'Players Introduction' Help

[afraser]

Hi all,

I am writing a scenario for the RPGA UK and I would like some help in making up the beginning introduction for the players. They begin on the USS Discovery and are patrolling the Arteline Sector for Romulan spies (comms, ships, etc).

What kind of introduction do you give to players when you begin games? What information do you provide, etc?

Thanks for any help.

[Dan Gurden]

In the above example, I would provide the players with a handout detailing the ships orders and preliminary astrometric and diplomatic information about the setting.

Maybe another handout with ship information and prominant ship NPC's, not the stats mind, simple descriptions, personalities and ship duties (to be supplemented by other NPC's as needed).

For an In Character introduction.

If the ships captain is an NPC prepare and read a Captains log to the group. If the captain is a player, prep the player with enough information (or write the log) and get them to do it if they wish. Alternatively have an admiral come aboard to assign them their mission.

Once done, fade to black, play the theme tune, break out the sodas and begin play.

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Dan.

"A couple of thoughts from a random mind!"

[Cmmdr JT Wayland]

I agree with Dan, especially on the handout concerning the Ship and crew, a brief description of the ship and crew is important, but also make a Ship they recognise, personally I favour an Intrpid class Light Explorer, it's small, therefore managable, and not heavily armed, too powerful a ship in my opinion will ruin the game.
Also handouts on the sector and on the major personalities, especially the Sector Commander, who should be the Narrator's Main Alter Ego.
Apart from that I can't think of anything else at this moment in time.
By the way Dan where do you live in Hampshire? Not being nosey, but you live just over the County Border and it's been bugging me for some time where you live?

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"Those Klingons are up to something, I can feel it in my bones"
Cmmdr JT Wayland
Strategic Operations Officer, Starbase 415, Dragomer Sector, Klingon Border, 2372

[Dan Gurden]

Hi there Commander Wayland.

I hail from the Sunny Town of Basingstoke Hampshire. But please dont hold that against me...


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Dan.

"A couple of thoughts from a random mind!"

[qerlin]

With a name like Basingstoke, it's gotta be cool.

[qerlin]

I like to have an introductory adventure that's pretty straight-forward & gives all the characters a chance to do something with the NPC's, even if it's doing some owrk below-decks where they shoot the breeze.

[Cmmdr JT Wayland]

Hi there Dan,
No I don't hold it against you that you're from Basingstoke, if you want to come over and game at our club, your're welcome.
Ah' Querlin Salisbury is an old Cathedral City, dating from 1220's, Basingstoke is a new town built round an old village and is on the M4 Corridor and is full of High-Tech Industries.
The only thing we have got is second tallest Cathedral and a third of the British Army, as well as Porton Down and Boscombe Down Research Bases.
Back to the thread after the travel ad, I am trying to think of ideas for you to use, but I think you should use a simple expoloratory style adventure, possibly complicated with either the Tal Shiar or an amitious Romulan Senator involved or possibly a greedy Ferengi Daimon manipulating both sides, throw in a group of terrorists, possibly anti-Romulan Federation Citizens or local Aliens and possible a Taurai Starship on a Scouting Mission to see what's beyond the Romulan Empire and to possibly enlist the Federation in a war against the Romulans.


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"Those Klingons are up to something, I can feel it in my bones"
Cmmdr JT Wayland
Strategic Operations Officer, Starbase 415, Dragomer Sector, Klingon Border, 2372

[qerlin]

You might be surprised, but I've actually been through the area on the M4; granted it was over a decade ago, now.

I'm a first gen yank from Dumbarton, Scotland. Hope to get over there sometime in the next year or two...

[afraser]

Originally posted by qerlin:
You might be surprised, but I've actually been through the area on the M4; granted it was over a decade ago, now.

I'm a first gen yank from Dumbarton, Scotland. Hope to get over there sometime in the next year or two...

Then you were just up the road from me then. Dumbarton is still a dump btw

[afraser]

Oh yeh, back to main point of thread.

The scenario is based on board the USS Discovery within the Arteline Sector. I decided to do this as the scenario was designed to be simple to run and play for anyone wanting to try the game out.

[Cmmdr JT Wayland]

Originally posted by afraser:
Oh yeh, back to main point of thread.

The scenario is based on board the USS Discovery within the Arteline Sector. I decided to do this as the scenario was designed to be simple to run and play for anyone wanting to try the game out.

Sorry Sir, i tend to get side-tracked sometimes, however I feel that a simple and typical Exploration-style Adventure, perhaps exploring an ancient alien(romulan) base/complex might be of interest to either novice or players who just defected from a fantasy rpg.
By the way qerlin, we just have had a snow fall this morning, mega-yuck. We don't normally have snow in Salisbury in January.


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"Those Klingons are up to something, I can feel it in my bones"
Cmmdr JT Wayland
Strategic Operations Officer, Starbase 415, Dragomer Sector, Klingon Border, 2372

[This message has been edited by Cmmdr JT Wayland (edited 01-19-2001).]

[Roxby]

Originally posted by qerlin:
I like to have an introductory adventure that's pretty straight-forward & gives all the characters a chance to do something with the NPC's, even if it's doing some owrk below-decks where they shoot the breeze.

>chuckle<

Did you intend for that to be a Shakespearean couplet???



[This message has been edited by Roxby (edited 01-19-2001).]

[qerlin]

Fraser! Glad to hear Dumbarton still sucks. then again, after living in the southwestern US, anything not deserty and warm all year around kinda sucks.

Hmm...the REAL reason for the British imperial exploits. Looking for the perfect vacation spot: Jamaica, India...I see a trend.

[qerlin]

Look out, guys...I just figured out how to do the stupid smilies. I have become a dangerous man!

[Cmmdr JT Wayland]

Originally posted by qerlin:
Fraser! Glad to hear Dumbarton still sucks. then again, after living in the southwestern US, anything not deserty and warm all year around kinda sucks.

Hmm...the REAL reason for the British imperial exploits. Looking for the perfect vacation spot: Jamaica, India...I see a trend.

Sun, Warmth, heat, no rain, no floods, no ice, no snow, no fog!!!! and that just Southern England.
You are one lucky man, qerlin. How I envy you.

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"Those Klingons are up to something, I can feel it in my bones"
Cmmdr JT Wayland
Strategic Operations Officer, Starbase 415, Dragomer Sector, Klingon Border, 2372