Serial Campaign Episode

[jaws]

I am looking o create a campaign structured similar to a T.V. Series. I want to keep focus on the most important things to be resolved for the session, with a larger unobtrusive storyline in the background that develops "seasonally" and ends with a bang after 4 or 5 "seasons".

 

I want to develop personal drama in each episode focused on one or more of the players so that each has their own storyline as well.

 

[If you don't like long posts you can skip to the question at the bottom at this point]

 

Structure looks like this.

* Looming epic storyline in the backdrop (multi seasonal).

- Sub theme that makes up a season and has a conclusion that foreshadows the higher storyline hinting that the story is much larger than anticipated.

- Optional quick and fun subplots just for fun.

 

- Players personal story/drama.

- Current simple episode with urgent implications a with just enough strings to make it link to higher story lines without making them the primary focus. These should be what reveals and advances the main story line, but be conclusive in and of itself. Non-serial saga style.

Well that is general structure and feeling for the story. However never having never done anything even remotely like it; just used to the -one shot- or -the epic almost never ending open ended story- that the players strive for from the start, where the players complete minor objectives but are always focused on the big goal.

 

The game will be based on Mass Effect setting (yes the video game). And players are part of an multi-racial investigative special task force put together by the council and the Systems Alliance to investigate and control current (geth) and future(reavers) possible A.I. threats. The time line starts one year after the events of the game and assumes Captain Anderson is the council representative for humanity as an equal among the council races.

 

Bottom Line: I would appreciate any help and tips on developing this kind of story structure.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Evil Steve]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

- Players personal story/drama.

[/indent]

- Current simple episode with urgent implications a with just enough strings to make it link to higher story lines without making them the primary focus. These should be what reveals and advances the main story line, but be conclusive in and of itself. Non-serial saga style.

 

That's your hard part, by the looks of it. The Overplot is easy, the seasonal plots are just smaller Overplots.

 

 

However never having never done anything even remotely like it; just used to the

-one shot-

or -the epic almost never ending open ended story- that the players strive for from the start, where the players complete minor objectives but are always focused on the big goal.

 

And that there is your solution. You've got the episodic experience right there. Design each session as a

-one shot-

that fits into the seasonal plots and overplot.

 

I ran something like this and one thing that kept it going was connections between characters. NPCs were the connection. The characters each had an array of NPCs that had connections to other characters or the other character's NPCs. If each PC's present in a session brings NPC's into play, that have connections to other PC's the players' interrests stay focused.

 

Second, not every session has to be about

all

the PCs. In a TV episode there are usually a main plot (A-plot) and a secondary, less intense and less directly important plot (B-plot). The later series of the Star Trek franchise uses these often. If you're going to have a character-centred session, try this method.

 

Third, not every session has to be directly connected to the seasonal plot or the overplot.

 

Lastly, the slightly cheesey, but fun part. A theme song and openning scene. Most TV shows open on a small scene that sets up the episode, the cue the theme song. Done right, this is handy for focusing the group on "Tonight's episode" This can either be done as a descriptive piece or a quick, scene involving an NPC and a PC. If you're using the opening description, avoid describing the PCs reactions, rather just what leads up to a reaction

 

EG:You want the PC's to do a lot of investigative work on a nearby world and you need a hook. A possible openning scene is one PC jogging the decks of the ship when a message arrives for him, he goes to his room, towels off some sweat and opens the message. Its a very official letter from the Global police of the nearby world. The character's brother is an officer there. The message shows an important looking medal of valour and begins:

 

"Dear [character's name], We regret to inform you that [NPC brother's name] has been killed in the line of duty while investigating a Geth incendent..."

 

Cue Theme song

 

Have the full letter ready for the PC. The hook is that the brother wasn't in the Geth AI department, so why was he investigating one?

 

A possible B-plot would be another PC's outstanding debt has caught up with her and she has to dodge the collectors long enough to get it paid off and not draw them to the ship, which is much easier to trace.

[ghost-angel]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

I suggest spending a little extra time on each Character themselves in developing their backgrounds - both hidden and public. Take each player aside and work in a piece that links them to the over reaching plot, and then make sure they have little elements you can use for short individual sessions.

 

The Disads and seemingly "useless" Skills can come to light here. Disads can and should tie into one of the two levels - some Disads can even change from Episode to Episode depending (Bad Luck one episode gets replaced with a temporary Hunted that allows the episode to focus on the Player in question, then it can shift to something that probably isn't much of a note as the next Episode focuses on another Character).

 

Allow tiny little Skills, maybe even have each Player choose 1-2 Background Skills that don't cost them anything and then use them as part of that Character's focus for a single story line (Episode) and it never has to come up again. . .

 

Like the Pilot has the cultural knowledge to get them through a tricky trading session making them the star of the Episode before moving onto the Engineers most recently acquired Hunted when he picked up that (unknown to him) stolen part of the ship and the original owner wants it back, then next Episode. . .

[Prometheus]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

For subplots, I've tried using a checklist to make sure I stay on top of things. Whether it's directly related to the main storyline, or it just involves one of the characters, it's a good way to keep track of what's going on. It works equally well for major plotlines as it does for subplots. Say I want a romance subplot for one character, and a villainous terrorist plot for the greater plotline, I would break both up into checklists for me to track the progress of each.

 

Just as an example, it might look something like this:

 

• Burglarize port records for manifests
  
• Raid freighter for volatile cargo
  
• Kidnap specialist to build bomb
  
• Blackmail inside man for security clearances
  
• Drop bomb on urban center
  

 

or

 

• Meet the girl
  
• Get to know each other
  
• Mess it up
  
• Reconcile
  
• Finally get the girl
  

 

Of course, the details are up to you, but I tend to stress the points where the characters can get involved. Maybe they only show up in time to investigate the burglary, or maybe they come to the freighter's aid in time to save the hostage crew (but too late to stop the cargo from being taken)- at the very least I know I'm setting up the story and that the players are involved. If they manage to catch up with the villains as they attempt the kidnapping, or if the season ends before the reconcilliation, that's fine, at least I know how everything is progressing and where to pick up.

 

It also helps make certain I'm giving everyone relatively equal screen time. If Agent Garrus's revenge subplot is almost all checked off, but Commander Shepard's romance subplot is practically empty, it's time to give him a little time alone with the new girl in Navigation. It just takes a quick glance to check that you (the GM) aren't neglecting, ignoring, or just plain forgetting something.

[Nolgroth]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

Just come off of a long semi-serial campaign. The experience has really been a learning one for me. It is very tough to maintain momentum in an ongoing campaign like that. My suggestion for the beginning anyway, is to start small. I presume you know what your long term goals are so that is already taken care of.

 

So start with a few contained "episodes." Take lots of notes, even going so far as to keep a tape recorder handy to go back and review the sessions that comprise the episode. Take especial note of places, people, and other important things that the characters focus on and interact with. Do these important points of interest have anything to do with your plot? Can they fit in? Would having them around later as "local color" help keep the players invested in the setting.

 

Reuse what you can, file what you can't. Keep building from episode to episode until you get the ball rolling. Introduce elements of the overarching plot as you see fit. Adjust as needed.

 

Remember who the key players are in the behind the scenes plot(s). Remember that they have an agenda of their own. Adjust the timetable for maximum fun and drama. Some GMs take a very confrontational view; if the players don't follow the script, then bad things happen at the scheduled time. That's okay. Just remember that the characters can influence something without ever directly interacting with it. Try to fuel an armada after the characters destroy a major fuel refinement plant in that sector (as an example).

 

Take notes. Yeah I mentioned that already, but I cannot underscore it enough. The more notes you have, the more possible connections you can tie in. The more information you have at your fingertips. The fewer inconsistencies you throw at the players. (What do you mean Phil sent us off on a mission? We don't know a Phil! Oh Paul! Yeah, okay.)

 

Just a few suggestions. Hope they help. Have fun.

[CTaylor]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

There is a role playing system online that is dedicated to the idea of television shows, any kind of show, but I can't find the link now. It had some great tips on how to build a game like that and several different ongoing games, maybe someone here has more info.

[Nolgroth]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

Are you talking about Prime Time Adventures? Curufea mentioned that a while back when I was going through my gaming/HERO drought.

[artemis_san]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

^.^

 

PTA is a pretty good resource for how to arrange a campaign that is specifically designed as a television series. PTA was also featured on The Game Master show podcast.

 

I've ran a game called Nexus, using alternately GURPS and HERO System. It has ran for going on 14 seasons and 275 episodes, and I will echo a lot of what has already been said.

 

Perhaps the biggest point I can make is don't let the Overplot squish everything else out of your campaign. Take a look at your campaign world and see what all might be going on. Take some elements of the Overplot and throw them in, but feel free to weave perhaps one element into a story that otherwise has nothing to do with the Overplot.

 

In my own experience, it's actually feasible not to even have an Overplot. There might be a subplot that turns the episode into a two or three-parter, but Nexus has been run without an over-arching Overplot, and in a way, this gives you the freedom to do a lot of different things without feeling like you have done nothing to advance the over-arching storyline. It also allows for guest GMs to do their own thing without wrecking your plot.

 

Feel free to use OTHER campaigns for ideas! For example, our group is currently running a modern-day ghost busters-like campaign. SO, my first episode of Nexus in Season 14 will have the characters assigned by the agency that was in the ghost busters campaign to track down a missing ship that has been infested with vampires and zombies and what not... Since the vampires are a historic enemy of Nexus, I can have a group of them come back later and put them in the role of helping some Hesperian refugees, and put the players in the awkward spot of dealing with a group of bad guys who are actually doing a good deed.

 

Music can be nice, if it is done well. It can emphasize a scene, or a genre. If it's done poorly, it can become a distraction, and I've had both happen to me. Try it out, and see what the players like. It might be the case that the music saves the episode. I had one episode called "Ahrlohn" where the music was what gained a four-star rating for the episode, in part because the music meshed so well with each scene. That was an episode where a player will prolly be forever remembered for nearly destrying a castle by lighting off a fireball in the castle's sewers (all that methane...)

 

John B.

Laramie, WY

[CTaylor]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

That's the thing, it has great ideas for running a serial game or something based on a TV show. I have wanted to do it for a while now but never gotten around to it, the idea intrigues me.

[Curufea]

Re: Serial Campaign Episode

 

If you want to run a game as a book, rather than a TV show - there's another system I like to recommend - Universalis.