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Message no. 1
From: Strago strago@***.com
Subject: Adventure Plotlines (was Re: release date change on M&M?)
Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 14:11:53 -0400
abortion_engine wrote:

> > > I'll reply to this in the following manner....
> > > Consider how the material was developed and what happened
> > > afterwards if you will. I won't say it's unrealistic, I will say it is
> > > unbalancing and lacked significant foresight IMO.
> >
> > Damn, I almost agree with that. :)
> > Personally I liked the IE plotlines better....:)
> >
> ME TOO. [And I'm really, really serious.]

Think about this, though: would you have liked IE plotlines as much if
EVERYTHING was tied to the IE and their fight against the Horrors? If every
time you picked up an adventure, there was the frickin' clown, and the PCs
couldn't spit without hitting at least three dragons and two IE? Having it in
the background would have been much better, IMO. That way, FASA could bring it
out every once in a while, just to let us know that the situation is still
alive and kicking. For instance:
In 2056 (for example), there's a big situation that occurs regarding the
Horrors; I don't know, maybe Harlequinn's Back for example?
After Harlequinn's Back, there is NO mention of what just happened. The PCs who
participated in it aren't rewarded or acknowledged in any way. In fact, for all
the PC's know, THEY are the only humans on the face of the planet who know
about the Horrors. But they think that the threat is over. Hey, they destroyed
the bridge, didn't they?
Then, in 2058, Dunklezhan dies. Harlequinn shows up to bring the PCs on a
little trip, or something. Or maybe they just get wind of the Horrors coming
back, and thus the entire DragonHeart Saga comes to light.
Anyway, just a suggestion for FASA and their next BIG thing. Overkill sucks. If
anything, tease us a little bit TOO much. Don't give everything away in one big
stroke. Keep us all on the edge of our seats, just WAITING for more.
Message no. 2
From: abortion_engine abortion_engine@*******.com
Subject: Adventure Plotlines (was Re: release date change on M&M?)
Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1999 14:50:56 -0400
> > > > I'll reply to this in the following manner....
> > > > Consider how the material was developed and what happened
> > > > afterwards if you will. I won't say it's unrealistic, I will say it
is
> > > > unbalancing and lacked significant foresight IMO.
> > >
> > > Damn, I almost agree with that. :)
> > > Personally I liked the IE plotlines better....:)
> > >
> > ME TOO. [And I'm really, really serious.]
>
> Think about this, though: would you have liked IE plotlines as much if
> EVERYTHING was tied to the IE and their fight against the Horrors? If
every
> time you picked up an adventure, there was the frickin' clown, and the PCs
> couldn't spit without hitting at least three dragons and two IE? Having it
in
> the background would have been much better, IMO. That way, FASA could
bring it
> out every once in a while, just to let us know that the situation is still
> alive and kicking. For instance:
> <snip>

Yes. I would prefer that. Of course, now it seems that nothing will ever
come up about this again. Now, that's not actaully true, but MM has said--am
I wrong?--that these plotlines, specifically the Horrors, are going away,
for a long, long time. I would like to keep that sort of thing going in the
background. Not every day, not every run, not like being in Seattle dealing
with Invae would be like being in Chicago dealing with bugs, but still
hanging around, always niggling in the back of your mind.

And then one day, everything would go, quite literally, to hell.

And in fact, that's the way it's run in my game. The nice thing about the
Rules Police being all tied up with making sure the Battletech folks are
playing right [ :) ] is that they can't come to my place and say, "Oh my
god. That's not canon. That's not canon at all! I am Roleplaying Standards
and Practices, and this is unacceptable! Unacceptable! Chicago still
infested with bugs!? Gone. Your character was the love interest of Alachia
before she was queen, 6,000 years ago!? Gone. Invae still a constant worry,
inciting paranoia and guilt over the use of magic!? Gone."

Thanks, Battletech. You've made my life a lot easier.

[For a bibliography of the references made herein, check out the Millennium
episode with the Devils--well worth watching in its own right--and whichever
SR book makes the crack about the Rules Police and Battletech. I won't make
any more sense if you do that, but at least you can separate my lunacy from
the other peoples'.]

Further Reading

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Thwap!