Jason D Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 From Chaosium: BRP Adventure Contest You Can Win Some Easy Chaosium Swag. To celebrate the launch of our Basic Roleplaying system we're running a BRP adventure contest. Winning entries will be published as part of a future BRP Adventure Monograph. The winning authors will receive two copies of this monograph, a Chaosium T-shirt, and a mystery prize. Don't ask me about the mystery prize. I don't know what it is yet. Perhaps I'm just being evasive. Maybe it all depends upon what our latest release is at the time prizes ship out. Maybe it's Schrodinger's cat. Write a good adventure and you'll eventually find out. Since most of you don't have a copy of the rules yet, the deadline will be July 31st, 2008. You can start writing your adventure before you have the rules of course. The stats and special rules can be added in later. Start writing! Contest Rules Each entry must be an original BRP adventure between 5,000 - 7,000 words. Text files or word documents only. Don’t submit PDF’s, quark files, etc. Don't worry, 5,000 words is much shorter than it sounds! Entries must be turned in before August first, 2008. One entry per individual. Adventures can be set in any genre you desire (except Call of Cthulhu/Lovecraftian) so long as the adventure is original. Adventures must utilize Chaosium's BRP system and no other game system. All entries become the property of Chaosium Inc. All entries must be in English. Any images or maps that accompany your adventure must be copyright free. Art isn't required. Entries must be emailed to dustin@chaosium.com. Entries must be submitted along with your name, email address, preferred T-shirt size, and and shipping address. In the unlikely event that we don't receive enough winning entries to print the BRP adventure monograph, the winners will instead receive copies of all the winning adventures as well as one copy of a different monograph. Chaosium reserves the right to change these rules as often as we like, with no warning. You can count on the fact that we probably will. Come to think of it, maybe we have already. It's best not to dwell on these things. Dustin O'Chaosium Original article posted here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trifletraxor Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Interesting! :cool: SGL. Quote Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub! 116/420. High Priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PK Games Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Very Interesting. I was just wondering about this myself earlier today. And here is a contest. Hmmmm. No Lovecraftian!!!!! :mad: I guess, technically, B61 isn't Lovecraftian. Sort of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickMiddleton Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Cool! Admittedly, I'm pretty sure I DON'T have the time right now, but an idea has occured for something "brief" that I can maybe get written up before the July 31st deadline but AFTER I've got some of this other stuff off my plate. And I think the "no Call of Cthhulhu/Lovecraftian" restriction is a good thing - there is a LOT of that sort of material available already, so seeing some stuff that showcases BRP in other genres / styles, especially now, is good idea. How about doing a purely cold war espionage scenario set in Berlin, and then here or elsewhere publishing soe notes about "plugging" that scenario in to the B61 setting by adding a 'mythos' element? Cheers, Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerallKahla Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Wow - at this word count, I'm thinking of hammering out a few and having my group help me playtest against the proofs... Very interesting! Quote Emerging from my Dark Age... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trifletraxor Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 No Lovecraftian!!!!! :mad: I guess, technically, B61 isn't Lovecraftian. Sort of. As long as you don't use the names or refer to the mythos directly, it's not mythos! SGL. Quote Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub! 116/420. High Priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Are there any guides for creating good adventures? I kinda/sorta want to create an adventure for this contest, but I have no experience at it:o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkD Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 It certainly is a good way to get BRP starting and to get the community involved. The only thing I don't like is that every entry becomes property of Chaosium. If Chaosium isn't publishing them, the rights should go back to the author. Even if the adventure isn't good enough to get published, you should at least be able to make it available for download or offer it to another magazin/publisher. If someone invests the time to write a 5000-7000 word adventure, it shouldn't go to waste. Are there any guides for creating good adventures? I kinda/sorta want to create an adventure for this contest, but I have no experience at it:o If you understand German, there are some good articles in Anduin 94 (Anduin - Fanzine für phantastische Spiele) and the article "Abenteuerwerkstatt" (Abenteuerwerkstatt) that was also published in the envoyer magazine is very good. There was an article in signs & portents "how to write bulletproof adventures" that isn't quite as good, but offers some guidelines. A better and more detailed approach can be found at The Harrow: RPG Columns Generally, I would use an established structure for adventures of the genre. The typical Cthulhu-adventure has 3 parts for example: 1. Background/Motivation 2. Detecting 3. Description of a house(cave/village/...) where the showdown takes place and the heroes confront the bad guys. If you use the same structure, everyone knows what to expect and the adventure is easier to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mangus Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 First off, just to get this out of the way, this is my first post, but I am a long time lurker, so hello all! :thumb: The contest is something I am very interested in. With the only restriction being no Cthulhu based adventures it leaves things wide open. Almost too wide open... now I need to decide what to write. Anyway, good luck to everyone that enters the contest! Mangus Quote "The nostalgia of things unknown, of lands forgotten or unfound, is upon me at times." -- Clark Ashton Smith, "Nostalgia of the Unknown" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dredj Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 If you understand German, there are some good articles in Anduin 94 (Anduin - Fanzine für phantastische Spiele) and the article "Abenteuerwerkstatt" (Abenteuerwerkstatt) that was also published in the envoyer magazine is very good. There was an article in signs & portents "how to write bulletproof adventures" that isn't quite as good, but offers some guidelines. A better and more detailed approach can be found at The Harrow: RPG Columns Generally, I would use an established structure for adventures of the genre. The typical Cthulhu-adventure has 3 parts for example: 1. Background/Motivation 2. Detecting 3. Description of a house(cave/village/...) where the showdown takes place and the heroes confront the bad guys. If you use the same structure, everyone knows what to expect and the adventure is easier to read. Sadly, I've never taken any German language courses. But thank you for the other links and the guidelines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Triff Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 The only thing I don't like is that every entry becomes property of Chaosium. If Chaosium isn't publishing them, the rights should go back to the author. Even if the adventure isn't good enough to get published, you should at least be able to make it available for download or offer it to another magazin/publisher. If someone invests the time to write a 5000-7000 word adventure, it shouldn't go to waste. Good thing you pointed it out. The new rules now read as follows: All winning entries become the property of Chaosium Inc. All entrants will be contacted by us to let them know whether or not their entry was chosen as a winner. SGL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkD Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Very good, now there is really no reason not to participate;) I have an idea that I wanted to use for Shadowrun, but it would fit in any Modern/Urban Fantasy/Cyberpunk-setting. Maybe I'll give it a try (even though it is harder to make your writing sound effortless if you are not using your native language). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORtrail Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I've actually got an idea I'm excited about doing, so I need to focus and get something done. It helps a lot that I'm now working in an office environment, so I can at least jot down thoughts and ideas during breaks and lunch (never during "work hours" ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyKnight55 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I hope I can digest the rules fast enough when I get my book to meet the deadline! My exposure is mostly Cthulhu & Elfquest, so a lot of it is going to be new. Quote Blessed Be, )O( Mike )O http://web.mac.com/boghouse/iWeb "So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around?" ~You've Got Mail (1998 film) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 I hope I can digest the rules fast enough when I get my book to meet the deadline! My exposure is mostly Cthulhu & Elfquest, so a lot of it is going to be new. My advice would be just to write an adventure using the rules you know, then save the stat blocks and actual rules calls for when you've got the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaira Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I was just reading Dustin's blog on the Chaosium site and saw he was getting a bit antsy at not hearing from anyone on the scenario comp yet. Sort of one of those "Is there anybody out there?" moments. Although it's v early days I thought I'd put him out of his misery by dropping him a line saying at least one person (moi, natch) was planning on submitting something! Drop him a line if you fancy - I'm sure it'll cheer the man up! :thumb: Cheers, Sarah Quote "The Worm Within" - the first novel for The Chronicles of Future Earth, coming 2013 from Chaosium, Inc. Website: http://sarahnewtonwriter.com | Twitter: @SarahJNewton | Facebook: TheChroniclesOfFutureEarth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjbowser Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I'm putting the finishing touches on my adventure tonight. Then, it's off to playtest it. Quote Various RPGs I've worked on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trifletraxor Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 I think the thing is that for the Cthulhu contests, people have been sitting there with scenarioes ready. With BRP people have to get the rules first and then make up something. The Deadline is long away yet. :cool: SGL. Quote Ef plest master, this mighty fine grub! 116/420. High Priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaira Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Absolutely - I wasn't suggesting people sent in their scenarios yet! I haven't even started writing mine ... *ulp*... :eek: Quote "The Worm Within" - the first novel for The Chronicles of Future Earth, coming 2013 from Chaosium, Inc. Website: http://sarahnewtonwriter.com | Twitter: @SarahJNewton | Facebook: TheChroniclesOfFutureEarth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HollyKnight55 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 An end of July deadline, with the rules not even in print yet (ie on paper), seems to cater to the hardcore "I already know it" types, the ones that are buying PDFs, or those from the playtest. Just saying... I think the best adventures are ones designed to work with the rules, rather than "here's the story - plug'n'play your favorite generic system". Personal opinion. Quote Blessed Be, )O( Mike )O http://web.mac.com/boghouse/iWeb "So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around?" ~You've Got Mail (1998 film) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vile Traveller Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 In the final analysis, the contest is a marketing gimmick (in the nicest possible way). Leaving the deadline too long after the release makes it less effective, so I can understand Chaosium's thinking. That's not to say there shouldn't be a bi-annual scenario competition ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason D Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 In the final analysis, the contest is a marketing gimmick (in the nicest possible way). Leaving the deadline too long after the release makes it less effective, so I can understand Chaosium's thinking. That's not to say there shouldn't be a bi-annual scenario competition ... I suspect the timing is specifically to have an adventures book ready and for sale at Gen Con to sell alongside the core rulebook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORtrail Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 An end of July deadline, with the rules not even in print yet (ie on paper), seems to cater to the hardcore "I already know it" types, the ones that are buying PDFs, or those from the playtest. Just saying... I think the best adventures are ones designed to work with the rules, rather than "here's the story - plug'n'play your favorite generic system". Personal opinion. I think only the hardcore types would be interested in writing a scenario anyway, right? I won't have my copy until this coming Saturday (at best) but it's the BRP system, so I'm not too concerned about the stats for various creatures, etc. I'd take an interesting story/adventure idea over stats, but having BOTH those elements is what makes for a well written adventure. On the other hand, the stats I create might, and probably should, be tweaked by the GM anyway. He knows the player characters, what could challenge them, and what might be too much for them to handle. I think we've all suffered at the hands of a GM who refused to tone down some foe because "That's what they (the writer) gave them". Since this BRP book will encourage a lot of "picking-and-choosing" of rules anyway (as I understand it) it falls on the GM to decide if that adventure needs to be modified (one written WITH hit locations being used for example). In any event, I hope Chaosium sees a flood of excellent adventures and they struggle to pick the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORtrail Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 With the slight delay of the BRP book, is there a chance of pushing back the contest by a week or so? I've been plugging away on my scenario here and there (mostly research as it's more historic based than most) and I think I could have it ready by the end of July... I don't know, where is everyone else at? Jason mentioned Chaosium probably wants an adventure book ready to sell at Gencon, so is extending the deadline even by a week possible? Or is the end of July a pretty hard deadline? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GerallKahla Posted July 1, 2008 Share Posted July 1, 2008 ORtrail - My submission is coming along nicely. I have the PDF, and it will be useful for further writing. Having a hard copy in my hands will make me feel like I'm ready for the tabletop, but the scenario is pretty much written and stat'ed out using the PDF. For those without the PDF, I can imagine this is a real issue. Anyone else writing without the PDF? Quote Emerging from my Dark Age... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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