What to put in an introductory adventure?

[Madarin Dude]

For a starter adventure hav ethem hire on to crew a ship have the captain be an NPC this will help give them some direction. (one of the problems with D&D　players is that they are not used to making the adventure themselves) A simple mini campaign is have tham hire on as crew of a starship for a travelling rock band. the band can be contreversal so there might be protests or attempted kidnappings and things to disrupt the tour. Let them st up secruity and roll take care of the ship. The band decides where they go. Once they get the hang of how it works let them out on their own. the band can go on vacation and the players might have use of the ship for a while.

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by Bhoins:
SInce you already have the characters. Which set of rules?

GT, but I hope to make the setting as universal as possible. Maybe include CT stats... I haven't decided that yet (won't be my decision, actually; Mark Gellis did the PCs and Brandon Cope is doing the statting for the NPCs. But I'll suggest it to them).


Hans

 

[rancke]

Originally posted by Robert Prior:
Are you thinking a single-session?

I'm thinking introductory campaign module, total world count arount 25-30,000

I've found that the best two ways to introduce players were Annic Nova or Shadows. Both essentially SF dungeon crawls, which makes them a familiar metaphor for D&D players. Both contain SF tropes, and both imply a larger universe without requiring you to detail it.

Well, they're already written, so I can't write them .

In any case, from a strictly game-mechanical standpoint I would say that this should have a lot of handouts. Pregenerated character sheets. Nice extras like ID cards or resumes to introduce the character to the other players without worrying about game stats. Cardboard heros and floor plans for combat and exploration, to add visual impact. Definately have illustrations if you can (the old "picture is worth 1000 words thing").

You've done deck and floor plans for JTAS before. Would you be interested in doing some maps and handouts for this project?


Hans

 

[mike wightman]

Ahh, so how about a "nugget" or EPIC style format with a brief description of what happens at each stage.
1. Patron encounter - players meet the person that's going to hire them. Standard methods include:
approached by Mr Johnson
rescue someone from an alley beating
recommended by a friend
made an offer they can not refuse from the authorities/crime boss
2. Research - players must gain info about their task. This can include:
library terminals
meeting contacts in seedy places
trying to get interviews with officials/important people
dealing with mindless bureaucrats
3. Conflict - there has to be a fight to show how the combat rules and guns work
4. Chase - good way to show off the different types of transport in Traveller

The research/combat/chase cycle can be in any order and each can be used more than once by varying the locations etc.

 

[Spinward Scout]

rancke,

The real question is: what PART of Traveller do you want to introduce them to?

I've thought about doing this a couple of times, and it's really tough to know where to start. Give the players a ship or don't give them a ship is usually where I get stuck. If you are doing a Startown Adventure, there was an old supplement called Startown Liberty. Not sure where you could find a copy.

Another way to link characters is not to just have them meet in a hotel or something, but to have some of them know each other as children or have served together in a Prior Service. That should be part of the Prior Service history, too, I've always thought.

I do like the idea of starting out without a ship, tho. I've been perusing the games over at Role-Play Online and someone is running the Imperial Fringe - Introductory Adventure 0. It's neat reading how each character introduced themselves and got a job on the ship, interviewing with the Ship's Captain. They handled it really well. But without a ship, I think you need a Patron for the characters to find work with. BITS has 101 Patrons and it's got a lot of neat ones. My favorite Patron was always Lady in White Robes from the Traveller Book (I think it was in one of the Supplements, too). Damsel in Distress - Traveller style. And it starts out about where you are starting your game. It also introduces a reoccuring Villain if you play it right. Give them ways to make lasting contacts, allies, and (since every story needs conflict) enemies.

Whatever you choose, the name of the game is FUN. Don't get bogged down in the rules.

Hope that helped a little,

Scout

 

[flykiller]

But it's not an overall adventure idea I want (I have one: ... ). What I wanted was suggestions for things to include. A fight, a library data search, an Imperial official? Or not?

things to include in a pre-decided adventure set that introduces traveller. let's see ....

yes, you will have to introduce personal combat. unfortunately traveller personal combat is not heroic. sudden death is always disappointing to any character, especially when just starting out, and could prove the biggest stumbling block. I suggest a red-shirt - an expendable NPC who becomes familiar and helpful to the player characters and who then takes the first hit, showing them what can happen to them if they are careless.

a library search may be boring by itself. set it up as a minor espionage job. reading is much more exciting if done in the dark, with guards and robots and camera surveilance systems lurking in the background.

yes, the imperium must be present in some fashion. customs inspections, imperial marines, a navy vessel overhead, or a slumming noble are all good intros. in the best james bond tradition perhaps an imperial investigator can be working on the same case as the player characters, from the opposite end. give him lots of high tech, credit, and imperial contacts, and the player characters may be facing their first serious patron (after some opposition, of course). this will present the imperium as a source of authority and power, independent of regina and which they the player characters may be able to access in some fashion.

other thoughts.

make sure the characters are faced with situations specifically calling for the use of their skills.

regina startown may be the site of the original colonization efforts. it may have quite a substantial underground services support system that may or may not still be in use. lots of opportunities for dungeon crawls and secret societies (if you're looking to woo d&d'ers).

a space trip of course is de rigeur. a short non-jump hop to a planetary hunting preserve (a rich man wants to hunt, lots of shooting and animal encounters), the local moon (deliver a package, legal or illegal, see how a corporation works), or the asteroid belt (interview some prospector witnesses where they live, deal with some in-space engineering emergencies, vacc suit work) should be more than adequate.

 

[flykiller]

I've thought about doing this a couple of times, and it's really tough to know where to start ... Another way to link characters is not to just have them meet in a hotel or something, but to have some of them know each other as children or have served together in a Prior Service.

nah, it's easy. just start 'em out in a common predicament where they cooperate or die. great way to start a team and get them working together while making them step straight into the adventure.

 

[Jeff M. Hopper]

If this is to introduce players to the OTU, then have a couple of small adventures demonstrate the main defining points of the OTU (yeah, I know that makes me sound like Captain Obvious, but it would be important IMHO). Have one be an encounter with a minor Imperial noble and show him/her/it interacting with the Regina government at the Startown to show how the Imperium works with its member worlds as an intersteller government - a good start would be an extradition problem when a criminal crosses the starport's extrality line. Have another small adventure be one which demonstrates the time lag involved with communication, it could even be something of a constant background hum (the players pick up a local paper and read that the Emperor's cousin got married to a commoner a year ago, but the news just reached Regina today).

Otherwise, just for a good informative guideline - take a look at the WEG Star Wars Introductory Adventure Game. Although, granted, most people know the background to Star Wars so there is not much that needs explaining there - it still is one of the best 'newbie friendly' games I've ever seen.

 

[Jeff M. Hopper]

Hmm, come to think of it, try and tie in some stuff from popular science fiction anime. I don't see why a bounty hunting mini-adventure couldn't be squeezed in that could hook the Cowboy Bebop fans out there while giving an active demonstration of Imperial legal practises at starports.

 

[BetterThanLife]

I was channel surfing the other day and found an old episode of "The A-Team" that happened to have the same plot. Gave me some ideas though. Make sure your characters get to blow stuff up. Realize that firefights, unlike on The A-Team where nobody gets hit and nobody dies regardless of the number of rounds fired, in Traveller are lethal.

The adventure should be fairly fast paced, exciting and frought with lethal consequences.

The problem with the Seven Samuari/Magnificent 7 concept is that it is way over done. Matter of fact the adventure in The Shanape Link Worlds Cluster has a similar adventure. Of course the one thing that needs to be said as the characters head to the area where they are needed is of course, "Lets Ride!"

 

[LordVince]

Traveller is about TRAVELLING.

I understand your intent for the introductory adventure -- you want to do a "One Step At A Time" form of campaign. And that's cool. But, no matter what "adventures" you put in the way of the "beginning" Players, you have to remember to reenforce the concept that the Game is about TRAVELLING. Otherwise, your Merchant PC Or any other Class, for that matter) might become SUCCESSFUL doing some minor job you've put in their way, and then, later, when the PCs DO get their own ship, the Merchant (or whatever), might suddenly ask "But I'm doing so well, HERE, why should I leave?"

That said...

I'd offer a small "tweak" to your method of getting the PCs to know one another. You say that they all live in the same hostel (whatever). And I think you're implying that they'll all be looking for work -- actually WORKING -- together. In the Regina Startown. I'd suggest, instead, that you make available jobs for the PCs in the StarPORT, instead. This puts the PCs in the presence of ships. Leave the StarTOWN for "entertainment" related adventures.

Now, if this is to be an "introductory" adventure, that it is to "introduce" newbies to Traveller, I'm assuming that you mean BOTH the Game Mechanics AND the Game Setting.

Okay, it may be a hackneyed old concept, but the best way to introduce the Game Mechanics of Combat -- with minimal risk of PC Death! -- is the old fashioned Barroom Brawl. You can set it up that the PCs start it, or that they just get caught up in it. Even if they don't want to "participate", you set it up such that they still have to fight their way out. Or, if they tumble a few tables and "fort-up", they still have to fend off attackers. The point is to allow them freedom to explore their options in a combat setting. Simple, old-fashioned, over-used even, but it works.

All of this is, of course, getting the Newbies used to the Skill Use system. So, what next?

Another fact of a "modern" world is Bureaucracy. So, a "scene" for the Newbies -- maybe even a couple of "scenes" -- should be either observing or dealing with Bureaucracies.

One way that ties into the "We gotta work if we wanna eat!" concept is the Hiring Hall. This could be an early "scene", where PC's go to the Hiring Hall and have to use their Admin/Liason/Carousing/Bluff/Whatever Skills to get a Job. Now, obviously, nobody wants a CRAPPY Job, so the PC's objective, their TARGET is to get the BEST Job they can.

Obviously, you will have to have several Job offers ready -- some should be oriented towards the PCs Classes, and some should be "general". And the "general"-type jobs should be of the "Any Idiot Can Do It" nature. Garbage Collection. Janitorial Services. Restaurant Host/Hostess. Whatever the jobs are, though, they should all be in/around the Starport -- keep subtly reenforcing the Need To Travel subtext!

Another good "Skill Use" adventure is the bit of Gambling. In fact, this makes a good lead in to a Brawl. Make up some rules for a Gambling session. Make it as easy or as complicated as you want. I've developed a "Quick-and-Dirty" method for handling a Gambling session, but that's not the issue, here.

Let's see...

Getting a Job: use of the Skill System, dealing with Bureaucracy.

Gambling: use of the Skill System. Possibly using Gather Information.Carousing/etc. to pick up a few rumours/info tidbits.

Barroom Brawl: use of the Combat System.

Oh! The Barroom Brawl could also spill over to a Car Chase! Giving some exposure to the Vehicle Operation Rules.

 

[chrisr]

One way of introducing the OTU is through media. Give some background news stories of what's going on in the imperium and also local news, possibly leading to employment.
This gives you a chance to introduce nobles, the megacorporations and a whole host of other issues.