Time in between major events

[largosama]

Just within the past month, I finished off the 'Null Invasion' for my campaign... I refer to each adventure as an issue (as in comic book issue)... so, the Null Invasion has been hinted at and building up to from issue #5 to issue #25 where the actual invasion of creatures called the Null came into play. Finally, on issue #31, the Null Invasion was finally finished for good. It ended with the Null creatures being completely destroyed, the Null's leader killed after he became the God of both Order and Chaos (I'll make an actual play post later), and two of the Freedom Corps (the PC team) ascending to take over the God of Order and God of Chaos position (meaning that the players need to make new characters), one Freedom Corps member killed, their HQ destroyed and rebuilt, and Millennium City in shambles.

 

Annnyhooo, while I do plan to have decent storylines that may take an issue or two (a issue typically takes 1-2 game nights), how many issues do you think I should wait until I introduce the next big big storyline? Granted, it may not be as earth-shattering as the Null Invasion, but it will be big enough that it will take 5 or more issues to resolve AND major characters/PCS could very easily die.

 

Anyway, thoughts?

[hooligan x]

Re: Time in between major events

 

I always have sub-plots simmering that I turn the heat up on when it's their turn as the main story. We went from The Unusual Suspects to Spider Ninjas to Hell's Invasion to CyberMeld Meltdown to Live from Nowhere to Lao's World to Vampire City to The False Pharoah to President Biv to Two and a Half Mysterions with no real downtime. The percieved downtime was just the PCs not noticing which burner I was heating up. Right now, we just completed the Vampire Cops story which was a sub-plot for a year until making the majors. I have the Giant Alien Robots, the Unseelie Prince, and Hitler's Brain simmering while we work through our WWII limited series spin-off. When we come back to current continuity I have a new PC to intro and an old beloved PC to bury. Then cue the robots!

[largosama]

Re: Time in between major events

 

I always have sub-plots simmering that I turn the heat up on when it's their turn as the main story. We went from The Unusual Suspects to Spider Ninjas to Hell's Invasion to CyberMeld Meltdown to Live from Nowhere to Lao's World to Vampire City to The False Pharoah to President Biv to Two and a Half Mysterions with no real downtime. The percieved downtime was just the PCs not noticing which burner I was heating up. Right now' date=' we just completed the [i']Vampire Cops[/i] story which was a sub-plot for a year until making the majors. I have the Giant Alien Robots, the Unseelie Prince, and Hitler's Brain simmering while we work through our WWII limited series spin-off. When we come back to current continuity I have a new PC to intro and an old beloved PC to bury. Then cue the robots!

 

I still have various sub-plots going on... the Freedom Corps back and forth battle with DEMON... I just introduced the serial killer that I discussed in a thread a few months back... there's a vacancy in the government of the Undead (Undead Council) which is causing a rift between the two remaining Undead leaders... the NPC leader of the team has a son whose evil powers have been sealed away and who knows when that could open up... all of the Freedom Corps members have alternate reality counterparts, some good and some bad, some even at the world-destroying level...

 

Anyway, I feel that if I introduce 'world changing' storylines too quickly, it ruins the impact. I've had two issues since the Null Invasion ended, and it's been pretty basic but still involved some good background stuff on some characters and introduced some Hunteds to the game (one was about Foxbat and Black Harlequin kidnapping an NPC friend of the team and the other was a Malvan alien named Preet Junction who has occasionally harassed the team and forced them into arena fights, forcing a PC (Johnny Bam) who technically was the current Arena champion, to fight Firewing.

 

Now, maybe after 6 issues of random stories and fun stuff, we dive into the next major story arc (give them time to relax and think things are safe! MWHAHAHA!)

[hooligan x]

Re: Time in between major events

 

Of the 13 stories I listed, only four could be said to be "World Changing". I only did two back-to-back, so I guess I have waited at least four game nights before threatening the planet again.

[TheTemplar]

Re: Time in between major events

 

My Champions campaign has run in a very similar way - framed in the context of being a comic book series where each session is an issue. It's also divided into "seasons" as well. If you figure the comic comes out monthly, then you'd have 12 issues per year (or season) plus there's almost always at least one or two double-sized issues and maybe a special bonus issue, meaning each "Season" of our campaign is 14-15 sessions long. The REALLY big potentially earth-shattering stuff is usually saved for a season finale. Not to say that some of the other plots going on couldn't have the potential to become earth-shattering, but nowhere nearly as threatening as the season-ending story arc.

 

Each session may include up to 3 or 4 references to other storylines that are going on behind the scenes in addition to whatever storyline that particular session is focused on. This really helps w/ immersion & a sense of continuity. However, I think it's important, too, to break things up every now and then with something not at all related to any of the major plots - which is why I love Villainy Amok. I've tried to mix in short, uncomplicated, one-session stories with my long-term developments, just to keep the pace dynamic. I don't know that there's a definite amount of time that can be classified as "ideal" to have between your big storylines. The important thing, to me, is that there IS a break to allow players time to decompress a bit and digest all the stuff they've dealt with without having to worry about yet another colossal threat to humanity's existence barreling toward them.

 

Sometimes one session of thwarting a GRAB bank robbery is sufficient to let the players recharge for another mind-bending, emotional story line. Other times, they may need a few sessions to gear back down. I think it's one of those things you just have to kinda play by ear.

[GoldenAge]

Re: Time in between major events

 

I would advise taking some time to integrate the two new player characters. It's also the right moment to advance relationships, romances and fill in holes in backgrounds.

 

It's easy to write epic stories filled with horror and delight that will keep everyone riveted... Test yourself and your GMing abilities and try to capture the enthusiasm of your players while dealing with the totally mundane.

 

Remember, without contrast the true color of action is muted.

 

Then, after 3 or so game sessions, just when your players were really getting used to the kissey-face crud, blow up the moon and malevolently enjoy the looks on their faces!

 

[GoldenAge]

Re: Time in between major events

 

Come to think of it... Do the Freedom Corps have insurance? Was there any collateral damage done while battling the Null and becoming gods? Who is worshiping those new gods? Are there any punch-drinking devotees happily picnicking in the name of the Freedom Corps???

 

On that note, how does the government feel about unsanctioned heroes suddenly becoming gods? Are they for it? Do they want a piece of the action or control of the future actions of those loose cannons? If they were government sanctioned then how do other countries feel about gods under the employment of the U.S. Government?

 

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Remember when the Avengers were forced to reduce their ranks to only 7 members. It's still one of the most memorable moments in comics.

 

BTW: Do you have proper minority representation in your group and their support staff????

 

Oh the fun you could have with damage control!!!

 

[largosama]

Re: Time in between major events

 

Come to think of it... Do the Freedom Corps have insurance? Was there any collateral damage done while battling the Null and becoming gods? Who is worshiping those new gods? Are there any punch-drinking devotees happily picnicking in the name of the Freedom Corps???

 

On that note, how does the government feel about unsanctioned heroes suddenly becoming gods? Are they for it? Do they want a piece of the action or control of the future actions of those loose cannons? If they were government sanctioned then how do other countries feel about gods under the employment of the U.S. Government?

 

-------------------------------

 

Remember when the Avengers were forced to reduce their ranks to only 7 members. It's still one of the most memorable moments in comics.

 

BTW: Do you have proper minority representation in your group and their support staff????

 

Oh the fun you could have with damage control!!!

 

 

The Null Invasion was a worldwide problem, so the Freedom Corps themselves didn't have to pay... HOWEVER... there has been some fallout. The public is blaming the meta-humans for causing this whole Null problem and an Anti-Meta Human League has been formed. Currently they are just protesting, throwing trash, etc... this will get worse as time goes on... especially as a battle between one of the PCs and Firewing caused one of the AML members to get killed... bad bad news! The state or federal government may have to eventually jump in and do some things that the Freedom Corps may not like!

 

As for the God situation, the only people who know about that are the Freedom Corps members. To everybody else, they disappeared/moved on/were killed in the Null attack. The characters that became gods are now NPCs and won't be seen much (if at all). The only reason the Gods got involved at all was due to the fact that the Null Leaders couldn't be affected by the Gods (due to the fact that they weren't planned by the Gods) as well as the fact that the Null were invading the Heavens.

 

They do have minority representation... a few of them in fact...

 

Oh, and speaking of the Freedom Corps not having insurance... side story... during a battle with Eurostar within the Binary Corporation's main building, some high tech equipment was damaged... Eurostar was arrested and so the Binary Corp went after the Freedom Corps for damages... due to some deals with the mayor, the city ended up paying the damages... and the city is NOT happy about it... So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that the city would have reason to lay down some restrictions on the Freedom Corps (the various liasions between the big and powerful government officials and the Freedom Corps understand the situation and realize that the Freedom Corps is getting a little screwed, but the Mayor and company are just looking at the bottom line)

[GoldenAge]

Re: Time in between major events

 

Sounds like you have plenty of loose ends to tie up for the foreseeable future.

 

I haven’t heard you mention much about the characters backgrounds and disads. Wouldn't this be a great time to really go into depth with a character or two? Nothing's better than a GM who makes a player feel special by really focusing on your background. It's great when a GM embellishes and enhances the characters and their original background contributions.

[Badger]

Re: Time in between major events

 

Well what you mentioned in a later post if they arent too major you could focus on them a while. It could help get the new PCs built up a little before you lay down the big one. So focus on a couple of the minor one a while. Maybe have an adventure that last 1-3 issues vs. DEMON. Have a couple more small adventures that only last one issue. Get their guard down, and WHAM!