I was super happy to be part of another Attack Of Opportunity! It was a great time taking a movie apart and turning it into an adventure for a D&D game. I had a number of things to say about it, and you can check out the video here:

When I was getting ready for this video I (maybe) went a little overboard with things. I had this feeling that we were telling people to be inspired by movies, but what precisely does that mean? I’m inspired, what do I do with that? So I sat down and really dove into doing what we were suggesting. I mean, we’re talking about a fantasy classic here – but can I actually use it?

Most of the time I wouldn’t lift whole plots, characters or concepts. I like having complete control over my creations and the ability to use them across multiple media formats. Stuff I’ve snatched from other people does NOT fit into that category. I will however be inspired by many and varied things, lifting bits and pieces out for my use. Even the things that get lifted are mashed, molded and ultimately adjusted to be a good fit with the story and the rules of the world I am working with.

If you’re grabbing parts from a movie be sure to tweak things just enough that the players don’t immediately recognize it. It can be a total bummer when one of the players recognizes exactly where you got something from. It’s a bummer, that is, IF you haven’t prepared. If you’ve prepared then you rejoice. Seriously. The player thinks they know and that’s a fantastic tool to use against them. If the player “just knows” that the lead villain keeps his pet monster in the pit and therefore they don’t climb down there, move the pet. It’s a super easy fix that will have them second guess choices like that. The can overhear the guards say something like, “Oh, it’s Reggie’s day out again…” or “I’m really glad I’m not on cleaning detail now that they’ve moved Reggie…”. Take that sort of knowledge and use it to your favor.

For folks that really wanted to dig in, here’s a short list of some of the things I thought needed some prep ahead of time.

NPCs: King (Osric), Doom, high level warrior/priests, witch/oracle

Political groups: religious cult, rival kingdom, slave market / pit fighters

Treasures: Atlantian Sword, cult gem (eye of the serpent), jade medallion, father’s sword, assassin’s dagger, snake arrows, random bowl of gems

Monsters: wolves, giant snake, cultists (general/random encounters), cultist guards, low level priests

Maps: City w/ cult location, cult tower interior, battleground near stone monuments, temple w/ great stair and fountain, and of course – cultist HQ with orgy room, kitchen and secret cave entrance.

The map part has always been something that has driven me in the past. I’m a very visual person. I really went after trying to create what I would need to make this an adventure. We didn’t have much of a chance to see these on screen during the video (and some weren’t really there at the time) so I wanted to post a few of them here. YOUR game does NOT need to have all this stuff. You should make the game your own and use your own talents to create the amazing world your party will adventure in.

Here are a few of the things I put together for maps / visualization.

Whatever level of detail you’re willing to dive into, make it yours. In the end your passion and joy for the story will make the game great. What other movies would you break down like this? What are the best concepts you’ve used in a game (or had used against you) before?