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| Amy Carrier |
 Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:10 pm Post subject: Question from the "olden days" - Dungeon Geomorphs |
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Joined: 31 May 2008
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Long ago, when Basic D&D was new, the original boxed set (before the famous Red Box set) contained a pack of Dungeon Geomorphs.
One of the Geomorph pages, on the back, had some sample room descriptions and dungeon design advice. It suggested a ratio of "filled" rooms vs. "empty" rooms. It also suggested a a ratio of "monsters with treasure" vs. "monsters without treasure".
I lost my Geomorphs many years ago, when we moved to a new house. Does anyone still have their set? If so, can you tell me what the filled-vs-empty room ratio was, and also the poor-vs-rich monster ratio?
Thanks,
an Old Grognard
(Why yes, I am older than dirt. Why do you ask?) |
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| Aldarron |
| Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2011 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: Question from the "olden days" - Dungeon Geomo |
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Joined: 10 Apr 2011
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| Amy Carrier wrote: |
Long ago, when Basic D&D was new, the original boxed set (before the famous Red Box set) contained a pack of Dungeon Geomorphs.
One of the Geomorph pages, on the back, had some sample room descriptions and dungeon design advice. It suggested a ratio of "filled" rooms vs. "empty" rooms. It also suggested a a ratio of "monsters with treasure" vs. "monsters without treasure".
I lost my Geomorphs many years ago, when we moved to a new house. Does anyone still have their set? If so, can you tell me what the filled-vs-empty room ratio was, and also the poor-vs-rich monster ratio?
Thanks,
an Old Grognard
(Why yes, I am older than dirt. Why do you ask?) |
Those came in the Holmes box set (sometimes called "blue box") There's a dozens of people who can answer your question in a heartbeat but you'll have to go to one of the old school forums. The best place for you is http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi - scroll down to the Holmes section and repost your question there. I'd be surprised if you don't get the exact quote within an hour.
The forum I linked to is a very friendly place and has the best thinkers and designers the old school has to offer, so you will probably find lots to interest you. |
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| Aldarron |
| Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Joined: 10 Apr 2011
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Talysman has posted the answer for you over on the ODD74 forum. Here you go:
"Every dungeon map needs an ENCOUNTER KEY to explain the monsters, tricks, and treasures found therein. The rooms (and other areas, as needed) should be numbered, and those numbers used in listing the rooms’ details on a separate sheet of paper. Roughly one-third of the rooms should remain empty. One-third should contain monsters with or without treasure (possibly selected randomly using the Dungeons & Dragons@ MONSTER & TREASURE ASSORTMENT), one-sixth traps and/or tricks, and the remaining one-sixth should be specially designed areas with monsters and treasures selected by the DM (rather than randomly determined). Slides, teleport areas, and sloping passages should be added sparingly." |
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| Amy Carrier |
| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 12:02 pm Post subject: |
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Joined: 31 May 2008
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Excellent, excellent indeed!
Thank you very much for finding and posting this. (And my apologies for taking so long to thank you - was out of town for two weeks, and just recently got back.) |
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| Aldarron |
| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:01 pm Post subject: |
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Joined: 10 Apr 2011
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| Amy Carrier wrote: |
Excellent, excellent indeed!
Thank you very much for finding and posting this. (And my apologies for taking so long to thank you - was out of town for two weeks, and just recently got back.) |
Sure thing. Apparently its not quite straightforward as there was some variation depending on which edition of the geomorphs you looked at. We discussed it here http://odd74.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=holmes&action=display&thread=5611
interesting stuff. |
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