"Hey guys, I'm going to start you right in the middle of trouble. So consider this a sort of blanket Compel that starts you in the scenario 1 FP higher than normal."
Reward complications and manage expectations.
The situation (spoilered in case any of my PCs stop by) Batman Cold Open (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BatmanColdOpen);(click to show/hide)
I am often tempted to try something, but I fear that it ends with some of my players arguing "Why am i here? What am I doing here?"
And having an argument that isn't that necessary eats to much of game time which is more worth to me.
I am often tempted to try something, but I fear that it ends with some of my players arguing "Why am i here? What am I doing here?"
Sounds like fun. What locations are you planning to use?
I'm still figuring that out. But I do plan on having the entire route and attendant complications (http://www.colugo.org/jmcmurra/generators/index.php?pageId=2&pageType=1) plotted out beforehand so I can spend my time and effort during the game on adjudicating what will undoubtedly be a chaotic batch of lunacy.This appears to go beyond starting in the middle of the action to scripting the action. Not necessarily 'bad', but it does require more buy-in from the players than simply starting out with something going on. You're asking the players to follow your script and avoid any choices which might lead away from or prevent access to any of the sites you plan the chase through. I recommend telling them up front you'd like to script the beginning and ask them to play along with your script. Let them know when they're off script and free to make other decisions.
As for locations I want to subject them to, more or less in order: (Scene Aspect: A Stern Chase Is A Long Chase)It does look like an interesting set of locations! Even better, several have the potential to add complications if they're there for long. :)
An Icelandic glacier (complete with jumping off an ice cliff into the Nevernever portal before it closes)
A place in the fields of Winter.
St. Petersburg, Russia
A Goblin Market
A Bazaar (either the Khan Market or Chandri Chowk) in Dehli, India
A Nevernever jungle in Summer, inhabited by a plant that's a cross between kudzu, poison ivy and a venus fly trap.
The Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden
The Deserts Of The Crystal Pyramids
Either the Australian Outback near Uluru (Ayers Rock) or the Egyptian Sahara near Giza.
Then the capture and the "Um.... how are we going to get home?"
Looking at the title I wondered what could possibly be problematic about starting in media res...seeing this, I think I understand your concern. This appears to go beyond starting in the middle of the action to scripting the action. Not necessarily 'bad', but it does require more buy-in from the players than simply starting out with something going on. You're asking the players to follow your script and avoid any choices which might lead away from or prevent access to any of the sites you plan the chase through. I recommend telling them up front you'd like to script the beginning and ask them to play along with your script. Let them know when they're off script and free to make other decisions.The "script" index cards are going to be my method of initial exposition, and I'm only going to have a very short script--if the master script is more than half a page long, I'm doing something wrong. After that, the only thing plotted out are what events they will encounter along the route--and that's only plotted out so I don't have to come up with them on the fly, which would take time, effort and concentration away from the PCs.
It does look like an interesting set of locations! Even better, several have the potential to add complications if they're there for long. :):D I will hopefully avoid stranding a PC anywhere where survival is a doubt... however, there are a few where an international incident is certainly possible fallout. Of course, if anyone has any sufficiently entertaining suggestions, I'm more than open to hearing them (I'm not going to be running this scenario for at least a month, so I've got time)
The "script" index cards are going to be my method of initial exposition...It's not scripted because you're using note cards, it's scripted because you have "...the entire route and attendant complications plotted out beforehand..." That's what I recommend seeking player agreement on.
It's not scripted because you're using note cards, it's scripted because you have "...the entire route and attendant complications plotted out beforehand..." That's what I recommend seeking player agreement on.Ah. I see what you mean. Okay, my notes are going to look like this:
St. Petersburg, RussiaSo, while, yes, it's technically a script, for certain definitions of the word, to me, it's more notes on "where are we now?" and "uh-oh/oh... CRAP" possibilities decided out beforehand so I can focus on what's truly important--keeping up with the unpredictable antics of half-a-dozen college freshmen.
Finish Line for this segment: 8
Heavy Traffic; +2 difficulty to most Driving rolls; increase to difficulties factored in below.
Issues
Majorly Bad Potholes
Difficulty Of Great (+4) to avoid potholes and other cars entirely
Average to Good results in penalty to other actions such as Guns rolls.
Mediocre or below results in damage to car from hitting ALL the potholes at speed; apply "Bent Axle" or "Distended Tire" as appropriate.
Lady Pushing Baby Carriage Across Road
Difficulty of Good to avoid
Roll of Fair to Average results in hitting the mother.
Roll of Mediocre or below results in hitting both.
Finish Line Reached: Warlock opens another Nevernever portal; Difficulty of Superb to shoulder other cars aside and prevent them from entering. Great to Fair results in a few civilian cars going through the opening before it closes. Average or below results in civilian cars going through the portal, which closes before the PCs pass through.
Not that I've anything against a car chase, but... why wouldn't the warlock just hex any car they are in?Rule of Cool? Rule of Plot? ... He's driving a well-maintained, frequently maintained, high-quality piece of German engineering? ... Maybe that's what finally enables the PCs to catch up with him--he pushes to hard and the engine quits on him.