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It was this adventure as well as the blue rule book ('Holmes Basic') that accompanied it that set me off into the Gaming (and ultimately creative) life that I lead today.
Looking at it from a pure design sense reminds me of how incredibly lean and mean these early modules were: Not an inch of page space is wasted, and it does in thirty-six pages what would take a 'modern' RPG probably over a hundred! More than one game publisher could learn from studying this module closely!
The print quality is rock-solid, although you get that 'second-hand' feel you get from almost all PDFs that began as printed media....There's nothing that can be done about that however, so I'm not holding that against it.
This classic is once again available for a new generation of gamers to see and learn from it. Well done WOTC!
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A good introductory scenario for OD&D (Basic).
This does take me back to the old days when I bought the old 'Red Box'.
Some traditional blue maps.
A fairly good scan; gets a little fuzzy past 100%.
A definite purchase since it's free.
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Well, I started with the "new" red box, but this is a marvel of classic D&D, as it provides insight into everything a campaign needs - and the scan is truly astounding!
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I'm calling this a "technical" review because most folks that are reading this own or have played or at the very least have heard about B1: In Search of the Unknown. So, I'm not talking about the adventure, I'm talking about the PDF quality of the newly re-released B1 over at OneBookSelf / RPFNow / DnDClassics.
So, how is it?
Pretty damn good!
I was pretty surprised at the quality of the B1 scan. Fairly crisp and definitely clean. It's also bookmarked, which I can'r recall if that was part of the first round of scans, but it is certainly appreciated.
On my 13' MacAir, readable at crisp at 100%, 125% and 150%. Slightly jagged edges apear ar 200%.
Overall, I'm pretty impressed.
Check it out yourself as it's absolutely free.
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Is great to see D&D product here, and get them in pdf format BUT i would like that you publish your products in spanish too, please. Thank you very much
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Very good beginner module, it makes me feel nostalgic. Scans are good and complete.
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As an adventure module, B1 In Search of the Unknown is lackluster. For the most part it is a simple dungeon crawl. It doesn't compare to the Giant series or even the Keep on the Borderlands for role-playability, so for the experienced old-school gamer this is going to be a nostalgia purchase.
But for the begining DungeonMaster, or the parent that wants to introduce the kids to tabletop roleplaying, this is a great utility piece. The fledgling DM will find that the exercise of adding the proper mix of adversaries or potential allies to the various rooms will give you a solid foundation for one day creating your own adventures. And then supplying those adversaries with appropriate treasure will teach the new DM how to walk that fine line between Feast and Famine; too much and the party becomes too powerful too fast, too little and the risk isn't worth the reward. For the beginning player this module is partly an exercise in "letting Grandpa tell us about the Good 'Ol Days", but the open nature of this module gives you a real opportunity to exercise that imagination that drew you to tabletop gaming in the first place. Most importantly, it gives the new player and the new DM an environment in which to understand the Player/DM dynamic. The structure is loose enough that adjustments can be made on the fly if needed. Bottom line: as long as you don't expect more out of this module than it was intended to be, or as long as you are able to bring the additional storyline yourself to this framework, this is an enjoyable open-ended treasure and monster hunt and a great introduction to the AD&D System.
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Great scans. Easily a great buy. Re-live the nostalgia.
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Fantastic way to introduce beginners to the game! The areas that are to be explored in the module provide ample opportunity for creative additions by the referee. Great content, mediocre scan. 4/5
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It is a very good, old fashioned module, fun, customizable, and with lots of introductory information for the aspiring GM.
I played it solo, using Mythic GME and the Laberynth Lords free rules, with no problems whatsoever but two ambushing zombies that killed my 2 first level warriors with one blow.
It was only thanks to a weak elf and a weaker first level magic user that the party could escape.
The scan is readable, the graphics are 80's era but the fun is guaranteed.
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I was so glad to find this available on line for downloading! My students have started a D&D club on campus and I wanted to teach them how to play like I did almost 30 years ago, and now I can. This is a great module to learn how to play the game and see how much fun it can be. The download was quick and the pages are all clear and easy to read. Thank you.
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One of the first Dungeons and Dragons modules it gives good advice to GM's and is easy to run (if a trifle obvious in places). <br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Acceptable<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Satisfied<br>
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Good for reference, a bit slow even for introductory players. I usually roleplay the character generation sequence, to a point. That's usually enough to get people into playing their character, and what they can and cannot do. Still, a good module.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>
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B1 Search for Unknown, at 1 stage shipped with the Basic edition, then was switch for B2 Keep on the Boarderlands. B1 also got a few revamps along the way. Its a fairly basic run of the mill dungeon crawl quest. Its good for new players and DMs to start on. It also works well with B2. I actually run the both together as a pair. One of the best introductory adventures. <br><br>
<b>LIKED</b>: Nothing, its core classic first edition Basic. You may find the art work a bit had to take, as it is very retro and not up to todays standards.<br><br><b>DISLIKED</b>: Nothing, crisp, clean scans & well produced.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Very Good<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>
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Very good scan.
The text is selectable and very readable.
Good hints for a starting DM too.<br><br><b>QUALITY</b>: Excellent<br><br><b>VALUE</b>: Very Satisfied<br>
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