Longcat
2010-02-01, 07:42 PM
Hello all,
I'm going to have to DM an upcoming Star Wars:Saga game for my group, and I was wondering how I could incorporate the plot from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The reasons why I'm ripping of a plotline from a game are:
a) It's (IMO) one of the best and emotional moving storylines
b) None of my players have played the game
c) I'm an utterly uncreative person, and I only DM because I've been bribed with fantastic cooking. :smalltongue:
That said, I think I could use some help in getting the narration right, because I actually want to provide my players with a pleasureable gaming experience, instead of just hardcore-railroading them.
For those who still intend to play CoD:MW2, this post may contain major spoilers. You have been warned!
Here's the MW2 storyline, adapted to the SW universe:
The campaign will take place somewhere in the Legacy era, during an alternative timeline sometime after the Pellaeon-Gavrisom Treaty. The players will be part of a special ops team similar to TF141, operating in secret missions for the New Republic. After a staged terrorist attack on a major Imperial Civilian spaceport led by a disgruntled Imperial General(referred to hereafter as "Vorakam"), evidence is planted linking the attack to the New Republic. The players, in the meantime, are tasked with retrieving a McGuffin, which turns out to be a communication module for the Republic Fleet.
Shortly thereafter, the Empire launches a massive retaliation strike against the Republic, bypassing their defenses due to having the aforementioned McGuffin already cracked. The Republic forces struggle, and are threatened to be overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, the players begin their search for evidence incriminating Vorakam, and their search leads them to Ryloth, a planet on the outer rim famous for its black market. Chasing down the arms dealer who supplied the terrorist attack, they find out that there's one person who Vorakam would go out of his way to capture. Said person is being held on Kessel, an Imperial penitentiary planet. After freeing him, they discover that he's in fact the Jedi character's former master.
Knowing of an experimental super weapon (based loosely on the Mass Shadow Generator from KotoR), they capture it and use it to disable the Imperial fleet above Coruscant, slightly evening the odds.
Meanwhile, the Bothan spy network has narrowed down Vorakam's hiding places: a safehouse on Nar Shaddaa, and an abandoned spaceport on Ord Mantell. Admiral Schäfer, the leader of TF141, recommends a split-up to target both hideouts. After retrieving information from one of the hideouts incriminating Schäfer of collaborating with Vorakam, he betrays TF141 and kills all members of the respective team. The players, while on the other planet, learn of the betrayal and narrowly escape their pursuers.
From there, it's up to them: They can either flee, convince the Republic of Schaefer's betrayal (not likely), or bargain with Vorakam to gain revenge on Schaefer.
Here are the characters for the campaign:
The campaign will start at L4, with the players importing their characters from my previous campaign:
-Human Soldier2/Jedi2 ("Ex-Mandalorian")
-Human Jedi4 (Dark Force user, "Dathomiri witch")
-Replica Droid Scout2/Scoundrel2 ("Heavy weapons guy")
-Human Scout2/Soldier2 ("Sniper")
The Mandalorian wishes to exchange his character with a Jedi, so therefore his old character takes the part of PFC Allen during the first session.
As for the session planning, here's what I've got so far:
Session 1:
I wish to split this session into two parts: The first part will be the assault on the spaceport, with everyone but the Mandalorian getting a premade replacement character for reasons detailed below. The Mandalorian is an elite member of TF141, and is sent on an undercover mission to monitor the movements of Admiral Vorakam, a former Imperial commander unhappy with the status quo. In order to gain his trust, he will have to accompany him on a terrorist mission to shake up the "weak" government. Together with a small strike force (consisting of the premade characters), they massacre many civilians, and before fleeing, Vorakam shoots the Mandalorian, while revealing that he knew he was a spy all along.
Jump to the second part: The PCs are briefed by Admiral Schaefer, their commanding officer, about the Bastion incident and their friend's death. The Imperial Remnant accuses the Galactic Alliance of acts of terrorism, and diplomatic meetings are taking place all over the galaxy. The players are then tasked with retrieving a McGuffin from a Republic spacefraft gone AWOL somewhere around the galaxy. Discovering the downed spacecraft on a nearby planet, they trace the McGuffin back to an Imperial outpost, where they eventually manage to retrieve it.
End of Session 1
Session 2
Some time after the retrieval of the McGuffin, multiple Alliance worlds are under attack, their fleets crippled due to grand scale sabotage enabled by the McGuffin. The Imperial army, led by Admiral Vorakam, declare war upon the Alliance. His hand in the matter unknown to the public, he manipulated the government into a war for vengeance.
With their only witness dead, TF141 starts to look for evidence in order to uncover Vorakam's plan. A trace leads them to Ryloth, where one of the major criminal cartels resides. The cartel is being led by a crime lord who formerly worked for the Empire, and has information on Vorakam. After capturing and interrogating him, the players find out about a prisoner on Kessel, who is a nemesis of Vorakam.
End of Session 2
Session 3
Figuring that the war could be stopped by exposing Vorakam's treachery, Admiral Schaefer sends TF141 to Kessel, in order to extract the prisoner. Kessel is heavily guarded by the Imperial flett, and the players have to figure out a way of landing there. The actual prison compound is also guarded by elite ground troops.
Fighting their way through the Imperial army, the eventually reach the prisoner, who turns out to be a Jedi master known to the two Jedi characters. While waiting for their extraction, several "accidental" bombings occur.
End of Session 3
I'm going to post additional session plannings later, but right now, I'm rather tired. If you've got any suggestions, feel free to let me know.
Update: Added in Session 3
I'm going to have to DM an upcoming Star Wars:Saga game for my group, and I was wondering how I could incorporate the plot from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The reasons why I'm ripping of a plotline from a game are:
a) It's (IMO) one of the best and emotional moving storylines
b) None of my players have played the game
c) I'm an utterly uncreative person, and I only DM because I've been bribed with fantastic cooking. :smalltongue:
That said, I think I could use some help in getting the narration right, because I actually want to provide my players with a pleasureable gaming experience, instead of just hardcore-railroading them.
For those who still intend to play CoD:MW2, this post may contain major spoilers. You have been warned!
Here's the MW2 storyline, adapted to the SW universe:
The campaign will take place somewhere in the Legacy era, during an alternative timeline sometime after the Pellaeon-Gavrisom Treaty. The players will be part of a special ops team similar to TF141, operating in secret missions for the New Republic. After a staged terrorist attack on a major Imperial Civilian spaceport led by a disgruntled Imperial General(referred to hereafter as "Vorakam"), evidence is planted linking the attack to the New Republic. The players, in the meantime, are tasked with retrieving a McGuffin, which turns out to be a communication module for the Republic Fleet.
Shortly thereafter, the Empire launches a massive retaliation strike against the Republic, bypassing their defenses due to having the aforementioned McGuffin already cracked. The Republic forces struggle, and are threatened to be overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, the players begin their search for evidence incriminating Vorakam, and their search leads them to Ryloth, a planet on the outer rim famous for its black market. Chasing down the arms dealer who supplied the terrorist attack, they find out that there's one person who Vorakam would go out of his way to capture. Said person is being held on Kessel, an Imperial penitentiary planet. After freeing him, they discover that he's in fact the Jedi character's former master.
Knowing of an experimental super weapon (based loosely on the Mass Shadow Generator from KotoR), they capture it and use it to disable the Imperial fleet above Coruscant, slightly evening the odds.
Meanwhile, the Bothan spy network has narrowed down Vorakam's hiding places: a safehouse on Nar Shaddaa, and an abandoned spaceport on Ord Mantell. Admiral Schäfer, the leader of TF141, recommends a split-up to target both hideouts. After retrieving information from one of the hideouts incriminating Schäfer of collaborating with Vorakam, he betrays TF141 and kills all members of the respective team. The players, while on the other planet, learn of the betrayal and narrowly escape their pursuers.
From there, it's up to them: They can either flee, convince the Republic of Schaefer's betrayal (not likely), or bargain with Vorakam to gain revenge on Schaefer.
Here are the characters for the campaign:
The campaign will start at L4, with the players importing their characters from my previous campaign:
-Human Soldier2/Jedi2 ("Ex-Mandalorian")
-Human Jedi4 (Dark Force user, "Dathomiri witch")
-Replica Droid Scout2/Scoundrel2 ("Heavy weapons guy")
-Human Scout2/Soldier2 ("Sniper")
The Mandalorian wishes to exchange his character with a Jedi, so therefore his old character takes the part of PFC Allen during the first session.
As for the session planning, here's what I've got so far:
Session 1:
I wish to split this session into two parts: The first part will be the assault on the spaceport, with everyone but the Mandalorian getting a premade replacement character for reasons detailed below. The Mandalorian is an elite member of TF141, and is sent on an undercover mission to monitor the movements of Admiral Vorakam, a former Imperial commander unhappy with the status quo. In order to gain his trust, he will have to accompany him on a terrorist mission to shake up the "weak" government. Together with a small strike force (consisting of the premade characters), they massacre many civilians, and before fleeing, Vorakam shoots the Mandalorian, while revealing that he knew he was a spy all along.
Jump to the second part: The PCs are briefed by Admiral Schaefer, their commanding officer, about the Bastion incident and their friend's death. The Imperial Remnant accuses the Galactic Alliance of acts of terrorism, and diplomatic meetings are taking place all over the galaxy. The players are then tasked with retrieving a McGuffin from a Republic spacefraft gone AWOL somewhere around the galaxy. Discovering the downed spacecraft on a nearby planet, they trace the McGuffin back to an Imperial outpost, where they eventually manage to retrieve it.
End of Session 1
Session 2
Some time after the retrieval of the McGuffin, multiple Alliance worlds are under attack, their fleets crippled due to grand scale sabotage enabled by the McGuffin. The Imperial army, led by Admiral Vorakam, declare war upon the Alliance. His hand in the matter unknown to the public, he manipulated the government into a war for vengeance.
With their only witness dead, TF141 starts to look for evidence in order to uncover Vorakam's plan. A trace leads them to Ryloth, where one of the major criminal cartels resides. The cartel is being led by a crime lord who formerly worked for the Empire, and has information on Vorakam. After capturing and interrogating him, the players find out about a prisoner on Kessel, who is a nemesis of Vorakam.
End of Session 2
Session 3
Figuring that the war could be stopped by exposing Vorakam's treachery, Admiral Schaefer sends TF141 to Kessel, in order to extract the prisoner. Kessel is heavily guarded by the Imperial flett, and the players have to figure out a way of landing there. The actual prison compound is also guarded by elite ground troops.
Fighting their way through the Imperial army, the eventually reach the prisoner, who turns out to be a Jedi master known to the two Jedi characters. While waiting for their extraction, several "accidental" bombings occur.
End of Session 3
I'm going to post additional session plannings later, but right now, I'm rather tired. If you've got any suggestions, feel free to let me know.
Update: Added in Session 3