[UA] Re: Jailbreak

[Mattias Östklint]

Fill the playing area with as many ticking clocks as you can find. 
Alternatively spend 30 minutes finding mp3's of clocks, clockworks and so 
on, and create a soundtrack. If you do, link to it here. You could even 
add the thumpings in the attic 2-3 hours into it...

Personally, I have never had any problems getting female players to play 
male characters - at least for one-shots.

Pacing - start off with a bang, then slow way down to get everyone talking 
and interacting. If they don't DO anything (say after an hour or so of 
interacting) turn up the heat a bit.

But ideally, this scenario should be plenty wierd even without the 
thumping in the attic, and eminently playable without any supernatural 
elements whatsoever. (hostage situations are, in general)

If you have access to several rooms to play in - consider using them for 
the different rooms in the house. A large cupboard would be perfect for 
the pitch black cellar.

How many players? I think this is hard to play with less than 5, the old 
man, his wife, two convicts and one of the "innocent" guests (lawyer, 
jailguard...). If you have only 4 - scratch the innocent. No NPC:s except 
for atticman and violingirl. (I'm serious about this, I really do believe 
this scenario gets better if there are no NPC:s - just player vs player. 
If you're serious about needing a NPC-let it be the old man, and let him 
have a mild heart attack right at the start so he can talk but not do 
anything for the scenario, have him drift in and out of consiousness as 
needed)

If you can get a Co-GM, it's really valuable in this case - as always.

There are so many conflicts in this scenario that ideally you shouldn't 
have to actually DO anything as a GM, just some basic descriptions and 
physical conflict resolution (not even that if the players are really 
good).

F some players are late - start the remaining on whatever happens right 
before the scenario starts (calm evening at home in a power out (lighting 
candles and so on) or high-tension kidnapping and walking through the 
storm). It gives them a chance of starting the interaction.

If you can play this by candlelight without getting goth about it - do it.

If you can get props for the main plot items (gun, taser, cuffs, keys) - 
use them, but not more.

Off the top of my head is all...

And for HEAVENS sake don't tell them every 7 minutes that they are 
thinking about sex  - it's insulting and distracting.

Mattias Östklint 



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