Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

madhatter

Is it just me or does it seem like a lot of Savage Worlds adventures start out with a Chase scene? And is this really a good way to showcase the system to a new group of players?

I'm going to be starting a 1930s Pulp game & I've read three different published adventures, looking for ideas, that start out with a chase scene right off the bat.

Instead of the standard D&D "you start out in a tavern", it's "you meet your friend/contact/employee when suddenly a car/horse/plane drives up & shoots them". Twisted Evil

-Jefferson

Timon · Posted: Mon Mar 12, 2012 7:11 pm Post subject:

At a guess you have been reading a bunch of TAGs Daring Tales. They are indeed a bit fond of chase scenes.

I don't think the thought police will come knocking if you decide to start with something else, but it DOES beat starting in a tavern and generates immediate excitement and action. Actually any In Media Res start will do that for you. Having your players crouched down in cover while the unknown bad guys pepper them with bullets will build party cohesion pretty quickly #1eek1

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The Dread Polack · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:49 am Post subject:

I like starting adventures, and especially campaigns, in the middle of the action. There's always this awkward period at the beginning of a campaign where the characters try to justify the fact that they're working together as a group - even when everyone agrees that they're already a group and they don't need to make a big deal out of it. Starting with the action just helps people get over that, I think.

I like to remind them of how many books, comics, movies, and shows start this way, and why not start off our campaign or advture that way? We're creative, and we'll fill in the gaps later.

madhatter · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 10:54 am Post subject:

Oh I totally agree with starting out with the party right in the thick of things. I love starting with the party in combat & then do a quick flashback in the middle of it.

I just think that because the Chase rules are an abstraction of the main rule system, starting out with a chase may not be the best way to showcase the SW system to n00bies.

-Jefferson

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Edgeworth · Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2012 12:07 pm Post subject:

I started my on-going DLR-campaign with a hunting scene. The posse + couple of NPCs were in the woods trying to get some meat for their crew. Gave them something to do, especially when they started in a situation where one of them was ready to shoot an elk and NPCs were betting on if he makes the shot count or not, but still retained that classic relaxed tavern-feeling which allows some roleplaying if the players are up for it.

It really does make it easier to get into the game if the players have to do something before they get to argue politics or such.

Sean-Khan · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:14 am Post subject:

Does it really work well as a starter for new players, especially to ones that are used to strict mechanics of D&D? I haven't used new chase rules yet, I think the old ones worked well but not sure about the new ones.

The 'roll skill and get initiative cards based on that' feels somehow too different from the core mechanics.
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amerigoV · Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:33 am Post subject: