I was discussing the situation for a Hot War demo with the estimable Mr Gow of this parish. We brainstormed some thoughts on it, but I'd also like to through this open to the floor. Not only to help create the demo itself, but also to show the process of creating a 15 minute demo.
First off, there needs to be a strong situation that is going to challenge the characters and make them take immediate action. Neil suggested an execution. I mused this might be a bit strong. Neil then made the excellent suggestion of a woman and her kids about to have their ration cards taken away for some infraction. This then evolved to a situation where the SSG are confronting a family who have been hiding refugees. This discovery has taken place because of a monster attack (this bringing in one of the core background elements of the game).
So, we have a tense situation, with the following elements:
The refugees, who fear being sent to the camps or possibly shot out of hand as 'terrorists'.
The family, who fear imprisonment or having their ID and ration cards taken away.
The conflicting agendas and attitudes of the characters.
So, what should the characters be like? I'm getting the idea that there should be a maximum of four characters, including the following:
One with a strong anti-refugee bias
One with a strong pro-freedom, pro-refugee bias
One who is a military stickler for order
One who is a spy for a terrorist group
The characters will then have to deal with the situation.
In addition, what does the demo seek to show in mechanical terms? It must demonstrate the very basics of the game system. It should also show how attributes, traits, agendas and relationships create a dice pool. Tools and external matters aren't going to come into pool creation at this stage, that's too much for a demo. The characters will be trimmed down. A couple of traits each, a couple of relevant relationships and agendas.
To go over stuff again, we have:
A situation that immediately creates tension and conflict amongst the characters
Characters who will have obvious, strong motivations
An opportunity to show how the different mechanical elements interact
Thoughts and feedback welcomed as always.
Cheers
Malcolm
Back
Submitted by Malcolm Craig on Tue, 17/06/2008 - 14:59.
I'm back on to this again, because with HW nearing completion, a 15 minute demo is going to be needed in the not-to-distant future.
One thing I'd like to garner opinion on is this:
The plan is to give each of the characters 2 traits (one positive/one negative), 2 relationships (one positive/one negative) and 1 hidden agenda.
I'm in a quandry as regards relationships. Do I make them solely with other PCs (has the advantage of easily bringing them into play), with another PC and an NPC (gives more choice, but might cause lag as people think how to bring an NPC relationship in), or A N Other choice.
To reiterate: the situation remains as described in my first post.
Cheers
Malcolm
Contested Ground Studios
Instant
Submitted by Neil Gow on Tue, 17/06/2008 - 15:10.
When I was doling out Reputations and Personal Missions for my D&H 15 minute, I tried to make them either (a) relevant to other players (ie. Protect the Young Officer) or (b) relevant to the mission at hand directly.
I learned at Games Expo that most of these things only really have room for one 'conflict' to be explored fully, so I would aim for the characters to have pretty obvious lead-ins with one positive trait, one negative trait, one relationship and one agenda that scream 'Use me in this instant, now!'
So if your player has a relationship with an NPC, it is with the woman or her daughter. If they have an agenda, it is about the repeal of some of the draconian punishments that are being dealt out. If they have a negative trait it could be one related to fear of monsters who MIGHT ATTACK ANY MINUTE AGAIN! etc.
Neil
Take the King's shilling at http://www.omnihedron.co.uk/dutyandhonour/
My only addition
Submitted by Matt on Tue, 17/06/2008 - 16:14.
Make it so that traits can lead the situation in obviously divergent directions for each character.
It's easy for 15 minute demos to feel constricted. You want it to feel like it could end up going any way, so the engagement builds from that. It also means the game can be fresh if run 50 odd times
-Matt
Realms Publishing
Is the idea that the demo
Submitted by David Donachie on Tue, 17/06/2008 - 18:44.
Is the idea that the demo requires all four characters, or that it can be reduced down to two, or even one? If you play with less than four then relationships with NPCs still work fine, while ones to PCs who are not there may be more problematic.
http://www.solipsist-rpg.com/
Thanks for all the feedback
Submitted by Malcolm Craig on Wed, 18/06/2008 - 10:13.
Thanks for all the feedback guys.
Neil: Yes, there will be one, solid conflict to be explored. And it will be over the refugees and what to do with them. Monsters and stuff will be in the background, but the immediate conflict is about the personal choices the characters will be making.
Matt: Good suggestion there, taking it on board right now!
David: It's designed to function with at least 2 characters. However, like the Cold City demo, it can function with only one other person involved in the demo (and with the GM taking the role of one of the characters). The way that relationships work, a PC whom you have a relationship wouldn't necessarily have to be there for the relationship to be used.
Below is some current text from the demo as a work in progress. Does this situation seem grabby enough, too complex, lacking in a certain bite?
(Note: a lot of stuff for the characters is just in the form of notes and shorthand at the moment, eg "The racist character" and so on)
Contents:
This demo pack for Hot War contains:
Demo script (this bit right here)
4 streamlined characters
Synopsis
1: Introduce yourself and the game
2: Frame the scene
3: Encourage conflict
4: Create dice pools and roll off
5: Someone narrates and assigns consequences
6: End the scene and thank everyone for taking part
Intro
Hi, my name is [say your name] and this is a quick, 15 minute demo for Hot War.
Hot War takes place in post-apocalypse London in 1963, after a war involving nuclear weapons and even stranger technologies.
The characters are all members of the Special Situations Group, a paramilitary unit tasked with hunting down refugees, terrorists, seditionists and rogue monsters.
But, everyone has their own agendas, relationships and things they want from their lives.
Situation
The scene takes place outside the British Museum.
Something has been killing people in the area, including a couple of very recent deaths. On the shattered steps of the museum lie the bodies of two men. It is nighttime and the only light comes from the moon and from the characters torches.
There are two women and a child huddled near the bodies. The first woman, Mrs Warren, is a British citizen and has ID papers and a ration card. The other woman and child are refugees who have been given a hiding place by Mr and Mrs Warren. One of the dead men is Mr Warren, the other is the husband of the refugee woman.
The refugees have no ID papers or ration cards, therefore they should be arrested and sent to the camps.
The children are all crying, the women a hysterical with grief and anger.
What do you do?
Conflict
Characters
Character 1: Racist, anti-refugee
Name: Connie Bancroft
Concept:
Faction:
Action:
Influence:
Insight:
Traits: Never back down (+), Sickened by violence (-)
Relationships: Military officer (+), Pro-refugee character (-)
Agenda: Get promotion by showing determination to catch and imprison as many refugees as possible
Character 2: Pro-refugee
Name: Mike Watts
Concept:
Faction:
Action:
Influence:
Insight:
Traits: Easy-going manner (+), Fits of temper (-)
Relationships: Terrorist (+), Racist (-)
Agenda: Establish a resistance network amongst persecuted refugees
Character 3: Military officer, stickler for order
Name: Lieutenant Keith Blake
Concept:
Faction: Army
Action:
Influence:
Insight:
Traits: Everything by the book (+)
Relationships: Racist (+), Refugee woman (-)
Agenda: Find and eliminate all Soviet biologicals without mercy
Character 4: Terrorist spy
Name:
Concept:
Faction: Citizens Defence Army
Action:
Influence:
Insight:
Traits:
Relationships: Pro-refugee character (+),
Agenda: Build relationships with the military and use that to get arms and explosives
Contested Ground Studios