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Message no. 1
From: Benjamin Eriksen benjamin_eriksen@*******.com
Subject: Campaign starters...
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 11:39:34 CEST
Greetings and salutations to all!

I nicked an idea from the Archive (Kudos to dumpshock archives for it) about
starting a campaign in media res (in the middle of a firefight, i.e.) and
started churnig it around in my head. I'll run my measly contribution by
y'all so you'll (hopefully) give me any and all feedback you have on
running a campaign this way...

Here goes.

The players fill out a questionnaire regarding what kind of character they
want to play (not exactly archetypes, like in the basic rules, but in
general outlines), like 'leaders' or 'warriors' or 'mystics'. The details
and blanks will be filled in later. Also in the questionnaire will be
questions about what kind of campaign they'd like to play (by way of genre;
basic setting, specops, criminal, horror, mystic, etc.), how the characters
relate to authorities, religion, crime, violence, magic, science, family,
social life, etc.
Then the characters can write a basic outline of the character's background
and set up a dialogue about how he will be developed into the character he
is at the outset of the campaign. Then the GM (yours truly,
muahahahahaha...) will design the character according to the rulebooks,
based on the information he's been given.

Then the GM designs a chain of events leading up to the situation of each
individual character at the outset of the first session, which I picture to
be a raging firefight, low on ammo. The players will be given their
character sheets, along with a background story and a short story about what
has happened in the last few hours, 20 minutes before the first session.
Then the game starts.

I know this sounds like I wanna be fancy and eager-beaver, plus it takes a
lot of work for the GM, but I thought it'd be a nice way to kick off a
campaign and have the players learn about their own characters from a
different angle.

Just my 2 cents.

Comments?

Benjamin (The god of bad puns and obscure movie quotes)
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Message no. 2
From: Phil Smith phil_urbanhell@*******.com
Subject: Campaign starters...
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 17:45:50 GMT
>From: "Benjamin Eriksen" <benjamin_eriksen@*******.com>
>The players fill out a questionnaire regarding what kind of character they
>want to play (not exactly archetypes, like in the basic rules, but in
>general outlines), like 'leaders' or 'warriors' or 'mystics'. The details
>and blanks will be filled in later. Also in the questionnaire will be
>questions about what kind of campaign they'd like to play (by way of genre;
>basic setting, specops, criminal, horror, mystic, etc.), how the characters
>relate to authorities, religion, crime, violence, magic, science, family,
>social life, etc.
>Then the characters can write a basic outline of the character's background
>and set up a dialogue about how he will be developed into the character he
>is at the outset of the campaign. Then the GM (yours truly,
>muahahahahaha...) will design the character according to the rulebooks,
>based on the information he's been given.

Sounds like a recomendation in the Storyteller system; the players describe
their characters to the storyteller who ignores the character creation
rules, writes up the characters as they see fit and ask the players if that
looks right. That way the storyteller can make sure the power level for his
or her game is right and the player still gets a lot of input.

Phil

Let us assume we have a can opener.
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Message no. 3
From: Strago strago@***.com
Subject: Campaign starters...
Date: Sat, 23 Sep 2000 00:01:42 -0400
Benjamin Eriksen wrote:

> Greetings and salutations to all!
>
> I nicked an idea from the Archive (Kudos to dumpshock archives for it) about
> starting a campaign in media res (in the middle of a firefight, i.e.) and
> started churnig it around in my head. I'll run my measly contribution by
> y'all so you'll (hopefully) give me any and all feedback you have on
> running a campaign this way...
>
> Here goes.
>
> The players fill out a questionnaire regarding what kind of character they
> want to play (not exactly archetypes, like in the basic rules, but in
> general outlines), like 'leaders' or 'warriors' or 'mystics'. The details
> and blanks will be filled in later. Also in the questionnaire will be
> questions about what kind of campaign they'd like to play (by way of genre;
> basic setting, specops, criminal, horror, mystic, etc.), how the characters
> relate to authorities, religion, crime, violence, magic, science, family,
> social life, etc.
> Then the characters can write a basic outline of the character's background
> and set up a dialogue about how he will be developed into the character he
> is at the outset of the campaign. Then the GM (yours truly,
> muahahahahaha...) will design the character according to the rulebooks,
> based on the information he's been given.
>
> Then the GM designs a chain of events leading up to the situation of each
> individual character at the outset of the first session, which I picture to
> be a raging firefight, low on ammo. The players will be given their
> character sheets, along with a background story and a short story about what
> has happened in the last few hours, 20 minutes before the first session.
> Then the game starts.
>
> I know this sounds like I wanna be fancy and eager-beaver, plus it takes a
> lot of work for the GM, but I thought it'd be a nice way to kick off a
> campaign and have the players learn about their own characters from a
> different angle.
>
> Just my 2 cents.
>

>
> Comments?
>

Here we go. Comments. Hmm. I've got a few. First and foremost, you've got a lot
of specialized customization (ie. contacts, and knowledge skills) which, IMO,
really help flesh out a character and which can lead somewhat to personality.
And those things really should come from the player, not the GM. Second, I like
to play MY character, not a designed one (the exception being the first time I
play a new system. Then I like a handy-dandy character which saves hours of
questions like "Now what do I do?" and wasting time making the character instead
of playing). Third, I like the <i> in medias res </i> idea a hell of a lot.
Though my players would probably bitch, especially since a few of them get pissy
if the char gets a hangnail...

>
> Benjamin (The god of bad puns and obscure movie quotes)
> _________________________________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
>
> Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at
> http://profiles.msn.com.




--
--Strago

All Hail Apathy! Or don't. Whatever. -abortion_engine

SRGC v0.2 !SR1 SR2+ SR3++ h b++ B- UB- IE+ RN+ SRFF W+ sa++ ma++ ad+ m+ (o++ d+)
gm+ M P
Message no. 4
From: Max Noel maxnoel_fr@*****.fr
Subject: Campaign starters...
Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2000 22:01:43 +0200
Mmh, that sounds like an excellent idea... Though it takes a lot of work for
the GM, as you said, I think it's a cool thing to do when you want to
introduce people to SR, like 'Just fill the form, give me 1 week and I get
you a ready-to play campaign'. Plus, it's also fun for experienced players,
since they'll begin the game in the middle of a fight and have to get used
real fast to chars they haven't 'made' themselves, which is especially hard
when they've played with 'their' chars for a lot of time.

I'll tell my GM about it ; he sure will like (he's a sadist :))

Max 'Wild_Cat' Noel


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Thwap!