Hello all. I posted the following to a news group. There
is additional material at the end...
>[email removed] writes:
> How do I convince a group that loves to play role-playing
>games to try something new?
> Can anyone offer advice on how to persuade players to try
>something new and different?
Hello all. I've had an interesting idea floating around in my head for a
while that I'd like to share with you.
I have a group that really wants to play Star Trek, the RPG. Sigh, I
like Traveller better. They are not interested in anything else, except
for D&D. I'm rather burned out on D&D right not so we are going to
play Traveller, err, Star Trek. The Game is going to go sort of like
this...
Phase I Exploration:
The players must locate a sutable class M planet for a
new colony. During this phase they will encounter a
number of strange items. Marker beacons from unknown
cultures, strange energy readings, and ships which vanish
with a release of strange energy. They are encountering
IISS (Imperial Interstellar Scout Service) scouts. The
scouts are also noticing them...
Phase II Relocation:
The players must supervise the relocation of the
colonists to the new colony. Focus in the interaction
between the Starfleet crew and the colonists. The
colonists should be a pain to work with. Some strange
energy readings should be noted in the system as well as
coded radio transmissions. As the colony becomes
settled, the player's starship will frequently be called
away by Starfleet for some 'secret' missions. The
colonists will be unhappy about the starship leaving the
system. They will complain loudly about the lack of
protection. During one of the first few times that the
player's ship is not in the system, a few of the
colonists will vanish with out a trace. In reality, the
missing colonists have been kidnapped by IISS agents who
want to find out about about a new culture. The last
time that the players leave the colony things happen.
The players will return just in time for Phase III...
Phase III Contact:
The players return to find the colony a smoking ruin. A
landing party (all of the players must be in the landing
party) is sent down. The colony has been stripped of all
computer and communications equipment. Quite a few
colonists are dead, they appear to have been killed in
the defense of the colony. They were killed with energy
weapons *and* projectal weapons. All of the remaining
colonists are missing. Well, all but one. S/he managed
to hide when the aliens attacked. So s/he claims. The
surviving 'colonists' is in reality a Zhodani spy (enemy
of the Imperium.) The spy is on the planet for reasons
of his/her own. While the players are exploring the
ruins, their ship will be attacked and destroyed. The
players will shortly afterwards be captured.
Phase IV Capture:
The landing party is captured by humanoids is combat
armor. If the players resist an NPC will be killed. The
party will be loaded onto a shuttle and transported to a
ship in orbit. The ship is *big*, the players will be
able to estimate that it is about 3 km in length. It is
bristling with weapon turrets. It has a logo painted on
one side that none of the player's reconize. The party
will be locked into a cargo bay. Food will be available
in the cargo bay. The players will be ignored for two
months. Every so often there will be sounds of battle
during this time. After the two months have passed, the
players will be transfered to another ship's cargo bay.
The players will be questioned indivually at this time.
They will have chances to escape. If they do not manage
to escape, eventually the ship they are in will be
attacked (there is a war on you know...) and disabled.
When the players escape Phase V starts.
Phase V The Voyage Home:
Questions the players will need to find the answers to.
1) How operational is this ship?
2) How can we repair this ship?
3) Where are we?
4) What information can we gather?
5) Where is home?
They may come up with other questions. The answer to
number 5 may not be able to be determined. Allow them to
explore the Traveller universe.
Overview:
Outlaws with lots of technical knowledge and a stolen
starship on the run from an EVIL, RUTHLESS galactic empire.
Sounds like "Blake's 7" to me...
Comments, suggestions? E-mail me or Call by phone. If you use
the idea, let me know how it went...
- -----
Now for why the adventure will bu such fun to run...
In Traveller starships move from star to star. They
ignore the space between stars. A sphere of influence consists
of many points which are controled. Only the points are
important. How many adventures have you seen where the Bad
Guys (tm) have set up a base at a specific jump point where there
is not a star?
In Star Trek Areas are controled. A few major bases are
occupied; however, for the most part space lanes are patroled,
not each star.
This leads to some interesting possibilities.
Two empires overlapping and exploring the same space while
not knowing that the other is there.
Some of you Trek people might wonder how the Federation
starship was suprised. My answer, suprise and a spinal mounted
meson gun owned by a shoot first, shoot again, then ask questions
later culture.
In my Traveller universe, the Imperium is not controled
by nice people. Don't attract their attention and you are okay.
They are not interested in anything that is small. If you are
interested in overthrowing a local planetary government, be sure
to purchase the proper permits. :-)
- --
Matthew Goldman [phone removed] [email removed]
"It's real handy, havin' an Elder God in the band, eh?"
"When the benchmarks were released, IBM went
on walkabout and hasn't been sighted since."