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Please Just Play the Adventure (One Shots)
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<blockquote data-quote="Ovinomancer" data-source="post: 8675469" data-attributes="member: 16814"><p>No, going to the city IS THE HOOK. Why? Because you told them that this is what their characters are doing right at the start. It's not sitting in a bar waiting around, it's doing something, going somewhere, for a reason. This is the initial problem with your setup and if you're not going to recognize it as such, then I'm not sure what advice might help because you aren't willing to look at the places that mistakes were made. It's only obvious to you because you know everything. One of the big issues with missed things like this is information asymmetry. The players only ever know the little bits you tell them. It doesn't matter how obvious it is to you, if you haven't planted a neon flashing sign that says "here is the adventure," then it's 100% your fault if the players miss the on-ramp. They don't know. Here, you've told them that they're going to the city. That sounds like a big deal. The thirsty guy on the side of the road that immediately requires them to stand around and do nothing while keeping watch just sounds like a delay obstacle on the real path. It's not at all pitched or engaging to be the real hook.</p><p></p><p>Look, the big problem you have here is that you presented a pretty weak hook and assumed that the one PC's flaw would lead everyone after it. That's poor planning for one-shots. Hooks should NEVER have to be things that are discussed or put to a decision point by the PCs for one-shots. You need to not try and set hooks the normal way (dangle and who cares if they bite, you can dangle it again later), you need to throw harpoons. Don't let them discuss or decide what the hook action is, drive it. Push it. Make bad guys show up or the lights go out or whatever and spear them with your harpoon and immediately tug on the rope.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ovinomancer, post: 8675469, member: 16814"] No, going to the city IS THE HOOK. Why? Because you told them that this is what their characters are doing right at the start. It's not sitting in a bar waiting around, it's doing something, going somewhere, for a reason. This is the initial problem with your setup and if you're not going to recognize it as such, then I'm not sure what advice might help because you aren't willing to look at the places that mistakes were made. It's only obvious to you because you know everything. One of the big issues with missed things like this is information asymmetry. The players only ever know the little bits you tell them. It doesn't matter how obvious it is to you, if you haven't planted a neon flashing sign that says "here is the adventure," then it's 100% your fault if the players miss the on-ramp. They don't know. Here, you've told them that they're going to the city. That sounds like a big deal. The thirsty guy on the side of the road that immediately requires them to stand around and do nothing while keeping watch just sounds like a delay obstacle on the real path. It's not at all pitched or engaging to be the real hook. Look, the big problem you have here is that you presented a pretty weak hook and assumed that the one PC's flaw would lead everyone after it. That's poor planning for one-shots. Hooks should NEVER have to be things that are discussed or put to a decision point by the PCs for one-shots. You need to not try and set hooks the normal way (dangle and who cares if they bite, you can dangle it again later), you need to throw harpoons. Don't let them discuss or decide what the hook action is, drive it. Push it. Make bad guys show up or the lights go out or whatever and spear them with your harpoon and immediately tug on the rope. [/QUOTE]
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