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Monster Keep - New direction

So I have taken some time to think more about "Monster Keep".

Previously I had been working on a "Dungeon-Crawler" and somehow that idea has got me thinking about transforming "Monster Keep"!

I know this is nothing like the game I have blogged about (which was a card game about bidding and bluffing).

But with a name like "Monster Keep", it just oozes with the potential for a deep, dark dungeon-crawl experience that would be like no other.

One inspiration would be of course "Advanced Dungeon & Dragons". Unfortunately I could not find my 2nd Edition version of the books - so I bought the latest books, which were of course disappointing (I won't get into that). :(

I am thinking that the game would have "partial information" (or hidden information) in that each player would know some details about the "Mysterious" Monster Keep but not all of them. I would of course need to *marry* some kind of simple but effective combat mechanics...

Obviously the "board" would be dynamic and different each play through (an element found in all dungeon-crawlers). The other aspect would be "Characters & Classes". Maybe there could also be a "Race" element (perhaps).

I feel that the "Lord of the Keep" will be a *key* component to the game. Each game will feature one of the six (6) Lords of the Keep. I am hoping that the game can be designed to play 2 to 6 players.

Again just some general ideas - I know, there are numerous "Dungeon-Crawlers"...

Comments

RPG storytelling

I am thinking about how to implement the storytelling (or RPG) element of game.

Currently I am examining "The Dragonlance" Official Game Adventures and how they link Events and Encounters. Wish I had a better understanding how those elements work together in threading a scenario or story. There are also Chapters in the booklet...

Is there anyone familiar with the AD&D Storybooks (Official Game Adventures)? Would like some input on them...

This is but only one possibility, but there are others resources by which to design the RPG elements of the game...

Depends on your definition

Hi :)

how to implement "storytelling" depends on your definition of it: Do you really want your Lord of the Keep "tell a story" as in "kicking the doors in, you notice two orcs harassing an elf. While the orcs scowl at you, the elf rather appears to be reliefed."

Or is saying "you enter the room and find ... two skeletons" while placing a room tile and putting 2 skellies on it sufficient?

If the latter, you might want to look at dungeoneer (http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamefamily/31/dungeoneer)
The dungeon is laid out by placing cards next to each other.
Each card revealed represents either a corridor or a room and comes with a certain threat value.
The character exploring the card raises his threat level by the according value.
The Dungeon Master uses those threat levels to buy encounters (traps and monsters alike).
Each encounter mastered successfully gives a certain amount of experience which in turn can be used to boost the character.

You could make your crawler a complete cardgame, too (even a XTG, if you want to):

One deck is for the Keep along with the "LOTK" and his generals.
Some Keep-Cards bear a special mark indicating that a general or even the LOTK may be found here.

Each player uses his own deck for his class:
- Fighters
- Archers
- Mages
- Rogues
And what else

A player deck consists of:

1.) The setup-part:
- Selection of race cards (such as Elf, Dwarf, Human, Hobbit, Gnome, or the "unseen-in-any-other-game" Qwrr'zztks) with each race contributing 1 or more skills and determining basic combat statistics
- The class card contributing 1 or more skills plus more combat statistics
- Some equipment cards to start with (selection of weapos and armours, each contributing to combat statistics, or maybe more skills or spells)

2.) The ingame-part:
- Traps
- Monsters
- Treasures to be found

Preparation:

Each player sets up his hero by selecting a race card, his class card and some equipment cards (so each game he might try a different combination)
Additionally he draws a hand of soandsomany cards from his remaining deck.

Separate the Keep-cards from the Generals and set the LOTK aside, too.

On his turn a player may explore a new section of the dungeon by drawing a card from the dungeon deck and placing it next to the card his character stands on. Moving to this section, he picks one card at random from another player's hand and plays out that encounter.

If the player runs into a specially marked card instead (see above), a general or the LOTK is played there.

Defeating the encounter, the player receives XP to trade in for bonuses, losing at an encounter the player loses life.

The game is won, as soon as the LOTK gets defeated.

Just some thoughts :)
Hope, you like them!

Kind regards,
Kai

More story required

schattentanz wrote:
how to implement "storytelling" depends on your definition of it: Do you really want your Lord of the Keep "tell a story" as in "kicking the doors in, you notice two orcs harassing an elf. While the orcs scowl at you, the elf rather appears to be relieved."

Or is saying "you enter the room and find ... two skeletons" while placing a room tile and putting 2 skellies on it sufficient?

I think I would want something closer to #1. Because combat and how the "Monster Keep" works I already have a pretty good idea about. As you explore the "Monster Keep", you also *bait* the Keep so that once the Lord is revealed, he can control the Keep to try to defeat the Heroes.

I am thinking of using AD&Ds concept of Events and Encounters. To these I will add a 3rd one: Relics.

But I still think the game needs MORE storytelling.

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