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CEBedford
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Posts: 50
Joined: Thu 25 Jul 2019, 02:33

First session reactions.

Mon 29 Jul 2019, 05:56

Ran my first session today! I cut a lot out of Chariot of the Gods, and still we get a part 2. Only one death so far. Miller with a classic tail through the heart while Davis crawled away whimpering, and clutching a ruined leg.

Best part is, we left with everyone rushing off to separate parts of the Cronus. So it is hunting time.

I removed the Abominations and so far they haven’t engaged with any of the science/vaccine elements yet either. I’m having more fun with less the first time out. Plus, there are still some undiscovered elements to spring on them for Act 3.

I’m excited to go back through the document and fine tune my grasp of the game after having played so soon! This game is everything I want so far!

How have the rest of you who’ve run it felt so far?
- Hoodie Infestation
 
hibishop
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue 11 Jun 2019, 00:19

Re: First session reactions.

Mon 29 Jul 2019, 16:29

I've run the Chariot of the Gods scenario twice now.  Acts I & II work out beautiful; there's some great mystery with the derelict ship and tense situations with the bloodburster and encounters with abomination(s).  First play-through I got tripped up on Act III though.  I made a few assumptions about how the players would play out the third act, and as the GM, failed to lay some of the groundwork early on.

Suggestions for Act III:
  • Reveal all. At this point, remove the mystery by fully revealing PARTIAL TRUTHS and YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH, and perhaps even Special Order 966.  (I assumed the players would put the pieces together on their own; they didn't.)
  • If your ultimate goal is the destruction of the Cronus, start the countdown early, even if the players are in the midst of dealing with other stuff (aka Neomorph).  (This goes towards laying down the groundwork early.)
  • Clearly identify the escape plan.  (Again, lay down the groundwork early and don't assume the players will figure it out on their own, though it is pretty hilarious seeing the players scrambling for an exit even as the ship is exploding around them.)
Some of the Secret Agendas become moot after awhile, to the disappointment of my players.  (Cham as the sole survivor of the Montero has a bitter irony to it).  Not sure how a GM could better set expectations though. 
 
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aramis
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Joined: Fri 14 Jun 2019, 20:34
Location: Oregon, USA
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Re: First session reactions.

Mon 29 Jul 2019, 20:08

Cham was my sole uninfected survivor...
Because he was Lucas,.
—————————————————————————
Smith & Wesson: the original point and click interface...
 
hibishop
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue 11 Jun 2019, 00:19

Re: First session reactions.

Mon 29 Jul 2019, 21:15

Cham was my sole uninfected survivor...
Because he was Lucas,.
Yeah, that's just awkward.
 
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CEBedford
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Posts: 50
Joined: Thu 25 Jul 2019, 02:33

Re: First session reactions.

Tue 30 Jul 2019, 06:09

Our Cham is currently attempting to lure the alien out an airlock, even if it means his own life is lost in the process. Meanwhile Davis is trying to divert the ship, Wilson is returning to the med lab to check on a passenger, and Rye is off trying to salvage some sort of paycheck from this mess, unaware that Miller is dead, and there’s an even bigger thing stalking the ship.
- Hoodie Infestation
 
hibishop
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue 11 Jun 2019, 00:19

Re: First session reactions.

Mon 05 Aug 2019, 17:34

I've run the Chariot of the Gods scenario twice now.  Acts I & II work out beautiful; there's some great mystery with the derelict ship and tense situations with the bloodburster and encounters with abomination(s).  First play-through I got tripped up on Act III though.  I made a few assumptions about how the players would play out the third act, and as the GM, failed to lay some of the groundwork early on.

Suggestions for Act III:
  • Reveal all. At this point, remove the mystery by fully revealing PARTIAL TRUTHS and YOU CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH, and perhaps even Special Order 966.  (I assumed the players would put the pieces together on their own; they didn't.)
  • If your ultimate goal is the destruction of the Cronus, start the countdown early, even if the players are in the midst of dealing with other stuff (aka Neomorph).  (This goes towards laying down the groundwork early.)
  • Clearly identify the escape plan.  (Again, lay down the groundwork early and don't assume the players will figure it out on their own, though it is pretty hilarious seeing the players scrambling for an exit even as the ship is exploding around them.)
Some of the Secret Agendas become moot after awhile, to the disappointment of my players.  (Cham as the sole survivor of the Montero has a bitter irony to it).  Not sure how a GM could better set expectations though. 
For the second play-through, I followed my own suggestions and got a much better outcome for Act III.  The highlight of the night was two characters trying to decide the course of action.  Cham wanted to blow the Cronus, while Flynn wanted to just get the hell out of there.  It came down the an Empathy opposing roll.  Cham used his two Story Points (acquired and saved up from the previous two Acts) to automatically beat Flynn's roll, forcing Flynn to help him.  Excellent use of Story Points. 
 
hibishop
Posts: 41
Joined: Tue 11 Jun 2019, 00:19

Re: First session reactions.

Thu 22 Aug 2019, 21:18

For my third play-through, I plan on starting at Act II.  PCs will wake from hyper sleep on the Cronus.  PCs will have acute amnesia, of course, and find they are part of the science experience.

The decision to start at Act II comes down to the time factor (less than four hours) available for a live One-Shot.  I'll merge a number of the Montero crew in with the Cronus crew as available PCs, but otherwise no Montero and no Sotillo.
 
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aramis
Posts: 668
Joined: Fri 14 Jun 2019, 20:34
Location: Oregon, USA
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Re: First session reactions.

Thu 22 Aug 2019, 21:48

Cham was my sole uninfected survivor...
Because he was Lucas,.
Yeah, that's just awkward.
Nothing awkward about it... was an expected tragedy...
—————————————————————————
Smith & Wesson: the original point and click interface...

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