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Quoting from its introduction, "These were written to help someone who has never gamed before learn the mechanics of gaming." And each of the scenarios does include several appropriate opportunities for a player character to do things that fundamental game-mechanics, such as combat rolls & saving throws, are used to adjudicate. But, because they don’t use any specific game-system, they mention very few specific game-mechanics in order to maintain their generic utility.

The 8 scenarios consist of 4 pairs specifically designed for each of the 4 basic ‘Generic Medieval Fantasy’ character classes: Cleric, Fighter, Magic-User & Thief. The pairs are designed to feature, and so teach new players, some of the particular activities which each of those character classes are designed to do especially well. (For example, good Clerics help people, Fighters fight, and Thieves steal stuff.) And they’re also designed to teach new players some of the playing skills that they, themselves, will need to develop & use to play each of those character classes most successfully. (For example, a Magic-User’s “ability to solve problems is [its] greatest ability, not casting spells. Spells [may] provide quick results, but not always the best results.”) That may be the most "old-school" thing about this work.

Each scenario is set in some ‘Generic Medieval Fantasy’ location (“Forest”, “An arena”, “Busy town market and a tavern”, “Mage tower and underground passage”...) and involves 1 or 2 encounters with some ‘Generic Medieval Fantasy’ antagonists (humans, animals & monsters). By doing this, they introduce new players to various typical ‘Generic Medieval Fantasy’ milieu elements – places like taverns, country roads & wizards' towers; organizations like churches & thieves' guilds; and monsters like goblins, giant rats & animated skeletons.

Additionally, most of the scenarios also include opportunities to make significant choices – such as between combat & communication – which teaches new players that such choices exist. And, when scenarios do include opportunities to make significant choices, the outcomes of those scenarios are designed to be substantially different depending on which choices a player makes. This teaches new players that player choices & player character actions can have important, possibly even long-term, consequences – some of which might affect, or possibly even lead into, campaign play.

The scenarios are so simple that it would be easy to come up with ones like them. But, because they were specifically designed to teach new players the basics of old-school ‘Generic Medieval Fantasy’ tabletop roleplaying games, and because they seem well-designed to do that, I might actually use them for their intended purpose.

The only things like them that I’ve ever seen anywhere else were designed to teach new players specific game-systems.

My only critique is that the writing still needs just a little bit more proofreading.

http://gothridgemanor.blogspot.com/2010/06/starter-adventures-is-here.html

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