Not quite sure how the Loop is going to work at this stage. I'm leaning towards some kind of a time distortion/manipulation sort of thing (which explains the futuristic robots and dinosaurs from the past). But it might be weirder than that.The Loop could also be a local mirror for all teenagers dreams and nightmares.
If there is interconnected loops, there could be more and more dreams and nightmares alive
That's a really good point, for some reason I hadn't even really thought about running one long story. A TV series style approach where each week is a different threat/adventure would need to have different stakes/pacing. I had my head set in 'one shot' land where a Mystery would be like a movie, with high stakes, small time table, and the possibility to greatly alter the hero's lives. Not that a longer running campaign couldn't do those things, it would just rob it of tension to do so constantly.I wouldn't run a regularly dangerous campaign. Kids are foolhardy and can't comprehend all the risks of their actions, but if they're constantly risking their lives for no real reward, it just doesn't make sense. Even if the kids had access to actual weapons (rifles, pellet guns), I could see them risk death to save one of their own (maybe if they didn't think their parents or the police would believe them), but not on a daily/weekly occurrence.
I could definitely running your one-shot idea to see if my friends are really interested in the game. If so, yes, a longer-running game would definitely have to build up to something big. Something the kids wouldn't take seriously at first so it'd just big a big game, until they start connecting the dots. And mixing up the stories between humor, action and horror would keep them guessing.That's a really good point, for some reason I hadn't even really thought about running one long story. A TV series style approach where each week is a different threat/adventure would need to have different stakes/pacing. I had my head set in 'one shot' land where a Mystery would be like a movie, with high stakes, small time table, and the possibility to greatly alter the hero's lives. Not that a longer running campaign couldn't do those things, it would just rob it of tension to do so constantly.I wouldn't run a regularly dangerous campaign. Kids are foolhardy and can't comprehend all the risks of their actions, but if they're constantly risking their lives for no real reward, it just doesn't make sense. Even if the kids had access to actual weapons (rifles, pellet guns), I could see them risk death to save one of their own (maybe if they didn't think their parents or the police would believe them), but not on a daily/weekly occurrence.
It would take a cold-blooded GM to kill/maim the kids. From a child's perspective, the world would seem heightened; their accomplishments greater ("I'm GREAT at this sport. I'm going to be a world CHAMPION!") and their failures seem deeper ("If my parents see how badly I ruined the couch they will literally ground me for the rest of my life").Hi!
The four Mysteries included in the core book are connected to a common backstory, and can be played as a short campaign.
Regarding the danger level - there is danger, but the PCs generally don't die. They can however get injured, exhausted, scared, etc.