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by [[Larry Moore]]

The following article provides a layout for building
adventure modules. My goal is to provide a standard
for adventure writing. This is useful for the Online
Gaming project we are attempting to get started.
Additionally if we have several Referees’ running the
same adventure, with a standard layout they can easily
pick up where the other left off. Of course standards
help write the adventure themselves. A good start to
adventure writing has been provided by [[Brian Conway]]
in his article tilted [[Creative Refereeing]], (#7-p13).

'''NOTE''': The following section entitled [[Adventure Layouts#Cover|Cover]] is
optional. I included it to make the module complete
from cover to cover. With my own writing sometimes I
get bogged down finding just-the-right cover image to
spending too much time writing the teaser text. The
most important part is the adventure itself which
begins at [[Adventure Layouts#Referee Briefing Report|Referee Briefing Report]].

==Cover==
This is the cover page of the adventure. It contains the
following information including an image picturing an
scene form the adventure.

===Adventure Number===
I use the following conventions; SFAD-Cxx or SFKH-Cxx. Refer to the following table.
{|
|-
!Acronym !!Description
|-
|SF|| Star Frontiers
|- style="background:#eeeeee;"
|AD|| Alpha Dawn
|-
|KH|| Knight Hawks
|- style="background:#eeeeee;"
|C|| Contributed
|-
|xx|| Module number
|}
''Example; SFAD-C03 would be the third contributed module using the Alpha Dawn rules.''

If a module uses both AD and KH rules simple use the
SFKH acronym and state in the introduction; “This
module uses the Alpha Dawn Expanded Game Rules in
addition to the Knight Hawks Campaign Book
Expansion Rules.”

===Gaming system name===
Once you have the adventure nu
mber simply type out
the game system that will be used.
*“Star Frontiers Alpha Dawn Adventure”
*“Star Frontiers Knight Hawks Adventure”

===Name of the adventure===
The adventure name should be succinct, something
catchy and relative to the story line.

===Table of Contents===
A table of contents (TOC) will be listed along with
credits to the author, editor and artists.

==Referee Briefing Report==
This is the Referee's introduction to the adventure. It
contains topics such as;
* How to use this module
* Number of players and skills required
* Adventure overview and plot synopsis
* Campaign Adjustment (optional)
''Campaign Adjustments'' - If this is a continuing
adventure module from an existing campaign this
section covers details if the PC's have taken part in
previous adventures or they are starting the campaign
from this point.

==Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon Sections==

These sections start with an introduction to the players
and begin the encounters they will face. Each section is
designed to provide a single-nights gaming session,
about 3-4 hours of playtime and has the following
layout. (In the example below I will use Alpha)
# '''Session Introduction''' - This is always section 1 of the session, for easy identification by Referee's. This section is a recap of the previous session and an introduction to the current session. » '''''Alpha 1.0 Introduction''''' 
# '''Encounters''' - This is always section 2 of the session, for easy identification by Referees. Sessions can have many events/encounters designed to eventually lead to session's main event. Each event/encounter is numbered as a subsection of section 2. For example: Alpha 2.1, Alpha 2.2, etc. Events normally lack mapped encounter areas, but may have images, sections to read aloud, or handouts. They are often of one of the following event types: encounter, role-playing, problem solving, or skill challenge. '''''» Alpha 2.0 Encounter''''' '''''» Alpha 2.1 Encounter''''' '''''» Alpha 2.2 Encounter''''' (and so on) 
# '''Main Event''' - Always section 3 for easy identification. This is either a keyed map area location or simply a main encounter/event of the sessions. Each keyed map area is found as subsections of section 3. For example, a corridor on a map for Gamma session might be labeled with a "6" to be described in Gamma 3.6. '''''» Alpha 3.0 Main event''''' 
# '''Session Wrap-up''' - Always section 4 for easy identification. This is usually a final role-playing event or sometimes just a moment to rest the characters. Sometimes it is just a boxed section of text to read aloud. It always includes experience awards, along with any other things awarded to the character for their efforts. '''''» Alpha 4.0 Session wrap-up''''' 

Next I use Beta since the Alpha section is complete,
then Gamma, Epsilon and so on until the module is
complete. Example:

''''' » Beta 1.0 Introduction » Beta 2.0 Encounter » Beta 2.1 Encounter » Beta 2.2 Encounter » Beta 2.3 Encounter » Beta 2.4 Encounter » Beta 3.0 Main event » Beta 4.0 Session wrap-up'''''

==Referee's Background Material==
This section is dedicated to the Referee and may
contain one or more of the following topics:
* Abbreviations
* Season and movement
* Maps
* Player character equipment *
* NPC stats and tables
* Random encounter tables
* System brief *
* Alien creature update report *
* New rules

* Depending on the adventure these items may appear
in the Player's Background Report.

==Player's Background Report==
This section is dedicated to the Players and may
contain one or more of the following topics;
* Handouts
* Briefing Reports (Background information)
* Maps (Only maps that characters would have before the adventure starts)
* Pregenerated Player Characters
* New Equipment

==Future Adventures==
This section gives ideas for plot hooks and future
adventures the Player’s may encounter down the road.

==Back Cover==
'''Teaser text and Image'''

The teaser text should appear on the last page of the
book, something to draw in the reader but does not
give too much detail away. It should also have a
picture representing a scene in the adventure.
Sometimes the back cover is a crop of the front page
image zoomed in.

==Tips on Writing Modules==
I use a piece of graph paper or blank sheet and write a
simple introduction. Under the text I draw a box and fill
in the first main event (Alpha 3.0). The next box is the
second main event (Beta 3.0); the following box is the
third main event (Gamma 3.0) and so on. I connect the
boxes with lines, off to the side I write down encounter
ideas that lead to the main event. Sometimes I use a
random encounter.

[[File:AdventureWritingTips.png|350px]]

Adventure Layouts - Revision history

Terl obar: Created page with ' Top:Star Frontiersman main page | Up: Star Frontiersman Issue 2 main index ---- by [[Larr…'

Terl obar: Created page with '
Top:Star Frontiersman main page | Up: Star Frontiersman Issue 2 main index ----
by [[Larr…'