GM's, "color", and other (very) cool ideas...

[Supplement Four]

I'll start this thread, and we'll see if it flies.

I thought that starting a thread that highlights some neat "color" ideas for a game might be a good idea. GMs could peruse the thread, cherry picking ideas to implement (or even develop) in their games.

I'm not talking about long adventure seeds here--just one-liners (or a little more), throwing and idea here or there that would be neat in spicing up a Traveller game.

I wrote something earlier tonight that might qualify--

Heck, if a ship takes the time, I don't even see why something like what the Hubble telescope picks up (other galaxies and other star systems), but you definitely couldn't do this in a 1000 second combat round.

Still, if a PC ship took a few days, pointing its sensors in the right direction, this could be an ingenious way for a GM to start off an adventure...

"During your 3 day journey to the system's gas giant, the Navigator used the time to collect update data for the Generate program. This has to be done from time to time. For the entire three days, the ship's extreme range sensors were pointed in the direction of this star system...and he picked up something strange...take a look at this dark speck here..."'

But, I won't cheat and use that one to start off the thread.

How about this--

The ship's inertial dampener is directed by the ship's computer in response to inertial forces as the vessel moves.

And, as a ship enters a system (usually TL 8 or above), typically it can tune into comm directories directing listeners to frequencies for traffic control, local news, maybe even market prices, passage reservations, entertainment (after that long boring week in jump), and noting reserved frequencies like those for the Navy or the Scouts.

What would happen if a virus was downloaded? Not one that would cripple the ship...just a little something that a GM could add color to his game.

I'm thinking a virus that bogs the local CPU that controls the ship's dampener. Game effect is that the ship is in for a rough ride (the dampener still works--it's just sluggish) and characters have to strap-in as the ship makes maneuvers.

This dampening problem comes and goes, sometimes knocking characters off their feet, into bulkheads.

That's my thought, to get this thread started.

If you've got a cool idea that can be lifted and placed into a game, let's hear it.

 

[Supplement Four]

I'll start this thread, and we'll see if it flies.

I thought that starting a thread that highlights some neat "color" ideas for a game might be a good idea. GMs could peruse the thread, cherry picking ideas to implement (or even develop) in their games.

I'm not talking about long adventure seeds here--just one-liners (or a little more), throwing and idea here or there that would be neat in spicing up a Traveller game.

I wrote something earlier tonight that might qualify--

Heck, if a ship takes the time, I don't even see why something like what the Hubble telescope picks up (other galaxies and other star systems), but you definitely couldn't do this in a 1000 second combat round.

Still, if a PC ship took a few days, pointing its sensors in the right direction, this could be an ingenious way for a GM to start off an adventure...

"During your 3 day journey to the system's gas giant, the Navigator used the time to collect update data for the Generate program. This has to be done from time to time. For the entire three days, the ship's extreme range sensors were pointed in the direction of this star system...and he picked up something strange...take a look at this dark speck here..."'

But, I won't cheat and use that one to start off the thread.

How about this--

The ship's inertial dampener is directed by the ship's computer in response to inertial forces as the vessel moves.

And, as a ship enters a system (usually TL 8 or above), typically it can tune into comm directories directing listeners to frequencies for traffic control, local news, maybe even market prices, passage reservations, entertainment (after that long boring week in jump), and noting reserved frequencies like those for the Navy or the Scouts.

What would happen if a virus was downloaded? Not one that would cripple the ship...just a little something that a GM could add color to his game.

I'm thinking a virus that bogs the local CPU that controls the ship's dampener. Game effect is that the ship is in for a rough ride (the dampener still works--it's just sluggish) and characters have to strap-in as the ship makes maneuvers.

This dampening problem comes and goes, sometimes knocking characters off their feet, into bulkheads.

That's my thought, to get this thread started.

If you've got a cool idea that can be lifted and placed into a game, let's hear it.

 

[Klaus]

The femme fatale is a winner everytime. The players will always fall for that ol' ruse, even ones who have before. Must be wired in somehow.

Often useful for getting the pc's embroiled with the mob or freeing them of their valuables....

 

[Klaus]

The femme fatale is a winner everytime. The players will always fall for that ol' ruse, even ones who have before. Must be wired in somehow.

Often useful for getting the pc's embroiled with the mob or freeing them of their valuables....

 

[kafka47]

Taking up Klaus' idea of femme fatale.

She was trouble as soon as she approached the characters' tables. They knew it. She knew that they knew it. But, they were caught between a rock and hard place. It was either this job or they would be forced to sell the ship and go their separate ways.

"Well, Boys, I have an offer, you just can't refuse. You don't want to disappoint me. I hear you are the best troubleshooters in the Sector" she said in saultry sexy voice leaning over on their table.

 

[kafka47]

Taking up Klaus' idea of femme fatale.

She was trouble as soon as she approached the characters' tables. They knew it. She knew that they knew it. But, they were caught between a rock and hard place. It was either this job or they would be forced to sell the ship and go their separate ways.

"Well, Boys, I have an offer, you just can't refuse. You don't want to disappoint me. I hear you are the best troubleshooters in the Sector" she said in saultry sexy voice leaning over on their table.

 

[aramis]

One of my personal favorites is the "out-of-whack" jump drive; no major mishaps, but timeflow in jump is always off from reference time... Roll twice, 1st is perceived time aboard, 2nd is reference time... makes for little direct effect on play, but it really messes up player's minds.

 

[aramis]

One of my personal favorites is the "out-of-whack" jump drive; no major mishaps, but timeflow in jump is always off from reference time... Roll twice, 1st is perceived time aboard, 2nd is reference time... makes for little direct effect on play, but it really messes up player's minds.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

"One of my personal favorites is the "out-of-whack" jump drive..." -- Aramis.

That's SOP IMTU!

A few comments tossed out at my players:

"Oh? Your ship is the Rising Wind? I hope you have your papers in order! No... no reason..."

"Isn't that (insert crewmate's name)? Watch your back, friend..."

"I got a message for you from (insert name of recent patron). It says 'The sparrow's nest is woven with the maiden's hair.' No, I have no idea what it means. Spare a few credits?"

And the ubiqitous "Have You Seen Me?" picture featuring an exact likeness of one of the PCs. Always good for a few laughs.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

"One of my personal favorites is the "out-of-whack" jump drive..." -- Aramis.

That's SOP IMTU!

A few comments tossed out at my players:

"Oh? Your ship is the Rising Wind? I hope you have your papers in order! No... no reason..."

"Isn't that (insert crewmate's name)? Watch your back, friend..."

"I got a message for you from (insert name of recent patron). It says 'The sparrow's nest is woven with the maiden's hair.' No, I have no idea what it means. Spare a few credits?"

And the ubiqitous "Have You Seen Me?" picture featuring an exact likeness of one of the PCs. Always good for a few laughs.

 

[Theo D Lite]

One of the players meets a stranger from a local system that the player has never been to. The stranger introduces himself and thanks the player for helping his sister out of a spot of local bother. Before too much conversation can ensue the stranger buys the player a drink and leaves to catch his ship/plane/boat/whatever.

A couple of jumps later the players find themselves in the strangers home system. . . .

Sounds great but I have no idea what to do next!

 

[Theo D Lite]

One of the players meets a stranger from a local system that the player has never been to. The stranger introduces himself and thanks the player for helping his sister out of a spot of local bother. Before too much conversation can ensue the stranger buys the player a drink and leaves to catch his ship/plane/boat/whatever.

A couple of jumps later the players find themselves in the strangers home system. . . .

Sounds great but I have no idea what to do next!

 

[Klaus]

A variation of the femme fatale (or not if they're male)... the old-flame.

Could be in distress, working for the enemy, hunting them down, looking for money, etc etc.

works well with old comrades too. Always good to make it personal....

 

[Klaus]

A variation of the femme fatale (or not if they're male)... the old-flame.

Could be in distress, working for the enemy, hunting them down, looking for money, etc etc.

works well with old comrades too. Always good to make it personal....

 

[Plankowner]

Kids.

Players are walking down the steet and see a kid snatched right in front of them. Maybe they pursue immediately, maybe they don't. Later, the parents come the PCs to rescue the kid because the local cops can't/won't do it. WHY the kid was snatched is your call, but I used that the mother was a local SPA inspector working IN-SYSTEM shipping inspections. Sent the players on a chase to the outer system where a secondary smuggling ring was bypassing the local starport by shipping the items through the little outpost. Of course when the players arrived the little snot-nosed brat had escaped and was raising havoc with the entire settlement. The kidnappers were almost willing to HELP the players get the kid out of there (almost).

By having the crime committed right in front of the players, it draws them in and makes them the good guys...

 

[Plankowner]

Kids.

Players are walking down the steet and see a kid snatched right in front of them. Maybe they pursue immediately, maybe they don't. Later, the parents come the PCs to rescue the kid because the local cops can't/won't do it. WHY the kid was snatched is your call, but I used that the mother was a local SPA inspector working IN-SYSTEM shipping inspections. Sent the players on a chase to the outer system where a secondary smuggling ring was bypassing the local starport by shipping the items through the little outpost. Of course when the players arrived the little snot-nosed brat had escaped and was raising havoc with the entire settlement. The kidnappers were almost willing to HELP the players get the kid out of there (almost).

By having the crime committed right in front of the players, it draws them in and makes them the good guys...

 

[Supplement Four]

How about this...

Biological wastes, table scraps, and similar refuse are stored in a tank aboard ship, and the stuff in this tank is broken down by means of a combined aerobic and pyrolyitic process. The waste is rapidly decomposed in a chamber which contains a reduced oxygen atmosphere and microorganisms which have been specifically tailoered to survive only within the confines of the recycling system.

The refuse breaks down quicly into gases which are stored until used in various ways (sometimes even replenishment of the ship's atmosphere) and other liquids which are chemically isolated and stored for later use.


....What if the steward bought "the cheap powder" because "they were out of the regular stuff we use to degrade the refuse", but nobody puts that small, often looked over detail together with the fact that everyone on the ship seems to be getting sick. At first, the medic thought it was jump sickness, but now he thinks its something airborne.


....What if that load of Groat picked up at the last stop left the ship with a lot of droppings that, for some reason, are resistant to the microorganisim used to break down fecal matter in the tank?

....What if you've got a Vargr (or worse, a K'kree) aboard and one of these types of things start happening?

It just seems that you could make "loads" of stuff (pardon the pun) out of this idea.

 

[Supplement Four]

How about this...

Biological wastes, table scraps, and similar refuse are stored in a tank aboard ship, and the stuff in this tank is broken down by means of a combined aerobic and pyrolyitic process. The waste is rapidly decomposed in a chamber which contains a reduced oxygen atmosphere and microorganisms which have been specifically tailoered to survive only within the confines of the recycling system.

The refuse breaks down quicly into gases which are stored until used in various ways (sometimes even replenishment of the ship's atmosphere) and other liquids which are chemically isolated and stored for later use.


....What if the steward bought "the cheap powder" because "they were out of the regular stuff we use to degrade the refuse", but nobody puts that small, often looked over detail together with the fact that everyone on the ship seems to be getting sick. At first, the medic thought it was jump sickness, but now he thinks its something airborne.


....What if that load of Groat picked up at the last stop left the ship with a lot of droppings that, for some reason, are resistant to the microorganisim used to break down fecal matter in the tank?

....What if you've got a Vargr (or worse, a K'kree) aboard and one of these types of things start happening?

It just seems that you could make "loads" of stuff (pardon the pun) out of this idea.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Originally posted by Plankowner:
By having the crime committed right in front of the players, it draws them in and makes them the good guys...

And, that is so important. Whether it's true or not is somewhat irrelevant, so long as the players think their characters are on the side of right and good. Then you can spring the wanted posters on them next time they are in that system....

 

[Fritz_Brown]

Originally posted by Plankowner:
By having the crime committed right in front of the players, it draws them in and makes them the good guys...

And, that is so important. Whether it's true or not is somewhat irrelevant, so long as the players think their characters are on the side of right and good. Then you can spring the wanted posters on them next time they are in that system....