Plot Generator

[Syberdwarf2]

Has anyone used the "Random Plot Generator" on page 269?
If so, how did it work out and do you find it useful?
I've used it to design a couple of scenarios when I got stuck with writer's block, and it seems to help. I guess I was just wondering what everybody else's thoughts were...

[nblade]

Must of skipped of that one for some reason. Likely I'd use part of it to help get an idea and then modify it to suit my tastes. I've used other random system that way before.

[JohnTaber]

Hi SyberDwarf2,

I know this is slightly off topic but when I get writers block I grab the newspaper. I take two or three random articles and turn them into an adventure. Works great for a LOT of genre. Just tweak the events to fit your world.

[EvilGM]

Originally posted by JohnTaber
Hi SyberDwarf2,

I know this is slightly off topic but when I get writers block I grab the newspaper. I take two or three random articles and turn them into an adventure. Works great for a LOT of genre. Just tweak the events to fit your world.

That's what I use The Weekly World News for.

[MisterVimes]

Originally posted by EvilGM
That's what I use The Weekly World News for.

ADAM AND EVE FOUND IN ASIA!
EVE WAS A SPACE ALIEN SAYS SHOCKED SCIENTIST!

That's current events, that is!

[EvilGM]

Originally posted by MisterVimes
ADAM AND EVE FOUND IN ASIA!
EVE WAS A SPACE ALIEN SAYS SHOCKED SCIENTIST!

That's current events, that is!

My favorite was something along the same lines, but I need to give a bit of background. For one of my old pbem games, I came up with "news stories" and exerpts of things that appeared in the media in game time. One of them was a story in the National Midnight Star - the National Enquirer clone in my campaign universe - that said "Jesus was an alien baby". I made up the story, and the documents that the researcher supposedly found that pointed to his conclusion. Can you imagine my amusement when last year, about three years after I made up the story, the exact same headline appeared in the Weekly World news.

It also reminds me of the time I got an email from someone, asking for more details about the fictional convention I wrote up about for the game. After that, I put a small disclaimer at the bottom of each page.

[MisterVimes]

Originally posted by EvilGM
My favorite was something along the same lines, but I need to give a bit of background. For one of my old pbem games, I came up with "news stories" and exerpts of things that appeared in the media in game time. One of them was a story in the National Midnight Star - the National Enquirer clone in my campaign universe - that said "Jesus was an alien baby". I made up the story, and the documents that the researcher supposedly found that pointed to his conclusion. Can you imagine my amusement when last year, about three years after I made up the story, the exact same headline appeared in the Weekly World news.

It also reminds me of the time I got an email from someone, asking for more details about the fictional convention I wrote up about for the game. After that, I put a small disclaimer at the bottom of each page.

I used the "Eve was a Space Alien" in current events in 1983... My teacher hated me.

[Blackout]

Originally posted by EvilGM
That's what I use The Weekly World News for.

Doh! You beat me to it. That newspaper (and I use the term with tongue firmly in cheek) is fantastic for story/plot ideas.

It's so inspiring, in fact, that I'm even considering running a campaign in which the characters are all reporters for just such a tabloid. Can't quite decide what power level I wanna run it at, though (or time period for that matter - present day, near future or far future).

[Agent X]

Originally posted by MisterVimes
I used the "Eve was a Space Alien" in current events in 1983... My teacher hated me.

That is so wrong. I am definitely going to have to tell my students that they can't do that for their current events assignment before one of the 'urchins' thinks of it. So far, no one has thrown the Weekly World News, National Enquirer, or People magazine into the mix, but it is only a matter of time.

[Aroooo]

It's so inspiring, in fact, that I'm even considering running a campaign in which the characters are all reporters for just such a tabloid. Can't quite decide what power level I wanna run it at, though (or time period for that matter - present day, near future or far future).

I run a Hero level game based on characters like that. Its a mix of Conspiracy Theory meets X-Files, and so far, everyone's enjoying it. Believe it or not, its actually a fairly good genre to us when introducing new people to RPGs, or just the Hero system. I started the game to get one of our player's girlfriend interested. Not being into comics, this worked out well.

Aroooo

[Syberdwarf2]

I actually have been having success in using the plot generator as a starting point only. It gives me something to focus on when stuck for ideas or, even more importantly, when I have too many ideas. (that can be worse than any writer's block).
I also decided to use the generator for my Dark Champions campaign I'm running for the Misses. After all, there's nothing that says the generator is exclusive to SH, and the plotting elements presented in it aren't genre-specific.
Personally, I like it.
However, even though I use it as a start point, I don't want to let my campaign become part of a generic setting, identical to so many others where the only difference is names.

[MisterVimes]

Originally posted by Agent X
That is so wrong. I am definitely going to have to tell my students that they can't do that for their current events assignment before one of the 'urchins' thinks of it. So far, no one has thrown the Weekly World News, National Enquirer, or People magazine into the mix, but it is only a matter of time.

I was a senior at the time and the Current Events class had been added to the list of required subjects when I was a freshman and I never got around to it. So, I was a Senior in a class full of Freshmen. I was Cocky, it was an 'Easy A' and I wanted to have some fun. Each week we were suppossed to bring in a current event from a Newspaper, Magazine or Periodical.... This (I suppose) was to encourage the students to participate... but we got a LOT of Car Magazine, Sports Magazines and Teen Magazine articles. I on the otherhand would grab the Enquirer, The Sun, The Weekly World News and the Globe. I would find the most rediculous article in the bunch and present (with great gusto) my startling findings all the while insisting that it MUST be true... it's in the newspaper.

Poor Mrs. Franklin... I prbably aged her 20 years. But I did leave the class with a 100 average.

[BasilDrag]

Originally posted by Blackout
...I'm even considering running a campaign in which the characters are all reporters for just such a tabloid. Can't quite decide what power level I wanna run it at, though (or time period for that matter - present day, near future or far future).

Sounds like Tabloid! for the old Amazing Engine game system. Now there was a wild and wacky game.

[Syberdwarf2]

Originally posted by Syberdwarf2
I actually have been having success in using the plot generator as a starting point only. It gives me something to focus on when stuck for ideas or, even more importantly, when I have too many ideas. (that can be worse than any writer's block).
I also decided to use the generator for my Dark Champions campaign I'm running for the Misses. After all, there's nothing that says the generator is exclusive to SH, and the plotting elements presented in it aren't genre-specific.
Personally, I like it.
However, even though I use it as a start point, I don't want to let my campaign become part of a generic setting, identical to so many others where the only difference is names.

Jeez, I can't believe I didn't think of using tabloids. So far, I've been using just the regular local paper or USA Today. I'll probably give the tabloids a try, though. I'm in the mood for something really weird.