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Films, books and plays into adventures

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notagoodusername

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During a chat on the Lonestar tonight, we got into the topic of converting (or plagurising as it is commonly known) sources for adventures. I thought it might be interesting to see what ideas folks come up with.

An easy one at first: Romeo and Juliet. How would you make this work in Traveller? How would you involve the PCs? Where would it take place, and who are the star-crossed lovers?

An idea: Set during the end Solomani Rim War, children of noble houses on either side of the border and conflict meet at a diplomatic party trying to promote peace talks, and fall in love. The war ends, but the rivalry continues. A brawl over the romance leaves our hero killing the Tibalt-equivalent and being banished/imprisoned. And so on.

Shane
 
Gee, this is a fun topic. Got a couple of ideas.

First, a Kelly's Heros type of scenario during the Rim War. Some unemployed mercenaries feeling left out of the action or while on leave stage a theft behind enemy lines on a backwater world. On this world are another group of mercs protecting some thing valuble, refined lanthanum or such.

Second idea is the PC ship has broken down on some backwater, low law level, low population world. While awaiting parts they and their NPC passengers (or vice versa) have to sleep a few nights in the Bates Motel (no, not the Leslie Bates Motel, the other one). Of course the NPC's start to die off. How long before Norman Bates starts to kill the PC's. Can they find a way out? Do they start to lose trust in each other?

Ok, pretty lame, I admit it.
 
The problem with stealing someone else's script is that eventually one of the players mayfigure out what your source material is (no matter how obscure).

That said, I've run such adventures as "The Starport on Kwai Asteroid" and "The Seven Imperial Mercenaries" quite successfully
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I do this quite a bit. Sometimes I reverse the situation, turning sci-fi into non sci-fi. For example, I did a wild west game once where the PC's were federal marshals sent into the Public Land Strip (part of indian territory) to stop a feud between two factions. One faction (cattle men) was trying to cut off a farming community so they could use their land for cattle. The cattlemen end up hiring a deadly gunslinger to try and take out the marshals, so their plan can go unhindered. Recognise it?

Try Star Wars: Episode I
The marshals are the Jedi Knights, the farmers are the Naboo, the cattle men are the Trade Federation, and the gunlinger is Darth Maul.

Another example I started planning but never finished.. A Fistful of Dollars in Traveller
In this one, the Baxters and Rojo's are two feuding mining companies fighting over a rich asteroid field. The PC's of course, are the Man with No Name.
 
A Zhodani or Solomani Ship has drive failure while looking at a backwater Imperial World and they send a shore party out for parts. (The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming) A Private, who's one claim to fame is breaking out of the Stockade, is promoted to Major General and sent behind enemy lines to be captured so he can break out 5 Brigadier Generals from a Fancy pleasure planet/palace converted to a POW camp. (The Secret War of Harry Frigg.) then there is always the typical con game to relieve some bad guy from all sorts of credits based on delay of information in Sports gambling. (The Sting) But that one has probably been done to death. The PCs get involved in a rescue mission when one planet tries to kidnap the Ruler's daughter of planet 2 to snag valuable and vital resources. (Space Balls)
 
Hello.
High Noon - While their ship is in having the yearly maintanance done a standover merchant puts the heavy on the ship yard owner, who cant pay and asks for their help.
He is killed leaving his daughter the yard.

Treasure Island - You know the plot.

The Eagle has Landed - A group of mercenaries are sent to kidnap someone but nothing goes right.

Bye.
 
A group of terrorists destroys a major Imperial vessel, in the process of securing a system (perhaps a Voroshilev class DN as it is about the right model). They attack imperial installations in a variety of locations, under the nebulous guise of some sort of freedom fighting. They never really show how *they* would run things and run a constant propaganda campaign against lawful authorities. Some of the lower-downs in the lawful authorities get frustrated and react in a less than restrained manner, further inflaming the situation.

The PCs (bounty hunters) are inserted with the job of hunting down and detaining one of the most notorious of the terrorists, known to fly a saucer shaped free trader with an amazing jump engine. They are to take him alive (stowing him in a special metalform low berth) and bring him back for Imperial justice.
 
A Trav version of Colossus: The Forbin Project would be pretty cool... hmm...

There's always ZULU!

or maybe The Wind and The Lion...

Just don't ask about my version of "Runaway Train" and my all-Hiver version "Roadhouse", those are best forgotten...
 
For Hunters, or even just a PC group, reprising the Ghost and the Darkness would work, just replace 'Lion' with 'Nasty Alien Beastie'.

Also, Outbreak, perhaps with the PCs stuck inside the 'quarantine' zone and trying to get out.

Another interesting one for a solo or small group Merc contract would be the reprise of the movie "The Substitute".
 
Some resources I've liberally cannabalized:

My "Bladerunner" - the team has to track down some run away, genetically enhanced clones before they make it off planet and expose the company's secrets

My "Time Machine" - a mining expedition has accidently uncovered a cannabalistic troglodyte race on a world only now recovering from global thermo-nuclear war

My "Island of Dr. Moreau" - a brilliant scientist, held captive by an evil genius, manages to get a plea for help to a patron; the team has to get him out before they fall prey to the experiments

My "Hunt for Red October" - a prototype stealth warship is highjacked by the design crew; they know it will tip the balance to far to one side and lead to interstellar war; unfortunately, they only get so far and realize that they need help to get it out of Sol/Imp/Zho space, so they are looking for ex-mil types who might lend a hand

My "Die Hard" - the crew are visiting a wealthy industrialist patron in his penthouse apartment; a group of extremist, upset over global warming/pollution/trade practices assault the building to assassinate the patron; the leader is really after important documents in the patron's offices

It's tough to let a good plot nugget go by without messing with it a little.
 
I spent a few hours in a book shop reading the back covers of books today waiting for my wife to finish her shopping spree around town. Maybe ideas can be gleaned by just reading the backsheets and developing from there. That way (literate) players think they know whats coming, but thats because they read the novel and not just the back sheet.
 
Magnum had a lot of adventure that tended to stay arround one port-honolulu. It had the contrast between the seemy parts of town "startown" and the better. It also had the stuff about semi-permanent alliances with different "conections".
 
Hey everyone
Been forever away from the forums but it feels good to be back


Outland is a good one...has a great Traveller look to begin with. The characters could be miners caught up in the plot, or extra security hired on by the Marshall.

Pitch Black is a ready made adventure.

Any episode from Firefly, of course


Some of the old (1960s) Jonny Quest cartoons have good potential. There's even one where they're using gamer dialogue... "Ok, we're stranded on a deserted ship in the middle of nowhere with a monster running lose and a hold full of mysterious cargo. What do we do?"
 
Outland!!!! Great call, how could I have forgotten Outland? Thanks Mr. Labs. Of course, any one of the Alien movies, or the first Predator would be cool. How about Mutiny of the Bounty or the Caine Mutiny?
Pappy
 
I have to recommend the following books by Elizabeth Moon. Very strong CT feel to them. Little needs to be changed when using in game.

THE SERRANO LEGACY:
Hunting Party
Sporting Chance
Winning Colors
Once a Hero
Rules of Engagement
Change of Command
Against the Odds
 
Here are a few more books to add to the List

"In Conquest Born" by C.S. Friedman
Can be ported over to traveller will little fuss.

The Gap Series; :D (my personnel favourite)
"The Real Story",
"Forbidden Knowledge",
"A Dark and Hungry God Arises",
"Chaos and Order", and
"This Day All Gods Die" by Stephen R. Donaldson
A bit more work to use in Traveller, but would be worth the effort. Would also work very well in 2300AD.

The Mageworlds;
"Price of the Stars",
"Starpilot's Grave",
"By Honor Betray'd",
"The Gathering Flame",
"The Long Hunt", and
"The Stars Asunder" by Debra Doyle & James D. MacDonald.
With some work would be a great alternate to the area around Zho space. Plus it gives a nice twist on pirates.
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