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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Janx" data-source="post: 5719284" data-attributes="member: 8835">I'm a big fan of story, but I don't advocate heavily plotting an entire campaign.  I prefer having a general idea of where it probably will go, but not detail any specifics until I see where the PCs are in relation to that goal for each session.For instance, from Oversquid's stolen cow example.You do NOT have to plan out this whole chain of cows to goblins to tribes to drow.Just like serial TV, you can just leave a dangling element, and pick up on it next session, wherein you plan out where that element led to.BattleStar Galactica was good at that.  Though sometimes it did show too much 'are they just making it up as they go a long', but I'd consider those holes to me a mistake made in the process, not the actual process.The pre-start challenge is to figure out your general plot "bad guys are trying to wipe out civilization, and the last band of them are trying to survive"Notice I genericized the BSG story a bit.  It can cover all the PC races now. And I didn't pick a specific goal of get to Earth, which might NOT be their plan.  Whereas surviving usually is.From there, I'll request players make PCs that would be motivated to work together and that i can setup into roles comparable to BSG.   It wouldn't be as much fun if the PCs were all common citizens living on Cloud 9 with no real chance to interact with the big problems.When I did a Babylon5 campaign, I required all PCs to be humans serving in some function in the navy (marines, officers, ship's mage all on the same ship).Having some or all PCs serving in the military or some group (like a church for a cleric) might help out getting them into the groove (namely because the initial command structure lets you "order" them to an evacuation point to get picked up on the BSG, etc.When I use the NPC command structure system, I always use a likeable, casual management personality as their initial CO, who asks them to take on a problem, etc.  using NPCs is a cheezy trick to get things rolling, so I try not to be bossy or screw them over.  That comes later with new CO's etc, wherein you give the PCs a chance to rebel, etc.In any event, the first couple sessions may be simple problems to solve, that may have clues to be deciphered next, aren't fully fleshed out and thus don't reveal the big problem.  This lets me get the players vested in their PC and see how things are working out.Subsequent adventures build off unfinished business from the last, or reveal new problems and opportunities.I follow the StarTrek model, of using 2 parallel quests.  The big danger to the ship, and the personal quest of a PC.  Thus, PCs are tackling some big problem like heroes, but also getting moments to advance their personal goals in between that.With the Bab5 campaign, my goal was to get the PCs to the Battle of the Line.  So initial games were problem of the week.  Deliver this, help that, etc.  A few levels later, PCs got ranked up, and at some point, even got their own command.  Then war breaks out, and PCs do some military missions.  Eventually all ships get called home for the final defense, and the Battle of the line ensues.I had a general strategy for getting the party to the Battle, but I did not outline specific sessions.  Partly because I worked things based on where the PCs were in their personal quests and timing for the big finale.For me, the method worked out great and my players still talk about that campaign.</blockquote>

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