(A) Travel Procedure – tools
This is archival material from previous blog
I thought of making this cursed procedure but thankfully I didn’t because it would be underbaked. I mean, I would basically do every mistake in the book and call it a day.
I don’t think there is something like universal travel procedure for RPGs just as there is no one social or combat mechanic even within the same system. I mean, I guess with enough abstracted mechanics you actually can make it but I don’t think the factors fueling this mechanic would be the same in player to NPC situations as in player organisation to NPC organisation. When have you seen rules for combat between people used between armies? Or personal interaction rules translating to diplomacy between kingdoms? That is the case with exploration and travel.
The most important element to answer before making any travel is – what are the stakes? And by extension – what is the scale? If the group goes to search for lost shrine in nearby swamps for three days then rations and water may not be as much concern but the time may be crucial. If players journey in style of Zweihander or Adventures in Middle Earth (https://vdonnutvalley.bearblog.dev/archival-travel-procedures-bob-aime-dw-colverse-angryverse-zh/) these are long journeys about traversing whole regions where you not only need to secure rations for the travel but also safe places and those to replenish supply on the way. Hunting-gathering makes sense only when you travel far because it is rather time consuming endeavour. Gathering could be justified but hunting takes a lot of time, especially on the move and in unknown place. It’s not like modern hunting with rifle, on tree stand in a small patch of wild land.
There is also another huge factor – danger. If characters have to protect something fragile, someone important or just go through really dangerous and deadly region it makes travel interesting. Again you have set of choices – going long routes may actually drain your resources (and when these are low then consider they are second stake). Going at night may allow to avoid the regular enemies but opens up for nighttime predators and ambushes. Going certain routes may attract specific enemies – maybe you prefer traversing “deathlands” because of clerical protection against undead instead of forests full of regular beasts you would need to fight off? Classic Scylla or Charybdis decision.
Is it racing to the temple before evening to avoid zombies, a week of scouting ahead of your army or travel from your shapeshifter friends house all the way to dragon mountain through dark forest? The “food and water” stakes are out of the question in short travels and when characters go through civilised lands. If there is any way of reliable resource refilling these are not stakes. What else? Time? You may need to get somewhere as fast as possible or in certain amount of hours/days/weeks – it is rather interesting. Would players choose dangerous but short way? Or longer yet safer? If they get to supposed dead end – would they backtrack and waste time or try to carve their own path?
Use integers – clocks, lists, even use AngyGM’s bowl of dice (https://theangrygm.com/definitive-tension-pool/) to enhance the effect. I mean, in quick travel you can make a 12-tick clock “Get there before dusk”. In few days travel maybe make 6-tick clock – mark two ticks per day of travel unless they travel slowly or got stuck (tick only once) and tick 3 times if they set fast pace and don’t look back. When you have the epic long travel make a checklist of various rations of the group and with each “timeframe” of travel ask them what did they eat – maybe some things will spoil, eating only one type of food causes boredom and hinders travellers mood (nice to be able to adjust some conditions or stuck up some kind of “stress” or “exhaustion”), smelly foods will attract dangers and salty, even if staying fresh for longer time, may need access to extra water. All of that should be visible for the players, they shouldn’t need to remember or be constantly reminded of these.
Choices. Whole RPG is based on players making choices. The worst option is to create this need to plan everything beforehand and then just roll some dice to execute the plan. It’s bad for heists, it is bad for travels. Cut the way into chunks and plant choices on the way. Okay, your hobbits got to Rivendell and resupplied. How do you continue to Lothlorien? Through the mountains or Moria? Oh you chose mountains? I rolled 00, it’s too difficult for you and you have to backtrack. That’s exactly what I’m talking about. If the stakes weren’t “DANGER!” Fellowship could even go around this whole mountain range or travel by sea for the whole time but they can be struck by Sauron’s forces any time – they have to choose shortest way they can in order to minimize chance of being obliterated.
Okay, stakes are set, we know what is the most important thing defining how we are going to travel. Next thing – elements on the way. You want characters to explore some regions? If the time/resources are not as much of a problem for the moment reward wandering around. Reward, not punish, unless you don’t want them to explore. I know the eternal argument “but world is chaotic and realistically there is a chance of finding something bad”. And I agree. But the game is not real life. You’re sitting at the table where in few words you can sum up months of game time, and sit on 2 minute combat for four hours. Perception is wildly different. Mentality has to be more like in video games. Show – don’t tell. Reward behaviours expected from players. Punish behaviours hindering the game. A dose of realism is good for versimilitude but going overboard can do only harm. I’m going to do it once again. I’m going to link to AngryGM, because it is a well of resources. There is this series of articles on Megadungeon design. And there are bits in which you get very nice summarisation of game design elements – when and why to use Wandering Monsters? What about random encounters? How to show and strengthen habits you try to evoke in players. Enjoy! https://theangrygm.com/series/megadungeon-monday/