Very new to the game

[Centauri]

I recently bought the Bab5 sourcebook and the Pocket Player´s Handbook. Shortly after this I also got the Earth Alliance Fact Book.
While I think that the first two books which I named are great I think that the third was a waste of money although it is fun to read.

Now I am planning in the long run to create a group and GM a campaign.
Therefore I´d like to know which books can be called necessary to GM and to play the game and what campaigns do you master/play.

 

[ronbogard]

The first two books you named are all you need to play the game.
I just finished running a campaign set on the B5 station between the movie and the first TV season.

 

[Centauri]

The Earth Alliance Fact Book is a must? :shock:

But I am very interested about your campaign. I was also thinking about setting up a campaign on B5 in 2258.
Can you tell me what your campaign was about?
I still have problems to imagine a real B5-campaign.

 

[PaulB]

Given the nature of the Babylon 5 series as a series of massive arcs, interlinked with a few smaller ones - it seems that the best way to get an idea of how to run a campaign would be to choose a couple of minor arcs from the series and follow them through. Try to get to grips with how the arc filtered through certain stories and take notes on some general ideas about the issues and problems the characters faced. Then go watch a few other sci-fi series... or re-runs of the A-Team or McGyver... or... well, any situation where characters are put in the situation of being presented with a problem and then working it through to a conclusion. Throw in some career and personal development... one or two ongoing characters with or without immediate purpose in the story... and - voila! - you have the groundings for a campaign in almost any game... not just B5.

Or, am I missing something?

 

[Centauri]

My main problem with the theory is that I need an example to really understand the rule.
This is such a case.
And examples could also help me to find something to stimulate my imagination.

 

[redlaco]

Fisrt, welcome Centauri to the boards.
If you want a good example for a pre-made campaign, you have two choices currently : either buy the "Fiery Trial" from Mongoose, or download the free and wonderful "Curse of Tantalus" designed by a fellow member called Chobbly. It should please you since it is based around a Centauri space station.
It's the second time in two days that I refer to Chris campaign, because it is that good, professional level really. Try it out now!

As for Fiery Trial, it's a good campaign written by Bruce Graw, a real B5 expert. It links well to Season One so you can link it with some of the adventure seeds contained in the "Signs & Portents" chapter of the Core book. A good news is that it will be expanded in a future release, continuing the story arc along the second season.

 

[Chobbly]

Fisrt, welcome Centauri to the boards.
If you want a good example for a pre-made campaign, you have two choices currently : either buy the "Fiery Trial" from Mongoose, or download the free and wonderful "Curse of Tantalus" designed by a fellow member called Chobbly. It should please you since it is based around a Centauri space station.
It's the second time in two days that I refer to Chris campaign, because it is that good, professional level really. Try it out now!

Thanks Redlaco, that's really nice of you to say. The Tantalus site will be moving in a few days time - change of provider, but life is kind of busy at the moment - always seems to be, but if it wasn't I'd get bored!

As far as what books are neccesary, then I'll have to give the cop-out answer and say as many as you can get your hands on. All of them have ideas for games and campaigns. The Minbari book is my favourite, but that's only by a hairs-breadth, as the Centauri and Narn are first rate too. Fiery Trial has some great stuff in it too. If you plan to use any NPC's or have any player characters of one of the named races, then the race books are an essential purchase.

As for a campaign, hmmm I'll think aloud for a moment. How about taking a facet of the B5 universe and twisting it? Just because B5 seceeded from Earth, what about the other outposts or ships that stayed loyal? How would the Nightwatch have affected them?

What about a group of characters that were working on Babylon Four when it jumped forward in time, to be rescued by Sinclair and Garibaldi in 2258? How would they find life on Babylon Five? That would be a real way to bring a group of different characters and personalities together, especially with the Earth Alliance wanting the matter swept under the carpet. Just as Sinclair and Garibaldi had time flashes, what were the flashes that your group of characters had - past, or future?

Whatever you do, good luck with your game. And remember, if you're short of ideas for a game or campaign, fact is very often stranger than fiction...


Chobbly

 

[Centauri]

Thanks for all the advices and the help and I have to agree with Redlaco. "Curse of Tantalus" makes the impression that it is an official adventure and some day I will play it.

@Chlobby
Thanks for this idea! It sounds great. I think I will use it.

According to the books I am going to buy all the race books during the next two months and after that I plan a group and campaign since it is always easier to plan such a thing when you know what PC will be in the group.
As a starting point the B4-idea is great.

 

[qstor]

I'm starting to bounce ideas around for a campaign as well. I'm thinking of using the background of the Narn Centauri War and setting the PC's on an Earth Alliance planet and getting them involved in the conflict while delivering cargo.

Mike

 

[Centauri]

:lol: A friend of mine suggested that all the players could play a Zathras.

 

[Mongoose Si]

Babylon 5 is such a rich Universe that there are so many different stories you could run.

I'm currently writing up an Earthforce game where the players are officers on board a ship - well that's the basic premise but there are many other story arcs to it.

One thing to remember is that much of B5 is about choices and consequences. Think about some of the big events in the B5 story - what direction will your players go when these events happen?

In my game, there will come a point where they must choose to side with Clarke or go renegade - but will the rest of their crew agree with them? I love to pose these dilemas for the players, for me, this is a big part of what B5 is about.

I've also thought about doing a Psi Corps game - loads of potential there, but one thing at a time...

 

[Centauri]

Since I expect that there will be races from all over the known universe in my group I came up with this idea (at least I know of a Minbari from the Warrior Caste):
All the PCs are passengers on a transport to B5. The transport will be damaged by an unknown ship (maybe they ram a shadowship) and can retreat badly damaged. From the strange ship an unknown alien comes on board and the first adventure the PCs will have to manage is to kill the alien.
Unfortunately the transport crashes down on an unknown planet eventually and they have to work together to survive there.
Of course officers and diplomats will have problems there but when they will be rescued or maybe even caught by raiders and shall be sold as slaves their abilities to talk themselves out of problems can come in quite handy.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

I am still setting up my campaign.

The first arc is pretty easy, I am converting a storyline I created for Chameleon Eclectic's Babylon Project. Set just before the building of the first of the Babylon Stastions. The PCs may end up as security on the doomed station. The PCs will not be able to prevent her destruction, but they may be able to limit the loss of life.

The first time I ran this the PCs ended up gaurding sheep on Mars after their first mission went all pear shaped. (What can I say, the idea of a sheep ranch in a low gravity environment with a helium rich atmosphere just struck me as funny...) And boy, did the party mess up the first mission!

The Auld Grump, of the nonessential books the Earth Force book is the one I am using most - it is an all human group at the start.

 

[psyclonejack]

One thing that helped me pull off the illusion of a grand tapestry of adventure that the B5 universe is suppose to hold is the creation of multiple story arc's per session. Let me explain. A couple of books I managed to grab, the complete guide to babylon 5, i believe they are called, break down each episode into a Plot A, Plot B, and Plot C. Each episode JMS wrote often had 3+ story arcs all taking place at once. Thus,

Plot A is something that moves the the main Campaign Arc forward.
IE: The players are attacked by an unknown ship and forced down on an alien planet.

Plot B is something that will add to the A plot in the future.
IE: Strange ruins on the planet provide shelter, but something makes everyone uneasy in them. Later, a few adventures later, the players learn that it was an old Shadow Temple.

Plot C is something minor that is left open, or wrapped up in one session, never to be dealt with again.
IE: One of players learns they have a strange illness, becomes addicted, looses a family member, gains a contact through interactions, etc.

It is a little more work for the GM, but it provides a rich setting for the players, as they often don't know which is the main arc, and simply just roleplay with the flow. Only to later go, AH-HAH!! That's what you were up to! Its more like life that way, we can't control what comes at us, and we can't best every situation, but we can control how we act and do our best every day.

PsyJack

 

[Mongoose Si]

Thanks for that info Psyclone jack. That breaks it down nicely.

I've been meaning to get those books for a while now - just haven't got round to it yet!

 

[Centauri]

@PscycloneJack

Thanks! Man, this information is worth gold. Wow! I will use this for sure in my adventures and maybe not only in B5 but also in 7th Sea.

 

[lastbesthope]

One thing that helped me pull off the illusion of a grand tapestry of adventure that the B5 universe is suppose to hold is the creation of multiple story arc's per session. Let me explain. A couple of books I managed to grab, the complete guide to babylon 5, i believe they are called, break down each episode into a Plot A, Plot B, and Plot C. Each episode JMS wrote often had 3+ story arcs all taking place at once. Thus,

Plot A is something that moves the the main Campaign Arc forward.
IE: The players are attacked by an unknown ship and forced down on an alien planet.

Plot B is something that will add to the A plot in the future.
IE: Strange ruins on the planet provide shelter, but something makes everyone uneasy in them. Later, a few adventures later, the players learn that it was an old Shadow Temple.

Plot C is something minor that is left open, or wrapped up in one session, never to be dealt with again.
IE: One of players learns they have a strange illness, becomes addicted, looses a family member, gains a contact through interactions, etc.

It is a little more work for the GM, but it provides a rich setting for the players, as they often don't know which is the main arc, and simply just roleplay with the flow. Only to later go, AH-HAH!! That's what you were up to! Its more like life that way, we can't control what comes at us, and we can't best every situation, but we can control how we act and do our best every day.

PsyJack

I posted the amazon.co.uk and amazon.com details of the books you're talking about on this thread, mine is the third post.

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2514&highlight=

The books are ghreat, although the A plot is usually the main plot of the episode rather than the arc plot, but the three categories are represented as you say.

Cheers

LBH (Who has the books, and isn't afraid to use them)