Creating the Adventure (CSC)

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Regardless of how clever he may be at world creation and in spite of his technical accomplishments at drawing beautiful maps, a DM who doesn't put his best effort into the design of spine-tingling, heart-pounding adventures, has missed the entire point of role-playing games. Adventure design is an art form, like writing novels or painting pictures, one that requires creativity, ingenuity, a measure of technical skill, and a dedication to the task at hand.
There is no One True Way to design a good adventure. Every DM has his own style, methods, and procedures to accomplish the same end. Even the elements that make for an exciting adventure vary and often are nothing more than a matter of personal opinion. Yet for those who play regularly, the difference between good adventures and even mediocre ones is clear. The former grabs the players' attention and draw them into a world of mystery, action and intrigue, the latter merely provides a few hours of mild diversion. Opinion aside, truly gripping adventures shares many common features:
* They play like good fiction reads, but avoid following a predetermined path.
* They draw the PCs into a well-woven web of activities, often personally involving the characters in the outcome of the adventure.
* They tell more than a single story.
* They begin and end with excitement.
* They test the skills of both the players and their characters, teach them a bit about themselves, then reward them with glory.
* Though the outcome may not be earth-shaking, even the smallest adventure has a discernible effect on the world.
It may not be possible for the novice DM to make his first, or even second adventure match this list 100 percent, but even giving conscious thought to these elements as he designs means that he is moving in the right direction.
What follows is a path to guide the DM in his quest. It represents the experience of many DMs and gives not only the theories behind good adventure design, but also acts as a basic nuts-and-bolts approach to adventure writing, including the development of adventures into ongoing campaigns.