How do you go about designing dungeons, /tg/?

>>51487033
https://1d4chan.org/wiki/Five_Room_Dungeon

>>51487033
Node based, like the Alexandrian

>>51487033
I just take inspiration from the castles, monasteries and crypts nearby.

>The advantages of living in medieval Europe

>>51487033
90% of my dungeons are ancient places so I start back in time.

Figure out what this place was once upon a time. Who the original inhabitants were, and why did they build here and what exactly did they build.

Then I move forward in time, and think of possible events that could have happened in the area that affected this place, new inhabitants that moved in, sieges, maybe some earthquakes, floods, etc. maybe some new construction.

Eventually I come to present day and figure out what sort of ecology in the dungeon we have, what sort of creatures would it have attracted, so on and so forth. Besides the monster ecosystem, it's important to be aware of whether there are any curses, any undead versions of past inhabitants, and any parts untouched in decades or centuries.

The last part is just sketching out a rough map of what I have in my mind's eye.

>>51487033
>daggerfall

It all went downhill from there

For non-combat obstacles, come up with a problem but not a solution. Too many DMs have a singe solution in mind and won't allow anything else. Just don't think of a solution. Your players *will* find a way around it.

Bumping since I always have problems with that. What makes a dungeon good? What are some basic Dos and Don'ts? My dungeons always tend to end up being Skyrim-like bunch of rooms and corridors with boring groups of enemies to beat once in a while and a trap, loot chest or sometimes a riddle slapped here and there. Give me all the tips you have /tg/

>>51491177
>le it was betar b4 meme xddd

>>51487033
Think of a schtick, build around that schtick, then add some decoration.

File: Picture 6(2) (1).png (526KB, 741x352px) Image search: [Google]

526KB, 741x352px

Ripoff one from real life.

>>51492456
Don't worry too much about realism. A little is fine, but you really don't need to bust your ass over it like some people will tell you. Make it fun and engaging before anything else.

HALLS
ALLS
LLS
LS
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>>51487033
I don't worry about it. It's all narrative based. Things appear and disappear as I want them.

>>51487033
>What do your players want out of the game?
Design the challenges to that, and have the setting fit the theme.

>>51487671
Go on...

>>51495997
http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/8171/roleplaying-games/advanced-node-based-design-part-1-moving-between-nodes

>>51496125
I use this a lot when making more general scenarios(didn't even know it's called like that, it's just a method I've often stick to since forever, but I don't really see it working with dungeons.

>>51496200
It's the same principle, but you're taking it into account when designing the physical layout. Multiple ways to get to each solution or major section of dungeon, etc.

Also worth watching the YouTube series boss-keys, where they examine in depth, the design of various Zelda dungeons.

>>51496370
Boss Keys: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc38fcMFcV_ul4D6OChdWhsNsYY3NA5B2

I like using donjon's dungeon generator and placing circumstance specific traps/puzzles/enemies where I feel they'll fit best.

>https://donjon.bin.sh/

>>51492456
Is it bad I kinda like Skyrim's dungeons? Lack of puzzles aside, they look nice, have nice atmosphere, and some of them have secrets here and there.

>>51498295
They're not bad for video games(although could be better), but this model doesn't really work well with /tg/

>>51487033
just steal ideas/maps/traps/puzzles/monsters/etc you like

>>51494737
What is that even supposed to be?

>>51487033
I randomize them out of predrawn elements, then leave tiny gaps between those elements where PCs can fall through and into an infinite weird void. If they teleport out they take huge falling damage and die.

>>51498295
I really don't like the fact that every single dungeon has a convenient backdoor

>>51499581
probably an ossuary, like that big one in france. tunnels, sections of solid wall with holes in them to lay dead bodies on.

>>51500536
nobody pushes you through them. feel free to turn around and walk all the way back through the dungeon to the entrance if you'd rather do that. they put them there for player convenience.

>>51499581
>>51503852

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odessa_Catacombs

>>51499581
Google says it's the catacombs of Paris.

>>51487033
Steal levels from shmups and hope no one notices.

Throw a bunch of rooms together and hope for the best.

>>51497286
This is surprisingly good once you modify it so the paths aren't so convoluted and the rooms are more spread out.

>>51504489
What settings are best for that? Every time I use it I get a complete mess of a design.

>>51489015
Basically this, I really hate lolrandom dungeons that make no sense. Those are irredeemable carbage.

>>51505819
Bigger rooms, sparse rooms, straight corridors, remove deadends

>>51505953
This does look better, thanks. Still not good enough, but definitely easier to transform into something good enough.

>>51491177
Agreed, but I would say morrowind was still perfectly fine

>>51507974
I never particularly liked Daggerfall, even preferred Arena to it. Morrowind was already a step in the casualised direction, but back then it was a needed step and resulted in a definitely amazing game.

On topic though, do you have any favourite dungeon modules? Any ones you would recommend?

>>51492456
I don't really make a lot of dungeons myself (playing modern settings), but you should probably take a look at Dark Souls. It is said they have incorporated amazing ideas and skill into making those levels.
For example, a lot of times you will see a distant place that looks awesome or gorgeous or a piece of loot that you can't reach from where you are, but you know you might get there if you make it far enough.

>>51508699
Yeah, Dark Souls is great in that aspect, especially DS1 since the whole game world is basically a one huge mega dungeon, but it relies heavily on visuals and multi-leveled designs, which are kind of hard to transcribe into /tg/ without drawing your players shit ton of maps and pictures.