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Anomalies

kafka47

SOC-14 5K
Marquis
Has anyone run this Campaign? It seems to have potential for a local gaming group. Also any thoughts how to compress it into a Con (two nighter total: six hours) size adventure? Also the last adventure does not seem to fit with the overall arc. Drop it or use it as a character killer? Thoughts? Spoilers? Please share.
 
Has anyone run this Campaign? It seems to have potential for a local gaming group. Also any thoughts how to compress it into a Con (two nighter total: six hours) size adventure? Also the last adventure does not seem to fit with the overall arc. Drop it or use it as a character killer? Thoughts? Spoilers? Please share.
 
I have the sourcebook in my Traveller Library but haven't run it yet. The best thing I would suggest is to find adventures that are directly linked to each other or find the best adventures that are the most exciting and link them together.
 
I have the sourcebook in my Traveller Library but haven't run it yet. The best thing I would suggest is to find adventures that are directly linked to each other or find the best adventures that are the most exciting and link them together.
 
So Anomalies is a adventure campaign? I had always gotten the impression it was a book of "adventure hooks" of a weird nature.
 
So Anomalies is a adventure campaign? I had always gotten the impression it was a book of "adventure hooks" of a weird nature.
 
Kafka,

You can run Anomalies as a campaign, whether it is worth the effort is another question.

For the most part, T4 was hideous. I say that even though I dearly love Pocket Empires. Anomalies was a typical T4 product and being a typical of that version of Traveller isn't a good thing.

The adventures are formulaic and rather blah. There's a 'Help the Marshal' adventure, an 'Odd Passenger' adventure, a 'Spooky Derelict Ship/Station' adventure, and so on. One is the frequently copied 'Exit Visa', an adventure that has been recycled in every version of Traveller I believe. Sadly, there's little new, little different, and little of interest.

Mileau:0 is a potentially rich setting full of campaign ideas and adventures seeds. T4 not only failed to explore M:0's promise, it failed in such a manner as to sour the idea of M:0.


Have fun,
Bill
 
Kafka,

You can run Anomalies as a campaign, whether it is worth the effort is another question.

For the most part, T4 was hideous. I say that even though I dearly love Pocket Empires. Anomalies was a typical T4 product and being a typical of that version of Traveller isn't a good thing.

The adventures are formulaic and rather blah. There's a 'Help the Marshal' adventure, an 'Odd Passenger' adventure, a 'Spooky Derelict Ship/Station' adventure, and so on. One is the frequently copied 'Exit Visa', an adventure that has been recycled in every version of Traveller I believe. Sadly, there's little new, little different, and little of interest.

Mileau:0 is a potentially rich setting full of campaign ideas and adventures seeds. T4 not only failed to explore M:0's promise, it failed in such a manner as to sour the idea of M:0.


Have fun,
Bill
 
True, Bill, but it did also have its stranger and wilder side which makes it perfect for the Convention set. I was hoping to run it with a MT modifed ruleset. What am I after is how to tweak it to make it work well. Surely, not an impossible task.
 
True, Bill, but it did also have its stranger and wilder side which makes it perfect for the Convention set. I was hoping to run it with a MT modifed ruleset. What am I after is how to tweak it to make it work well. Surely, not an impossible task.
 
Akira Downed!, Lone Whisper, and Double Deal are all suggested to be a linked theme. I'd run all three of those as a linked series.

Adventure one "Akira Downed!":

Starts out simple enough, has a good use of technical skills for the player's characters.

I'd make a simple sketch or (my preference) A very elaborate local planetary space region display map showing the locations of the various ships and space objects for clarity, along with a courses plot, and the whole thing will benefit from a pre-planned timeline laid out beforehand.

The key is the midpoint of adventure one p. 11-12, where the PC group feeling threatened, might go rogue. In a one-shot con adventure, it might go badly, because players won't care about long term consequences. I'd suggest if the players choose not to take the bonus mission, then you just move on to the next scenario, with the Main NPC as a patron, hiring them for Lone Whisper. If they refuse the job, well, sorry for your luck to get such a group at a con.

I like part B of Akira Downed a lot. to get to it, you might suggest to one or more of the highly ranked pcs that they have relatives who have sufferred at the hands of similar groups, thus negating the whole coercion business laid out on p. 12.

Or, one of the members of the PC crew might be formerly like this, trying to "Clean up their act." Something more than just pay as a motivator to engage in B.

Part B will need a planetary sketch and a decent deckplan, laid out in advance.

I like the theme of the 2nd Scenario, Lone Whisper. I would remove the requirement of a psionic for part 3 of that scenario, "A Mysterious Whisper".

Likewise Scenario 3, Double Deal, seems to be okay. I'd run all three of those as 2 hour events, with pregens set up, continuing players allowed to keep playing their pc as is.

Or, run it as one single 6 hour event. Though that seems a bit long, from the con events I have run. Definitely might need mini breaks in there somewhere.

The final adventure of Anomalies is not really an adventure, more or less an extended dangerous encounter.

From the description of the threat/problem, it seems to be a bit too tough, and there should be more than two specific ways of dealing with the situation.

What it needs is time pressure, some type of countdown to motivate the PC crew to action (right now it is a case of limited options, but done in such a way that it wasn't satisfying for me as a referee), and no easy escape route (which is provided as a technical problem that needs to be solved, which more or less suffices, but seemed to me to be very simplistic).

If you were to run the final adventure, I wouldn't do it at a con. But if you decided to run it, have some experience at setting horror atmosphere, from some other games, first. Make sure there are a lot of NPCs as expendables.

This might be better done as an adventure on a lightly populated world, not set in deep space.

Typically horror games are the hardest to run unless you have excellent players, who have lots of experience, who can take on the "My PC's life is threatened / portraying dread role." Most groups in my experience, are too used to the sarcastic "Ha ha, I laugh at death" type pcs and this will make the last adventure fail utterly, devolving into a short excercise in die rolling.

All of the adventures would benefit from additional detail, plot twists and the usual techniques of foreshadowing, the end is in the begginning, and time clock or option clock.

As is, as Bill states, they are very simplistic, with Lone Whisper being in my opinion, the most fleshed out but could use more, even than what is written.

Best of luck.
 
Akira Downed!, Lone Whisper, and Double Deal are all suggested to be a linked theme. I'd run all three of those as a linked series.

Adventure one "Akira Downed!":

Starts out simple enough, has a good use of technical skills for the player's characters.

I'd make a simple sketch or (my preference) A very elaborate local planetary space region display map showing the locations of the various ships and space objects for clarity, along with a courses plot, and the whole thing will benefit from a pre-planned timeline laid out beforehand.

The key is the midpoint of adventure one p. 11-12, where the PC group feeling threatened, might go rogue. In a one-shot con adventure, it might go badly, because players won't care about long term consequences. I'd suggest if the players choose not to take the bonus mission, then you just move on to the next scenario, with the Main NPC as a patron, hiring them for Lone Whisper. If they refuse the job, well, sorry for your luck to get such a group at a con.

I like part B of Akira Downed a lot. to get to it, you might suggest to one or more of the highly ranked pcs that they have relatives who have sufferred at the hands of similar groups, thus negating the whole coercion business laid out on p. 12.

Or, one of the members of the PC crew might be formerly like this, trying to "Clean up their act." Something more than just pay as a motivator to engage in B.

Part B will need a planetary sketch and a decent deckplan, laid out in advance.

I like the theme of the 2nd Scenario, Lone Whisper. I would remove the requirement of a psionic for part 3 of that scenario, "A Mysterious Whisper".

Likewise Scenario 3, Double Deal, seems to be okay. I'd run all three of those as 2 hour events, with pregens set up, continuing players allowed to keep playing their pc as is.

Or, run it as one single 6 hour event. Though that seems a bit long, from the con events I have run. Definitely might need mini breaks in there somewhere.

The final adventure of Anomalies is not really an adventure, more or less an extended dangerous encounter.

From the description of the threat/problem, it seems to be a bit too tough, and there should be more than two specific ways of dealing with the situation.

What it needs is time pressure, some type of countdown to motivate the PC crew to action (right now it is a case of limited options, but done in such a way that it wasn't satisfying for me as a referee), and no easy escape route (which is provided as a technical problem that needs to be solved, which more or less suffices, but seemed to me to be very simplistic).

If you were to run the final adventure, I wouldn't do it at a con. But if you decided to run it, have some experience at setting horror atmosphere, from some other games, first. Make sure there are a lot of NPCs as expendables.

This might be better done as an adventure on a lightly populated world, not set in deep space.

Typically horror games are the hardest to run unless you have excellent players, who have lots of experience, who can take on the "My PC's life is threatened / portraying dread role." Most groups in my experience, are too used to the sarcastic "Ha ha, I laugh at death" type pcs and this will make the last adventure fail utterly, devolving into a short excercise in die rolling.

All of the adventures would benefit from additional detail, plot twists and the usual techniques of foreshadowing, the end is in the begginning, and time clock or option clock.

As is, as Bill states, they are very simplistic, with Lone Whisper being in my opinion, the most fleshed out but could use more, even than what is written.

Best of luck.
 
Sounds pretty cool, but if you look in the reference section of all the Traveller Versions, linking adventures into a campaign has to have an ultimate goal for your adventurers and to give your campaign a purpose.

The Campaign should have:
a) the basics - that includes the overall map and its idea behind the map;
b) the background of the campaign - to be used as a point of referenceas well as being consistant to include the plot premise of the campaign;
c) the gimmick - that gives a sense of appeal for the adventurers;
d) the pull - the attraction for the adventurers or places them into an unexpected situation that they could not avoid;
e) the push - used for the adventurers which are elements and re-occuring events that allows them to continue in the campaign, e.g. law officers and the like;
f) the enigma - the mysteries within the campaign
that the referee could leave some clues so that the adventurers would be able to solve.

Typically, a Campaign contains a consistant background, individual adventures, short adventures, amber zones, casual encounters, patron encounters and the like. There are examples that have been published on this website which I advise to be used as an example.

I hope this was helpful in formulating an worthwhile campaign from the "Anomolies" sourcebook for T4: Marc Millers Traveller.

Cheers.
 
Sounds pretty cool, but if you look in the reference section of all the Traveller Versions, linking adventures into a campaign has to have an ultimate goal for your adventurers and to give your campaign a purpose.

The Campaign should have:
a) the basics - that includes the overall map and its idea behind the map;
b) the background of the campaign - to be used as a point of referenceas well as being consistant to include the plot premise of the campaign;
c) the gimmick - that gives a sense of appeal for the adventurers;
d) the pull - the attraction for the adventurers or places them into an unexpected situation that they could not avoid;
e) the push - used for the adventurers which are elements and re-occuring events that allows them to continue in the campaign, e.g. law officers and the like;
f) the enigma - the mysteries within the campaign
that the referee could leave some clues so that the adventurers would be able to solve.

Typically, a Campaign contains a consistant background, individual adventures, short adventures, amber zones, casual encounters, patron encounters and the like. There are examples that have been published on this website which I advise to be used as an example.

I hope this was helpful in formulating an worthwhile campaign from the "Anomolies" sourcebook for T4: Marc Millers Traveller.

Cheers.
 
Bill,

I'm not surprised that Anomalies are a bit "blah" as you say. T4 have got that rep. I own Pocket Empires but have never really understood how to make it fun, even though it isn't "blah" at all.

Anyway. What I meant to say is that I don't feel Anomalies is that odd in that respect. There are very few pre-written adventures for Traveller which I don't feel is a bit "blah".

Maybe fodder for another thread. God knows which folder, though.
 
Bill,

I'm not surprised that Anomalies are a bit "blah" as you say. T4 have got that rep. I own Pocket Empires but have never really understood how to make it fun, even though it isn't "blah" at all.

Anyway. What I meant to say is that I don't feel Anomalies is that odd in that respect. There are very few pre-written adventures for Traveller which I don't feel is a bit "blah".

Maybe fodder for another thread. God knows which folder, though.
 
Originally posted by Cymew:
There are very few pre-written adventures for Traveller which I don't feel is a bit "blah".
Cymew,

That's why we as GMs need to add a little paprika to the mix!

Still the extra seasoning required will depend on the state of the original substance and, IMHO, most of the T4 adventures make tofu seem like five-alarm chili!


Have fun,
Bill
 
Originally posted by Cymew:
There are very few pre-written adventures for Traveller which I don't feel is a bit "blah".
Cymew,

That's why we as GMs need to add a little paprika to the mix!

Still the extra seasoning required will depend on the state of the original substance and, IMHO, most of the T4 adventures make tofu seem like five-alarm chili!


Have fun,
Bill
 
I see what you mean.

BTW try frying tofu in a *really* hot pan with hoisin sauce and a dash of soya and it will not be so bland. My wife was amazed by the amount of taste of that tofu. :D
 
I see what you mean.

BTW try frying tofu in a *really* hot pan with hoisin sauce and a dash of soya and it will not be so bland. My wife was amazed by the amount of taste of that tofu. :D
 
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