"Backstage at the Arena"

[andrew]

Darknight, I don't mean to sound like I'm making light of your comment. If you can give the drug ring angle fresh legs, then by all means, go for it. If the idea of a drug ring in an arena setting came from "Arena of Thyatis" or "Pandemonium in the Veins"(the adventure in Dungeon mag. I referenced) then the challenge for the designer becomes 'How is mine going to be different? What new spin can I give it?' If it's a rehash of either of the above-mentioned modules with the names of the NPCs changed and a marginally different plot line, then old-time jaded players (like me) who play it will make the connection and think 'Oh, this again' and be turned off by it and set it aside, if we read it in the first place.

You're right, the damsel-in-distress, rescue-the-princess scenario has been done a thousand times. But, if the writer knows his business, he will breathe new life into it. The last damsel-in-distress story I read, the princess, in the end, didn't want to be rescued at all, and fought her rescuer when he came for her. She liked the attention and affection her kidnapper showed her. Later on, we read, unbeknownst to the princess, the kidnapper is a shape-changing dragon, not the ...ahem...beautiful woman the princess thought she was. It was certainly different and it worked!

So, give the drug ring angle a new perspective, make it compelling, and it'll be a winner!

[Darknight]

Given the fact I've never even played D&D, your point becomes kind of moot

[sligo]

Darknight has a point. I've played D&D, but I was never an avid reader of any of the magazines. In going the through my memory-catalog of T&T solo's and adventures, I'm not aware of any drug-ring-based plot lines.

Just because an idea has been used in another game, doesn't mean it can't be used here. I would conjecture that there are more people who haven't read the magazine(s) Andrew references than have. So said adventure may not appeal to him, it may be fresh and new to almost everyone else.

[mahrundl]

There was Golden Dust, Red Death in issue 4 of Sorcerer's Apprentice, where you try to make your fortune selling drugs in the City of Terrors, but that's the only drug-related solo that I can recall off-hand.

[sligo]

Though I'm still working on Fairy Feller's Master Stroke (actually, it's been sitting idle for about a month... I need to be working on it...) I had an idea for a much more shorter, and more manageable solo for Warriors set in Cedar Coral. This one follows a young, freshly trained city guard as he (or she) deals with various (seemingly) unrelated events that happen in and around the city. This one might even work well as a multi-character solo (i.e. guards typically work together in small groups of 2, 3, or 4.)

Anyone know how I can squeeze about 40 hours worth of work into one day? Anyone know any tricks that would allow me to continue writing these things without having to bother with things like sleep, food, and employment? If you do, please let me know!

[cartomancer]

May 16, 2010 11:46:55 GMT -5 sligo said:

Anyone know how I can squeeze about 40 hours worth of work into one day? Anyone know any tricks that would allow me to continue writing these things without having to bother with things like sleep, food, and employment? If you do, please let me know!

Well if you work twice as hard and twice as fast you could still write that and sneak in 4 or so hours of sleep... Failing that you could invest in a TARDIS. ;D

But, in all seriousness, what i've done in the past is to just say that i am going to do X paragraphs a day until it's completed and, that way you can still live your life whilst you write. When you have a spare 5 or 10 minutes, sit down and write one and in-between try to think of witty and fun things to throw in there, sort of daydreaming the tale as you work.

I'd also advise either investing in a whiteboard (best option) or a pad of paper (second best but still good) as it will become your best friend as a writer. When you get a good idea, note it down. When you're missing an idea, have a look through your board / book and see what might work... It might even inspire more ideas for the board / book. I find it helps loads!