3catcircus
Adventurer
POSSIBLE SPOILERS - PLAYERS - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
Well - I've been GC'ing a Shadowforce Archer campaign, for a little bit and have relied on the Interactive Serials (1, 1.5, 2.) Now, I'm kinda confused, putting my own serials together based upon the Plot Hooks, Serials and Threats listed in SFA and the Chamber books.
Basically - it boils down to this for me: The information provided is great, but how do I tie it all together?
As an example, the SFA book lists (for the Archer Foundation section) three plotlines: Ten Little Indians, The Psion Explosion, and Aquatica. In the back of SFA, there are Seasons/Serials listed as Threats: The Circle of Hate, Dr. Fu and the Lung Triad, P.E.R.I.L., The Shop, and The Hand of Glory. For arguments sake, The Hand of Glory lists 3 serials: Sybille Vallentin, Flashfire, and Jackboot, as well as 2 plot hooks, each with 3 possibilities.
When I look in AF Chamber Book, it lists Aquatica (great, information detailed enough to easily put together a scenario), World Held Hostage, Assassination in Tokyo, Excavation Controversy, and Black Falls, OK. In the back of AF are new threats: Architects of the Fringe, Club Demetrian, The Cult of the Ten Suns, Villain X, all with 3 serials and 2 plot hooks - just like the SFA hardcover.
Ok - great - once again too little knowledge to really put something together that ties everything together.
SO... how the heck do you use all of this information in a logical manner? It seems that there are a ton of different ideas but nothing seems to be easily useable.
I'd love to see something that somehow relates the different plot hooks, threats, serials, and plotlines in a way that makes sense.
The only one I've been able to put together has been Aquatica - and I haven't tied that to anything else - and the only reason I was able to do that was by reading the Interactive Serial update describing what happened in Aquatica - modified by the circumstances of my group.
Any hints or suggestions on making sense of all of this (great) disorganized set of information.
Additionally, what the heck *is* the difference between a plotline and a season? A plot hook and a serial? Am I guessing right in that a season, consisting of 1 or more serials is supposed to tie into a plotline via the plot hooks? If so, I don't see how the body of information that is available allows a GC to do that without inventing reasons for certain things being the way they are, and hindering players and suspension of disbelief.
I'll use Aquatica again as an example - it is listed as a plotline, but seems to be a one or two session serial. Additionally, the three reasons given on page 21 of AF seem to lead nowhere unless you've already mapped out the *reasons* for why The Shop and P.E.R.I.L. are doing what they are doing. A rare mineral? Why would The Shop need to go exactly there for it when they could surreptitiously explore elsewhere? P.E.R.I.L. testing a new power source? Oh - so they just *happen* to pick the same location as Aquatica, given the thousands of square miles of ocean available to them? The only one that seems plausible is the treasure hunters unearthing a WW2 U-boat full of Nazi Gold. And where does that lead? Hand of Glory? No - the information states that they are mercenaries.
Oh well - I'd greatly appreciate some help on figuring out how to put all of this stuff together.
FWIW, I've GC'ed my players through: Back to Basics, and the SFA Interactive Serials #1 and #1.5, as well as Aquatica
Thanks.
Well - I've been GC'ing a Shadowforce Archer campaign, for a little bit and have relied on the Interactive Serials (1, 1.5, 2.) Now, I'm kinda confused, putting my own serials together based upon the Plot Hooks, Serials and Threats listed in SFA and the Chamber books.
Basically - it boils down to this for me: The information provided is great, but how do I tie it all together?
As an example, the SFA book lists (for the Archer Foundation section) three plotlines: Ten Little Indians, The Psion Explosion, and Aquatica. In the back of SFA, there are Seasons/Serials listed as Threats: The Circle of Hate, Dr. Fu and the Lung Triad, P.E.R.I.L., The Shop, and The Hand of Glory. For arguments sake, The Hand of Glory lists 3 serials: Sybille Vallentin, Flashfire, and Jackboot, as well as 2 plot hooks, each with 3 possibilities.
When I look in AF Chamber Book, it lists Aquatica (great, information detailed enough to easily put together a scenario), World Held Hostage, Assassination in Tokyo, Excavation Controversy, and Black Falls, OK. In the back of AF are new threats: Architects of the Fringe, Club Demetrian, The Cult of the Ten Suns, Villain X, all with 3 serials and 2 plot hooks - just like the SFA hardcover.
Ok - great - once again too little knowledge to really put something together that ties everything together.
SO... how the heck do you use all of this information in a logical manner? It seems that there are a ton of different ideas but nothing seems to be easily useable.
I'd love to see something that somehow relates the different plot hooks, threats, serials, and plotlines in a way that makes sense.
The only one I've been able to put together has been Aquatica - and I haven't tied that to anything else - and the only reason I was able to do that was by reading the Interactive Serial update describing what happened in Aquatica - modified by the circumstances of my group.
Any hints or suggestions on making sense of all of this (great) disorganized set of information.
Additionally, what the heck *is* the difference between a plotline and a season? A plot hook and a serial? Am I guessing right in that a season, consisting of 1 or more serials is supposed to tie into a plotline via the plot hooks? If so, I don't see how the body of information that is available allows a GC to do that without inventing reasons for certain things being the way they are, and hindering players and suspension of disbelief.
I'll use Aquatica again as an example - it is listed as a plotline, but seems to be a one or two session serial. Additionally, the three reasons given on page 21 of AF seem to lead nowhere unless you've already mapped out the *reasons* for why The Shop and P.E.R.I.L. are doing what they are doing. A rare mineral? Why would The Shop need to go exactly there for it when they could surreptitiously explore elsewhere? P.E.R.I.L. testing a new power source? Oh - so they just *happen* to pick the same location as Aquatica, given the thousands of square miles of ocean available to them? The only one that seems plausible is the treasure hunters unearthing a WW2 U-boat full of Nazi Gold. And where does that lead? Hand of Glory? No - the information states that they are mercenaries.
Oh well - I'd greatly appreciate some help on figuring out how to put all of this stuff together.
FWIW, I've GC'ed my players through: Back to Basics, and the SFA Interactive Serials #1 and #1.5, as well as Aquatica
Thanks.
