Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[Dolomite23]

I am just wondering how GMs accomplish the daunting task of bringing the group together.

Story Outline - Character A, B, C go to the same bar to meet a contact

Character Backgrounds - Character A has worked with character B, who has dealt with Character C

[Seeker of Truth]

I use both, depending on both the people involved and the characters they make as well as my personal ideas for the campaign. I let my players link their backgrounds however they want, as long as it doesn't ruin any plans I have, and if they come up with something more interesting than i had going, I'll definitely take advantage of it.
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Epic of the Arrows - A Saga of the Untamed Lands

[Devcon001]

I use a mixture of both. Typically when I start a campaign it's A (Background) - the PCs know each other and the campaign starts. I have some exceptions (for example, when I started my Necessary Evil Campaign, I used the 1st Plot Point Scenario which by itself brings the party together) but that's usually how I proceed.

As the campaign moves on new characters (either from new players grafting themselves to the group or as replacements for the deceased) it's B) (Story Outline). We find a logical reason to bring them in, and often roleplay it (Hell, in a recent case, it was the entire *point* of the entire play session). Sometimes we simply state "Character A here knows Character B who's already in the group, and comes at his/her behest" (Thus making it a background origin) but that's again the exception.

[SavagedRobby]

I voted for Backgrounds, only because I use that more than Story Outline. But often I'll give characters a Story Outline and tell them to write their Backgrounds around it.
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Considering the alternative, life is just fine.

[ogbendog]

in all our last FtF games, we've used the "you all know each other/have adventured together before". we have a tendency to make diverse characters, and this helps those with incompatible quirks get along.

"yes the paladin and necromancer aren't pals, but they both have the same goals in mind"

[Captain Kronos]

For a long term campaign, I tend to use story outlines and have the PCs come together in the first or second session. Luckily, I haven't had character bounce too much yet (in a recent game one of my friends ran it took one of his players 6 weeks to meet the other PCs!).

For short games, the PCs all start knowing each other. Easier that way.

Dave

[eggplant]

For me it usually depends on if it is a spur of the moment game or a planned campaign. If I have time to plan it I prefer to have character backgrounds.

[marshal kt]

threaten them with death....or maybe if i'm in a nice mood, to only kill their characters.
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"I'm Hotep"

[ragnarok]

Both ways. Normally I perfer Character Backgrounds, but if it's something less lame than "A, B, C meet at the same bar and decide to adventure together"* I'm fine with Story Outlines (I'm actually in love with GWGs, "Suddenly you are together on the same sinking boat, what do you do?" as presented in NE and 50F(and perhaps other settings)).

*With the exception of Evernight, where this actually could make sense

[jeff]

I usually use a little of both depending on the game.
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The day mutant zombies rise in my town is the day I get to be a hero.

[jblittlefield]

Both.

In my latest TRES playtest I started the session with just one player (in a precarious situation) and added the others -- one at a time -- and just let things play out naturally. Only later did they find out that they all had links with at least a couple of other heroes in the group.

[steamdriven]

both or sometimes none of the above. it all depends on the setting and the way I set up the first game.
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[gobbo]

I would not be able to actually vote on this as I use a lot of diffrent ways. It really depends on the game and campaign. If it is a modern "Special OPs" kind of game, I just let them all know they are assigned to the unit, I have done the "your all in a bar/tavern/nightclub" thing, but not recently. I have even had them all wake up in a prison cell with amnisia! [Yes, I am evil ]
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