Need Advice on Campaign Setting/Adventure!

I've finally decided to ask people's advice on what would be a good setting/system/adventure for my group. The reason I'm posting this is because I sense a dissatisfaction with our current games.

A little about my group:

NOTE: There are 2 games we play; one game is 1 DM +7 PC's (including me), the OTHER game is 1 DM(me) and 4 of the more mature PC's from the other game. I'm primarily looking for stuff for the game I DM.

1. They're not very good at role-playing. While I've tried to encourage it, they just don't seem to quite get it. (Maybe because they've never seen good role-players play.) I think any game we play would have to have a more directed form of role-playing - ie. They have to pursuade someone to tell them something - No real freestyle stuff.

2. Combat - Needs to have interesting elements. Not just - "You are surprised by a group of gnolls...etc." - somethig with specific and interesting goal(s) would probably be good.

3. Puzzles/challenges - they love them. Lots of these are good. Preferrably something that has depth and requires real thought - for at least some of the puzzles.

4. Something that will keep them interested, maybe cool abilities/character flaws, campaign settings, adventures....SOMETHING.

Anything that will keep them consistently interested in the game is what I'm really looking for. I don't care what setting/rules/adventure it is, just something that will work with these. Also, the role-playing thing can go either way, in-depth or not, it's not a huge criteria.


Thanks,
Pugio

Pretty please? I didn't word this very well. What I'm trying to find is an interesting setting/adventure for my players. Anybody?

Dude


Setting thread

Your question wasn't clear, which is probably why the response was low. I don't read CS and think campaign setting!

Here's a thought. Spycraft might go over very well for your group. You can use missions with puzzles and specific goals, and there are lots of free adventures out there. Plus it's a great system.

How would I find out more about spycraft? I searched for it and got the main web site but it's a bit confusing. I only need one book to play (espionage handbook)? Would I need any D20 modern stuff also?

Havne't run Spycraft but I know it is independant of d20 Modern. Spycraft was published before d20 modern and uses somewhat different mechanics.

It actually requires the D&D Player's Handbook (for what, I'm not sure, maybe the XP table).

Spy Craft sounds like a good idea.

What sort of direction are you looking for for your players?

Something that will limit their gaming choices or something that will give them really easy and good ideas for Role-Playing?

In terms of gaming choices, well...

...Oathbound has the best meta-plotline for players. The whole setting is a riddle wrapped in an enigma, as it were.

For easy role-play I might recommend the Diamond Throne and Arcana Unearthed. It's a lot like basic DnD except there's a lot more flavor and slightly more emphasis on riddles and social dynamics.

Role-playing is not that big of an issue. I was just giving some background really - they're not that good at it and don't really enjoy it that much. What I'm really looking for is a fun, NEW, interesting setting or adventure. If a setting, interesting rules or ways of doing things. If an adventure, lots of puzzles and challenges - with something more than run-of-the-mill combat.

I know it's a tall order, but I'm getting a little desperate to keep them from dropping RPG's all together.

For Spycraft: you only need one book, and it's the main Spycraft rulesbook by AEG (not the Espionage Handbook.) This really has everything you need to play. Anything else is just gravy. The system isn't d20 Modern, so no worries there. Spycraft was perhaps my best purchase in the year it came out; it isn't as genre-flexible as d20 Modern, but it does spies and secret agents a whole lot better.

One of the nice things about Spycraft is that you design missions a lot like a TV show, or a movie. They're discrete and (except for returning villains) fairly self-contained. For roleplaying, you have the advantage that everyone has seen some sort of spy or action movie, so they have a leg up on how to roleplay their character.

For combat, you have lots of options; vehicle chases, firefights in malls, fighting guards while infiltrating a base via hangglider, the whole nine yards. And for puzzles, you can't go wrong with an evil villain's deathtrap or encoded taunt.

The only thing I see on their site is the Espionage handbook:

Espionage Book Description said:

Spycraft is a role playing game set in a world of dark secrets and high espionage, where players become larger-than-life super spies poised to take on threats of global scale - power-mad dictators, eccentric billionaire industrialists, and criminal masterminds obsessed with global domination. Join a team of highly trained professionals outfitted with the latest cutting-edge gadgets and a worldwide information network, then shoot, seduce, or speed your way through the deadliest missions your Game Master can devise.


The Spycraft Espionage Handbook is a 288-page hardboard book containing everything you need to design and play your favorite secret agent and equip him with the latest tools of the trade. The Espionage Handbook also contains all the rules required for the heart-pounding, cinematic flavor of your favorite espionage serial, playing through frame after frame of thrilling action.

Click to expand...

I can't find anything else that seems to be core on their site.
http://store.alderac.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=SpycraftRPG