I'll be running a Mothership RPG campaign soon, and will start off with a Session 0. Anything I should be sure to include? Might do a oneshot as well if there's a bunch of time, this is our first time with this system and my first time as a GM. Thanks!
I like to use the CATS method:
C - Content. What is the game/campaign going to be about (in general). What are the themes that you want to touch on?
A - Aim. What are the players trying to accomplish? How will you know when you've reached a satisfactory conclusion?
T - Tone. What is the overall tone of the game? Is it serious or light-hearted? Gritty or gonzo?
S - Safety. How will you make sure that everyone has a good time, and that you avoid re-traumatizing content? What topics should be avoided altogether or treated gingerly (Lines and Veils). How will players signal that you need to stop the game and resolve an issue if they feel uncomfortable to express that verbally (X-Card/Script Change.)
The goal is to have a consensus on all these topics.
Thanks, that's a great idea! One of my players is a very supportive and very experienced GM, and specifically mentioned Lines and Veils (especially due to the system being Mothership, though it's useful everywhere). Thanks! Will keep that in mind.
I found The Lazy DM's guide quite useful. It has a lot of advice on various parts of running campaigns, including session 0. It assumes you'll run 5e, but I've found it useful even after I switched away from dnd. I can share the pdf with you if you'd like, send me a PM if so.
For any PC that wants to horny larp, they get 2 points of exhaustion.
It's a TTRPG, just make them roll for everything. It won't be long before they hit a nat 1 on dimming the lights and accidentally open the airlock.
I'm gonna go look up this system now because I fucking crave space TTRPG.
It has a ton of great modules too, and the Tide World of Mani has a revolutionary plot from spelled-out Marxist-Leninists and Anarchists so the players can steer the revolution however they wish (or crush it and be cringe).
Tide World of Mani has a revolutionary plot from spelled-out Marxist-Leninists and Anarchists so the players can steer the revolution however they wish (or crush it and be cringe).
Ok this legit sounds interesting. Like I'd find a group and have them go in blind and see what direction they choose.
What I really, really want tho is a tabletop game in the vein of the Expanse. Like near-ish future realistic space travel and stuff. But I do like horror and scifi both
Mothership is open-ended enough that you can do that, it doesn't have much established lore. Cloud Empress runs off of the system plus tweaks, and is a funky nausicaa inspired sci-fantasy RPG.
Mothership is great for hard or soft sci-fi.
Damn it, now I need to get a job. Watch me buy this and it ends up next to my Last Air Bender box that is currently collecting dust.
I know! Really want Cloud Empress, but Mothership alone forced me into GMing for it haha
If I can't think of anything else I absolutely want, maybe Santa might get it for me this Xmas.
Santa would be based!
The deluxe edition of Mothership has some of the best modules.
If Santa got it, she'd probably splurge and get the deluxe lol
I would use the pre-written modules for mothership, there are a lot of really good ones.
For investigation horror I would read over some of the alexandrian articles on clues, and general advice: https://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule
Horror also is helped by pacing, don't be afraid to let silence sit and let tension grow but also make sure that it is building and not just the players standing around discussing.
I would highly reccommend doing: Mothership - Haunting of Ypsilon 14 as your oneshot it is fantastic. For longer term play I recommend: https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/products/gradient-descent
Yep, planning on using Haunting of Ypsilon 14! The campaign proper will feature Another Bug Hunt, A Pound of Flesh, Dead Planet, Gradiant Descent, Desert Moon of Karth, and Tide World of Mani, with some oneshots here and there of my own design.
Will read the article you linked, thanks!
Try to "cold read" your audience for the first episode. Get a feeling for what they want and what they intend to do before you set down too many solid story beats or plot hooks. Work with their desires rather than hoping their desires work with you.
