Lloyd Dupont Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) I already have the starting scenario.. which will start with a big bang! At this stage no patron... But I have a reputation system in the works, and was strongly angling for the patronage idea.. this whole discussionsĀ convinced me to take that idea to the next level! As in they will give you a spaceship! Side bonus for GM, they will take you to jail if you destroy it without cause.. šĀ Edited August 1, 2020 by Lloyd Dupont 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordabdul Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 6 minutes ago, Lloyd Dupont said: But I have a reputation system in the works, and was strongly angling for the patronage idea.. Heh this is starting to sound less like Master of Orion and more like EVE Online or the Elite series! (where your reputation with various factions indeed go up and down as you pick and choose your missions). Note that these games indeed give you a default spaceship and loadout at the start, or after you get blown up. Also check out Scum & Villainy, which is using the same system and framework as Blades In The Dark. They have very interesting mechanics for managing your ship, dealing with your patron and clients, and picking missions and what happens in the downtime between them. 1 Quote Ludovic aka Lordabdul -- read and listen toĀ The God Learners , the Gloranthan podcast, newsletter, & blog ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) It's only Master of Orion as far as flavor, races, and technology and background atmosphere is concerned.... But the players would just be scrubs, or a space grubs, or a spaceship owning grubs, struggling to get ahead, not the leaders of the empire by any means! Ā Ā Edited August 1, 2020 by Lloyd Dupont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 If They provide you with a ship and cargo, They can tell you where to go and what to do with it. Ā Maybe They have means of keeping tabs on you to make sure you do as you are told. Ā What happens if you slip up, or don't follow the plan due to circumstances beyond your control? Ā What happens if They slip up, and you see something you weren't supposed to, or wind up someplace you weren't supposed to be, or get loaded with another carrier's cargo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Absentia Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 14 minutes ago, Bill the barbarian said: The folk of the Serenity wishes they had that! A bit of show-off for a moment. When I was brewing up that campaign, it was for a small group of my old Traveller mates, around '00-01 or so.Ā I set it in post-Fifth Frontier War Sword Worlds, abandoned by the Zhodani, largely occupied by the Imperium, Darian encroachment from spinward, economic disarray...real fuzzy end of the lollipop stuff.Ā Only much later did I find out that this was more or less the conceit of Firefly.Ā Except my players had a conniving patron with a small fleet of "salvaged" merchant vessels and the ambition to build a new interface trading company.Ā He just needed warm bodies to crew his ships and agree to regular routes... Damn, that campaign didn't last long enough.Ā Neither did Firefly.Ā Some things are sweeter in their brevity, though. !i! 2 Quote Ā ...developer of White Rabbit Green Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 6 minutes ago, seneschal said: If They provide you with a ship and cargo, They can tell you where to go and what to do with it. Ā Maybe They have means of keeping tabs on you to make sure you do as you are told. Ā What happens if you slip up, or don't follow the plan due to circumstances beyond your control? Ā What happens if They slip up, and you see something you weren't supposed to, or wind up someplace you weren't supposed to be, or get loaded with another carrier's cargo? That depends who is your patron? I think if you borrow from the state, you will need to pass an ability check (i.e. minimum in some skills) to get it, and then it will be an advance to payback as you see fit in a timely manner. And they can easily get you anywhere in a 100 light years radius! Ā Private entreprise might follow a similar pattern but ask from some more specific mission on more tighter deadlines.. but with better initial ship?.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atgxtg Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 You could always have them inherit the ship from some unknown benefactor. Strings optional. Quote Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atgxtg Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 49 minutes ago, Bill the barbarian said: And how do you feel about phasers and the colour red? I'm fine with phasers but red clashes with my eyes.Ā much more partial to blue, although I'd expect I might wind up in gold. 49 minutes ago, Bill the barbarian said: In God and Samuel ColtĀ we trust, all others pay cash! I thought the quote went: "God created all men, but Samuel Colt made then equal." Quote Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 5 minutes ago, Atgxtg said: You could always have them inherit the ship from some unknown benefactor. Strings optional. So many options! Ā In fact, the first adventure, which need to be fully fleshed out yet, will be escape from doomed planet, and the ship will be a salvage and free acquisition from there! Ā Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atgxtg Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 32 minutes ago, Lloyd Dupont said: So many options! Ā In fact, the first adventure, which need to be fully fleshed out yet, will be escape from doomed planet, and the ship will be a salvage and free acquisition from there! Ā Ooohh, just think what or who could be on the ship in cryofreeze. 1 Quote Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Dupont Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) 43 minutes ago, Atgxtg said: Ooohh, just think what or who could be on the ship in cryofreeze. I was not planning on a twist on that.. what would you suggest? I won't make any "monster story" though... and I don't see why there would be someone or something in cryo freeze in a ship that was lying on a fine (until now) inhabited planet.... In fact I am still debating on how the escape would work... The game will start with some forcefield dome sabotage (city life system goes kaboom, mysteriously) followed by some unfortunately coincidental space bombardment by the ultimate MoO bugaboos, the Antarians... And I was thinking someone could think of some place where some space ship could be stolen to get the fuck out of there... that's the premise I have in mind for now for adventure 1... Not sure how to make a game session out of it, practically though... Ā šĀ Edited August 1, 2020 by Lloyd Dupont Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 One fun thing I've seen done for other games is to give your free ship some quirks to make it memorable. Ā These can be pleasant, annoying, helpful or humorous -- as long as they don't significantly affect the vessel's overall performance but do help advance the GM's adventure. For instance,Ā the crew quarters were recently upgraded and are particularly luxurious. Ā Some of these luxuries may be embarrassing, or not yet programmed, or illegal on some worlds. Ā Or the alarm clock always goes off 20 minutes after a PC has drifted off to sleep -- no matter what his duty schedule is. Ā The engines are particularly fast but require lots of maintenance. Ā Or they always develop a technical problem when the PCs encounter a derelict starship or apparently abandoned space station. Ā The food processor delivers wonderfulĀ gourmet meals. Ā Or it always gets a particular PC's order wrong. Ā Or that gourmet menu was programmed by nonhuman aliens. Ā The possibilities are endless. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill the barbarian Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 2 hours ago, Ian Absentia said: Damn, that campaign didn't last long enough.Ā Neither did Firefly.Ā Some things are sweeter in their brevity, though. Ā Calvin and Hobbes... 1 Quote ... remember, with a TARDIS, one is never late for breakfast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atgxtg Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) 45 minutes ago, Lloyd Dupont said: I was not planning on a twist on that.. what would you suggest? SOmething that could serve as a tie in to a long term plot thread.Ā Ā Quote I won't make any "monster story" though... and I don't see why there would be someone or something in cryo freeze in a ship that was lying on a fine (until now) inhabited planet.... It depends a bit on why the ship is being salavage, or why the planet is doomed, or whatever else is going on. Maybe someone was sneaking off world to avoid someone? Look at what else you got planned sotry wise and try to see how the character could serve the plot.Ā Ā Ā Quote In fact I am still debating on how the escape would work... The game will start with some forcefield dome sabotage (city life system goes kaboom, mysteriously) followed by some unfortunately coincidental space bombardment by the ultimate MoO bugaboos, the Antarians... And I was thinking someone could think of some place where some space ship could Ibe stolen to get the fuck out of there... that's the premise I have in mind for now for adventure 1... It sounds like the whole attack thing was planned by someone. In that case here are some possibilities: The "passenger" could be the one who sabotage the dome, and the ship was in a protected area so they could escape. Kinda like Dr. Smith in Lost In Space. The "passenger" is a biologically engineered or enhanced soldier. The "passenger" is a maintenance worker who got thrown into the cryofreeze during the bombardment. The "passenger" is the real target ofthe attack, maybe some important business person or the ruling noble, who would be detected by the enemy normally, but not while in stasis. The passenger is a "mob boss'"Ā significant other/offspring/accountantĀ who was trying to get away. The "passenger" is a robot or clone of someone important, or knows something important. The "passenger" is a space hobo who was looking for a ride. The "passenger" is a dead body of a murder victim, and the players could get blamed for the murder if they can't figure out who did it. The "Passenger" was someone with a serious medical condiction who went into cryfreeze until they could get to a planet with acure. Either the dome planet was the desination, or just a stop alone the way. Ā Quote Not sure how to make a game session out of it, practically though... Ā šĀ You need a second plot line. Something that that players can be working on before the attack takes place. That way you can get them all focused on something and then yank the rug out from underneath them with the attack. Once example would be if they were hired by the patron to retrieved their rebelliousĀ teenage child, who is running off to join the space circus or something. The players follow the clues that lead to the ship, fine the teenager in cryofreeze when the attack starts and they have to escapeĀ in the ship.Ā Ā Ā Edited August 1, 2020 by Atgxtg 2 Quote Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atgxtg Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 4 minutes ago, Bill the barbarian said: Calvin and Hobbes... Beer and pizza. Quote Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill the barbarian Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) 13 hours ago, Atgxtg said: Beer and pizza. Ya do know the topic was of things that are sweeter in their brevity not things that go great together. and speaking of topics... Quote Ā Helm: Captain we are directing a sever thread drift ahead... Captain: Damn...it...man... do... something...Now! Engineer: Och, now Captain, ya ken we cannae change tha trrrropes of hackneyed internet chat forums, drrrrifts are goingā ta happen, whether ya will āem or nay! Captain: DamnĀ Ā it... Scotty...,Ā donāt...Ā hitĀ me... with... memes! Get me... away... from this... drift! Ā We will close the curtain on this sad scene and wonder how one... Canadian.... can.... act... so... badly! And whether thread stability can be achieved... or did it even exist? Ā Edited August 1, 2020 by Bill the barbarian just has to add a few hours 1 Quote ... remember, with a TARDIS, one is never late for breakfast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33k Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Another cross-pollination idea:Ā the "inside-out Star Trek premise..." This is M-Space's new setting (in addition to Clarence's Weaver setting, and semi- M-Space setting of Odd Soot), the Elevation setting. The PC's are "seeking out new life, and new civilizations, boldly going..."Ā Ā On a shoestring budget, as NGO operatives, trying to discover / get publicity / get formal recognition / etc for planets /Ā species / etc that, if unprotected, would be horribly exploited by the generally rapacious & exploitive larger galactic culture. Review here: https://www.enworld.org/threads/stay-on-budget-search-for-new-life-in-elevation.666520/ You don't need to use all the elements of the premise, you can pick it apart for the bits you like. Quote C'es ne pas un .sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordabdul Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) 5 hours ago, Ian Absentia said: A bit of show-off for a moment. There is actually a long running legend that Joss Whedon created Firefly out of a Traveller campaign. 3 hours ago, Lloyd Dupont said: I was not planning on a twist on that.. what would you suggest? It's a great twist, and if it was me, it would be the start of some thriller storyline.... the cryogen'ed NPC is a long missing politician or personality that has been thought dead for a decade. Or it's Jason Bourne (or someone like it). Or it's a few of Immortan Joe's wives (or, again, someone like them). Or it's not a cryogen'ed person, but some Super Important Cargo(tm), like some proof of a world leader's horrible corruption, or some proof that said world leader has been replaced by an evil clone years ago, or it's a bunch of blueprints that some corporations have been desperately looking for, or... Edited August 1, 2020 by lordabdul Quote Ludovic aka Lordabdul -- read and listen toĀ The God Learners , the Gloranthan podcast, newsletter, & blog ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33k Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 20 minutes ago, lordabdul said: There is actually a long running legend that Joss Whedon created Firefly out of a Traveller campaign. It's a great twist, and if it was me, it would be the start of some thriller storyline.... the cryogen'ed NPC is a long missing politician or personality that has been thought dead for a decade. Or it's Jason Bourne (or someone like it). Or it's a few of Immortan Joe's wives (or, again, someone like them). Or it's not a cryogen'ed person, but some Super Important Cargo(tm), like some proof of a world leader's horrible corruption, or some proof that said world leader has been replaced by an evil clone years ago, or it's a bunch of blueprints that some corporations have been desperately looking for, or... Or more than oneĀ of the above...Ā An encrypted file in the computer, AND a mysterious sealed cargo, AND a cryo-pod with unknown sleeper inside.Ā Presumably, all related... Quote C'es ne pas un .sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g33k Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 5 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said: ... Iāll take two! .... Each will cost you an arm and a leg. (Then how will you open the covers to gaze lovingly upon the signatures??? ) Quote C'es ne pas un .sig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) It isn't one monster frozen in the hold. Ā It's seven of them. Ā Or rather, it is the would-be boy band "The Universals" seeking to promote their bubblegum glam-rock revival. Ā Unfortunately, business has been as dead as Dracula's tomb. Ā Now he's scheming to use the tour to cover an interplanetary crime wave, using the group's knowledge of disguise, sonicsĀ and special effects to cover their tracks. Ā And of course The Universals will carefully plant clues to implicate the PCs if authorities catch on to their activities. Ā The musiciansĀ could be just desperate thieves. Ā Or maybe thatĀ is a cover for a convolutedĀ espionage operation.. Edited August 1, 2020 by seneschal 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atgxtg Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 10 hours ago, Bill the barbarian said: Ya do know the topic was of things that are sweeter in their brevity not things that go great together. and speaking of topics... How long does Beer and Pizza last?Ā Ā 8 hours ago, seneschal said: . Ā Or rather, it is the would-be boy band "The Universals" seeking to promote their bubblegum glam-rock revival. I didn't know this was a horror campaign.Ā Hope the players got dark goggoles to protect them from the polyester. Quote Chaos stalks my world, but she's a big girl and can take of herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seneschal Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 š Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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