A Question about roleplaying and viewpoints

[Evil Genius]

"You wake up at the controls of a ship's boat thats heading down towards a planet and you have no idea what you're doing here and have trouble remembering anything at all even your name, what do you do?"

I see nothing in the statement that the players' characters have forgotten anything but short term memories and who they are, amnesia plot. They still have their skills since they will need them in a moment and later once on the planet. That sounds reasonable enough. As to their earned gear from character generation, we haven't seen what's in the ship's locker on the SHIP'S BOAT! They have a ship's boat! Gee! Possibly a clue or there may be clues on board?

Quite frankly it sounds like the beginning of a very good scenario I'd love to play. Not every game has to be Shoot and Loot. Hopeless, if this is a real scenario, I'd love to have a copy to read.

I concur. I'd love to play this scenario. It sounds amazing. I like it when I don't have all the facts and resources at my disposal and have to think and react like a real person.

I played a con game of Traveller recently with 4 other players who I did not know and they took so long trying to fix every angle in a 4 hour game they nearly run out of time to finish the story. Players like that need a kick up the ass like the intro to your story.

[rje]

My viewpoint was that these players would ask questions and would realise that they're wearing vacc suits, datapads and the consoles would provide information but all of this is dependent on the players involved.

No no no no.

I'll assume the referee puts them in this situation for a very specific purpose germane to the plot of the adventure. If this isn't the case, then the referee has made a mistake, and the game is in trouble.

Anyway. Assuming a purpose. At this point, the TOOLS the players need to play the game is almost 100% INFORMATION. So, the referee has to give the players the information they need to get a grasp on the situation. He has to TELL them that they're wearing vacc suits, datapads, and consoles. Better, he gives them a ship's computer that's receptive to their concerns, and perhaps has an alert message playing "Warning, ship will enter atmosphere in X minutes...".

And he has to give them time to process as much as they like. Assuming they're analytic.

PREFERABLY, unless the players are required DUE TO PLOTLINE to avert disaster, the computer would rather say "Autopilot engaged. Surface landing at XX:XX local time."

I've done a mindwipe on my players, and it went well, but I gave them plenty of sensory information and gave them leeway to work things however they liked, and to make sure they knew the risks of actions they were taking. But none of their choices were 'wrong' -- they reacted, then planned, set their goals (small and large), and were successful in them.

[Nuclear Fridge Magnet]

I tried running this sort of thing once as a GM. It crashed and burned spectacularly.
I've been a player when the GM has sprung this on the game group. It didn't go well at all.

So, as far as my 0.2 credits' worth is concerned, it's a very cute ploy to start off a movie or a novel, but it utterly fails in a gaming arena. It's ripping away control of the characters from the players, which never goes down well. An actor working from a movie script is a different case entirely.

[IanBruntlett]

I tried running this sort of thing once as a GM. It crashed and burned spectacularly.
I've been a player when the GM has sprung this on the game group. It didn't go well at all.

I started a new campaign, with novice players, using the Prison Planet module. They all liked it and played it to the end. Am trying to decide which adventure to run next. I've got Spinward Marches' sub-sector Regina written up and roughly defined so Secrets of the Ancients beckons. OTOH the Aramis adventure looks good

[Reynard]

'I've got Spinward Marches' sub-sector Regina written up and roughly defined so Secrets of the Ancients beckons. OTOH the Aramis adventure looks good '

Try Marooned. First of all it fits this topic with control out of the hands of the players. The original is a bit abstract and random but I found it good inspiration.