So, as I find Eclipse Phase being the next game in my groups rotation,
I am starting the brainstorming process for the campaign.
Now, the goals with the opening bit are to introduce the players to
the world, the concepts of resleeving, and such. Now, I could start
like somepeople say to do, and just killing the characters on their
first mission, but that always seems a bit like a mean move. Instead, I am
thinking of something a bit different:
Basicly, the players will be told to pick the "Zero Starting Creds, +2 Moxie"
background for their first characters, and told to take the Infomorph for
their starting character morph, that Morphs will be handled after the start
of the game.
Premise: In 0 AF/BF, they were all at a Space Hotel for various reasons.
They died horribly, but, fortunately, their Cortical Stacks were intact.
10 AF, a FireWall team is sent into the habitat for some important data
relating to the Exsurgent Virus that someone on the habitat had in their
possession. The PCs stacks are grabbed, and Firewall brings them back
starting off as InfoMorphs. Firewall basicly explains to the characters that
to the rest of the universe, they might as well be dead. All their assets
from BF are lost. They have to start over. However, Firewall could use
some people like them, and would be willing to get them bodies in exchange
for performing some missions for them "from time to time." It will be pointed
out that one of these missions gave them a second chance at life, and that
the missions work towards fighting against existential threats.
To everyone out there, how does that sound for the introduction session for
players who are unfamiliar with Eclipse Phase's setting?
Welcome! These forums will be deactivated by the end of this year. The conversation continues in a new morph over on Discord! Please join us there for a more active conversation and the occasional opportunity to ask developers questions directly! Go to the PS+ Discord Server.
Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
Wed, 2009-12-16 05:41
#1
Cardul
Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
Thu, 2009-12-17 18:01
#2
remade
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
I doubt Firewall would use bribery (morphs) during recruitment. Also Firewall recruiting freshly awakened infomorphs into their ranks... They check people many times and choose only those, who can be completly trusted - you cannot predict behaviour of souls freshly resurrected in bizarre reality.
What about being awakened by some corporation? They force PCs to work as miners for 15 years in asteroid field to pay off their crappy morphs, fortunately PCs are rescued by anarchists, they fly towards their base, but something is not right... Perhaps with one of the miners? Or maybe something happened to anarchists' outpost?
Sat, 2009-12-19 04:52
#3
Cardul
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
Thing is, I am trying to get them into bodies that will work for their skillset. On top of that,
I know some of my players would prefer Bio-morphs over the Synths they would get
for that choice...Oh, and, yeah..make Firewall come across from the get-go as something
necessary, but not entirely very nice..
Sat, 2009-12-19 08:04
#4
7thSeaLord
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
The basic premise was OK, but remade's point was totally valid. Firewall has to be VERY careful about whom it approaches. And when.
A variation: Instead of being at the orbital hotel "for various reasons" when the PCs all ... died, have them be there for the same reason. All the PCs were members of a noteworthy [Insert Preference Here] - mercenary company, corporate troubleshooter team, military special forces unit, criminal gang, terrorist cell, social club, what have you.
Their cortical stacks were recovered just a few years after their deaths and, like so many others, the group ended up as infomorphs in a VR facility someplace. They spend a few more years there, long enough to iron out major instabilities, but have had little / no oppurtunity to accumulate any resources of their own.
Enter Firewall, which needs the PCs' talents for a specific mission. Perhaps it is directly related to why the PCs were at that particular hotel in the first place. Perhaps the job just seems tailor-made for the characters for one or several reasons - the right skillsets, a cohesive group in the right place, more or less expendable, and willing.
Also, Firewall has had time to peruse the PCs' record of behaviour in the VR and, however good or bad that might have been, it seems to confirm their suitability for this particular mission, at least.
Offer of some morphs and basic equipment for the mission, plus a little extra for afterwards, plus the possibility of ongoing employment, would seem very tempting. IF the group survives, of course. :D
—
"Do it? ... Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome?
I did it thirty-five minutes ago."
Ozymandias, The Watchmen
Sun, 2009-12-20 07:20
#5
Cardul
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
I wish that would work for my group. I have people in
my group who will have enough trouble with the being
in one place at one time thing as is...forcing them to all
be there for the same reason in a prelude/character
building section is asking for a mutiny! Now, admittedly,
I am saying they need to be there for some reason that
a cross-faction, secretive group that is trying to protect
Transhumanity's very existance would find reason to
recruit them....but, just saying "You are all from here..
you are here for this reason" will....be a VERY bad thing
with my group.
Sun, 2009-12-20 07:55
#6
7thSeaLord
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
You know your group. I don't.
But, from here, it sounds like they are running the game and you are merely some guy sitting behind a folder doing whatever they want. You are supposed to be the Referee.
Sorry if this sounds harsh. I realize the utter importance of keeping Players (reasonably) happy - as distinct from giving them everything they want, mind you. But, if they want to run the game, then maybe they should be refereeing instead, and then you can do some actual playing.
Anyhow, I suggest dumping the group's "origin story" in their laps. Tell your Players that they need a good reason for their Character concepts to be at such-and-such a location as one group. Details up to them, but you can provide suggestions IF they want. They have a set time to decide - say 1 or 2 hours, during which you leave the room, go surf the Net or do some reading or whatever. If they are unable / unwilling to come to a consensus that you can tolerate, they go with whatever your concept is or, otherwise, no game. End of story.
Needless to say, I'm rather Old School when it comes to refereeing.
—
"Do it? ... Dan, I'm not a Republic serial villain. Do you seriously think I'd explain my master-stroke if there remained the slightest chance of you affecting its outcome?
I did it thirty-five minutes ago."
Ozymandias, The Watchmen
Mon, 2009-12-21 07:00
#7
Cardul
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
Eh, honestly, the trick is making them think they have free
will, when I am the one pulling the strings. I long ago learned
that, for my group, you basicly have the "Key points/events"
planned, and then do what it takes to steer the players towards
them. I gave up on completely scripted scenarios YEARS ago
when, in first confrontations with my meticulously detailed,
hours worked on Big, Bads, the players got a rediculously
lucky roll and killed someone who was just supposed to show up,
beat them up a little, then leave...(or get beat up a little, and retreat).
So, my style evolved very much into a "by the seat of my pants" style,
and, giving them this much required is more then I usually give. Besides,
part of the fun of the first mission is watching the characters congeal as
a group. I mean, I am there to have fun, as well, not come away feeling
like I had to work my arse off.
Now, anyone else reading this, how would you arrange it so that a
disparate group would be recruited straight off by Firewall, maybe
not letting them know they have been recruited by Firewall, initially,
as Firewall is still evaluating them?
Mon, 2009-12-28 04:15
#8
standard_gravity
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
Firewall is a very decentralised organisation in my view. So rather than saying that Firewall as such is recruiting them, let's say that a member of FW or a team or FW sentinels is presently investigating this or the other (you mention the exsurgent strain, let's call it the "scenario") and the PCs seem useful to solving the scenario. This way you can stretch "official FW policy" as it is rather the decision of a member/team of FW to involve the PCs.
This would work IMO. The relevant FW sentinel[s] would not disclose their true nature but use the PCs to solve the scenario of the exsurgent strain and get to evaluate the PCs as possible future agents in the process. However, this requires a wee bit of GM involvement in character generation, as the PCs must have 1) skills which makes them likely to both solve the scenario and be useful future FW sentinels, and/or 2) information relevant to the scenario at hand.
—
[img]http://boxall.no-ip.org/img/ext_userbar.jpg[/img]
"People think dreams aren't real just because they aren't made of matter, of particles. Dreams are real. But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns and lost hopes." - John Dee
Wed, 2010-01-13 06:31
#9
Bloodwork
Re: Working on my own start-up campaign, looking for feedback
Your setup is fine. The characters will have a firm enough grasp on tech and the mesh to be able to function in society but still be new to the more bizzare transhuman elements. Don't worry about what Firewall would or wouldn't do, that's your purview as GM.
—
That which doesn't kill you usually succeeds on the second attempt.