New to GMing, over my head (WoD)

[RTWinter]

So, last summer, I became infatuated with the Victorian Era and World of Darkness. It lasted for a grand total of 2 games. It fell apart for reasons outside of the game, but as it was running I was way over my head. Too much research, and not enough prep time.

So, I'm starting early for this summer. Something to bide my time on between classes.

I'm keeping WoD because I want it to stay modern, my group has a good grasp of the rules. Not to mention I've spent a pretty penny on books. I'm changing the setting to either very near future of modern day, and its taking place in my hometown, Toronto. The main reason for the location is laziness. Its so much easier to say "You're at Yonge and Dundas Square than describing it.

Anyways, onto my problem.

I have a collection of ideas and themes that all connect but not real way to thread them together into something cohesive. I really have no idea where to start and what I need to prepare and I'm just looking for some advice and maybe resources.

My spark of inspiration was reading an article about Tor networks and stuff. The idea that there's this hidden internet out there that no-one can really see or trace really appealed to me. The fact that I was watching Buffy at the time brought the supernatural and paranormal implications to the forefront for me.

I have a few ideas kicking around. Internet vigilantism, things like lulzsec and Wikileaks, not to mention SOPA and other such stuff. Plus the aforementioned "hidden" internet plus the idea of smaller networks built on completely hidden and physically separate infrastructure.

So yeah, sorry for the ramble. Just looking for advice on where to start, how to prepare.

 

[Mark CMG]

Would this show be of any help to you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Girl_(TV_series)

 

[MINI]

I'm not sure if your using WoD or NWoD but I suppose it doesn't matter. If your creating this 'hidden internet' its techinically a hidden technological world. Just like the real world (in WoD) has a reflective spirit world, perhaps your hidden internet world ( a cross of the internet and a reality show of sorts, fueled by the people using the hidden internet) also has a reflective hidden spirit versin of itself full of the technological spirits created by all the activity. Main difference is there is no gauntlet or barrier between the two virtual worlds and they begin to intermix.

Given this and the fact that supernaturals are probably aware of such a hidden internet or hidden technological world (as well as a number of mortals) this would be cause for both adventure and investigation that causes the protagonists to interact with any number of technological spirits, hidden world travelers (vamps, werewolves, etc) and more.

 

[Connorsrpg]

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to organise your ideas into an adventure/campaign/plot/series of encounters, Matt James' thread http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/315520-choose-illusion-dungeon-mastering.html may be of some help....just don't read too far into the thread...gets quite heavy, when the OP was just there for an idea people could use.

 

[Dilvias]

Okay, you have the basic genre (urban fantasy/horror), and the big idea (supernatural internet), plus some of your setting (modern earth). There is more of the setting that needs to be fleshed out (like what else exists in your world in terms of the supernatural, etc.) but you can at least start looking at what else you need for your campaign.

First, and most importantly, you are going to need players. You want players who are excited about your game, and you want them to be able to create characters to interact with your game. So you need to make some decisions on character power level. Are they just ordinary people? Highly skilled people, but still ordinary? Ordinary people with a few supernatural gifts? Or more powerful creatures of the night/wizards/angels/etc? Setting your power level will know how best to present the game.

To get the players excited, it might help to create a "blurb". Think of it as the short summary that is on the back of your book. It also helps focus your ideas on how to present the game to the players. For example: "In the ancient past, Wizards, Priests and many supernatural creatures used to tap into ley lines, lines of power that criss-crossed the world. Those who could tap into these lines could produce miracles or misery, depending on the desires of those who could use them. Now, in the modern world, new lines of power criss-cross the world, bringing those who can tap into it power and prestige and grant powers beyond anything dreamt of in the ancient world. We call these new lines of power 'The Internet'. But the ancient powers have studied and learned. They have improved on what mere mortals have accomplished. There is now another net, running parallel to our internet, where these beings gather. Before, they gathered in the ancient circles and sacred groves. Now, they are gathering in the new places, the Server Farms and Network Hubs. There are daemons in this internet, but they aren't going to serve man any more."

Finally, you need to work on your first session, with outlines for later sessions. You may want a proto-session, to gather the players, and have them interact with your world. Don't worry too much about later sessions, but you do need a few major villains for the players to interfere with, and a few npcs for the players to interact with. My preference is to ask yourself what is going to happen if the players do not interfere. Then once the players interfere, you will know how the villains will react.

Don't worry too much about creating grandiose plots. They never survive contact with the players. Also, listen to what your players say. Often times, they come up with better plots for your villains then you orginally thought of. If it is, use it, but don't reveal that you weren't the one who came up with the idea. It makes the players feel smarter for "figuring out" the plot, and they are doing the work for you.

 

[RTWinter]

[MENTION=19265]Connorsrpg[/MENTION]

Thanks for the link, I read through it, as well as the 5X5 method someone posted in the comments of it. Once I get some more concrete ideas down I'll try some things like that out to get an idea of where it would go.

[MENTION=85371]Dilvias[/MENTION]

I think that was my biggest flaw in my first crack at it, I was too invested in what I came up with. Kinda pidgeonholed myself when my players came at my ideas sideways. I think in this one, aside from the themes I want to have play a major role, I want to more build a world that my players will explore more than a story for me to tell them.

 

[Bedrockgames]

So, last summer, I became infatuated with the Victorian Era and World of Darkness. It lasted for a grand total of 2 games. It fell apart for reasons outside of the game, but as it was running I was way over my head. Too much research, and not enough prep time.

So, I'm starting early for this summer. Something to bide my time on between classes.

I'm keeping WoD because I want it to stay modern, my group has a good grasp of the rules. Not to mention I've spent a pretty penny on books. I'm changing the setting to either very near future of modern day, and its taking place in my hometown, Toronto. The main reason for the location is laziness. Its so much easier to say "You're at Yonge and Dundas Square than describing it.

Anyways, onto my problem.

I have a collection of ideas and themes that all connect but not real way to thread them together into something cohesive. I really have no idea where to start and what I need to prepare and I'm just looking for some advice and maybe resources.

My spark of inspiration was reading an article about Tor networks and stuff. The idea that there's this hidden internet out there that no-one can really see or trace really appealed to me. The fact that I was watching Buffy at the time brought the supernatural and paranormal implications to the forefront for me.

I have a few ideas kicking around. Internet vigilantism, things like lulzsec and Wikileaks, not to mention SOPA and other such stuff. Plus the aforementioned "hidden" internet plus the idea of smaller networks built on completely hidden and physically separate infrastructure.

So yeah, sorry for the ramble. Just looking for advice on where to start, how to prepare.

Do you know what kind of adventure style and structure you want to run? That really determines what and how much you need to prepare. What are you hoping will happen once play begins at the table?

 

[mudbunny]

You should look into the Dresden Files RPG for a nice way to pull together a whole bunch of ideas for people, places and plots that you can drop down and flesh out.

 

[MichaelSomething]

Allow me to suggest an idea I learned from a very wise old geezer...

A NEW GAME MASTER SHOULD START WITH A VERY SIMPLE IDEA!

You have a lot of awesome cool idea, don't you RTWinter? You have so many cool ideas, you're overwhelmed and don't know where to start, do you? May I suggest something as simple as, "here's this guy in a hidden base. go kill him." Fill it up with the guy, his followers, some minions/traps, a big of foreshadowing about future plots and you're good to go! Once you run a few sessions and get a handle on how to run a game, you can add more complex plots as a pace you can deal with.

 

[hopeless]

World of Darkness

So yeah, sorry for the ramble. Just looking for advice on where to start, how to prepare.

So how about one of them comes across a flash drive near the scene of a crime, but at the time unaware of what had happened nearby picks it up and gest help to access it thinking to return it to its owner figuring there would be some info on it that would identify them.

However the place they access it is later on raided after they had to head out before fully checking it out with the people there unaware what they had been doing.

Perhaps have one of the players narrowly escape being captured so they know they're hunting someone who used a computer there and hiding out they look to find out whats going on as one of the others looking where it was found learns of the crime and warns the others before they use it again having only learned it holds part of a journal.

You could even have one of them captured and one of the others contacted regarding a "trade" except being your players they should be preparing for the possibility their friend's captors won't play straight.

Either way they escape except they're now wanted or rather those their new foes know about are being hunted on trumped up charges and by this point their character subplots should give you all the ideas you need to keep this running.

You might want to watch Sandra Bullock in the Net or the tv series that came out after that.

If you want supernatural then I'd second that watch the Dresden Files or even read them!

Best of all insure that flash drive is encrypted so any info they do get out of it is simply a small layer of the whole and see where they head and allow them to inspire you!