Two Games, One World... Non-Fantasy

Is_907 · Feb 2, 2012

So I've been toying with this idea lately. I think it could work well as two in-person games, one in-person and one online (G+ Hangout, Skype etc), or both online.

I am considering having two games themed thus:
1) Adventure -- modern setting, occult and magic influence pervasive but hidden, standard Buffy / Dresden type characters but without large overshadowing organizations (the council from Dresden Files would be out) and lots of small underground organizations.
Characters do the classic stuff--get into trouble, help others, lots of cinematic adventure.

2) Investigation -- different players altogether. They are a group of investigator-Believers. They know that the truth is out there. Maybe they have a Walter Bishop (see "Fringe") NPC or something like that.
This group would get to investigate the real-world consequences to find the other-world causes of Group 1's adventures and mishaps.

The only times I've considered the "two games, one world" idea was in the context of fantasy games and it never seemed to work because everyone wants to be the adventurer type party. (And it just never seemed that fun in a fantasy world to have two groups, IMO.)

Anyway, anyone care to chime in here? Advice, ideas, thoughts, rotten tomatoes, experiences?

Is_907 · Feb 3, 2012

Nothing? Not even a "Don't do it!" comment?

Dioltach · Feb 3, 2012

I ran a D20 Future/Past campaign that involved the rediscovery of magic. We played two sets of adventures as part of the same storyline: One team worked in the in-game "present" and discovered what the enemy were up to, or found clues about magic artifacts from the past. The other team then travelled back in time to retrieve the artifacts or find other ways to thwart the bad guys in the "present".

We had great fun, and the different settings made for a lot of variety. The two teams required different skill sets, so the characters and game play were different too.