What makes a good senario

Zombieneighbours · Post by **Zombieneighbours** » Sat Oct 12, 2013 9:42 pm

So, what are your favourite scenarios, and why do you like them?

What makes for a good scenario? Is it a well thought out investigation? A creepy premise? Memorable NPCs?

What aspects of the Mythos do you think make for the best scenarios.

fatmalky · Post by **fatmalky** » Wed Oct 16, 2013 11:08 am

I like a well organised investagation. The better planed it is the better the storie. Good NPC's can also add to a great game.

Riq · Post by **Riq** » Fri Oct 25, 2013 9:40 am

There are a few key things that I look for in a scenario that I generally enjoy:

Immersion, I like to be faced with a realistic world that I can imagine myself being in without too much trouble... I like events in that world not to seem contrived or completely implausible... And then when the fantastical occurs - the impact is far more pronounced.

For horror RPGs I don't like gore for the sake of gore and dislike a continuous slaughterfest from start to finish without any respite. I prefer a gradual build up that is heavy on suspense, then hit with terror etc.

Good storyline / plot... Even if it moves the game down a more railroad style of play is better than a confused or boring sandbox with nothing but disjointed event after event.

Interesting NPCs, but no more than a handful of key well developed a plot central npcs. You can have lots more but they should be background folk and not confuse game play. Each key NPC should be clearly identifiable (use of pictures here helps).

Conclusions should be memorable. Ending a one shot game or campaign should leave PCs with a feeling that the game was worth the time they put in... Even if they fail to defeat the big bad and are all brutally slain or go horribly insane they should feel the game is over and played to a logical conclusion. Cliff hanger endings can work here but care should be taken to avoid PCs feeling they've been cheated of a finale.

Shannon Mac · Post by **Shannon Mac** » Sat Nov 02, 2013 2:27 am

I would add the players must be suited to the scenario.

Players are 50% or more of the negative/ho huh/positive experience.

A Keeper who can elicit emotion makes for a memorable session, too.

monkey prime · Post by **monkey prime** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:58 am

For me its a cocktail of interesting plot, good setting and nice amount of player freedom

Interesting plot: It can action heavy, it can research heavy, it can be full of interesting NPCs, it can be an devoid of NPC but just as long as it fires my imagination with some interesting quirk or something that makes me excited. I have to get excited by my bit in this story. I have to think that this story is something that I can sell to my players. At the end of the day this is where I have my fun as a keeper, running the plot.

Good Setting: Setting has to be good and full of flavour. If its a lighthouse make it creepy, if its a city make it alive and full of interesting characters but it has to be something that I can see so I can take my investigators there.

Player Freedom: I don't want to drag my players around, let them be able to come up with their own solutions, be able to try new things but not so open that they get lost or have no clue where to go.

SamS · Post by **SamS** » Fri Nov 15, 2013 4:31 am

The story or plot is what draws me in.