MoonHunter
Game Guru
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2018
- Messages
- 1,729
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My Concerns
I have had some reservations about the setting that I could not put my finger on.
At first blush, it sounds easy. Then you dig a little. We all know gamers will only accept so much hand waving. So then there will be details. Even if you follow just "one plan" for how this would go, there are things that need to be addressed.
I have been boxing out pieces for this setting and related chronicles. Taking on chunks that would be manageable. (I have not done Mars Geography, but I have a bunch of good sources so only a matter of doing it.)
The Design Line for this is a "setting that you can put other chronicles into". So all the Mars stuff is there as background OR to make it interesting/ complicated. That is why I decided on Silver Era of Colonization, 20-30 years after the first hard years of landings and buildings. It would make things easier. The more I worked on this, the more I came to conclusions.
1) The Mars stuff (Big or small plots) are okay. They are easy. You just need to apply extra effort to link it to both the various plots and the environment you are in. A bit of work, but I think any interested GM might put in that effort. (And a straight Mars(B/s) chronicle with the occasional other plotlines might be better to do.)
It is the environment that is the thing. Things we take for granted in planetary gaming can not be. If you have ever played in a space ship sci-fi game and realized that one of your players did not get it? They did not really understand what would happen if they fired a gun and it went through the hull, or gravity plates breaking or all the odd parts of the tiny ship. Sure, lots of science fiction takes some understanding... but this setting is surrounded by understandings.
The environment here is more contained than an Earth town/ city/ castle. And there are no shortcuts, you have to follow the tunnels. The furniture is all light and modular. There are no cars, just trucks and maybe you can hitch a ride. The food is odd. Even with domes, there is not that much open air - unless you are in an environmental suit (then it is just open space).
2) These chronicles will have a learning curve as players learn about the Habitats and Life on Mars. I am thinking it might be more than most players would be willing to learn. Even breaking sections down into tiny bits and using quick lines, it is a lot to absorb. It is a great setting. Would players be willing to buy in?
I have had some reservations about the setting that I could not put my finger on.
At first blush, it sounds easy. Then you dig a little. We all know gamers will only accept so much hand waving. So then there will be details. Even if you follow just "one plan" for how this would go, there are things that need to be addressed.
I have been boxing out pieces for this setting and related chronicles. Taking on chunks that would be manageable. (I have not done Mars Geography, but I have a bunch of good sources so only a matter of doing it.)
The Design Line for this is a "setting that you can put other chronicles into". So all the Mars stuff is there as background OR to make it interesting/ complicated. That is why I decided on Silver Era of Colonization, 20-30 years after the first hard years of landings and buildings. It would make things easier. The more I worked on this, the more I came to conclusions.
1) The Mars stuff (Big or small plots) are okay. They are easy. You just need to apply extra effort to link it to both the various plots and the environment you are in. A bit of work, but I think any interested GM might put in that effort. (And a straight Mars(B/s) chronicle with the occasional other plotlines might be better to do.)
It is the environment that is the thing. Things we take for granted in planetary gaming can not be. If you have ever played in a space ship sci-fi game and realized that one of your players did not get it? They did not really understand what would happen if they fired a gun and it went through the hull, or gravity plates breaking or all the odd parts of the tiny ship. Sure, lots of science fiction takes some understanding... but this setting is surrounded by understandings.
The environment here is more contained than an Earth town/ city/ castle. And there are no shortcuts, you have to follow the tunnels. The furniture is all light and modular. There are no cars, just trucks and maybe you can hitch a ride. The food is odd. Even with domes, there is not that much open air - unless you are in an environmental suit (then it is just open space).
2) These chronicles will have a learning curve as players learn about the Habitats and Life on Mars. I am thinking it might be more than most players would be willing to learn. Even breaking sections down into tiny bits and using quick lines, it is a lot to absorb. It is a great setting. Would players be willing to buy in?