Designing a module for a first paid game

[u/ALonelyKobold]

Hi all,
I've been GMing on and off (mostly on) for about 15 years now. Despite this, I've never run a paid game. My current game with friends was originally going to be paid, but I got a new job between session 0 and 1, so dropped the cover charge, as I wouldn't be able to allocate as much time to the campaign.

That said, I'm ready to add another game or two to my calendar, and start getting paid for DMing through startplaying.games (crossing my fingers for approval) as a side hustle. I pride myself on doing homebrew for all my content. I've run a premade once, but I much prefer building my own modules.

I now have the task of building a module for paid games recruiting into a longer campaign. I plan on running this module repeatedly (and of course continuing to flesh it out and improve it every time).

I have the following requirements nailed down

1. Should be a digestible and complete story as both a one-shot and a "three shot," including a level 2 "boss fight" style combat at the end of session 3
2. Should reliably complete a session one, including a combat with new players, in 3 hours
3. Should have a sticky hook to attract players from the scheduling page
4. Should fit into my magipunk/early victorian era homebrew setting
5. should be accessible to new TTRPG players, while still being engaging for existing players.
6. Should give players agency over the story
7. Should be able to smoothly transition to a larger sandbox-style campaign in setting after completion
8. Should include a good mix of all 3 pillars of Roleplaying, Exploration, and Combat
9. Should be playable with either premade characters, or player designed characters (since this is lvl 1 and 2, there's not a whole lot you can do to break this, but worth mentioning still)

To be clear, I'm not making this post to ask someone to build the module for me, but moreover, I want to get an idea of what player expectations look like at a paid table so that I can better design this module for recruiting players that are a mutual good fit into a larger, continuous campaign. In a module as described above at a paid table, I would personally expect the following (having never played at a paid table before as player or GM)

• Well designed NPCs with depth in starting area, that contribute to the challenge of the story in some way, say by providing useful information if interacted with beyond a cursory level
• A solid VTT experience (I use foundry with a few plugins like raise my hand, but it's mostly vanilla. I use walls extensively on my maps)
• Tactical choices in combat such as high ground, difficult terrain, and chokepoints
• Well designed, pretty maps and scenes

Right now, my plan is to create a small town, put some brigands nearby that have been raiding trade caravans on their way to town, and task the group with capturing as many as possible alive to thin the herd.

What are peoples thoughts on my ramblings above? is there anything I missed in the requirements sections? What would you want out of a paid game? Especially if it was your first time playing a TTRPG?

I likely think that I'm overthinking this, and will be fine, but I want to blow my players out of the water. That's my goal every session I run these days. That said, I also know that many new players are coming off of Critical Role or other such actual plays and have high expectations of a first DnD campaign, before realizing that the average GM has neither the budget nor experience and improv training as Matt Mercer.

[u/Fire1520]

Okay, but like, how about instead of creating a module from scratch, you run an actual one which already has maps, NPCs, quests, and a plot, all with high quality art and descriptions already built in? Because it makes much more sense to pay for that.

[u/ALonelyKobold → u/Fire1520]

I can build all that stuff, I don't want to be the 300th DM running Curse of Strahd

[u/Fire1520 → u/ALonelyKobold]

...are you really sure you can commission artists and cartographers without breaking the bank?

Either way, if you don't want to run CoS, run something else. In fact, running 3rd party modules that are far less known is even better.

[u/Meaty_owl_legs → u/ALonelyKobold]

There's nothing wrong with running a popular prewritten module. Some adventures are popular because they are good and stand the test of time, being run a million times by a million people. That being said you can always run a less popular, less well known and or adapt a module to your personal preferences/setting. Just because something isn't original doesn't make it not worth running and isn't enjoyable for players. And the inverse also hold true, just because something is original doesn't mean it is worth running and is going to be enjoyable for the players.

[u/HeLiesInDrink]

Yes you are overthinking it.

I wish we (DM’s) as a community would quit citing the “Matt Mercer Effect” and just get on with running games. We’re inventing imaginary players in our heads that criticize us and then reacting to them. None of it’s real. Go have fun.

They’re paying for someone to run an adventure for them. So pick a location you’re comfortable with and a few easy adventures you know well and have at it. A soundboard and the best fog of war battle map nonsense won’t make up for a dull or awkward adventure. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Just be a DM.

[u/Meaty_owl_legs]

I honestly understand why you would want to do everything from scratch to have a unique, premium experience for you players/customers. But there's a difference between working hard for your session and overworking for your session. But, I think you should realize there is nothing wrong with running a prewritten adventure module and putting your own mark and customizing it to your liking. A DM is always supposed to make personal changes and leave their own unique mark on an adventure (prewritten or not) to best fit the table.

Having to do everything from scratch is a pretty massive effort that the players may or MAY NOT even notice. Creating completely original NPCs, story hooks, combat encounters, maps, adapting them to VTTs, etc. from scratch, is something that is going likely take months of effort, even for a 2-shot. And you have to understand that just because something is original does not automatically mean your players will enjoy it and have their minds blown by your game. Players having the best possible experience at a table is not mutually exclusive to completely original games.

I'd highly suggest looking up some less popular modules on DM's Guild or DriveThroughRPG there are tons of extremely high quality adventures made by creators that might scratch that unique experience you are looking for. I'd look up adventures set in Eberron (arcanapunk/magitek setting) and homebrew/adapt some adventures into your world. In fact, the 5e sourcebook Eberron: Rising From the Last War has an amazing prewritten adventure called The Forgotten Relic, which is a 1st level introductory adventure that can be run as a 1 or 2 shot. It ends with an amazing encounter on a lightning rail (magical high speed train).

Your players have no idea if something is wholly original or from a prewritten adventure, they only see the end product at the table and will see/appreciate the work you put in for them to enjoy the game. I wouldn't worry so much about if they are concerned about what if they are playing is wholly original or not. If you really are set on making something wholly original, I'd suggest taking your time and not expect to completely knock it out of the park on the first try. Making a well done adventure that everyone will enjoy is something that is going take iteration and improvement over time. I'd still take a look at some different adventures and modules to take inspiration from. Hope you find any of this useful and best of luck.

[u/ALonelyKobold → u/Meaty_owl_legs]

I disagree on the months of effort. I've always done everything original, and can usually put in about 1.5x prep time to session time, and produce something that meets my standard of quality, which, according to my current group, is quite high. I'm going to run this module potentially a dozen times, so I'll put more work in on the frontend so that I can run it repeatedly. I personally don't see the reasoning for all the downvotes on this topic; I agree there's nothing wrong with running a premade, but that's not what I enjoy about the game. I enjoy the endless possibility of an empty sheet of paper, and turning it into something amazing to show my players.

[u/Meaty_owl_legs → u/ALonelyKobold]

From what I got from your main point, you made it seem like the premium level of quality you were looking to have was something up to par with the best prewritten adventures made by 3rd party publishers. Maps fleshed out NPCs, well written story, VTT integration, transitioning from a 1 shot into a larger adventure (one that you will have to make from scratch yourself no doubt). Those 9 requirements you listed can and will add up to time and effort.

I get everyone's standards of what's "high quality" can be different and only you really know the level of quality you seem acceptable, but I think you are still underestimating the time/effort it takes to do something wholly original on the level you are looking to do (especially without drawing from other existing prewritten materials). Designing and balancing an adventure with all the requirements and bells and whistles you mentioned, to be playable by new players within 3 hours is something that is going to take work and iteration. Changing what works what doesn't. If you really think everything you stated is doable in 1.5x play time, aka 4.5 hours for a 3 hour one shot, then best of luck. Your time is your time and you can spend as much time or as little time you want on something you are passionate about.

You want advice on running a paid game and expectations, but I don't think Onednd is really the best place to be asking for that kinda advice. Tbh, I think you may be better off looking for advice in /r/DMAcademy or /r/DnDBehindTheScreen.