Help with plot

[tunglashr]

I am running a Star Hero game based in the Space Opera universe and I am having trouble providing plot hooks that the players actually investigate. Two new characters were just introduced in the last session, one of them with a questionable past.

 

Here is a wiki with the basics of the game (please dont post anything there): http://benscondo.wiki-rpg.com/index.php?title=Serenity_Bebop

 

The new characters are Ontiveros and Atat. Two of the previous characters (Peter and Alison) were previously acquainted with Ontiveros, during a prequel, and they know he used to have a ship. But he no longer does. They did ask what happened, and he mentioned that he let someone borrow it. He said it seemed like a good idea at the time, but after about a week he realized it was stupid and he would never get his ship back.

 

They seemed uninterested in that, so I threw in a little tidbit during the last session. There was a news story that whoever owned his old ship was wanted in connection with an assault near Formalhaut.

 

Still nothing.

 

The crew then jumped to a new planet and did some trading. After a week in FTL things had changed in the news. But they didnt investigate. I had Peter make a hacking roll and gave him some info that indicated that old reported crime is now being buried. This piqued their curiosity, but they would not go after it at all because it had been a week and there was no way to know what had happened.

 

In the past this group has liked games where the plot moves along and they participate. This worked well when I was running only published stuff. It is less viable when I am trying to have the players drive the plot. I guess this means I need something more active.

 

I have considered pirates attacking the ship next time they jump, but even if I do that, what can they learn from that and where will that lead? I need something more tangible and long term.

 

Any ideas are appreciated.

 

Thanks

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Help with plot

 

Part of the problem here, I think is that (at least with the three characters who are posted) they don't have much in the way of plot-driving Disadvantages. Most of what's there is plot-complicating, and what might be there isn't detailed (such as what the PCs' "Dark Secrets" are).

 

The one thing I can think of is to go ahead with that pirate attack, but with a strange complication: they use knockout-gas grenades, and the smell of the gas sends Alison into flashback mode. She remembers something -- a small, seemingly insignificant detail -- that could help get Peter's Hunter off his back. Or she might remember something that could help Ontiveros track down "the one that got away." Or Ontiveros' "one that got away" could actually be connected to Peter's Hunter.

[tunglashr]

Re: Help with plot

 

I know what the dark secrets are, I just didnt post them because the other players might see them. The good thing about Alisons secrets is that they can be pretty much anything, so I can add them as necessary and introduce it. The problem so far has been I have introduced them twice into games and the only follow up has been a single conversation.

 

I guess I am not used to being such a strong driver of the plot. Normally players take a more proactive approach, and I am having trouble adjusting and getting things to happen.

[Nyrath]

Re: Help with plot

 

I guess I am not used to being such a strong driver of the plot. Normally players take a more proactive approach' date=' and I am having trouble adjusting and getting things to happen.[/quote']

Sometimes it is a matter of turning the problem on its head.

 

There is a mechanism called "spiritual attributes" from another RPG that can be adapted to Star hero:

http://www.projectrho.com/rpg/riddleofsteel.html

 

The idea is to get your players to see themselves as the hero of a movie or a novel. They will then want to become method actors, and the scenarios will suddenly be driven by the players, not the game master.

 

The players draw up a list of five items: things that will earn them experience points in the game. These are things the players are interested in.

 

Not the player-characters. The players.

 

So if player Davey likes tales of vengeance, he will make a player-character like Inigo Montoya who will earn experience points when he does things that further his goal of seeking vengeance on the six-fingered man.

 

The campaign will start with you, the game master, saying something like "We are playing Star Hero. We will be using Space Opera Universe. What kind of game do you want to play?"

 

The players will fill out their lists, which will give you the answer to your question, e.g., "We want a blood soaked tale of honor, hate, destiny and revenge."

 

This will give you clear direction on what kind of game the players want, and make it so the players, not you, will drive the campaign. Now you can cackle fiendishly and concoct evil plot twists and fabulous locations.

[Vulcan]

Re: Help with plot

 

Looking back to the original post:

 

Two of the previous characters (Peter and Alison) were previously acquainted with Ontiveros' date=' during a prequel, and they know he used to have a ship. But he no longer does. They did ask what happened, and he mentioned that he let someone borrow it. He said it seemed like a good idea at the time, but after about a week he realized it was stupid and he would never get his ship back.[/quote']

 

and

 

There was a news story that whoever owned his old ship was wanted in connection with an assault near Formalhaut.

 

tells me the authorities should be coming after the legal owner of the ship - Ontiveros! After all, he only let the other guy borrow it, so the authorities likely think he's involved with the assault!

 

If that doesn't motivate them into trying to find out what's going on, then let them roleplay a week in prison while a lawyer straightens things out for them.

[Vulcan]

Re: Help with plot

 

A further thought: Now they owe whoever paid the laywer a big favor...

[tunglashr]

Re: Help with plot

 

Looking back to the original post:

 

 

 

and

 

 

 

tells me the authorities should be coming after the legal owner of the ship - Ontiveros! After all, he only let the other guy borrow it, so the authorities likely think he's involved with the assault!

 

If that doesn't motivate them into trying to find out what's going on, then let them roleplay a week in prison while a lawyer straightens things out for them.

 

Yes, this is happening. But it has the unwanted side effect of making him hide constantly, so only the others ever leave the ship, which makes it even less likely for something interesting to happen.

[Vulcan]

Re: Help with plot

 

Yes' date=' this is happening. But it has the unwanted side effect of making him hide constantly, so only the others ever leave the ship, which makes it even less likely for something interesting to happen.[/quote']

 

Surely someone saw him get on the ship. Or even just remembers that "He used to hang out with these other guys, go talk to them!" So have the Feds (or whoever) come around asking some pointed questions and making threats about the consequences of 'harboring fugitives'. And if the technology of the game permits it, one of the Feds could plant a bug on the PC... Think Riggs and Mertaw, "Bad Cop, Worse Cop!"

 

If the government of your campaign is a bit less concerned with the nicities of legalites than the USA is, then they might bring them in (in cuffs if necessary) for questioning and impound the ship...

[Vulcan]

Re: Help with plot

 

An alternate thought: allow him to keep hiding on the ship. Just make sure nothing of interst ever happens on or near the ship.

 

Not only will he get bored (which might just get him out of the ship on it's own), but he also won't be earning any XP either...

[Curufea]

Re: Help with plot

 

I hook players by exploiting their character backgrounds.

Linking plot elements to histories and letting a player's character develop.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Help with plot

 

My advice is to come up with something else to run, and keep this plot on the back burner for a little while. Eventually, bring the hooks out on this one again...maybe they have some business in Fomalhaut, maybe the ship is used in other attacks.

 

Just like fishing...switch your bait for a while and be patient...they'll bite sooner or later.

[Dr. Anomaly]

Re: Help with plot

 

Have the pirate attack happen, but they aren't after cargo... they're after Peter!

 

Why? Well, he's the previous owner of that ship, so they figure that he must know how to get into the secret compartment / how to operate the secret, illegal equipment installed on it / etc., which will be important after they manage to actually get their hands on said ship, which they are also currently hunting.

 

Of course, Peter's player is going to go "Huh? WHAT are they talking about? There's nothing like that on that ship... I ought to know, it used to be mine!"

 

Then just grin at him.

 

A couple more attacks/raids (by different groups / agencies / clans / whatever, looking for Peter for the same reason) should give them ample incentive to find that ship THEMSELVES, and find out what's going on; if they don't, they'll never be able to sleep soundly, and sooner or later, someone's going to get the idea of eliminating them instead of capturing them, if for no other reason than to keep a rival from getting the information out of Peter...

 

The fact that he doesn't have the information, and doesn't even know what it is, is beside the point!

[artemis_san]

Re: Help with plot

 

^.^

 

Yeah, while I am not a great fan of railroading, at times, it has to be done...and it sounds like this is one of those times. A lot of the responses so far have been along the lines of smacking the players with a big fiish, then an even bigger one, and then an even BIGGER one.

 

When listening to the most recently posted episode of the Game Master Show podcast, they mentioned the use of dark secrets and dark pasts and the point that either the players develop or go along with whatever the disadvantage is, or they pick something else. Not to be a complete jerk here, but it doesn't sound like the players are getting too involved in the dark secrets area of their characters...

 

So for the short term, do some railroading. Smack the characters with big fish. However, once they are on the trail of whatever it is you are looking for them to be going after, ease up on them slowly and allow them to continue driving the plot forward.

 

Also, consider giving an extra XP point or two for good roleplaying.

 

John B.

Laramie, WY

[artemis_san]

Re: Help with plot

 

^.^

 

About the player backgrounds... I am just about to start up a campaign again, and I handed my players background sheets and they started working away. Some of this will suggest to me additional skills or perks that might fill out their characters a bit more...

 

But one player simply sat there and looked at the sheet. When we asked him what was up, he said he had never had to do one of these for any of his characters, that he just wanted to play the game and was not interested much in the background.

 

Well, I was stuck for a bit. I didn't want to push him away from the game because of something that is actually optional, but at the same time, I wanted to see if he could THINK about what his character is...I am SO sick of games where you are basically playing World of Warcraft with your stat sheet in front of you.

 

However, then he mentioned he wanted to play a character similar to Tom Paris (helmsman on Star Trek Voyager, for those who don't know). I was then able to supply him with a background based on Paris, who was assigned to Voyager after being in prison. Our character was recently released from the Longshot Cryogenics Facility, where he did time for a crime he did not commit...

 

John B.

Laramie, WY

[Folded]

Re: Help with plot

 

I am not yet a very experienced GM. Lots of mistakes. My first two campaigns had a fair amount of railroad written into them, but I found that everything was more fun when plots were more improvised. In fact, I COULDN'T railroad the characters. They occasionally agreed to follow the plot hooks I handed out, but spent more time getting themselves involved in totally random things. A lot of fun.

 

So, I decided to build a campaign around that. I built a setting, a bunch of NPC's, and a very basic situation. I figured I wouldn't need to write anything big, just deal with their randomness, allowing various threads to emerge.

 

They sat there, patiently waiting for me to lay EVERYTHING out. I told them, hey, this is an improv campaign, go nuts.

 

And the next campaign? They complained that it was too structured.

 

On the plus side, I was acquitted of all charges, and they didn't spent too much time in the hospital.

 

In terms of advice, maybe try a different direction? Maybe someone comes to the ship, says he understands the character's legal problems, and he can help (the more sinister, the better). Or let the law lay off, get them into another job or two, then let them find themselves on Fomalhaut. Curiosity might do the trick, there. If it becomes too much of an issue, just give up on that thread (I know, lots of work invested), turn it into something new, that they will follow.

 

Whatever you choose to do, good luck.

[dmjalund]

Re: Help with plot

 

Talk with each player, ask them what they want there character to do, what sort of situations they want to play, and keep these in mind when creating adventures. Another guide can be looking at the characters Complications.

 

Hooks often work when they are targeted to the players' characters rather than something generic.