New Year, New Ideas!

As happens at this time of year, thoughts turn toward considering the year gone by and anticipating the new year and how to get the best out of it.

A year ago, I decided to build a campaign up from scratch, one day at a time. I feel like I was able to do that successfully. Yet, looking back, I haven't added anything since late October... So, naturally, I'm looking at the calendar and thinking about doing it again!

The problem is that our gaming has stalled, and we're struggling to get it back in gear. If I can't put together an encounter or two for a game a week, how can I build a campaign online? More importantly, why should I? D&D is a game meant to be played. If I'm going to put the effort in to creating content, it would be better spent on something that will get played.

The obvious solution is to build the content online and play it weekly. That could work, but I also feel like I explored that route last year. It's a new year, I should try a new idea. But what would that be...

To be honest, I'm not sure. I think it's better to keep topics varied, and allow them to develop or fade as their momentum takes them. I just have no place to begin.

I think I want to take a look at combat encounters, how to structure them to keep them interesting and fresh. My tendency is to build encounters that slot into the same routine, with rounds of dice rolls and slogging action. My intent is to break out of this pattern, and to explore ways of doing so. That will be where I start.

Again, all I have now is an idea. But that's what this process is about... coming up with new ideas and exploring them.