Was curious about folks’ opinion: I know predetermining the overall setting should be avoided and “built” during the…

Was curious about folks’ opinion: I know predetermining the overall setting should be avoided and “built” during the…

Was curious about folks’ opinion: I know predetermining the overall setting should be avoided and “built” during the first session through player/GM interaction. But I’m thinking of putting together a campaign where the setting is (mostly) predetermined – I want it to be set on a generation ship and have a noir feel. I’m trying to decide if the UW system is the way to go or possibly the Monte Cooke’s Cypher system. Anyone with experience in both have any recommendations/thoughts?

14 thoughts on “Was curious about folks’ opinion: I know predetermining the overall setting should be avoided and “built” during the…”

  1. Great minds… I had an idea for a gen ship hardboiled game called ‘Stuck in the Middle’. Either system would work, but UW’s workshops and assets will let the players integrate to the setting with more buy-in.

  2. Ok. That’s good to know. I think by its very nature UW provides a lot more opportunity for a sandbox environment, which is what I’m hoping for. Will make it easier to “create” cases/mysteries because the players will create it as they go along 😉

  3. With like 80% of the things I run, I do the following:

    1. Generate a theme/feel for the thing. I usually reference media and history or things to make short statements (vikings in space, prairie steampunk, fantasy superheroes, etc)

    2. I generate a handful (5-9) of unique places, people, and organizations. I write these up in a manner that evokes the feel I’m looking for and present it to the players. I keep lots of blanks here and don’t overly develop the setting.

    3. In the first session, we collaborate on the area we’re in. When exploring, we collaborate on new areas we explore. Blanks are filled in during play when we need them.

    I think you could do your idea like this and still give the players the ability to make setting.

  5. I would say it depends on how much detail you think you need to start out with. I would say you already have the setting and scale so just come up with 1 or 2 factions aboard the ship and a list of npc names. Let the players come up with the rest through play. And use UW to start. It will work great.

  6. thanks Chalice In Chains. I do have some areas that I definitely want to see in place (such as a strata system where the more important you are the higher the level on which you live) as well as the  maintenance level (air processors, engine, etc.) that have become slums and home for black markets.

  8. Excellent point. I just heard from the publishing company and as soon as I submit some form they’ll send me my DTV* and I can get to work.

    * Dead Tree Version 🙂

  13. If you’re letting the players have input into designing the setting, it will be very important to nail down what the Factions are in the UW game, very early.  Factions act like Patrons in Traveller and will determine how the characters act (or toss them around as the Factions come into conflict.)

    I’m not a fan of sandboxing the setting even before the adventure begins.  At most I poll what players’ fiction preferences are (Favourite authors?  Favourite movies?  I ask where they place their tabletop preferences on the matrix of combat/storytelling/roleplaying/political intrigue etc.)  Here is where an RPG shines:  you can tailor the running of the tabletop RPG to player tastes.  But I may have particular setting ideas; when advertising my games I am up-front about what the setting is likely to be.  I personally would hate to be a slave to group consensus on that matter (maybe I’m from the old-school, autocratic Prussian school of gamemastering!)

    Computer RPGs are more static, but there are some games which use trading or mercenary combat as a premise which then leads into interesting adventures as you hit certain worlds (and their factions).

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