Escaping Edgewild

Malrex

So ... slow work day? Every day?
Not sure why, but I can't post comments on Bryce's reviews anymore. Some google error.
I took a look at the preview of Escaping Edgewild because I was intrigued by the 'something' Bryce couldn't figure out about it. Was curious what others think.

The comment that wouldn't post:

From the preview, it looks great. Only thing that jumped at me with my 5 second glance is there seems to be a lot of "if, thens"--If you break through the wall, if you open the door, if...etc. Only other thing I can think of is it feels somewhat like a railroad, but at the same time, a jailbreak with a time limit can give that impression. There seems to be a bunch of NPCs and tools so it doesn't need to be a railroad, but it's just the initial impression I got. It felt 'assumed' the characters would just try to escape...what if they tried to take the fort over? There is a lot of neat stuff in there that I like--the pros/cons for the guards, etc.
 

Beoric

8, 8, I forget what is for
Based on some of Bryce's posts lately, I'm wondering if COVID is turning everything to ashes in Bryce's mouth.
 

bryce0lynch

i fucking hate writing ...
Staff member
Let us assume you are locked in solitary confinement. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. For life. No books, no paper. A gruel like substance for sustenance.

Can you have a meaningful life?
Bonus points: Justify why a "normal" life has more meaning than the solitary confinement one.
Trick Question! It doesn't!

I've slowed WAY down due to COVID and have almost stopped writing several times. It now takes me three days to write a review instead of half a day. I also have a new girlfriend in my life. But, I think I'm doing great, and am just about ready to resume!

Also, my bookshelf project is almost ready to enter Phase 2!

Also ... IDK ... it seemed very ... mundane to me. Maybe, static? Or, as static as something governed by if/then can be?
 

Malrex

So ... slow work day? Every day?
Fuck...I don't have time for this shit...every time I come to these forums, I find something more that I feel I have to do...contests, arguments...and now this curiosity.

Gonna buy it and give it a fair shake.
 

Malrex

So ... slow work day? Every day?
Mundane may be a good term.
The NPCs and guards are what makes this adventure...without that, this adventure could of been super boring.
But it does a lot of things right. The layout is good, easy to scan. The NPCs are great.
There are pockets of useful items. I actually love adventures where you start with nothing and try to be creative with items you find, so I could see this doing that.

What I didn't like:
Asking the PCs why there are here? Did you commit a crime? It seems weird...like the DM forces them into a situation, then asks why they are there?
If/thens
And some telegraph stuff--Thomas grabs a sword, charges guards and dies.
Also...I liked the layout, but I also didn't in some parts. Like it bolded hut, then talked about the hut and all the mundane stuff that was in there--which I felt wasn't necessary.

What do I think is missing?
The exploration factor. This is where your mundane comment might come into play. On one hand--it has everything you expect to be in a prison and if it was trying to be too weird, it would feel like it's trying too hard. But it did have some weird stuff (mushroom lady, etc.) but it was just 'there'. Would of been cool to have that been more of a springboard--like maybe they could save the mushroom lady if they found this legendary healer in the woods or something.

To make it more exploratory or mysterious...not sure if that even fits as the main 'situation' is to break out of the prison. But maybe there was a prisoner with a secret crawlway that they were trying to use as an escape (but the prisoners dont seem to be there long enough). Or maybe there are more ways into the poop chute and a little dungeon area down there with some exploration stuff.

Or maybe there is a Chapter 4 with the designer fleshing out the options more (run into the city?, wilderness?, or island?--flesh out those areas out and have a new situation of being chased. And have some rumors mixed in there--rumors that can help PCs once they are free of the jail:
"I heard the populace is spooked of that old moathouse"--this may be a good place for PCs to run too...then maybe explore.
"They call her Aunt Jenrly. You need papers to leave on the next ship safely to leave town--she can help you. But you will have to get through her warehouse labyrinth to find her."
"Yeah, we are on a island, but I heard there is a hidden boat or if you can get to this other island by swimming you may be safe, but that small islet is haunted...blah blah"

So yeah...that feeling of 'more' you yearned for, I kinda felt that too. I got out of the jail and fort...now what. But at the same time, this product didn't really do anything wrong as it delivered on its promises and overall a decent situation to have to be able to use in a pinch.
 

squeen

8, 8, I forget what is for
Reading the review (not the product), and guessed it perhaps lacked even hints of the fantastic...you know, loose ends that suggest something larger (or weirder). No looming entanglements.

This is in no way an insult, but I am not surprise you ( @Malrex ) were strangely attracted to this product. I feel like you are drawn to settings that are very real-world grounded. This scenario fits right in to my perception of your modus operandi. I get the impression you like to imagine yourself-as-character in a quasi-real world environment when playing/writing. A straight up D&D jailbreak sounds right up your alley. But at some point (I feel) a purely mundane environment doesn't really live up to the potential of D&D....doesn't suck to in to "Adventure!".
 

DangerousPuhson

Should be playing D&D instead
What I didn't like:
Asking the PCs why there are here? Did you commit a crime? It seems weird...like the DM forces them into a situation, then asks why they are there?
This is one adventure sin I can forgive (although it IS a sign of a lazy designer not able to come up with some organic hooks). Writers sometimes forget the player role in creating the game world and generating buy-in. Asking your players to develop their own reasons for being there is akin to asking them to come up with their own backstory; the difference being that it's a very narrow band of backstory specifically relating to why they are standing where they are, but still a form of backstory nonetheless. Admittedly it can only really be pulled off in an introductory adventure - I wouldn't suggest the idea if the campaign ball were already rolling and the dice were already cast, so to speak.

Still though, if authors are going to pull this stunt, they should at least have back-up options for the less creative players/DMs (ie. normal adventure hooks included alongside )
 

Malrex

So ... slow work day? Every day?
Reading the review (not the product), and guessed it perhaps lacked even hints of the fantastic...you know, loose ends that suggest something larger (or weirder). No looming entanglements.

This is in no way an insult, but I am not surprise you ( @Malrex ) were strangely attracted to this product. I feel like you are drawn to settings that are very real-world grounded. This scenario fits right in to my perception of your modus operandi. I get the impression you like to imagine yourself-as-character in a quasi-real world environment when playing/writing. A straight up D&D jailbreak sounds right up your alley. But at some point (I feel) a purely mundane environment doesn't really live up to the potential of D&D....doesn't suck to in to "Adventure!".
Not at all insulted. I was strangely attracted to the product because I was curious to see if I could find the 'something' Bryce couldn't put his finger on. I think its like your typical goblin lair...everyone can do one, but if it's done right....it's still sorta meh. I think this one falls in that category but I think it has a great example for the NPCs and something to strive for and its VERY usable. But yeah--I agree with you, it's too mundane and doesn't suck you into Adventure/Exploratory mode--which I think is missing.

This adventure could of had that exploratory/adventure aspect if the prison was actually a spaceship and they had to break out and there were weird aliens and strange beasts locked up, and some would help and some would eat you. And you had to figure out how to fly it out safely (or maybe its just hovering in the sky).

I do like very real-world grounded settings. But I also like 'weird' it just has to be done right for me to like it, otherwise it makes me roll my eyes a little bit. Conan has weird and I dig that sword and sorcery vibe. The spaceship example above could be weird and if done right, Id dig it, but it also could lead to me rolling my eyes. What is that--gonzo? I don't know if I'm a fan of gonzo, but I do like weird. Does that make sense?

DP--I can agree with that. It was an invite for the players to feed the DM a bit in this scenario, but at the same time, in this particular case, it felt a little weak/off to me. But since its an introductory adventure, it does help with interaction between DM and players for them to figure out their characters a bit. Shrug.
 
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