What Kind of Adventures to Kid Gamers

[Stargher]

I work as a youth educator and some of my children at work have expressed an interest in gaming. Naturally I'm willing to game on my working hours, but now I need to figure out a fitting campaign to 11+ boys and girls. Something to spark their interest in RPGs and to make them ones of us, permanently.

So I need your help in creating a fascinating campaign. I've a setting in mind so what I really need is opinions on what to include and what to exclude. Here's some of what's on the top of my head:

- PG games => No sex, drugs and demonic encounters
- Combat against monsters, not humanoids
- Magical treasures and high-fantasy

So those of you who have DMed Kid-RPGs, speak out please!

 

[Tar-Edhel]

I think you could include about any monster in the MM. Kids are exposed to a lot of medias (video games, books, movies, comis) where they see demons, undead and monsters of all kinds...

It's all in the atmosphere. I could describe a goblin and have some grown-ups scared sh**less. But the use of caricature and humor might de-dramatize the worst monsters so that the kids will have fun without having nightmare for weeks.

The way the culture is today, you might be dming kids that are expecting undead and humanoids (especially if their folks took them to the LOTR movie recently).

From my experience, the classics are more often than not big hits with youngsters. The troll under the bridge, the dragon keeping the princess (or prince if you have more girls than boys) prisonner... You see the picture.

You might want to take a look at some of the 1st edition adventures. They were very "fantasy-like". I am thinkng specifically about Palace of the Silver Princess and the land behind the magic mirror (EX1 Dongeonland and EX2 The land behind..., Alice in wonderand setting. Never read that one but it's worth a look). I think you will find them both in the Converted modules section of En World.

Have fun!

 

[Hypersmurf]

You might want to take a look at some of the 1st edition adventures. They were very "fantasy-like". I am thinkng specifically about Palace of the Silver Princess

Second that

Palace of the Silver Princess was the first adventure I played in, at age 6. It must have been a good choice, 'cos I'm still playing 18 years later...

-Hyp.

 

[Stargher]

Thankee!

I'll look in to the Palace of the Silver Princess and naturally I'll keep the atmosphere light and the battles easy (at first anyways). I remember my first game... (insert ripples here)

I must've been 13 or so and the games were Ankh and D&D 1st Ed. We were chase around by wolves, harassed by a giant fly and in the end I found a magical sword. Now that I think on it, it was lame, but it got me hooked...

I still think LotR should've had a higher age-restriction in Finland. The film (which I enjoyed immensely) was allowed to 9 year old kids with their parents and 11 year old kids got in by themselves and we are talking about film with a decapitation, extremely scary ring-wraiths, fiery demons and excessive violence (severed limbs, arrows protruding from chests...) Oh well, it's a good flick.

What's the PG rating in the States anyways?

Thanks again for the hint. I'll check it now...

 

[jasper]

steall from history

be sneaking and steal from history.
example I just played in game where were fighting San Anna forces.
So 11 kids have climb a mountain to stop giant ballast from sinking ships.
Your the indians or John Smith
Paul revere ride
what is famous moment from your state history.
use the map of th historical site.
gives grade level and subjects studied

 

[Artoomis]

US ratings

G = Everyone.

PG = Any age allowed, but parental guidance suggested.

PG-13 = The same, but not recommended for children under 13.

R (Restricted) = must be 17 or with parent or guardian.

NC-17 = No children under 17 allowed at all.

 

[Umbran]

Here's a question that might well help answer your own:

What kind of fiction would you want and/or expect these kids to read?

Whatever would be appropriate and interesting in reading material would be appropriate and interesting to play in a game, no? I mean, isn't this how many of us got started - by wanting to be the hero, rather than jsut read about the hero in books?

Take a look in the library for the appropriate books, and steal from them liberally

 

[Ma'varkith]

Re: Thankee!

What's the PG rating in the States anyways?

It doesn't mean a whole lot, really. Our rating go like this (descriptions taken from the MPAA website):

G
GENERAL AUDIENCES
All ages admitted.

PG
PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED
Some material may not be suitable for children.

PG-13
PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED
Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

R
RESTRICTED
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.

NC-17
NO ONE 17 AND UNDER ADMITTED

There's also the "X" rating, but it's no longer "official" - in 1990, NC-17 replaced it and was created to signify "mainstream films of an adult nature". The "X" designation still appears on "adult" or "pornographic" movies, but they are not rated by the MPAA.

Nothing prevents kids from getting into a PG movie, although individual theatres may have their own individual restrictions. The only one I've seen enforced in my city is requiring ID to get into an "R" or "NC-17" movie.

 

[jasper]

Stargher
Sorry did not see that you are in Finland.
Try a combination approach. Now what me stick my American foot in mouth.
Take castle/fort building. Research the history of a nearby fort/castle. If possible convert the floor plans into five foot square. Have a floor plan for each version of the fort. I remember some castles in England and Germany had addons and destruction through the centuries.

1st game
The king has first floor plan. The party must go into the woods (this where you can show how the forest was cut back for the city. Cut down the woods. Fight the villains aka recreate small battle or raid of this time period. Find a map to stone quarry. Add a field trip to actual quarry.

2nd wagons ho!
Have students build wagons Popscile sticks and wheels etc. Also time to have use play dough / clay aka class of make your own figure. Protect wagon train from attack. Also teach loading wagons how much hay / oats for horses/ aka simple logistics and math.

3rd castle calling
have class using play dough/ clay / plaster build a replica of castle. 1 model of outside and then floor by floor plan with grids crave in.

4 time warp. Evil wizard puts to sleep the character to next period of history.

5 the ocean blue
have students research ships of a period and make deck plans. Again models can be used and field trip to see actual ship yard or recovered ship.

6. Bob's Dead
When character dies with no raise dead class of funeral rite of ancient Vikings etc.

7 What do mean my money's no good.
Math class plus econmics how many gold pieces to Euro plus throw in a bank robbery.

8 White Dwarf speak with forked tongue
Tell not to lie and what happens when you do

9 Y'all ain't from around here
Orc speak southern or various slang for foreign languages.

10 poker anyone or take a chance
Let players play real games from the medieval time aka nine man morris , various dice games. Their character skill pts allow for rerolls or take move back.

 

[Stargher]

Sweet!

Excellent ideas Jasper! I'm definately going to use some of those. Spring is coming after all, and the kids at our Sos-Children's Village really need to get over the hedges some more. Field trips, yeah. We've some spiffy small fort open to all. Maybe I'll throw in a horror night at the old castle... But what I really need now is the first adventure, to get them hooked. Umbran, I already know they read Dragonlance (and Harry Potter naturally) so it doesn't take much to push them over the edge. They are already asking if they get to play dragons!

So the first adventure should include what? My adventures usually go something like this:

- The PCs go about their everyday lives, when something happens and they are pulled in (or get a chance to get pulled in)
- Some minor obstacles, a small scirmish.
- An unrelated encounter, a new NPC
- An encounter that will alter the corse of the adventure, a plot twist.
- An important encounter to challenge the PCs and more of the plot revealed
- Final Climax and future hooks...

Should I go with the basic manuscript of should I alter it?

Well, thanks ya'll and thank for the ratings!