what makes an adventure interesting?
- Thread starter flykiller
- Start date
There are lots of game group types. The local F2F group here is more "let's laugh and screw things up. Ha ha...you lost your ship." I don't game with them. My preference is achievements; make a goal and go after it. Stories are based on conflict, things happen and the characters have to deal with them. The types of things happening affect the flavor of the story. If the ship gets attacked then it's an action story. If people take off their clothes and romp around, it's a different type of story.
In atpollard's game I started playing a Marine 'cause that was what was available. Because I knew the PC had been born in low circumstance the appearance of a bunch of needy people gave him something big to do.
Lucky's role on the Cindy Lu, may wind up ensuring the engineering crew is the best in the scout fleet. If they are going all sorts of strange places then there will be lots of reasons for the PCs and NPCs to be challenged. Having the option of interpersonal conflict, while it may or may not be crucial to the story, adds even more depth.
In atpollard's game I started playing a Marine 'cause that was what was available. Because I knew the PC had been born in low circumstance the appearance of a bunch of needy people gave him something big to do.
Lucky's role on the Cindy Lu, may wind up ensuring the engineering crew is the best in the scout fleet. If they are going all sorts of strange places then there will be lots of reasons for the PCs and NPCs to be challenged. Having the option of interpersonal conflict, while it may or may not be crucial to the story, adds even more depth.
Sometimes a buxom barmaid with a thick Swedish accent will catch my attention.
I like stories.
Interesting people interacting with other interesting people in interesting locations.
How about turning it around.
What makes an adventure interesting to YOU?
I like ones that pretty much don't stop, there's always something going wrong. The PCs simply have no chance to rest.
A simple example, on one I was in at a convention millennia ago.
We were basically a body guard detail.
At one point, was had made a water crossing, and needed to get the Client (for lack of a better word) in to a car so they could get to their speech.
Mind, the crossing itself was not uneventful.
But we arrive at the dock, and there's crowds of people and protesters everywhere, etc.
We work our way down, push aside the people, get him in to the car, close the door, there's a large THUMP on the back glass and some boxy thing stuck to the window, we're opening the doors, clamoring out, running away, etc.
Just no time to breathe.
go go go
A simple example, on one I was in at a convention millennia ago.
We were basically a body guard detail.
At one point, was had made a water crossing, and needed to get the Client (for lack of a better word) in to a car so they could get to their speech.
Mind, the crossing itself was not uneventful.
But we arrive at the dock, and there's crowds of people and protesters everywhere, etc.
We work our way down, push aside the people, get him in to the car, close the door, there's a large THUMP on the back glass and some boxy thing stuck to the window, we're opening the doors, clamoring out, running away, etc.
Just no time to breathe.
go go go
Pacing.
No really, that's my answer. Proper pacing is an inordinate percentage of the "fun" quotient. Part of that is based on what the players want of course.
And you can't really write pacing into an adventure. It's something the referee does.
Your other question:
Can only have one true answer: because he loves Traveller.
First of all, an engaging story. I'm not saying that as Referee, you're providing a story, but you should provide the grist for the mill so the players can create their own story. A good story has interesting characters with understandable motivations, a conflict the characters care about, and a satisfying conclusion.
Second, challenges for each character. A good adventure provides different kinds of conflicts and challenges so that everyone gets a chance to shine. For Traveller, you'll probably want these kinds of challenges:
Last, press the science-fiction buttons. Try to include some aspects of the kind of SF you enjoy: weird planets or xeno-cultures, future technology, starship tactics, social science fiction, cyberpunk ideas, or whatever.
Second, challenges for each character. A good adventure provides different kinds of conflicts and challenges so that everyone gets a chance to shine. For Traveller, you'll probably want these kinds of challenges:
- combat (both shooty and HTH)
- sneaking around, streetwise
- ship stuff
- trade, bureaucracy
- social manipulation, carousing
- mechanical, fixing things, bypassing things, hacking
Last, press the science-fiction buttons. Try to include some aspects of the kind of SF you enjoy: weird planets or xeno-cultures, future technology, starship tactics, social science fiction, cyberpunk ideas, or whatever.
I like telling stories and Traveller lets me do that without needing the patience to write a novel, plus I like the immediate feedback from the players.
Impact for the players, the chance to make a difference. Our group doesn't go out of its way to mess things up but they're challenging to keep up with, sometimes my big plans get scuttled.
All that and beer and pizza.
Impact for the players, the chance to make a difference. Our group doesn't go out of its way to mess things up but they're challenging to keep up with, sometimes my big plans get scuttled.
All that and beer and pizza.
The pacing of the entire evening. The way you segue from one scene to the next. The pacing of each scene: long enough to get the most out of it, minimizing the times when things drag. A referee sometimes has to learn these with each group.
Why does someone love Traveller?
Why do I love Traveller?
I can't answer either of those. They just are.
normally it is the interplay between characters and story.
but
ATM its anything by my mid week group, since my Friday night GM has a 80's, Broken society, Nazi, Horror, Hellenic & Star Trek fixation.
ATM in a non Trav game he has had a near total convergence of his "Things" we are on a pseudo 80's world where society failed a long time ago, we are infiltrating a NAZI cult who time traveling aliens have given bio-engineering to turn them in to werewolves (it was going to be vampires till I called him on it), in the Trek Verse (that we didn't know till Star Fleet recruited us from the natives). the individual elements have gotten old long ago and the Hot-Pot being served up now is clearly leftovers from a half dozen failed campaigns from the past year.
my mid-week Trav game looks more promising, new (hopefully regular) game starting tonight has a out of work Merchant Commando, A Bow Hunter, a Discredited Psionics Researcher and a former Marine Supply Sargent. we are trapped on a off main back water because of Varg Corsairs have cut off un-escorted Civilian shipping, till things are cleared up normal J2 tickets goes for 15-30K, that's if you can find one, Passage Scalpers are asking upwards of 50K. their are around 5000 off-worlders currently trapped who's Cash & Expense accounts almost tapped out with nothing to do and a few hundred locals needing to travel for business. PC's can all afford a Middle Passage if they are first in line when the blockade runners land, some of us can afford the scalpers, but it will cost them their life savings.
but
ATM its anything by my mid week group, since my Friday night GM has a 80's, Broken society, Nazi, Horror, Hellenic & Star Trek fixation.
ATM in a non Trav game he has had a near total convergence of his "Things" we are on a pseudo 80's world where society failed a long time ago, we are infiltrating a NAZI cult who time traveling aliens have given bio-engineering to turn them in to werewolves (it was going to be vampires till I called him on it), in the Trek Verse (that we didn't know till Star Fleet recruited us from the natives). the individual elements have gotten old long ago and the Hot-Pot being served up now is clearly leftovers from a half dozen failed campaigns from the past year.
my mid-week Trav game looks more promising, new (hopefully regular) game starting tonight has a out of work Merchant Commando, A Bow Hunter, a Discredited Psionics Researcher and a former Marine Supply Sargent. we are trapped on a off main back water because of Varg Corsairs have cut off un-escorted Civilian shipping, till things are cleared up normal J2 tickets goes for 15-30K, that's if you can find one, Passage Scalpers are asking upwards of 50K. their are around 5000 off-worlders currently trapped who's Cash & Expense accounts almost tapped out with nothing to do and a few hundred locals needing to travel for business. PC's can all afford a Middle Passage if they are first in line when the blockade runners land, some of us can afford the scalpers, but it will cost them their life savings.
Good question, my gut reaction was of COURSE the story matters! I certainly like creating them, but it's not really that. It's the shared experience that makes the game something worth playing. I know some people like to build the gear and play "at" Traveller but for us it's a remarkably social thing to do that gets us out of the house and lets us run around and behave in ways we couldn't IRL.
I have another friend who can't stand playing a character in Traveller or any other RPG, but he likes stories so we get together and hammer out the background the others will play against. He's playing Traveller too, but in a totally different way.
What we're all really doing is hanging out. For my group, Traveller is us, the people.
Better than a commando merchant.
Got put in the Pursers department, got Gunnery for basic, then went to security school bounced around for a bit picked up some more Brawling, Blade Combat, Streetwise, back to Security School, Gambling, Carousing and mustered out as a Merchant (O1) Combat Monster, not a "Merchant" type skill to be found.
Edit: the Marine is a giant Nerd with Computer & Admin skills up the Wazoo and nothing beyond Basic and a bit of brawling.
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Every time I hear this, a "Red Alert" klaxon sounds in my brain.
I like creating and evoking stories from the actions of the player's characters... but I never sit down with "a story to tell" in game.
I had a game group do that once. I explained to them that there pocket empire has been fighting for survival for nearly 100 years. I explained that the NPCs have the same view of the universe they do. And that if they started naming their ship something stupid and joking all the time, they'll never get any work at all. Where there is no work there is no rep. They'll have a bad rep and it'll get worst from there. :rofl:
One person considered killing a notable figure, just for fun. They we're never going to be fast enough. The NPCs were fine. He didn't live long enough to be incarcerated for the remainder of the session. Everyone else had a great time.
Almost forgot, what makes an interesting adventure: A goal to accomplish, protagonists to thwart the heroes, and reward for those that succeed.
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