dang, computer ate my post 
So im running my first campaign at the moment. Its StarWars set in the Dark Times, just post Order 66. Im trying to keep my game fairly open ended and player driven, so they have alot of latitude with picking where they go, how they do things etc. Problem is, as has come out of previous discussions, this is a tight rope to walk. I think at the moment my group is kind of falling off one end by not having enough direction.
Anyway so heres what I have so far:
Group got together ala Han giving Luke and Obi Wan a ride (similar situation). At the same time, a separatist on the run from local imperials (who are finishing off the separatists on the planet) drops a map sphere (like in Episode 2, Yoda/Obi Wan with the younglings and Obi Wans "lost planet/kamino") into the possession of one of the characters. He says "if you value freedom and the separatist movement get this to Senator Faroli".
On our forum ive been using holonet transmissions (weekly/fortnightly) to kind of chronicle the transformation of the republic into the empire, starting from about a week pre-Order 66 and so far up to about 3 weeks later. One main theme in this is this Senator.It goes from "suspicion of separatist infiltration of the Republic Senate" to "Senator flees after beign revealed as a separatist supporter" to "Senator declares reasons for supporting the separatist movement in exile" and as we've entered the Dark Times "Imperial manhunt for rogue ex-senator". This senator will go on to forge one of the early militias which will one day join with larger ones in the formation of the rebellion.
So that was my first plot hook. While they were interested in the map sphere, they werent so interested in getting it to the senator, seeming to have forgotten/missing/not been so interested in where it has to go, and moreso in "what it means". I figure if a guy is giving these things out like candy, they are the key to coded information but do not contain the coded information itself (hence if they fall into imperial hands its not such a big deal). Kind of like a piece of paper with holes for certain words in it, that has to be lined up with a page of newspaper to read the message.If you dont have the newspaper, the paper isnt much use. So reading it isnt very helpful for the players.
So anyway they got off planet and went ot Alderaan. Here one character (abit of a loner) went off to find a way to make some credits. The infomration broker was paid by seditious elements to get a job done which involved getting someone to get a datachip to the same senator. In this, ive given a second direction for the characters to pick up on "lets find this senator".
My question is how i can further encourage them to take the bait and go find this senator. I can talk to them out of character and remind them of what their characters know. Id rather not use MORE sde quests to lead to him since that makes it kind of blunt and unrealistic in character terms.
Its also not that im triyng ot push them onto a path they arnt interested in, at the moment they are abit aimless and lacking direction so i want to give them direction (but let them work out how to find him. They have each got a list of contacts they know, so they have various information brokers, smuggler hideouts, slicers etc they can go and get help from to find him).
any suggestions would be great
thanks everyone!!
So im running my first campaign at the moment. Its StarWars set in the Dark Times, just post Order 66. Im trying to keep my game fairly open ended and player driven, so they have alot of latitude with picking where they go, how they do things etc. Problem is, as has come out of previous discussions, this is a tight rope to walk. I think at the moment my group is kind of falling off one end by not having enough direction.
Anyway so heres what I have so far:
Group got together ala Han giving Luke and Obi Wan a ride (similar situation). At the same time, a separatist on the run from local imperials (who are finishing off the separatists on the planet) drops a map sphere (like in Episode 2, Yoda/Obi Wan with the younglings and Obi Wans "lost planet/kamino") into the possession of one of the characters. He says "if you value freedom and the separatist movement get this to Senator Faroli".
On our forum ive been using holonet transmissions (weekly/fortnightly) to kind of chronicle the transformation of the republic into the empire, starting from about a week pre-Order 66 and so far up to about 3 weeks later. One main theme in this is this Senator.It goes from "suspicion of separatist infiltration of the Republic Senate" to "Senator flees after beign revealed as a separatist supporter" to "Senator declares reasons for supporting the separatist movement in exile" and as we've entered the Dark Times "Imperial manhunt for rogue ex-senator". This senator will go on to forge one of the early militias which will one day join with larger ones in the formation of the rebellion.
So that was my first plot hook. While they were interested in the map sphere, they werent so interested in getting it to the senator, seeming to have forgotten/missing/not been so interested in where it has to go, and moreso in "what it means". I figure if a guy is giving these things out like candy, they are the key to coded information but do not contain the coded information itself (hence if they fall into imperial hands its not such a big deal). Kind of like a piece of paper with holes for certain words in it, that has to be lined up with a page of newspaper to read the message.If you dont have the newspaper, the paper isnt much use. So reading it isnt very helpful for the players.
So anyway they got off planet and went ot Alderaan. Here one character (abit of a loner) went off to find a way to make some credits. The infomration broker was paid by seditious elements to get a job done which involved getting someone to get a datachip to the same senator. In this, ive given a second direction for the characters to pick up on "lets find this senator".
My question is how i can further encourage them to take the bait and go find this senator. I can talk to them out of character and remind them of what their characters know. Id rather not use MORE sde quests to lead to him since that makes it kind of blunt and unrealistic in character terms.
Its also not that im triyng ot push them onto a path they arnt interested in, at the moment they are abit aimless and lacking direction so i want to give them direction (but let them work out how to find him. They have each got a list of contacts they know, so they have various information brokers, smuggler hideouts, slicers etc they can go and get help from to find him).
any suggestions would be great
thanks everyone!!
