I am planning an adventure that takes place on a train. As part of it I would like to have some representation of time and a need for PCs to do something (dufuse a bomb, take over the engine room, etc.) before the train explodes. I am having a hard time finding good examples of this being done in the context of a roleplaying game. Searches for 'tabletop rpg doom clock' or 'tabletop rpg timers' turn up little on google or this site. Can anyone point me to reference or discussions about how to implement something like? Thanks!
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In game doom clock, count down to push tention
- Thread starter ma21lewi
- Start date
Imaculata
Hero
Well, I can describe an example of a doom clock that I've used in one of my Call of Cthulhu campaigns, but it didn't involve a train.
I basically wrote out a time frame of events that would happen on each day of the adventure. The more the days progressed, the more cataclysmic (and dangerous) the events became. And since Call of Cthulhu adventures are usually all about clues, each day would automatically provide further clues towards the big reveal (on top of the clues that they gather themselves). The final day would always reveal the big mystery, but depending on the progress of the players, they may be too late to stop it.
One of the advantages of using a doom clock mechanic this way, is that the players are clearly signaled how close they are to defeat. Plus it was a guaranteed way to get the players back on track, in case they were stuck.
Now for a scenario on a train, I would advise something similar. Write a chronological sequence of events, while taking into account possible interference by the players. Provide clear signals to the players that something is going on, and that the threat is closing in on them. Once the doom clock reaches its final hour, there should be clear signs what is going on, but the players may be too late. Also, think about what happens should the players fail. Is failure an option? (I think it should be, if you want real tension)
I basically wrote out a time frame of events that would happen on each day of the adventure. The more the days progressed, the more cataclysmic (and dangerous) the events became. And since Call of Cthulhu adventures are usually all about clues, each day would automatically provide further clues towards the big reveal (on top of the clues that they gather themselves). The final day would always reveal the big mystery, but depending on the progress of the players, they may be too late to stop it.
One of the advantages of using a doom clock mechanic this way, is that the players are clearly signaled how close they are to defeat. Plus it was a guaranteed way to get the players back on track, in case they were stuck.
Now for a scenario on a train, I would advise something similar. Write a chronological sequence of events, while taking into account possible interference by the players. Provide clear signals to the players that something is going on, and that the threat is closing in on them. Once the doom clock reaches its final hour, there should be clear signs what is going on, but the players may be too late. Also, think about what happens should the players fail. Is failure an option? (I think it should be, if you want real tension)
The "doom clocks" I've encountered are in Marvel Heroic RP/Cortex+ Heroic, and in 4e (as skill challenges).
The basic idea is that the players have to spend some action economy to dial the clock back and eventually defeat it; left to its own devices it steps up each round, and goes "BANG!" after the specified number of rounds.
In the fiction, dialling the clock back might be rescuing a sacrifice-to-be from an altar, or making progress in closing a gate, or cutting one wire in the process of defusing a bomb.
For this sort of "doom clock" to work, action economy has to be an actual constraint that the players are engaged with. And the GM has to be prepared to actually let the thing explode if it is not stopped.
The basic idea is that the players have to spend some action economy to dial the clock back and eventually defeat it; left to its own devices it steps up each round, and goes "BANG!" after the specified number of rounds.
In the fiction, dialling the clock back might be rescuing a sacrifice-to-be from an altar, or making progress in closing a gate, or cutting one wire in the process of defusing a bomb.
For this sort of "doom clock" to work, action economy has to be an actual constraint that the players are engaged with. And the GM has to be prepared to actually let the thing explode if it is not stopped.
Eltab
Lord of the Hidden Layer
- set the brakes (in US, by climbing outside underneath and slicing the air hoses)
- clamp fuel flow inside locomotive
- steam engine: unplug a jammed vent to let excess pressure bleed off
- knock out crew that is being mind-controlled and set brakes normally
- go FASTER because somebody is trying to mess with the rails and you want to get through 'X marks the spot' before they arrive
- disconnect the trailing car and drop it behind the train
- repeat above several times to get to the car you REALLY want to have sitting by itself not near anybody
- break into auto-carrier railcar with specific automobile aboard; a special clue is in the car. Sub-challenge: find it.
- grab a package from another passenger; leave it in a railcar where your companions can retrieve it later
- "Tickets please" explain how you got aboard without one; you want to be "kicked out" at Station X a few miles down the way, not Station Z right here
- "Tickets please" but you want to stall long enough to get past Station Q where an assassin attempt against you is waiting
- Yep you found the bomb, now some amateur Hero wants to take it and deal with it like he's in an action movie or something
- Yep you found the bomb, and a professional from a rival organization wants to deal with it and take the credit
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
@darkbard beat me to mentioning Blades in the Dark's clocks. Basically a circle divided into 4/6/8 bits and at various times it gets filled in.
For the train arrival it would be rather deterministic based on the passage fo time, but for other thing (attention from X, bomb defused, etc.) it would be based on PC actions.
Clocks are very similar to disease tracks and other things like that from D&D and similar games. You can both fill in and erase.
Now, a variation of that that I've only seen a name for recently are trigger tables, where each step also has repercussions / changes in the environment that happen. Rob Donoghue (co-founder of Evil Hat) had a blog entry recently where I saw the name: http://walkingmind.evilhat.com/2018/05/02/trigger-tables/
He's also got a good discussion of BitD clocks on his site as well.
For the train arrival it would be rather deterministic based on the passage fo time, but for other thing (attention from X, bomb defused, etc.) it would be based on PC actions.
Clocks are very similar to disease tracks and other things like that from D&D and similar games. You can both fill in and erase.
Now, a variation of that that I've only seen a name for recently are trigger tables, where each step also has repercussions / changes in the environment that happen. Rob Donoghue (co-founder of Evil Hat) had a blog entry recently where I saw the name: http://walkingmind.evilhat.com/2018/05/02/trigger-tables/
He's also got a good discussion of BitD clocks on his site as well.
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