Not signed in (Sign In)

Vanilla 1.1.9 is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Welcome Guest!
Want to take part in these discussions? If you have an account, sign in now.
If you don't have an account, apply for one now.

Games and Gaming: Idea for an odd campaign start

Bottom of Page

1 to 22 of 22

  1.  
  1.  # 1
    The characters wake up somewhere as amnesiac captives. The "somewhere" depends on the genre, and doesn't really affect the underlying idea. Basically, in the course of escaping and finding out who they are, the PCs will probably exhibit some tendencies. For instance, one character may immediately try to con the gaurd into letting them out. Another may fashion a makeshift lockpick. This would be read in game as the character subconsciously trying what feels most comfortable first.

    Whatever they do, that's what their skills are. Each character would have a set number of point buy points that the GM would assign every time an action is taken, until they're out of points. Preferably the escape scenario is setup to give everyone plenty of opportunities, and a chance to find files about themselves, represented out of game by the character sheets.

    Has anyone tried something like this before?
  2.  # 2
    The only game I've ever played which involved amnesia / identity confusion mechanics is Fred Hick's still-in-development "Schizonauts," which is capital-A Awesome. Check it out if you ever get the chance.

    In that game, you actually have two identities which are competing to be the "real" one. I almost wonder if you'd want something like that in your captives game, James--frex, perhaps, once the PCs escape the complex or whatever, based on the choices they've made about who they really are, one of them turns out to be a plant, spy, or turncoat.

    Matt
    • CommentAuthorPaul Czege
    • CommentTimeAug 29th 2007
     # 3
    Hey James,

    Posted By: James McMurrayWhatever they do, that's what their skills are.


    The 1985 Pacesetter game Sandman: Map of Halaal had player characters with amnesia. As the game played out in various historical and imagined times and places you'd sometimes accomplish something and the GM would give you a card that spelled out the skill or ability that you'd realized you knew.

    Paul
  4.  # 4
    Deliverator, that sounds cool but the current campaign I'm running is about to see a mole PC dropped into the party, and the last campaign I ran that I'd consider major also had one (albeit an NPC masquerading as GMPC). If I did it in the next game too, they'd never trust me or each other again. :)

    Paul, any chance that game is available somewhere in an easy to find format (i.e. pdf)? Something tells me it won't be popping up on my local Half Price Bookstore's shelf. :-)
    •  
      CommentAuthornoclue
    • CommentTimeAug 29th 2007
     # 5
    I'm thinking that there could be a cost to choosing a skill beyond the points. Like a decision tree. You can choose skill A, but then certain skill branches will be closed to you. As you complete new actions you are choosing between new skills and your character continues to gets more specialized and focused.
  6.  # 6
  7.  # 7
    Posted By: noclueI'm thinking that there could be a cost to choosing a skill beyond the points. Like a decision tree. You can choose skill A, but then certain skill branches will be closed to you. As you complete new actions you are choosing between new skills and your character continues to gets more specialized and focused.


    I'm not sure what kind of setup I'd use for that though. It's completely possible for people with PHDs in physics to also be excellent trackers and hunters, or commercial pilots. Some combinations may be a bit farfetched (butcher + baker + candlestick maker + Professional Hit Man) but I wouldn't have the foggiest idea how to develop a tree that allowed for the improbable but disallowed the far fetched (assuming I could even figure out where to draw the line).

    Posted By: Call Me Curlyhttp://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=21666.msg222144#msg222144


    Thanks!
  8.  # 8
    Follow-up for anyone interested in following the link for The Pool: the link in that Forge thread doesn't work. But you can get it here.
    •  
      CommentAuthorQHudspeth
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007
     # 9
    Hi James,

    Actually, I'm working on a game now with that premise. To address the discovery/remembering of character traits, I'm using a variation of the Secret mechanics that ColinC brought up. Finding files is also a great way to discover things. Using Secrets, the players could choose to take a route that allows them to discover such secret files.

    Q
    • CommentAuthorMike Holmes
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007 edited
     # 10
    Hmmm. I've always kept this a secret, but...

    This is the secret of the game Cell Gamma... there is no cell gamma.

    It's my part of the No Press Anthology game. It gives you a set-up situation, and some stuff to spur on character responses, and notes on how to delude the players into thinking that they're discovering their character, when they're really making it up as they go along.

    http://www.nopress.net/

    Mike

    P.S. it's not easy to run, and it doesn't always work well.... just the nature of the beast. It's interesting just how long it takes for players to catch on... which in part has to do with how much patience you have as GM...
  11.  # 11
    Sounds nice. Any chance I can get a little bit more info, especially on how the reveal/creation system works? The two sentences on the website are intriguing, but $20 is a lot to pay for a look into a black bag, no matter how stylish the upside down L on it is. :-)
    • CommentAuthorjzn
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007
     # 12
    Posted By: James McMurrayThe characters wake up somewhere as amnesiac captives....Basically, in the course of escaping and finding out who they are, the PCs will probably exhibit some tendencies.


    sounds like Planescape:Torment. That's a good thing!
    • CommentAuthorPiers
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007
     # 13
    You might also want to look at one of the new games from the AshCan Front--Psi-Run. It is all about amnesiacs on the run who find out things about themselves. There's a thread just a bit down page.
  14.  # 14
    • CommentAuthorMr. Teapot
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007
     # 15
    Sounds very similar to an Over the Edge con game I played that was run by Robin Laws. Actually, the first third of the game consisted of the players asking him yes or no questions, to which he always said yes, though he sometimes elaborated on them or added complications. We weren't told that he would always aswer yes ahead of time, so it took a little while to figure out (and phrasing the question became important). The PCs started out as amnesiacs but figured stuff out about themselves by the players asking questions. Once everyone had some stuff established about themselves, the game resumed normal OTE mechanics and built on what we had established.
  16.  # 16
    James,

    The method, basically, is somewhat like Mr. Laws method, except that I actually encourage the illusion of extant character sheets and such by having a GM screen or something (I recommend a clipboard, actually). Further I recommed actually only saying yes to things about two-thirds of the time. Otherwise, I've found, people catch on too quickly. That, or you have to do as Laws did, and make up additional information on the spot to make it seem like you're not just going with the player's ideas. There's a few more hints in the game about this sort of thing.

    What I really try to focus on, however, are the elements that are presented to the players - who wake up in an odd prison where they cannot see or interrogate their jailors. They are meant to be somewhat generic to North Americans, yet things that I think will provoke people to make assumptions. Not specific assumptions, but assumptions at random depending on the player. In fact one player, after playing, said that the game was like a Rorsach test for gamers, in that they tended to see what they wanted to see, and this gives you some insight into them as a player.

    BTW, the No Press Anthology has 8 games in it! That's $2.50 a game! At that price, even if not long, these games are a steal. :-)

    Mike
  17.  # 17
    Posted By: Mike HolmesThey are meant to be somewhat generic to North Americans, yet things that I think will provoke people to make assumptions. Not specific assumptions, but assumptions at random depending on the player. In fact one player, after playing, said that the game was like a Rorsach test for gamers, in that they tended to see what they wanted to see, and this gives you some insight into them as a player.


    This sounds exactly like what I'm looking for. Can you perhaps give an example?

    BTW, the No Press Anthology has 8 games in it! That's $2.50 a game! At that price, even if not long, these games are a steal. :-)


    Perhaps, but my group plays new games so infreqiuently that I'd probably only ever play one of those games, if that. Although, WTF and The Agency sound intriguing as well.
    • CommentAuthorMr. Teapot
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007
     # 18
    •  
      CommentAuthorThomas D
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007 edited
     # 19
    Treasure Hunt (N4), a 0-level module for AD&D, began in a similar way. As your character did something, the GM would make a check mark on a record sheet indicating which class your character would be. If you try to sneak along the ridge to ambush the goblins, place a check mark by Thief. If you pick up a sword in combat, put a minus by Cleric and Magic-User. If you study the magic book in the adventure, place a check mark by Magic-User for each hour you study. Once you reach 0 XP (you started at -500), the GM looks at your sheet and says something like, "You've been behaving pretty much like a chaotic-good fighter or ranger. Does that sound right?" And you go, "Yeah, and I think this guy is going to turn out to be a ranger." Boom. You're now playing a level 1 ranger.

    Waking up as an amnesiac character... if you've played any computer RPGs over the past decade, you'd recognize that as the go-to story cliche. It's the computer RPG world's equivalent of "Okay, you're all in a tavern..."
    •  
      CommentAuthorThomas D
    • CommentTimeAug 30th 2007
     # 20
    Oh, and another module, Under Illefarn, had an option to run it in the same way as Treasure Hunt.
  21.  # 21
    Posted By: Thomas DWaking up as an amnesiac character... if you've played any computer RPGs over the past decade, you'd recognize that as the go-to story cliche. It's the computer RPG world's equivalent of "Okay, you're all in a tavern..."


    Yeah, my first experience with the idea was the Shadowrun Nintendo game. I suppose that (and a book idea I've had running through my head for a couple years) subconciously made me think about how I'd model this in an RPG setting.

    Posted By: Mr. TeapotMr. Laws "Yes but..." method more fully explained in his own words.


    Thanks! I'll scope it out when I've got some more time.
  22.  # 22
    I've figured out what I think will be scene one in the adventure. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. You can find it in this thread.

1 to 22 of 22

  1.