Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedback?

[megaplayboy]

I'm updating and collecting my notes for the campaign setting I've used and been developing for some time, and am contemplating creating a "campaign doc" for any prospective players, giving them all the initial information they need or might find helpful --regarding the setting, character parameters and what's new or different from the usual superhero campaign setting here. I have a general idea of what I want to include and how long it might be, but am throwing a few questions out there to try to focus my thinking on it, so I can come up with something that's useful for more than keeping your drink from staining the counter.

 

Here we go:

1. Content--what do you think should absolutely go in there; probably should go in there; doesn't need to be in there; categories or topics of interest/value; "local color"--material to give an idea of the setting; etc.

2. Length--how long can a campaign writeup be before your eyes glaze over; how much detail is too much; how substantial does the timeline have to be; etc.

3. Character parameters--aside from the usual (total points, active point caps, skill caps, permitted or prohibited abilities), what else is useful--a list of campaign hunteds, pertinent social limitations, a couple generic NPC writeups reflecting parameters as applied, etc.?

4. Tone--matter of fact, slightly humorous, "in character"?

5. Feel free to add anything that comes to mind.

 

Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

[sinanju]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

1. Should include any meta-rules. My campaign handouts always include a couple of rules on the subject of what constitutes an acceptable character. (In my case, no silly characters, and the character must be willing and able to participate in the adventures with the other player characters. He doesn't have to be NICE, but he has to be bearable; if the other players' characters wouldn't be caught dead with him...that's a problem.)

 

2. I'd go with the newspaper article approach. Put all the basic facts up front in one short paragraph. Then elaborate. Players can get the gist of it quickly, then focus on whatever items interest/concern them.

 

3. Hmmm. My notes on 1 above probably go here, actually.

 

4. This is a matter of taste. I try not to get too serious, but it's always out-of-game in format. It's for the players, not the characters.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

I'd be sure to list all the major villains/organizations you plan to use (along with a short, short description for those unfamiliar with Champions), as well as those you absolutely will not use (just so they don't base their whole character around being hunted by them or something...obviously this one is for those who ARE familiar with Champions). This should help them build characters who are more closely tied into your planned story arc. Just keep a sharp eye out for metagamed PCs optimized to take out your main bad guy.

 

As far as background content, I'd start with very general strokes and work into the details later. That way, if somebody is absolutely riveted by your material, he can sit on the edge of his seat all the way to the end, but the guy whose eyes glaze over before the bottom of the first page will not be totally lost. If you have to, do a brief overview of less than a page, do a somewhat more detailed summary of maybe two pages tops, and then do the full Monty as its own document.

[csyphrett]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

leave a space for your players to bring their origin story to the table as they look into character creation. Some of the adventures can come straight from that.

CES

[Bobby Walker]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

Another thing, especially for players new to the group, is keep it simple. I'd actually just stick a primer up front, and then stick all the details in the back. This way the player that only wants the barebones can get it quick, then later when not gaming can take the time to browse through the rest of the document and get a better feel for the setting.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

So, basically, I want maybe 2 (3?) documents. The first is a brief, 2-3 page primer, including the bare minimum of what players need to know for character creation. The second is a longer document(5+ pages, length depending on detail and how much the setting diverges from standard CU, I guess), which lays out specific aspects--magic, space, agencies, hunteds and major villains, a semi-detailed timeline, anything else of primary interest--to enable players to really tie their characters and backstory into the setting. The optional third document, for players entering the campaign later, would include everything in document 2, plus the origin stories/background of PCs, a brief history of the team, and any necessary updating of the campaign background/timeline to reflect what's happened since the campaign started.

 

(The 4th, MUCH longer document, would be the GM info for the setting, including NPC writeups. But the players won't be looking at that.)

[megaplayboy]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

A supplemental question comes to mind: in the "brief primer" doc, what info would players consider "essential" to know before thinking up their characters? Aside from basic build parameters, I mean.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

Does the campaign have a focus? Is it going to be all Black Paladin and DEMON or will it lean more to Menton and PSI? What major deviations from the real world are there, things that affect life every single day? How does the public see supers, as saviors or menaces?

[The Main Man]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

Well, what I do to organize my campaign primer, whether written or oral is the following:

1) HERO often describes characters with Background/History, Personality/Motivation, Powers/Tactics, Campaign Use, and Appearance. Those fields normally describe a single, specific character, but I find that they are equally useful for establishing the style and substance of your campaign by simple inversion.

 

2) In a similar vein, one may as well go into what kinds of Characteristics, Skills, Perks, Talents, Powers, Complications, and (if applicable) Equipment should be typical or expected of a campaign.

 

3) A thorough cross-sectioning of the first two usually produces a pretty understandable and cohesive whole for me. Prosaic narration usually makes it more palatable to players, at least where needed.

[Bobby Walker]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

Aside from the character creation aspects, you should explain the genre/sub-genre/tone of the campaign. This will allow players to consider concepts that fit within the campaign style. Aside from the general setting, you might point out some basic things that everyone would know. Examples might include: ten years ago a service laser pistol became standard military issue, magic has resurfaced and everyone can tap into its power without training, etc. This will also help players to shape their characters by their environment, and they should in turn be able to provide much better concepts.

 

There's nothing that can ruin a game faster for a player than creating a character and then finding out the character doesn't fit the game at all.

[Peregrine]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

I would also recommend giving the players enough so that they can not only create their characters mechanically, but so that they can create both backstory and in-game storylines for their characters.

[megaplayboy]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

Okay, so I've worked out what's likely going into the basic primer doc(BPD), will then work out the Detailed campaign document(DCD), the integrated campaign document(ICD), and the ongoing campaign document(OCD--heh). The BPD will be 3-6 pages, the DCD 15-30, the ICD will be the DCD with character writeups and backstories added, and the OCD will be the ICD with character updates, adventure recaps, and various setting/timeline updates. The MCD would be the GM version, which would include all NPC writeups.

 

Agh, I guess all this government contracts work is making me acronym-happy.

 

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Creating a "campaign doc" for players in a new/original campaign setting...feedba

 

Assuming this is a supers game in modern day, any important differences between the real world and the game world other than 'supers exist' is good info. At least, any info that a normal person would have easy access to. Laws and other legal issues and technology being the main two I can think of; things like 'are powers considered weapons for purposes of assault' and that.

 

I never have to worry about issuing character creation guidelines, I'm the only person in the group who knows the HERO rules better than half-assedly, and thus I have to build everybody's characters for them and then explain them to the player. One of the reasons I think I've been unable to get my butt in gear and run a Champions game again ... I'm literally going to have to do *all* the work.

 

I typically prefer to deliver my campaign document info in a rather sanitized list-format rather than trying to be clever about it by being in-character or something.