. Sometimes the reoccurring villain can drive the entire plot of the campaign. His/her initial appearance/betrayal can set the seen of the game and work as a reminder of what the players are really after each time they find a clue to his/her whereabouts.
I try to use all three kinds of villains in my campaign and make them all interconnected. There is always a master mind, often the players dont learn of him until he is revealed to be served by the reoccurring villain, and the thugs.
So that is one example. Please share with us some elements youv found to be components to a successful story and RPG.
Comments
2.*The Mentor*: This is the Obi-one of the campaign. The character that serves to teach and guide the players through their experience. I sometimes use this character as a NPC that directly participates in the party, fighting along side the heroes. However, recently I've discovered that this roll is better filled from a position outside of combat. This way I am not obligated to "prove" that the character is wise and powerful by creating them at high level. Instead I give them a more strict advisory role, keeping them at home base while the real adventurers do the fighting.
3.*Dragons*: You cant have a campaign without dragons. I dont know why, its just a rule. (especially if you play Dungeons and Dragons). Dragons at their very lowest point are just challenging monsters to fight, at their highest they can be very dynamic characters in their own right.
4.*Shoot first, Ask questions later*: I always start a campaign with combat. Most times I'll tell the players a bit about the setting leading up to this combat, but day one of the campaign, everyone rolls for initiative. Players invest a good amount of time into creating what they think will be a fun, exciting, powerful character to play, and they are always eager to test their abilities. I like to get things started quickly, and letting the players get over the itch to kill something lets them relax into a more "role play" environment and begin to focus on other aspects of their character's development.
5.*Riddles*: Many table-top gaming books provide rules on how to create interesting challenges with monsters and traps, but one challenge that is often over looked is the riddle. I love using riddles because it puts every player on and equal playing field. No character is any better than another at solving a riddle. These enigmas are simple to use and with the right delivery add tremendous flavor to a campaign.
http://www.movieline.com/2010/03/david-mamets-memo-to-the-writers-of-the-unit.php
I also disagree with your #3 and #4. First, I don't run many fantasy games and the ones I do are low-fantasy. Dragons just don't make for a good game in those cases. Number four, I loath combat in my games. I'd rather have my players ask questions and shoot only as a last resort. These are my personal play style though.
Heres another one from me:
6.*Avoiding Disablers*: When designing an encounter one must consider how to make such things challenging. In general, I avoid having monsters/npcs that disable the hero or are immune to the power the adventurer possess. Players invest a lot of sentiment into the strengths of their character, take that away from them and you often get a "aww darn" reaction. Yes you might think it necessary to challenge your players to find new solutions to problems and not rely on the same old tricks, but Id recommend doing this to the party very rarely. Instead, I choose to build monsters and NPC challenges that are strong in their own way without dropping negative effects on the players or negating the effectiveness of their prepared strategies and tactics. Consider the difference between buffs and de-buffs, I just stick to the buffs. Obviously I dont avoid them completely but as a guideline I just think in this direction. In addition, I like to use terrain as my primary "de-buff". Having players fight on difficult terrain, like narrow bridges or under water serves to make things difficult enough without pitting them against creatures that may be the acid to their base. This also ensures that in each encounter, the payers are able to capitalize on all the strengths of their characters, maximizing there potential, and this serves to sustain a very happy player (regardless of whether or not they survive the encounter).
I will now tell you what I am doing in my current campaign. I set up from the begining what the end game was. I then put them in a place where they can start following the clues. I desinged up a number of adventures that will take them from point A to Z. I also put in a few thing to let them skip steps. I have put in several secret groups that are also interested in the campain goal. Some they will meet some they will not. Some will help others will not. So there is no overwelming villian per say. Just different groups with different goals. In Earthdawn the game that I am running Dragons are always to powerful to confront directly. They also tend to deal with people indirectly . In fact one of the short cuts is coming from a dragon. Now will the players find it it is up to them. If the players play smart I will try to match the game to their level. but I will also leave it open for them to do what they want. If they want to charge head long into a dragon den I am going to let them. So now that I have the frame work set I have several short adventures for them. I do not want to push them into one direction or another I have seen to many campaigns backfire on that one (see below.)
So I guess you can say this is how I have it laid out
1. Campaign fram works
2. Hints to parts of campain frame work
3. Random adventures
4. Hints to random adventures that look like hints to parts of the campaign frame work.
#2 is my player's dragon patron, though "Splurg":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shadowsofthedragongod/characters/splurg is a close second,
#3 is all over the place in my campaign,
my players have NO PROBLEM with #4,
I wish I could use more of #5,
I totally agree with #6,
And here's my version of a number 7:
*7. Suggest, But Don't Lead:* I try not to push my players in a specific direction because they always, without fail, derail my well-laid plans. Instead I've given them an overarching quest goal and told them to accomplish it however you want. Of course, this leads to me making at least 3 whole adventure plans between each pit stop, but I think it's worth it.
Example: My players are heading to Waterdeep from Cormyr. It's along way, and there's all sorts of trouble along the path. And for that matter, the path isn't clear as it once was before the Spellplague, so there's a million obstacles to deal with. I had an entire battle and dungeon crawl planned for this one town they were in, and they purposely ignored the battle going on at the gate and went instead to get on a ship and get the hell out of Dodge. Hey, it happens, and I think the game is better for it.
(You can follow along in my campaign here: "Shadows of the Dragon God":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shadowsofthedragongod )
I think it's deserving of a _reward_ if the players come up with a clever plan that totally borks your BBEG's plans or your traps. Clever thinking = reward in my games. Always.
That's my take, always say yes, and then adapt to what the players do. Flexibility is the most important thing for a GM. The players don't know what you have written on your sheet, for all they know, you planned it all along :).