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Author Topic: DIY scenarios?  (Read 2256 times)

Offline Connectamabob

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1028
DIY scenarios?
« on: March 28, 2010, 11:37:37 AM »
Forgive me if this seems like stupid question: I'm not well versed in the actual gameplay end of things.

How much leeway does one have in COC or SE regarding the creation of home-brew scenarios?

I don't know much about gaming, but one of the things that interests me a lot about the hobby is the "what if" element of being able to explore ideas branching from or within the Lovecraft universe, without actually reenacting the original stories themselves. Like a mythos writer would. I love coming up with story concepts, but I'm rubbish at hashing out the actual stories, so you can see how this would lead me to gaming, and to this question specifically.

I keep thinking about stuff like:

Cloak and dagger cold war scenarios between the Deep Ones and humanity after the botching/thwarting of Cthulhu's escape (250 million more years* is a bitter pill when yesterday you thought your "rapture" was at hand). Either set in a human world still largely unaware of the Deep Ones, or in a post-apocalyptic situation, with Deep Ones holding the coastal regions/cities, and humans barricaded inland.

Elder Things as PC's: refugees living in fear of the Shoggoth, who never forget and never forgive (Shades of BSG and Terminator). Choose your allies & enemies carefully: Deep Ones think you're pathetic, and will rat you out for diplomatic brownie points, Mi-Go are affable and non judgmental, but operate by their own unpredictable trickster logic, Humans are fellow cosmic butt-monkeys, but are fearful and often unintentionally indiscreet.

"Dungeon crawls" through Yithian ruins, eventually crossing into Polyp ruins/catacombs as one goes deeper.

6mm battles set in/around the Yithian arcology park super-cities, with Yithians defending against the Polyps' emergance & assault.

And other stuff

Again, please forgive my noob-ness.

*Approximately one galactic orbit for our solar system. "When the stars are right again" and such, depending on interpretation.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2010, 11:46:01 AM by Connectamabob »
History viewed from the inside is always a dark, digestive mess, far different from the easily recognizable cow viewed from afar by historians.

Offline chicklewis

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 619
Re: DIY scenarios?
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2010, 01:31:20 PM »
Connectamabob asked "How much leeway does one have in COC or SE regarding the creation of home-brew scenarios?"

You will do JUST FINE here, Connectamabob.  The game master ("keeper" in CoC) has complete and unlimited leeway in creating home brew scenarios.  There is no reason you should ever feel limited by the written canon of stories. 

Every new scenario you write will be added to the canon. 

Chick
"Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof."

Offline P_Clapham

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 998
Re: DIY scenarios?
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2010, 04:31:48 AM »
Most of my games are Pulp oriented, so I often borrow from other writers during Lovecraft's time period.  Pulpgen, is a great resource for these odd blood and thunder tales from the early 20th century.  Detective and crime fiction, westerns and WW2 stories can all be adapted into entertaining Call of Cthulhu scenarios.  The favorite game of mine was based in part on "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen".  Just add Cthulhu, until the game / setting feels right to you.
"When in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand.— Raymond Chandler

Offline Lupus

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  • Posts: 655
    • http://z11.invisionfree.com/Kashindan/index.php?act=idx
Re: DIY scenarios?
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2010, 08:21:17 AM »
Thats the great thing about this style of game you can bend it to the point of breaking then go beyond :D

Plus what works for you might not work for other's but does that matter??

Become who you really are... [/i]

Offline Connectamabob

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1028
Re: DIY scenarios?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2010, 10:55:12 AM »
Thanks! Great to know.

Will have to get copies of the rulebooks so I can design for the rules & structure, but I think it will be fun!
« Last Edit: March 31, 2010, 10:57:49 AM by Connectamabob »

Offline SBMiniaturesGuy

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 646
    • SBMiniguys Blog for all things OstFront
Re: DIY scenarios?
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2010, 07:04:24 PM »
Neat ideas, very creative! I think it would be a blast to roleplay and Elder Thing. One of the most enjoyable CoC campaigns I ran ended up with the (modern era) characters physically going to the Dreamlands and getting involved in a war against  Queen Zura in a pulpish, action hero series of adventures that involved wild sky ship fights, espionage missions and raids, and eventually an expedition to the Moon. The PCs even embarked on a side series of adventures to open the first coffee shop chain in the Dreamlands! All for a pun, to see modern dreamers freak out when they visited the floating city of Serranian and saw the coffee chain that shall not be named! Dreamlands was basically Lovecraft's way to have fun writing pulps while not losing track of the Mythos cycle stuff.
Play the game, not the players!
http://sbminisguy.wordpress.com/
Author for THW/NUTS, Rebel Minis, HR Games

 

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