Through the Veil LAS (Discussion Thread)
- Thread starter DaveChase
- Start date
Hi Dave,
Thanks for the episode! I just read it through. I genuinely liked it.
I liked the characters: their descriptions (brought them to life for me in terms of behavior, looks, etc), their differences (made sure each had unique reasons for existing and motivations for a little push-pull during the adventure), and their situations (they are far more than just "people you meet" and more like a team of patrons for getting the players into trouble) all seem to jive. I had no trouble telling the characters apart as I read the rest of the episode. May we have a story from John's perspective in each episode?
I like the Naddod and the Nimrod-class ships; she will definitely be a puzzling starship to operate, especially under tension. I am glad Naddod has a bunch of modules to complexificate things. The ship seems warm and comfortable to me, like a giant RV. (John could well be "that guy" driving his RV for some winter get-away, but not this time.) Not sure about the triple fresher in room 11 by the galley on deck 2. Can I get some partitions?
Marcos: I liked the way the prologue is laid out. Marcos is an easy pitch for referee to the PCs and some of John's personality definitely comes out in his offer. (Checked the continuity/rationale box for sure!) As for myself, I could see taking John and Amber up on their offer, but I'm not sure I could live up to John's expectations. I hope we see more of The Colonel (both in adventures and maybe in the form of the character overviews for John/Amber/Geoff etc).
New Chryse: I would probably come back for dinner, except for the Geoff thing getting in the way. As a player, I'd accept the Geoff situation as-is. "Oh heck, whaddid ya go and do now, Geoff?" As a referee, knowing Geoff's motivations would be important to playing this through. Given the introduction, I get the feeling it is a genuine mistake made by a guy trying to do the best thing for the team. Still, I wonder. On to Gamma Pavonis!
It was very easy to forget I was reading about an adventure in the Outer Veil setting and not CT/MGT. On one hand, that makes this adventure a little more setting-flexible up to this episode. On the other, more needs to be done to tie the LAS to the setting in future episodes. Perhaps just mentioning the setting sometimes in the text will cue the reader.
Additionally, consider increasing the line spacing a hair. The font is easy to read even at that size but the spacing makes me focus harder than I'd like to for as fun a ride as is Through the Veil, Episode 1.
Thanks for the episode! I just read it through. I genuinely liked it.
I liked the characters: their descriptions (brought them to life for me in terms of behavior, looks, etc), their differences (made sure each had unique reasons for existing and motivations for a little push-pull during the adventure), and their situations (they are far more than just "people you meet" and more like a team of patrons for getting the players into trouble) all seem to jive. I had no trouble telling the characters apart as I read the rest of the episode. May we have a story from John's perspective in each episode?
I like the Naddod and the Nimrod-class ships; she will definitely be a puzzling starship to operate, especially under tension. I am glad Naddod has a bunch of modules to complexificate things. The ship seems warm and comfortable to me, like a giant RV. (John could well be "that guy" driving his RV for some winter get-away, but not this time.) Not sure about the triple fresher in room 11 by the galley on deck 2. Can I get some partitions?
Marcos: I liked the way the prologue is laid out. Marcos is an easy pitch for referee to the PCs and some of John's personality definitely comes out in his offer. (Checked the continuity/rationale box for sure!) As for myself, I could see taking John and Amber up on their offer, but I'm not sure I could live up to John's expectations. I hope we see more of The Colonel (both in adventures and maybe in the form of the character overviews for John/Amber/Geoff etc).
New Chryse: I would probably come back for dinner, except for the Geoff thing getting in the way. As a player, I'd accept the Geoff situation as-is. "Oh heck, whaddid ya go and do now, Geoff?" As a referee, knowing Geoff's motivations would be important to playing this through. Given the introduction, I get the feeling it is a genuine mistake made by a guy trying to do the best thing for the team. Still, I wonder. On to Gamma Pavonis!
It was very easy to forget I was reading about an adventure in the Outer Veil setting and not CT/MGT. On one hand, that makes this adventure a little more setting-flexible up to this episode. On the other, more needs to be done to tie the LAS to the setting in future episodes. Perhaps just mentioning the setting sometimes in the text will cue the reader.
Additionally, consider increasing the line spacing a hair. The font is easy to read even at that size but the spacing makes me focus harder than I'd like to for as fun a ride as is Through the Veil, Episode 1.
Wow, we all thank you for that opening review statement.
John is the driving force behind the story arc but the actually story is about the journey with the players.
MJD and I have bounced some ideas back and forth about the central characters for part 2 of the trilogy so we will keep in mind maybe some back stories for them in the future.
I came up with the concept but the interior design, layout and drawings are all Ian Stead's work. Nothing wrong with many of the current Traveller ship designs, but this adventure needed a bit more flexibility for the future part of the series than was currently available without also turning into a big ship with lots of crew.I like the Naddod and the Nimrod-class ships; she will definitely be a puzzling starship to operate, especially under tension. I am glad Naddod has a bunch of modules to complexificate things. The ship seems warm and comfortable to me, like a giant RV. (John could well be "that guy" driving his RV for some winter get-away, but not this time.) Not sure about the triple fresher in room 11 by the galley on deck 2. Can I get some partitions?
MJD did a wonderful job of avoiding stereotypical, found everywhere characters.
I would like to tell you more about Geoff and what is going on up front but for this free, episode every two weeks, it could spoil the intrigue of the story.
Of course if this was just a purchase product (like it will be next year as a PoD) you as the GM could read the entire adventure and have a better idea of what the characters are like and why they are doing certain things.
It was a trade off on how I decided to present it. I am hoping that people will accept the slightly in the dark that as a GM you will be so that the story will be one that you desire to learn more about each episode.
Well thank Omer for the Setting, it is his work that this adventure is using.
It was chosen for several reasons;
More open and actual unexplored areas that are not 100's of light years away
TL 12 is the cutting edge of technology (we wanted the adventure and intrigue to run the game not the gadgets and SciFi magic)
and personally, a lot of us liked Omer's work and universe while still be Traveller (MgT) orientated.
The reason you do not see lots of OV references in the material is because I wanted this first part of the trilogy (being that it is free) to appeal to the largest SciFi crowd possible.
I did not want you to feel required to buy Traveller or other material to play this adventure.
I do want people to look at Traveller and experience Traveller and Outer Veil setting and hopefully they will like what they see and buy into it (physically and mentally) but I did not want to pressure people into that.
That said, the other two parts of the trilogy will be more heavily influenced by OV and MgT rules as the detail of those adventures rely directly on that setting. Part 2 will still be very usable with out much work on a GM's part to use in any other game mechanic, while part 3 will be directly OV setting politics and equipment.
Ok, thanks for the input, I will try and do that for you all in episode 2 and on. That is an easy fix that does not require me to pull out much expertise to accomplish.
Thank you for the praise, we all appreciate it.
But just a note, OV is Omer's and SPICA Publishing setting. The campaign is my concept and I am the taskmaster (think LotR with Orc's singing if there's a whip, there's a way) or more directly the producer of the campaign, but ...
If not for those other names besides mine, this would not be the exciting and intriguing adventure series that it is. I must really thank the talent and work of those others who made this possible.
And in the next 2 parts of the trilogy, I hope to add some more great talent to mix to keep it exciting and good.
Dave Chase
This was something of an interesting challenge. When Dave first approached me about writing it, there was a storyline but it was not tied to any particular setting. We decided on using the Outer Veil because if its many possibilities, and I'm glad we did. Some of the later episodes were kinda self-written, ie by the time I'd done a world writeup I knew what would be happening there.
Wow, we all thank you for that opening review statement.
John is the driving force behind the story arc but the actually story is about the journey with the players.
MJD and I have bounced some ideas back and forth about the central characters for part 2 of the trilogy so we will keep in mind maybe some back stories for them in the future.
You are all welcome, and thanks!
This is completely acceptable! ;-)
Well thanks, Ian, Omer, Dave, and MJD!
It's great fun. Maybe I can run it some day.
Dave,
Thanks for the 2nd episode! It was again another fun read with lots of snickering. I enjoyed the lead-ins with the government style and the Geeper descriptions, and of course they wound up being the best part of the one-two punch that awaits delivery. I can definitely imagine John giving the characters the business when they are in the wild!
I wonder if my players wouldn't send their characters after Essen. It wouldn't be hard to connect the dots from crates to... repercussions. John probably would stop them. Maybe they would concede the point for a while and possibly come back on another leg, without John.
It's still a fun time, I can't wait for the 30th!
G
Thanks for the 2nd episode! It was again another fun read with lots of snickering. I enjoyed the lead-ins with the government style and the Geeper descriptions, and of course they wound up being the best part of the one-two punch that awaits delivery. I can definitely imagine John giving the characters the business when they are in the wild!
I wonder if my players wouldn't send their characters after Essen. It wouldn't be hard to connect the dots from crates to... repercussions. John probably would stop them. Maybe they would concede the point for a while and possibly come back on another leg, without John.
It's still a fun time, I can't wait for the 30th!
G
I just read Episode 2:
THAT WAS AMAZING!
I mean, wow.
Adventure, violence, danger ...
... opportunities for even the most gun-crazy, psychopathic group of adventurers to let off all the steam they might ever want to
... opportunities for the most thoughtful group to avoid most of the worst of the trouble
And none of it seemed like a railroad or contrived.
I loved it!
John Wayne would approve.
THAT WAS AMAZING!
I mean, wow.
Adventure, violence, danger ...
... opportunities for even the most gun-crazy, psychopathic group of adventurers to let off all the steam they might ever want to
... opportunities for the most thoughtful group to avoid most of the worst of the trouble
And none of it seemed like a railroad or contrived.
I loved it!
John Wayne would approve.
Interesting.
An 'all is not as it seems' adventure.
... and a moral choice.
... and an 'emotional drama' sub-plot
... and lots of hints
Overall, a great 'thinking man's adventure' and a chance to be a Big Damn Hero.
I like it, but a more 'shoot them up' group might find it a little slow.
... although a group making all-the-wrong-moves could find enough 'action' to turn anyone pale (nothing like going to war with the marines to get your blood flowing
).Nice reviews
Not every episode (adventure) is a copy of the last nor are they all the same in what the intrigue is.
What I wanted, and MJD delivered, was a long season story arc that each week (adventure) could be on it's own yet, add to the over all growth of the story and the characters (PC's)
The Idea of this LAS part 1 of the Trilogy is to allow new players and a new GM to grow together in gaming.
We (all that were involved) are glad you like it so far.
Not every episode (adventure) is a copy of the last nor are they all the same in what the intrigue is.
What I wanted, and MJD delivered, was a long season story arc that each week (adventure) could be on it's own yet, add to the over all growth of the story and the characters (PC's)
The Idea of this LAS part 1 of the Trilogy is to allow new players and a new GM to grow together in gaming.
We (all that were involved) are glad you like it so far.
I like how the situation in the crew evolves as the campaign moves forward. Amber's personality becomes a little clearer and I could use her background in other places, too. Thus, I think the adventures on this planet really round out the crew!
If Gamma Pavonis was for the fighting spirits, Avanim is definitely one for the heartstrings. The player/ character decisions to be made in episode 3 are gutwrenching (awww, relationships). Frosty receptions and stuck& damaged ATVs mean people have to feel their way around this one. I think I would enjoy either playing or running this adventure.
That picture is also good blackmail material.
If Gamma Pavonis was for the fighting spirits, Avanim is definitely one for the heartstrings. The player/ character decisions to be made in episode 3 are gutwrenching (awww, relationships). Frosty receptions and stuck& damaged ATVs mean people have to feel their way around this one. I think I would enjoy either playing or running this adventure.
That picture is also good blackmail material.
Avenger Enterprises
SOC-11
Folks might like to take Through the Veil as an ad for some of my other stuff - most of which was published through Avenger. We have fiction, adventures, sourcebooks and whatnot. And I could use the money, so that's a match made in heaven.
