What is Mad-Hacks?

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Q: What is "Mad-Hacks"?

A: "Mad-Hacks" is the RP-Artisans' quick-write adventure format. It allows GM's and players to create an entire adventure, including characters, in a standard 4-hour convention time slot.

Q: What are the goals of Mad-Hacks?

A: Like all RP-Artisans products, Mad-Hacks" is meant to be fun! It also aims to be a diversion from other types of events, to help GMs sharpen their improvisation skills, and to encourage players to work together as a team. Finally, it is meant to enable players and GMs to explore characters and situations that they ordinarily wouldn't, and to get to know new people by co-participation in a creative process.

Q: What does Mad-Hacks consist of?

A: Mad-Hacks consists of a set of adventure and character guidelines which give GMs and players a framework and ideas within which to create an adventure. The players create a party of characters, the GM sketches out an adventure, and then everyone works together to have a grand (and typically amusing) adventure!

There are four phases:

Introduction by facilitator
Writing phase: GM writes scenario while the players write their characters
Play phase: The players and GM come together to go on their adventure
Sharing phase: All the tables and facilitators come together to share their experiences

Q: Why is it called "Mad-Hacks"?

A: It is a play on "Mad-Libs", a game published by Penguin Puntnam wherein a story outline with fill-in-the-blank spots is presented, and the players fill in various parts of speech to make a silly story.

Mad-Hacks and RP-Artisans are not associated with "Mad-Libs" in any way, and Mad-Hacks is not intended to be an infringement on their intellectual property. It's a parody. :)

Q: What do I need to participate in Mad-Hacks?

A: It depends on the Mad-Hack?. Most of the ones we have in the works are D&D(tm) based, so you need your Player's Handbook(tm), and your Dungeon Master's Guide(tm). Future Mad-Hacks will use other (probably D20 System(tm) game systems. For those, you will need the appropriate main books.

Some Mad-Hacks may use supplemental material and books, those will be listed in the advertisement for the Mad-Hack?. There is no guarantee that there will be enough books to go around if your forget yours, but since part of Mad-Hacks is teamwork, hopefully folks will share! But the less time you spend waiting for a book, and the more time creating, the better!

As a DM, you will also need your Monster Manual(tm). You may also be allowed other source material depending on the Mad-Hack?. If you have ideas for encounters that you have been thinking of, bring those!

Everyone needs to bring their imagination, an open mind, and their patience, and team spirit!

Q: Can I run Mad-Hacks at my event?

A: Yes! RP-Artisans has a library of Mad-Hacks that we have run in the past that we would be happy to supply to anyone willing to facilitate one at a convention.

We have D&D(tm) Mad-Hacks, and a SpyCraft(tm) Mad-Hack?.

We don't post them on the website, becuase we want to keep track of who has them.

Q: Do people like Mad-Hacks?

A: Yes! Our response at events here in the Denver area has been overwhelmingly positive. We encourage people to submit honest feedback at all RP-Artisans events, and we've gotten a lot of ideas on how to make Mad-Hacks better.

Join us, and find out for yourself!

Q: Should I be an experienced Player or GM to participate in Mad-Hacks?

A: Well, we'd love to tell you that Mad-Hacks is for everyone, but our feedback shows that the more adventure gaming experience that people have, the more they will enjoy Mad-Hacks.

We have had some inexperienced players have a good time, but overall, Mad-Hacks is something for more experienced folks.

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