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Angelman
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Re: CotG, DoW, & FW meta-plot (spoilers)

Sun 31 Oct 2021, 12:36

- Pulse Rifle... If I remember, the pulse rifle the Montero crew can find have been created after the initial launch of the Cronus. Therefore, it shouldn't be on board.
True. Here, I simply notified the players that this is an anachronism, that the writers just used the one rifle available in the game, leaving it to the GM & players to ignore or just understand that it's actually an earlier model but nobody got time to delve into that. But yes, the M41A Pulse Rifle is definitely anachronistic, and the same probably goes for the various M4A3 service pistols and such.

- The Junction A-1 Dock is damaged... could be from the creature OR forceful entry by the marines.
Again, quite possibly. I used this to foreshadow the abominations crawling around the place. Also, IIRC, the damage to the airlock is specifically described as having occurred from the inside, right? I might be wrong, but I think so.

Last,
I've personally introduced vague memory of soldier boarding the Cronus into Ada if the player pushes her to reveal what happens between the crew being put in cryo and the arrival of the Montero crew.
Now, I personally prefer if the Darconis stuff gets off the Cronus in some way related to the PCs actions, experiences, and/or observations. To have it occur off-screen robs the players of some agency and immersion, so I always kept the "Colonial Marines were already here and stole some samples without leaving any clues" as a last ditch explanation. Narratively, it makes for a much more dramatic story if the players can connect these things to their own gaming experience, rather than relying on a retcon'y "CMs had already been onboard" cheat.

That said, your take on this, playing up Ava's faulty memories, is a very good handling of the story beat. I still prefer that the players/PCs experience how the Draconis stuff gets off the Cronus, rather than having an NPC expose about it, but having chosen to go with the explanation scripted in DoW, I think using Ava as a vehicle to relate hints about that plot thread is rather genius. Kudos.
"And the rain sets in,
it's the Angelman.
I'm deranged".
--David Bowie, I'm Deranged
 
Geronimo82
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Re: CotG, DoW, & FW meta-plot (spoilers)

Sun 31 Oct 2021, 16:48

Just to add to the conversation... Signs of the Cronus being boarded prior to the Montero :

- Pulse Rifle... If I remember, the pulse rifle the Montero crew can find have been created after the initial launch of the Cronus. Therefore, it shouldn't be on board.
- The Junction A-1 Dock is damaged... could be from the creature OR forceful entry by the marines.

Last,
I've personally introduced vague memory of soldier boarding the Cronus into Ada if the player pushes her to reveal what happens between the crew being put in cryo and the arrival of the Montero crew.
Getting ready to run COTG as a Halloween one shot for my D&D group, and its not a Pulserifle, its a Weyland Storm Rifle. Its described as having stats like a Pulserifle, but heavy.

And because I too, am blending all the adventures together, I'm dropping hints of USCMC presence onboard. Junction A1s outer lock looks "maintained" (fresh lube and no debris) and inside is a OD green maintenance jack (cause most military tools are OD green even today :lol: ). They'll find a discarded Pulsrifle mag near the bloody medpod. Outside the door of the burned science lab there will be "charred splotches" from fuel dripping out of the nozzle of a flamer after firing. And finally Ava will have a head wound from a bullet.
 
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AlienMobius
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Re: CotG, DoW, & FW meta-plot (spoilers)

Sun 14 Nov 2021, 23:26

Now, I personally prefer if the Darconis stuff gets off the Cronus in some way related to the PCs actions, experiences, and/or observations. To have it occur off-screen robs the players of some agency and immersion, so I always kept the "Colonial Marines were already here and stole some samples without leaving any clues" as a last ditch explanation. Narratively, it makes for a much more dramatic story if the players can connect these things to their own gaming experience, rather than relying on a retcon'y "CMs had already been onboard" cheat.
That's because I've yet started my Colonial Marine campaign, but one of the twist is that my players group of marine will actually be part of the section that will board the Cronus ;) See that as a prequel to DoW.
 
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Angelman
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Re: CotG, DoW, & FW meta-plot (spoilers)

Mon 15 Nov 2021, 01:24

That's because I've yet started my Colonial Marine campaign, but one of the twist is that my players group of marine will actually be part of the section that will board the Cronus ;) See that as a prequel to DoW.
That's another good tweak you've got there, AlienMobius :) I think that would go some way towards tying it all together for the players.

In my running of CotG, however, I was lucky enought to have Clayton escape with loads of stuff and the PCs & Sotillo crew got away, so the meta-story will progress rather easily. I'll even put the Sotillo crew into DoW as potential replacement PCs to get the maximum use out of it all.
"And the rain sets in,
it's the Angelman.
I'm deranged".
--David Bowie, I'm Deranged
 
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AlienMobius
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Re: CotG, DoW, & FW meta-plot (spoilers)

Tue 16 Nov 2021, 01:41

In my running of CotG, however, I was lucky enought to have Clayton escape with loads of stuff and the PCs & Sotillo crew got away, so the meta-story will progress rather easily. I'll even put the Sotillo crew into DoW as potential replacement PCs to get the maximum use out of it all.
I didn't play the Sotillo. I knew it would be too much for my group and it just didn't feel right. Having said that, never thought of using them for another story... Thanks, I appreciate your input ;)

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