Reluctant Players

[Liquidator Queeg]

I agree with Dan on this one Delta--forcing the game is not a good idea. However, your players seem willing to give it a shot, so this is your chance to really make the game shine...

...and convince them to play again and again and again.

As far as the adventure itself goes, Dan's got the right idea for you. Keep it simple, self-contained (perhaps with some possible loose ends) and use one of the major bad guys as a threat or challenge. I'd run a mystery/investigation episode or an exploration/prime directive challenge episode. This will get the "feel" of the ICON Trek game across to the players, but won't overwhelm them with options and choices. And definitely avoid a multiple combat scene episode. You want to encourage the players to "think and act" like Starfleet Officers, not thugs. This is not to say that they must be cookie-cutter Starfleet types, but the ICON Trek game is much better suited to players that are curious, cause-and-event conscious, and problem-solvers, as opposed to phaser-blasting, gung-ho starship troopers! That's for a Klingon campaign!

Most importantly though, give every character a chance to do something cool during the game session. This is what will really stick in their minds when the game is over, after all. "Hey, ICON Trek rocked! It was so cool that we all helped solve the crisis and worked as a team!"

Best of luck!

LQ

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"No one controls me. I'm uncontrollable. The only one who can control me is me... and that's just barely possible!" -John Lennon

[Delta]

My friends and I have enjoyed rpg for some time now. However are rpg dealings have mostly involved the Dungeons and Dragons genera. While this is a fine game, I would like to broaden my playing groups tastes by adding the Star Trek rpg. However my group is reluctant. They are apprehensive about tacking on a new system (ICON). More over they just don't feel they would enjoy a futuristic rpg setting such as Star Trek.

Despite their complaints (for lack of a better term) they are willing to play at least one game session using these new rules, and the Star Trek setting. My Question to you is; how can I make this game session admirable? What points of the Star Trek rpg should I highligh in my adventure (rules and setting wise) in order to increase my chance of them liking this game?

[Dan Stack]

I almost want to suggest that you not do it. Gamemasters are so dependent on their players that forcing a game can be a bad thing.

However, one-shots are perfectly reasonable. Indeed, I think they are a good thing and a good chance for other players to gamemaster occasionally as well.

That said, I would design the adventure as a one-shot. But... I'd put a few dangling plot threads to make a sequel possible.

I would also make the characters myself and assign them to the players, perhaps with a five-minute rules tutorial, but not much more.

And then, what sort of adventure? It really depends on what your group likes. If your players are not that familiar with Star Trek, I would avoid anything to do with continuity - no Dominion War stuff, nothing of the sort. (A major alien like Klingons, Romulans, etc. might be ok, but I wouldn't over-do it). Instead, I would go with a very self-contained storyline. Hmmm... An away team stranded on a planet...

OK, picture this. The characters are in a shuttle or runabout examining some quantum magnaflux particle thing-a-ma-bobber. And *bamf* they fall through a wormhole to a planet with an early industrial society. Say mid to late 19th century Earth level of technology. They are perhaps twenty lightyears away from their previous position. Their shuttle crashlands and is terribly damaged. They need to repair their subspace beacon to be rescued. And of course the medical officer needs to perform minor cosmetic surgery for the characters to blend in. Meaning the medical officer needs to see one of the natives up close. And then they need to get the needed parts. All while preserving the Prime Directive. And, I would of course add some bad guys too. Perhaps the wormhole was caused by a Romulan scout ship which was cloaked and also accompanied the characters. And the Romulans are up to nastiness and must be stopped. Oh, and try not to let the natives know about you.

[Dan Gurden]

Of course if you REALLY want to throw them a curve, grab their curiosity and draw it in, run an AD&D Trek...

No, really hold on, and let me explain... (Its odd you mentioned the Klingons there)

Steve Kenson was kind enough to doante his work for the Klingon book (among others) to the web community, part of that work was the Klingon History. When reading that document I have been inspired to sometime run a game for ancient medieval Klingons. Riding on quests swinging their Bat'Leths, slaying 'Drag'ons', and singing songs of their Glory over a mug of blood wine in the Tavern.

And not a Phaser or Starship in sight (except perhaps the Hur'q, but thats a plot in itself).

If your players are really into AD&D, why not break them in gently, show them a taste of Trek but flavoured with what they like, and then draw them in.

This method is just as likely to be effective as the 'Standardised Trek' mentioned above, and it depends on what you want. If your after a far more Sci-Fi feel then the other guys are giving better advice, but if you want to break them in slowly, and introduce them to Trek and the rules before hitting the Sci-Fi, this could work.

The danger here is that it might be difficult to move on... But it would be fun...

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Dan.

"A couple of thoughts from a random mind!"

[This message has been edited by Dan Gurden (edited 01-16-2001).]

[CmdrBluejeans]

I have to agree with the general principle that the best way to introduce players who are new to both the setting and rules is to do the changeover gradually: change either setting or rules first, let them get used to the change, then change the other.

One possible idea is to start a Trek episode 'pre-credits', with a holodeck fantasy sequence, in which their Trek characters are taking up the personae of fantasy characters on a quest. Let them have a sword-fight or two and get used to the feel of the ICON setting in a throw-down with some fantasy baddies. If they are losing the fight, interrupt it with a hail from the bridge or other point on the ship where the main action will take place; otherwise, wait until they win the fight, and as they are heading to the tavern, hit them with the interruption.

Then segue to the crisis point on the ship, perhaps with them even still wearing their holodeck clothes as they enter to half-amused, half-horrified stares from senior officers ("Well, Captain, you did say *right now*.") After the initial plot of the episode has been introduced, do the fade to credits, play your prepared tape or CD of theme music, and set them up to fade back in in full Starfleet uniform.

In short, you gotta give them the lobster treatment, and start heating the water slowly.


BJ

[Sjohn]

I think a good, strong, very Trekkish one-shot is the best way to go, since they're willing. Don't let their reluctance discourage you; it's only one game, after all, so there can't be any harm done. Try it, and if they like it, great, and if not ... well, then everybody will know for sure.

I think the "gradual" approach is doomed to feel like an unpleasant compromise. It won't really be like a Star Trek game, and it won't really be what they already know they like, either.

[Xguild]

Well I have to disagree with some of the posts here. As a rule of thumb when you do something as dramatic as changing the game you play you should make a strong effort to excite the players about it in advance. For example create a proluge document filled with art and star trek like feel to it and give each player one. Maybe in the form of a Captains Log. Get some figuirins and a small scale model of the ship you will use. Make sure you spend a good deal of time creating backgrounds with each individual player for his/her backgrounds. Go over the creating character process and make sure to offer as many options as possible. Use props like makeshift tricorders and such. Another words go all out to try and sell them on the idea that this will be fun.

My point here is if you skimp on detail and the "feel" of the game, you won't sell them on it. Players are generaly easy, they want to play they just don't want to get stuck playing something they don't like. Keep in mind this will only work if the players like the Star Trek TV shows and movies, if they don't I strongly suggest you pick another setting. You will likely fail to sway them if they don't care for the game setting.

and if they do like Star Trek...The more "Trekke" you get the better. When I wanted to get my players to get into the Alternity role playing system, I used this tactic. I went as far as picking up extra Players Guides and gave them to the players to take home. Not only did I succeed but even after I got tired of the game, they still begged me to run. Trust me it will work, Players are generaly afraid of change and afraid of the "Staring Over" axiety when a new system is involved. The best way to approach it is to dive in head first.

I'll say it again in case you missed it the first time. Don't do this unless your players like the Star Trek Universe. Its a very important point. If they don't like it, you should not introduce it on the account that you do like it. The players are the reason you are a Storyteller.

"Without an Audiance I'm but a shadow of a man"
-William S.

[Delta]

Thanks for the feedback. While I have my work cut out for me, I think your suggestions will go a long way in easing that work load.

As is, I am leaning towards Dan's (Gurden) suggestion by doing a Trek/D and D adventure. However I will try to approach it by blending the ICON system aspects of the Star Trek rpg with the D and D setting first. After that, I think it will be a much easier transition to the Trek setting. At the very least I will be able to use the ICON system.

Once again thanks for you support.

[stephane]

My players are not trekkies. Not at all. Actually the show is not really popular here, and they don't know Enterprise. As a huge trekkie myself, I really wanted them to love the game, so I decided this would be my "best" one.

I tried to think about it: "what do they want ?", "what would they love ?", and asked them which era they'd prefer. Obviously I had to tell them what is the difference between a post Dominion serie and a pre Federation one, and they decided to go for ENT era because they wanted to be like, you know, far west pionners.

So I decided to make them discover new stuff: they make first contacts, study weird anomalies, the vulcans/andorians/klingons tell them again and again that their ship is weak, I insist on the crew watching the aliens with amazment etc etc...

One of my player is a security officer. At first they all thought she was another slay-them-all character. In the very first game, I made her (the player is a she) have to do a detective job. I gave her a few redskirts, with names and personnality. They call her lieutenant, follow orders, are ready to die for the ship etc. She loved this, it made her feel important... And if they meet something really powerful, she knows she has them, they won't betray her...

I did the same for the PC captain, I gave her (yes it is a female driven ship a first officer a la Riker: 'captain, you shouldn't go with the away team, this is my job' etc...

Of course I plan to make the crew a little less stiff and reliable later, but for a start I noticed they all loved the bridge setting, with all those trekkish crewmembers. So perhaps you can go for the same stuff. Watch out, they are only NPC, not the main plot. But still , a few scenes of interactions with a loyal crew helped to make them love the game, especially because this is not the RPG relationships they are used to.

Also I insist on having subplots in every game: this time the vulcan diplomat finds informations about his dead father's work, next time, the denobulan will learn that the war vs the Antarans was not so clean and that his grandfather was perhaps involved in a genocide etc ... The subplots are evolving slowly, and it will take several games to finish them. A good way to make them love their character.

If you love Startrek, I'd say this: don't look at them as a PC, look at them as Picard, Tom Paris, or Quark. Whatever they do (if it is not stupid or very bad) , try to make them look as good as in the show. Quark is not a silly troll, he is a comical relief. Picard is not a pretentious bald stiff officer, he is a wise fair captain and loves shakespeare, Tom Paris is not a stubborn good looking prick, he is a young man in a quest for redemption.

Try to understand what your PCs want, and make sure you help them to do it. Don't kill your Quark because he tried to steal something in the guard pocket, make him caught, let him protest that he is innocent, even make the guards believe him then let the clever enemy officer come and throw him to jail.

If your PC Captain is lecturing the enemy about morality in a shakespearian way, don't just make the enemy cut the transmission and fire at once. Let the enemy captain say something like : really you talk well, I heard of you, but your lies won't be enough today. Later make sure that the lecture will not be forgotten, perhaps when the enemy officer will be about to die, he'll say that he knows now the meaning of those words.

You have a Tom Paris chasing every miniskirt in the ship ? Let him have flirts. Then introduce a NPC hottie who will never fail for him until he marry her etc etc

You want them to love the RPG ? Make them more than PCs, make them Trek heroes. It is a full time job for the narrator but it is rewarding.

[tmutant]

I think the trick is to give them something interesting, fun and Trek. If the goal is to get them to play on a continuing basis, then you need to capture their interest, the way a good TV pilot captures your interest. But you have to give them what they want. If they want action, give them DS9/Dominion War. Or a TOS era war with the Klingons, or Enterprise era Romulan War. You could have them play Free Traders on the edge of Federation space, dodging and duping Star Fleet, and fighting the Orion Syndicate. You could set the adventure on a Star Fleet escort ship, taking on pirates and smugglers to safely deliver desperately needed medicine. The key is to hook them with the story. If the story is good enough, the setting will be irrelevant.