Photojournalists in Amber and Red Zones

[redwalker]

I've been glancing through the work of David Axe and one comic in particular had a real "Traveller" feel for me:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/david_axe/480775691/sizes/o/in/set-72157601130609700/

If my players found this kind of thing interesting, I would try to build a campaign around this kind of thing.

The planet is full of weird little places that are interesting and exotic and totally unlike any kind of Hollywood movie.

In practice, my games tend to regress to the lowest common denominator -- they resemble the latest video games, the familiar TV stereotypes, the action movie cliches.

However, I think the real challenge is to come up with ideas that are fresh and exotic. Referees have a heavier burden than players, but even players should advance the process with suggestions and good role-playing.

Anyway, there's my free campaign seed of the day: have the player characters hire out as a journalism team in an Amber Zone resembling modern-day East Timor.

Edit:
The real challenge is to make player characters who aren't combat monsters or just star jockeys. Players who can enjoy role-playing things like bribery, fixers, and language barriers -- there's the challenge.

Actually, this scenario probably fits 2300 better than Classic Traveller.

 

[casquilho]

I have always thought there was a great opportunity to play reporters in Traveller. I could see a whole structure around the investigative reporter etc.

I think you should flush out this idea more. You will find a lot of various plots that would work in this kind of enviroment.

Daniel

 

[redwalker]

Okay, to throw out a few more ideas ...

it's a good fit for the 2300 universe, with Earth politics and language barriers.

Language skills and cultural savvy are the major conflicts.

Characters are highly motivated by small details that aren't covered in the rules -- e.g. fresh-tasting filtered water versus over-chlorinated water versus unsafe-to-drink water.

Characters resemble Jack Vance heroes in that they all have a lot of artistic talent and emotional sensitivity.

 

[redwalker]

Background: The local society is tearing itself apart because old traditions and social structures have been uprooted by megacorps who intentionally keep the population illiterate and addicted to drugs, games, and unhealthy amusements. As a result, the local children all have personal gaming systems, but they can barely read.

NPC1: A foreign anarchist hacker, with Computer-4 and Instruction-3, has figured out how to turn the local gaming systems into wireless hacking stations. However, he needs help getting past the language barrier, because he's used to teaching literate students.

 

[heyduard]

very nice seed/starter. We could do another aspect of photogs in spaaace. Bug hunt a la photo safari. A red zone or amber zone could be a "hands-off" preserve. the pc's are sent in to support a scientific survey of the botany/zoology to investigate an endangered species and run into poachers gathering said species for collectors, aphrodisiacs, etc.

Or a documentary crew filming something that a megacorp or the imps don't want public.

BTW, a very clever way to distribute a webcomic.

 

[Fritz_Brown]

heyduard, sounds a bit like one of the adventures in Volume 1 of Lee's Guide to Interstellar Adventure. Beautiful planet, unoccupied, players go for some easy task, and find an Ultimate Hunt going on (which, of course, now involves them).

 

[Maladominus]

One of the old GDW Challenge Magazine issues has the "Journalist" career and its character generation. For Classic Traveller 'Advanced' (High Guard-ish Type CharGen, not Book 1 Type CharGen).

In my current Terra Incognita GRIP-based online campaign, this is one of the "alternative" careers that I allow for my players. If you use CT, I highly recommend that you obtain this issue just to have that article "Journalism and the Stars".

Then again, I also have many of the other "alternative" careers that came from sundry issues of JTAS or Challenge or White Dwarf ..... including many tantalizing ones such as the Interstellar Athlete (a very very fun career to roleplay, for obvious reasons). An Imperial Interstellar Athlete might not muster out with a Scout Ship.... but he has a good chance mustering out with a Grav Bike (i.e. as a "gift from corporate sponsors").


P.S. --- Isn't FarFuture already selling a CD-ROM of *all* the JTAS and JTAS/Challenge issues nowadays?

 

[BlackBat242]

The Journalist career I have is from The Traveller's Digest, volume 1 - number 2, page 39-42.

 

[Maladominus]

The Journalist career I have is from The Traveller's Digest, volume 1 - number 2, page 39-42.

Aye, that must be the DGP version. I remember seeing that one too, tho I'm kinda partial to the Challenge (GDW) version. Regardless of how they are rolled up, I do agree that a star-hopping Journalist is a wonderful roleplay opportunity.

Being a wanderlust journalist is one of the things I always wanted to play, IF I ever got the chance to be a Player (rather than always the GM). Well, that and the opportunity to play a SolSec Colonel with a penchant for interrogation, torture and copious waterboarding.