I have tried several times to write numbered paragraphs for fighting fantasy/lone wolf/CYOA-style adventures. I struggle I think because I want to include every sensible option at every stage, and before you know it the things have ballooned to many hundreds of paragraphs.
Traditionally, these adventures are 300 paragraphs long, including all alternative routes and dead ends as well as the planned route to success.
But I can remember reading the Star Wars RPG rules, and there’s a short numbered-paragraph adventure that uses the game’s core rules. That inspired me to write a couple of D&D 5e adventures, which were supposed to turn into a series, but it was much too difficult to keep myself restrained.
I have also played some of the Oracle RPG adventures by email. I got into these when I was moving house, and it took a few weeks or so to get internet connected and such, but I could still get email. These adventures introduced status words, if you had one status, then one option may happen, if you didn’t then something else may happen.
I used that idea in my 5e adventures.
Recently, I was reading the Pathfinder 2e Basic Set, and the players’ reference also includes a numbered-paragraph adventure that uses the Pathfinder rules. It was a simple cave exploration and ran to just 25 paragraphs, and I know I didn’t explore it all because I was asked at one point if I had a key, and I didn’t.
Not to state the obvious, but writing a 25-paragraph adventure has to be easier than writing a 300-paragraph adventure.
I think I may have a go at some of these short adventures. I will post them on the blog so you can see my progress, and flows, and maybe give some constructive feedback.
Eventually, I would like to be able to post these as products on DTRPG, individually as small little things, but if I can get to grips with them, then publish a collection of them as a bigger product and then go into print.
But let me not get ahead of myself first. If I cannot write them, then I can achieve nothing.
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Far too many of my solo adventures are short. Old school games are deadly…
What about perhaps splitting the difference with larger choice points that then branch into a small solo setup? The results of the mini-scenario or encounter are reported to get the next setup.
Ex You start out looking for a gangster as a PI. You get three possible places to look. Each one leads to a small solo scenario the player plays out. Let’s say we look in the warehouse. The briefing lets us know there are a few guards inside and the possibility of finding three clues inside. We play the scenario as wither stealth, combat, or some mix. We get away with two clues. The next page let us know pages to check to see what the clues mean. We then do a wrap up on the after-action page that asks if we got captured, if we were noticed by anyone who escaped, or if we got out clean. Depending on that answer we keep going.
It doesn’t solve the more writing issue per se, but it is likely not much more than a GM scenario, and it helps the solo player not have to know everything that is coming up to still have some fun surprises.
(Also, I emailed you a suggestion about the Cepheus books. Not sure if it reached you.)
Happy New Year!
I love that idea!
Sorry, yes I did get your eamil but I was extremely busy in December and I never replied. There is definitely more 3Deep stuff coming in the future.