A Campaign Question

[Mr Dark]

Forgive me if this is in the wrong spot. Please feel free to move this post if it is.


On my blog (Link in Sig) I am asking a question on how I may approach the setting I am working on. The idea is that there is a type of frame story where the documents and material I will be releasing will have been 'found' in a storage shed. The semi-fictional author would be releasing material after he has transcribed it from its deteriorated state. As well, he would be conducting interviews with former players to fill in the blanks and provide context for the material.

On one hand I think this would be a great creative exercise. On the other, I am afraid it would come off as cheesy or a bad form of vanity work. I could go either way with this but want to be confident in the idea before I move forward.

So, would you be interested in something like this or, would it not be a good idea at all?

[dymondy2k]

Mr Dark..
I just jumped over to the blog and I like what I see so far. I love that you've taken a place you know and tweaked it to a fantasy setting. As far as the background of the campaign I wouldn't overthink it too much. Put the framework in place and let the adventurers create the world as they go. I had the most fun taking the modules here in BFRPG and making their story fit into the overarching story of my campaign.

As for your approach. It took me a second to understand how you were going to do it. it sounds challenging to be honest but I would love to see how it plays out.

[SmootRK]

Honestly, it sounds like too much trouble and likely to be lost on the player's. While this sounds extremely interesting in a literary sense, something that would make a good read... most players I have had contact with just don't go very deep into things. Dungeoneering, exploring, finding stuff, and killing creatures is the main focus, and much of the campaign background is just "meh" to them. They might find it interesting overall and have actual appreciation for it, but when it comes to actual gaming mode, it all just isn't really relevant.

Anyway, that has been much of my experience over years of gaming. This is not to say that your group does not include those that have a much greater appreciation for such stuff, because I don't know them. I have just learned that it is not too necessary to build in too much background... the gaming itself will lend to the topics that need to be fleshed out better. Best to let the players/adventure/module set the tone, then just fill in what needs to be detailed based upon the directions that they go.... just to avoid a bunch of wasted effort.

But again, this sounds like an interesting narrative that might be cool to use in some sort of campaign journal, as if a third party is researching the stuff. Use this as the gaming session recap or something like that.

[Mr Dark]

Basically, the blog would contain the frame story and the material I release about the setting. The game itself would be nothing but the setting material and the players would not have to worry about it. One of my players likes the idea as it plays off our love for alternate history fiction and pseudo-documentaries. Of course we have known each other for years and he understands my eccentric thought processes.

[Hywaywolf]

I am sure there are many players that how the data is given to them would make a difference in the success of the game, but in my experience most games have the "you found this halfling exploring the dungeon and now you are best friends forever and ask him to join your party and to take first watch as well." method of introducing new characters.