This could also be applied to Resident Evil. You explore the locations that are available, find keys that let you explore further, which lead you to more areas and more keys, puzzle pieces, and bosses. Through all this, you are going back and fourth, facing new monsters and challenges as you do so. Some of the places you go and paths you take unlock pathways that make traversal and backtracking faster, unlocking shortcuts that allow you to get where you need to go more rapidly.
eh, I feel resident evil is a bit restrictive for a comparison to rpg’s. I think immersive sims like THIEF are much better examples since those sorts of games try to get at an rpg like freedom of approach rather than a single set method to get to the goal. for example. to get past a locked door in THIEF: The dark project, you could maybe find the key in the gaurdstation where keys are stored OR make noise outside of the door so that a gaurd on the other side hears and opens the door to investigate, letting you sneak inside, OR you might find a guard captain on patrol and swipe the key from his belt OR there is possibly a vent to just circumvent the locked door.
This whole video got me thinking, what would you need for a dungeon involving Castlevania? The answer is surprisingly NOT "just run Curse of Strahd/Ravenloft." And it certainly isn't making the characters in the setting into PCs/NPCs and just putting them in a regular story. There needs to be more to it.
I am loving these lessons taken from other games and media. It's quite a delightful way to create a lens through which to view DnD in a richer context and see tools everywhere to craft a better gaming experience. Well done.
Videogames have lots of useful design elements that are just begging to be translated into dungeons. This looping idea is one of my favorites, where your progress unlocks areas you couldn't access earlier. Zelda excels at this, and one of my favorite games, Quake II, was filled with it. There should always be clues, if not obvious signs, that you have to come back this way once you've gone another way first, tho how is left entirely up to you to discover. You should do more videos like this, analyzing vg design as it applies to ttrpg's. (I've seen the Riven and KOTOR videos btw.) Boss fights are another good topic, as well as levels that teach you as you go, like Super Mario is fond of doing.
Thank you for this amazing video! I've always been a fan of Metroidvania games and within the last couple of years realized the similarities they had with the concept of mega-dungeons in ttrpgs. The game Hollow Knight for me really highlighted the idea of unique areas being built on top of each other and the influence each area has on the others. I would love a ttrpg book about making mega-dungeons using design tools and ideas seen in video games. I think another video game to look at when thinking about mega-dungeons is the Dark Souls series. Since there is no map in those games the player really needs to get familiar with the areas to be able to navigate the world. As a result of needing to know areas well, there is a great feeling players get after taking an elevator or turning a corner and realizing they are in an area they had visited before and have now found a shortcut. I think this idea could be implemented well in mega-dungeons to help give the players a feeling of exploring and navigating huge dungeons. Thanks again for the video, It got me re-excited to check out mega-dungeon stuff.
These are the kinds of videos which keep me exploring your channel. Great advice, practical examples, and solid reasoning and script writing. Really well done.
This inspired me to finally build the megadungeon I have been putting off for a couple of years. Also, by relating it to Super Metroid? You are speaking my language! Really superb.
This is exactly the kind of advice I need, thank you! I can’t seem to get my mapping right at all. Idea for a change in a location: a strong flow of water sweeps through the room to a depth of 10ft. The flow can be blocked upstream, giving access to that room and others
Another game that pulled this off brilliantly was Soul Reaver. Each boss fight ends with a new ability that allows you to bypass a previous obstacle and unlock new areas.
Create five 5-room-dungeons. Then smash them all together. And then add one thing to each of them that references another. And you have a super colorful megadungeon. Lol
My favorite dungeon loop allows players to circle back on a mob of pursuing monsters (like via a secret door) & lock the monsters in a room. Keystone cops stuff
On the one hand, I now want to use these tips to go over a megadungeon I had planned - up to now in a linear fashion. Thank you for sharing these insights! But now I also want to play some metroid...
No critiques on DM advice, excellent stuff. One thing I was going to add. I think the suit would look better with tailoring around the sleeves. You want them slightly shorter, to where you can see a hint of your shirt underneath and watch. Also, get a decent wrist watch if you are going to be wearing a suit. An Orient Bambino would be fine, if you don't won't spend a lot.
I bulked up in the chest during the pandemic. This was the first time I put it on in two years. I went from a 42r to a 44r. It was tailored before I gained so much muscle from working out in my determination to not gain weight
I know I was looking for megadungeon advise when this video was first publish, yet only now did I find this video when searching. I for sure have some more digging to do on your channel. I have a good feeling you will be a new wellspring on knowable and differing ideas.
I've watched some of your recent vids, and this as well as the other dungeon vid (ft. csgo), were by far the best, despite having very few fews. I've watched dozens of vids about how to make/run/design dungeons but non of them made me even remotely want to run or design a dungeon. These two vids combined on the other hand have reignited a once lost longing for super awesome dungeons. Very thought provoking and cut right to the core concepts of good dungeon design.
I just found Dungeon Masterpiece. I love the ideas you talk about however, I am a visual learner. Do you have any videos where you actual show the concepts being used? I don't know about other people but for me it would make a world of difference. Looking forward to your next idea video (and videos of the concepts in action).
Some channels do great long videos. Mathew Colville has great content that tends to run long and doesnt feel like filler. But these videos are amazingly concise. Its just boom-boom-boom, revelation after revelation. I didnt think it was possible. Well done.
This could also be applied to Resident Evil. You explore the locations that are available, find keys that let you explore further, which lead you to more areas and more keys, puzzle pieces, and bosses. Through all this, you are going back and fourth, facing new monsters and challenges as you do so. Some of the places you go and paths you take unlock pathways that make traversal and backtracking faster, unlocking shortcuts that allow you to get where you need to go more rapidly.
Noah Caldwell Gervais referred to RE1 as an adventure module, so that tracks
@@elsanto2401 Why not? It makes perfect sense, and I think I'll make a dungeon using the maps. It just won't be a mansion :p
@@jesternario i mean i agreed with you from the start so yeah go for it!
eh, I feel resident evil is a bit restrictive for a comparison to rpg’s.
I think immersive sims like THIEF are much better examples since those sorts of games try to get at an rpg like freedom of approach rather than a single set method to get to the goal.
for example. to get past a locked door in THIEF: The dark project, you could maybe find the key in the gaurdstation where keys are stored OR make noise outside of the door so that a gaurd on the other side hears and opens the door to investigate, letting you sneak inside, OR you might find a guard captain on patrol and swipe the key from his belt OR there is possibly a vent to just circumvent the locked door.
This is a really good take on how to approach dungeon design that'll be truly interesting for players. 🧙♂️
This whole video got me thinking, what would you need for a dungeon involving Castlevania? The answer is surprisingly NOT "just run Curse of Strahd/Ravenloft." And it certainly isn't making the characters in the setting into PCs/NPCs and just putting them in a regular story. There needs to be more to it.
Good video Baron! Now I want to design/sketch out a dungeon!
I am loving these lessons taken from other games and media. It's quite a delightful way to create a lens through which to view DnD in a richer context and see tools everywhere to craft a better gaming experience. Well done.
Videogames have lots of useful design elements that are just begging to be translated into dungeons. This looping idea is one of my favorites, where your progress unlocks areas you couldn't access earlier. Zelda excels at this, and one of my favorite games, Quake II, was filled with it. There should always be clues, if not obvious signs, that you have to come back this way once you've gone another way first, tho how is left entirely up to you to discover. You should do more videos like this, analyzing vg design as it applies to ttrpg's. (I've seen the Riven and KOTOR videos btw.) Boss fights are another good topic, as well as levels that teach you as you go, like Super Mario is fond of doing.
Thank you for this amazing video! I've always been a fan of Metroidvania games and within the last couple of years realized the similarities they had with the concept of mega-dungeons in ttrpgs. The game Hollow Knight for me really highlighted the idea of unique areas being built on top of each other and the influence each area has on the others. I would love a ttrpg book about making mega-dungeons using design tools and ideas seen in video games. I think another video game to look at when thinking about mega-dungeons is the Dark Souls series. Since there is no map in those games the player really needs to get familiar with the areas to be able to navigate the world. As a result of needing to know areas well, there is a great feeling players get after taking an elevator or turning a corner and realizing they are in an area they had visited before and have now found a shortcut. I think this idea could be implemented well in mega-dungeons to help give the players a feeling of exploring and navigating huge dungeons. Thanks again for the video, It got me re-excited to check out mega-dungeon stuff.
I'm glad you were so excited by this video! It's a topic I've been rolling around in my head for a large portion of the pandemic :D
Really insightful especially on the mechanics of being a DM. You explain the game side of dnd very clearly and concisely.
Genius level content. I never considered running a megadungeon until this video. You made it seem chalenging and fun at the same time
Really interesting! I would have liked some visuals of dungeons though to see the ideas in action.
Stay tuned, I'll be walking through a 25 room dungeon layout of my own design that uses these concepts in a future video!
@@DungeonMasterpiece nice! Can’t wait!
Great ideas broken down well so that you can actually implement them. Thank you.
These are the kinds of videos which keep me exploring your channel. Great advice, practical examples, and solid reasoning and script writing. Really well done.
This was a lot of fun. Good discussion of dungeon design.
This inspired me to finally build the megadungeon I have been putting off for a couple of years.
Also, by relating it to Super Metroid? You are speaking my language!
Really superb.
I love all these ideas and advice and now I am itching to make a mega dungeon for my players.
As a new DM these videos make me so excited to become a better DM and explore all these concepts!
This is exactly the kind of advice I need, thank you! I can’t seem to get my mapping right at all. Idea for a change in a location: a strong flow of water sweeps through the room to a depth of 10ft. The flow can be blocked upstream, giving access to that room and others
Bonus points if the rushing water washes people into another area of the dungeon that has clues to solve puzzles further elsewhere in the dungeon too
Another game that pulled this off brilliantly was Soul Reaver. Each boss fight ends with a new ability that allows you to bypass a previous obstacle and unlock new areas.
Very cool video!
I'm working towards building up my gaming book collection to your level. I'm already pretty proud of mine but yours are awesome!
It's gone from "not having enough" to "oh god what do I do and why can't I stop" in about two years
Great video, but when he said "Zeebs" I nearly died
This is a great video, I am sharing it with some other dungeon masters I know that always have a hard time coming up with planning out their dungeons.
Happy you think my video would be helpful! Cheers!
This was a really excellent video. I've been thinking about a mega dungeon concept for a while and this helped bring some ideas together.
Glad I could help!
Loved that game, so good. And great thinking here, even if I'm still reluctant to do the mega-dungeon thing.
Create five 5-room-dungeons. Then smash them all together. And then add one thing to each of them that references another. And you have a super colorful megadungeon. Lol
This is very solid advice for how to make a large dungeon feel approachable.
My favorite dungeon loop allows players to circle back on a mob of pursuing monsters (like via a secret door) & lock the monsters in a room. Keystone cops stuff
On the one hand, I now want to use these tips to go over a megadungeon I had planned - up to now in a linear fashion. Thank you for sharing these insights! But now I also want to play some metroid...
I'm definitely going to have to run a mega dungeon crawler campaign sometime. These points should prove useful. 👍
~ Adam
No critiques on DM advice, excellent stuff.
One thing I was going to add. I think the suit would look better with tailoring around the sleeves. You want them slightly shorter, to where you can see a hint of your shirt underneath and watch. Also, get a decent wrist watch if you are going to be wearing a suit. An Orient Bambino would be fine, if you don't won't spend a lot.
I bulked up in the chest during the pandemic. This was the first time I put it on in two years. I went from a 42r to a 44r. It was tailored before I gained so much muscle from working out in my determination to not gain weight
goddamn this is a video of a pure and total genius not even capping
I know I was looking for megadungeon advise when this video was first publish, yet only now did I find this video when searching. I for sure have some more digging to do on your channel. I have a good feeling you will be a new wellspring on knowable and differing ideas.
i am so happy your channel magically popped up on my feed. great stuff: content, lighting,. sound...very pro.
Glad you enjoy it!
I've watched some of your recent vids, and this as well as the other dungeon vid (ft. csgo), were by far the best, despite having very few fews. I've watched dozens of vids about how to make/run/design dungeons but non of them made me even remotely want to run or design a dungeon. These two vids combined on the other hand have reignited a once lost longing for super awesome dungeons. Very thought provoking and cut right to the core concepts of good dungeon design.
Subbed. What a great video with concise examples but enough to get my imagination going.
Most useful video on mega dungeons by far. Thanks!
Great video! Thank you for bringing more attention to the brilliance of one of the best video games ever made.
What a cool way of adapting learnability for building dungeons.
Really informative! I dig it and thanks for the nostalgia boost
nostalgia is great!
Excellent.
Super Metroid with my RPG? Hell yeah!
Making backtracking interesting will be a fun theme for my next dungeon!
Man, these are great points to keep in mind! Now I want to go play some metroid...
Oooh i do the same thing for LOZ in my dungeon design
Im hype about this video
Heck yeah!
Great channel. Great episode. Keep up the great work!
super classy videos. great videos and delivery. subscribed!
Super practical smart DMing advice ❤
Man, I wanna go play some Super Metroid now.
These videos are really great. Keep it up and thank you
I just found Dungeon Masterpiece. I love the ideas you talk about however, I am a visual learner. Do you have any videos where you actual show the concepts being used? I don't know about other people but for me it would make a world of difference. Looking forward to your next idea video (and videos of the concepts in action).
I touch on the same subjects with a bit more graphical detail in my Counterstrike Dungeon Design video. Hope that helps!
you sir are a gentleman and a scholar
I like how bite sized these videos are. Some DM channels ramble obvious points for 20-30 mins 😑
I'm not trying to waste anyone's time
Some channels do great long videos. Mathew Colville has great content that tends to run long and doesnt feel like filler. But these videos are amazingly concise. Its just boom-boom-boom, revelation after revelation. I didnt think it was possible.
Well done.
I want a dungeon like this!!!
I could do a breakdown where I design my own dungeon with lessons learned from Metroid? Would that be cool?
@@DungeonMasterpiece yes! A Mega Dungeon like Metroid would be very cool.
I like the design theory!
This was a masterpiece!
Thank you for increasing the engagement metric used by the collaborative filter's algorithm.
Thanks!
Nice!
Whats the song at the end of the video?
Rondeux. Also, the theme of masterpiece theater, and the lofi trap version is the theme of dungeon masterpiece
Questing Beast sent me!
Oh wow thanks!
This is awesome
Just so you know, I am 1000% using the ogres and eye stones example
This channel doesn't have enough views.
In summary, Undermountain.
Legend of Zelda is a good Example for this.
*Ahem* ZEE-bus
They're called "Metroidvanias". You don't even get the vernacular correct.
Baron - Do you intentionally match your ties to your text title backgrounds or is this just happenstance?
It's intentional
@@DungeonMasterpiece Brilliant.