Help with .45 Adventure Encounter/Event Deck Cards

[fanfavorite]

Hi all,

Working on a campaign to share here on LAF this late winter, very top secret- but I think you will all like it. It is my first campaign for the game .45 Adventure, and for any table top skirmish game for that matter, and I'm at a loss. A "loss" in so many words that is- never having actually played the game myself I am worried that my custom system may bog the game down or have other implications for breaking a game. I am no experience with game design, but am basing the system on a couple of games I feel I know inside and out. The system is as follows:

There will be a turn by turn event deck that drives the plot, pretty basic- and not a new idea there. I was planning on stacking the deck in a certain order, Mansions style; this is obviously for the reason that I don't want *THE* climatic moment(s) to pop up on the first turn, making the rest of the finer points null in their succession.
Where you come in: How many cards (i.e. how many turns?): The game will be for 4 players, 2 sides, 2 large forces, two small elite forces. So I say 3 player's (even players) worth of forces on the table. How large should the table be? I'm looking for a *bit* larger than 2x2 feet, but not too big to slow down play. And of course the 64,000$ dollar question- how many turns should a game of this size last? The first part of the game will be a sneaky infiltrator vrs. guard standard set-up, with the remaining two players emerging on the board later for a battle royale finale. I want to pace the game right, bringing out all the plot points just in time. So once again, table size and game length (to judge the number of cards in the Turn Event deck.)

Following this, I looking to incorporate a new style (new as far as I know... meh) for the Encounters in the game. First let me say there will be *set* fixed encounters or explorable locations on the table. These will be represented by pieces of scenery with a corresponding card placed face down next to the piece. Upon its activation the card is flipped over revealing objective (if any) and use of the piece by both sides competing. Aside from these scattered pieces there will be random events. How I plan to work this is an escalating tier system, inspired by Arkham Horror's Other World Encounters deck. There will be three decks to draw from, GREEN, YELLOW, and RED, and with these decks there will be markers on the table of the corresponding color. So upon activation of a green encounter marker a player would draw from the green deck. The colors range from the above order from minor benefit/danger (green) to extreme benefit/danger (red). Green will be the most plentiful on the table with only a few red placed in highly contested areas of the objective points.
Where you come in: 1. How many TOTAL encounter markers to place on the table for 4(3) players? 2. What staggered sequence to break up the total number of encounter markers? i.e 4/2/1(green/yellow/red) 3. How many cards to put in the deck of each color. This number can be either be the same as the number of corresponding encounter markers, which makes sense for green as its yield is a high number. But perhaps you can where see red would need a larger deck, if there are only a handful of red markers on the board, and likewise only a handful red encounter cards in the deck it makes the replay value less. For example: if there only two red cards and the players find both, they might decide the the consequences out-weight the benefits, or just grow bored with the results- never to bother searching through the encounters in future runs of the game. I really want to instill a sense of randomization and a 50/50 draw while random does not support the plethora of dangers and excitement a true game of pulp chaos should provide. So once again, 1. How many TOTAL encounter markers on the table, split between green, yellow, and red? 2. What ratio to break these encounter markers into (a descending order). and 3. How many cards in each deck? A high and equal yield in all 3? The name number of cards and as encounters, a card-to-marker set up? Or anything at all?

Sorry if this went on a little too long, I don't want to lose readers, but I need to try and capture what I'm going for here in my encounter system. I need to find veteran players of .45 Adventure, specifically ones with experience in scenario design to help me preemptively work out the kinks.

ANY help would be appreciated. As would any new ideas that pop into your heads. I look forward to the LAF Think Tank.


The best,
fanfav

[DD-Chris]

Let me warn you in advance, this is a long, involved reply, and is full of nothing more than my opinion, and things that have worked for me while running these game types in Conventions, as well as Club settings....

i have created more th an my fair share of pulp scenarios, using both .45 first, second, and homegrown rules. and let me tell you off the bat, NOTHING will go as planned the first few times you run the game.
Game length will be completely dependant on the people playing the game.
encounters in a stacked deck make the game seem completely planned out, and the players are simply 'along for the ride' rather than being the driving force in the game.
if you want to keep the 'big moments' well... BIG then i sugest something like this ( it worked for me in the past )
Generic encounters on the table. things that set the stage, give a general feel for what is going on. and have a set point in the game where you include the players in something larger.
as player A breaches the perimiter fence you hand THAT PLAYER ONLY a card giving him the sense of clue finding. spotting that large monster in the corner of his eye, hearing a radio transmission from the invading aliens, or whatever you have planned. and then simply put the card aside. Yes it is more work to have several different encounters to relay the same message. but IMHO having the PLAYERS 'trip' the events is far more rewarding than simply saying "well chaps, we have played 3 turns, here is some information for you"

As far as your encounter deck goes, i see no harm in having 1 deck for all the encounters together. unless you want to keep the events themselvlf random. I choose to use the encounters to be both benefit, and to drive the plot along. example in my Jack the Ripper game, i give both clues, and "player cards" in different encounters, as well as spring traps on the player who 'flips' the encounter. simply giving players the information plays out very easy, but is again, anti climatic. give players a reason/need to go encounter hunting. if the only benifit is getting ammo, why risk getting blown up by a alien light reflector beam? force players to gather the encounters in order to advance the story.  if a team gathers x positive encounters, they get the next part of the story/plot, and once they get that, have it drive them to the second part of the game.
this is all based on personal preforence. and i URGE YOU to stay on course of the game you want to run. just keep thse ideas on hand. and without blowing up this thread anymore, if you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.

[fanfavorite]

Will send out some PMS tonight DD-Chris.

While I don't want to see any thread get out of hand either, I still would like to encourage more scenario designers to offer some advice- if not in this thread, a PM will do. I'm a little at a loss right now, but I've got high hopes for salvaging something.

[DD-Chris]

i dont want you to feel like you need to salvage this scenario.
it sounds like you have a very solid plan. and if you intend on being the GM for this game, keep my ideas on hand, and modify the game 'on the fly' if you feel things are getting bogged down.
here is another sugestion. created custom, just for you, because i love the LAF and its people 
If you intend to keep the 'turn card' mechanic to dive the plot, create a sense of urgency before the game begins. let them know that events are transpiring that they cannot see, and will drive the game forward, even if they are not ready for them. once they understand that sitting back and sniping, or sneaking overly cautious will get them nowhere fast, and the plot is advancing without them, it may bring that spark of life into the scenario that you need.
in all honesty, i am really liking that idea, and may use it when i modify my jack the ripper game.

The 'formula' i use as a basis for my pulp games goes like this
Introduction to the game - a letter from a lost scientist, a torn page from an explorers journal, an urgent message from the president, some unique way to introduce players to the task needing to be performed.
build up- the first part of the game, gathering the clues, encounters needed to acomplish the end goal. clues to the killer, parts to the ray gun needed to defeat the monster, whatever. this is the "meat and potatoes' of the game. this is where u need the hard work to pay off, having players enjoy the encounters, have a sense of urgency, danger, and most of all FUN.

End Game- encountering hte thing the game was all about. requiring teamwork, or a special encounter,  or whatever method you plan on having the game end. this should be significantly shorter than the build up, and have a solid, and definite end.

If you want to PM me, and "clue me in' to the game you have written, i would be more than happy to give you a more detailed write up, with advice from my experience running countless convention games using this system,.

[Ssendam]

A few idle thoughts ...

Firstly, Chris is so right when he says, nothing will go as planned. It's probably the first law of scenario design or something. The key is to create the scenario like a bag not a chain, the chain being a more rigid series of events that the players will break, the bag being a wall within which the players can operate and do what they want, yet there is only one way out.

Secondly, the scenario will be at risk of getting bogged down if there is too much side action and not enough main action. If the players are battling with the side issues then the main storyline will flounder. From my interpretation of your design (which is subject to error of course) it looks like you have an interesting mechanic for the encounters but I can't easily see how it adds to the main storyline. Of course you may have this all in hand.

Thirdly, there are other methods of "controlling" the event deck without rigging it, as Chris mentioned. Other ideas might be a "points" system on the cards drawn; thus all the cards have a number 1, 2 or 3 on them. As each card is drawn the random number is added to the "event track". At a certain point, say 15? the Main event is triggered. That way you keep the main event away from the start of the game, randomise exactly when it occurs and make the players feel it is part of the system. As the points wrack up so will the excitement (well hopefully).

Finally, work out a little min/max control for the scenario. Dependant on your design there will be a minimum (not always a maximum) amount of time before something can happen. For example I often work out my turn estimates based on the distance players can move. If things happen to slowly I can alter the start positions so the sides are closer to their objectives. Max controls usually surround issues discussed above like a timed event.

Hope that helps?

[DD-Chris]

Also, just re-read your original post, as far as encounter markers go
with unballanced forces, you may want to create a mechanic that only players with the 'investigate' ability can 'turn' encounters, otherwise the team with more models, will inevitably turn more encounters than the side with less models.
as a rule of thumb, i try and have 3-4 encounters per 'hero' and not all of these will get 'flipped' during the game. on a 4x4 table, having 20 encounters is a lot. but if you have buildings, bad guys, and events to slow people down, the game will be more about the adventure, than the rush and grab of encounters. also think about forcing players to do 'things' to earn the encounter. Player reaches encounter "A" You encounter a large stone that looks out of place, try and move it. (player rolls a brawn test) you are unable to move the stone if failed, if passed "you find the lever that turns off the power to the far west section of security fence" or whatever. you can make the Brains, Brawn, Dodge test as easy or difficult as you want. the fewer encounters on the table, the harder it should be. Because nothing is quite as fun as 2 heros trying to pass the brains test to figure out what exactly is written in some foreign language. only to have 1 pass the test, and not share the information with the other hero

[fanfavorite]

Thirdly, there are other methods of "controlling" the event deck without rigging it, as Chris mentioned. Other ideas might be a "points" system on the cards drawn; thus all the cards have a number 1, 2 or 3 on them. As each card is drawn the random number is added to the "event track". At a certain point, say 15? the Main event is triggered. That way you keep the main event away from the start of the game, randomise exactly when it occurs and make the players feel it is part of the system. As the points wrack up so will the excitement (well hopefully).

This is a good idea, very similar to what I had planned. The stacked event deck was based on the Mansions of Madness system. If it was literally like the Mansions system (a far better idea) it would be as you suggested. The back of each card bearing a number, and tokens are placed on the card either for each turn passed or as you suggested each point from encounters. Once the tokens meet the number the card if flipped. The first few events will be lower numbers, while the climatic events at the end require more build up. Some fiddling must ensue but I think you might be on to something.

[fanfavorite]

-AND- ... Chris, I will just PM what I had planned. I'm starting to realize I understand what encounter/event cards are FOR, but have no idea about their application. PM due in 5 to 10...

[Wirelizard]

I used a similar "weighted" semi-random system for a 45A game a year or two back - most of the event cards were "Nothing Happens - Yet!" and served to increment the T. Rex Test. Rex appeared when a d10 roll plus # of Nothing Yet cards exceeded 12, so no Rex for at least the first two turns. Search here on LAF for "Jurassic Pulp" - sorry, I'm writing this from my phone or I'd find the link myself!

[Ssendam]

Wirelizard: That's a great mechanic. I love the idea of a player drawing a "Nothing happpens - Yet!" card, topped only by drawing a card saing "Something somewhere has happened ... but you don't know what it is yet".

[Tars Tarkas]

I don't think you can possibly have tooooo many events and cards if you're doing pulp.  Would you like me to send you some cards I've come up with in Publisher format?  I like to randomize actions with them as well, as I distrust standardized turn sequences, especially in pulp.
I'd really like to see a central exchange for home-made event cards to keep games fresh.  Mine aren't the greatest, I'm sure, but I had fun making them.

[marianas_gamer]

Tars,
Could you put some examples up?
LB

[fanfavorite]

I too Tars would like a little inspiration, I'll PM you my email.

What I am writing to Chris, and ask here in a general fashion is the real bare bones question of the issue. How are event/encounters used? I mean, when are they given out/triggered? Are they held back in the GM's hand? Are they linked to one piece of terrain or piece, I mean that makes sense right?: You encounter a tiger miniature encounter marker and randomly... draw. "nothing happened!", or is it always a tiger? Are they all randomized. I mean come on guys, give me the basic element of them. I am *so* lost. I mean it seems like in .45 Adventure event/encounter cards are key to a good game, but I don't understand their application as far as the rules goes AT ALL- and I'm VERY good to this sort of stuff.

For example on Raptrap's Speakeasy forums there are some new event/encounter cards for a Darkest Africa game, in this case an alligator attack. Anyone knew a body of water or river loses a figure. Okay, got it, perfectly. But HOW or WHEN is this card triggered? I would love to see your cards Tars but I think they would do me a hill of beans as far as their *application* is concerned, and that is the point of this thread. I have the ideas, I don't know how to incorporate them.

[Wirelizard]

For example on Raptrap's Speakeasy forums there are some new event/encounter cards for a Darkest Africa game, in this case an alligator attack. Anyone knew a body of water or river loses a figure. Okay, got it, perfectly. But HOW or WHEN is this card triggered? I would love to see your cards Tars but I think they would do me a hill of beans as far as their *application* is concerned, and that is the point of this thread. I have the ideas, I don't know how to incorporate them.

The 45A 2nd Edition rulebook has a very good discussion on game design, Encounter Markers, scenario-specific rules and such. Also,  have a look through the large number of free scenarios Rich has available on the Rattrap forums.

Basically, there's Encounter Markers (which trigger either random or pre-selected Event Cards) or you can draw Event Cards directly, for example flipping one over at the start of each turn.

The free scenarios are mostly for 1st Edition 45A, but all that would need to be changed is the character design, the basic scenarios, events and such are still perfectly usable.

(oh, and the Jurassic Pulp thread I mentioned upthread is over here.

[Tsune]

I would try to explain how I design my scenario encounters.

As has been said before, the normal way is to place markers on the board. Then, when a figure takes one of them, an encounter card is ramdomly selected from the encounter deck. These encounters are tose that are triggered by the heroes or villains actions: traps, enemies or allies encountered, objects finded, etc. and allways the main thing they have to find (a portal, the secret door, the map) in the scenario. To avoid that the scenario ends at the first marker found, you can design that three of them have to be found in order (put in the deck three similar cards, the first found in the game means they have found clues about the object, the second another clue and the third one is the object itself).

You can make the encounters linked to specific markers placed in specific places, but I avoid it because the players in general don't like it (they prefer a random development of the scenario that balances the game and don't see the scenario as railroading). Also, placing linked encounters can make that some clever players imagine it and then would go towards it without getting the other markers and part of the fun. If you want, for coherence, that the map is in the villain table, then design that the object they have to find is the  office key where the table is.

In my scenarios   I tend to complement this kind of encounters with another ones that don't depend on the figures actions: bomb countdowns, weather, enemies reserves...

When the effect I want is to know when someone appears in the scenario (when the next group of savages will enter the board or when the T-Rex is going to appear) I use a counter. Each turn I roll a dice and go adding until some specific number is reached. So, if I think that the T-Rex will arrive at 20, I know that, in average, he will appear in the 4-5 turn. You can restart the counter again, for exemple, to know when the next group will arrive. One indirect effect is that the players see that you are rolling the dice, but don't know why, so you create tension.

When the effect is more complicated or different things can happen, I use another card deck and each turn one card is shown. For exemple, to know when the volcano explodes: in the deck I put three Explodes cards ( and will explode on showing the third one to avoid the explosion in the first turns, as before), some Falling rocks cards that makes the figures have to pass a check to avoid being hurt, and some Nothing happens cards, another one that makes the lava bridge fall, etc.

You can see some of my games here, with some design notes:

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=3967.0
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=21399.0
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=27425.0

Regards