Writers Wanted, Want to write for Shadowrun Missions? Options

[limejello10512]

I have a question....are we allowed to rattle off several ideas in the hope that you might like one or more? Also how much detail are you looking for...a general description introduction to what the plot will be and how we will structure the adventure? Or should we detail the actual story?

[Aaron]

We're looking for the Adventure Background and Plot Synopsis sections of the adventure. Check out the currently available Missions adventures for examples; the sections you're looking for are usually on or around page 6.

[kanislatrans]

Oh,my! How did I miss this one? K, digging out handy-dandy notebook and heading for the thinking chair. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

[Tiger Eyes]

Oh,my! How did I miss this one? K, digging out handy-dandy notebook and heading for the thinking chair. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

Shadowruns for toddlers...

[Prime Mover]

Shadowruns for toddlers...

Whats even scarier is his dogs name is "Blue" and his thinking chair is bright orange!

[ornot]

I'm not entirely clear.

Are the adventure titles in the OPs spoiler suggestions, or requirements?

[Aaron]

Those are the blurbs that got shipped out to the conventions for their schedule books. The adventures have to reflect them.

[ornot]

Right.

Thanks for the quick reply, Aaron.

[limejello10512]

wait a second anre there some guidelines to making these scenarios or is it anyhitng we want so long as it takes place in NY? Cause I have a number of great ideas but I want to make sure they are acceptable.

[DireRadiant]

Only one way to find out. And you only have a week left to submit.

[Aaron]

Pretty much what DireRadiant said, limejello. Even if we don't use your scenarios, we still might want to use you to write anyway.

[Digital Heroin]

For those of us polishing off our submissions and preparing to e-mail, do you have a preferred format for receiving them in?

[BishopMcQ]

Word Doc, RTF, or PDF are my preferred formats.

[pbangarth]

For those of us polishing off our submissions and preparing to e-mail, do you have a preferred format for receiving them in?

Send it in Morse Code. (Cute signature, by the way.)

[Digital Heroin]

Send it in Morse Code. (Cute signature, by the way.)

Professional humor, eh.

[BishopMcQ]

I'd like to thank everyone who has sent in proposals. As a reminder to the few of you waiting until the last minute, your time has come--send them in.

I am going through all of them today making notes for the call with Aaron where we will be hashing everything out.

[limejello10512]

Man I got mine in just in time....11:30 lol

[Malachi]

Have any decision(s) been made yet?

[the_dunner]

Have any decision(s) been made yet?

The response to this solicitation was quite a bit better than expected. I know Stephen and Aaron met to start going through the proposals last Sunday, but I'd be very surprised to learn that they'd already reached any decisions.

[knasser]

I've been absent for a bit and missed this. I would be interested in writing an adventure, but I seem to have missed the boat. Will there be further calls? And is there any form of mailing list I could sign up for to be notified if so?

Look forward to seeing what fellow DS'ers have produced.

Khadim.

[BishopMcQ]

Knasser--There is an open call. You can always submit proposals and they will be taken under advisement. This call was a little different in that we told people what we wanted them to write. The majority of the Missions I wrote for SRM 02 were just me sending in proposals that built on aspects of the story or pushed an agenda.

All--Decisions and notes have gone out to the authors of the specific Missions that we called for. I am still going through all of the other proposals, making notes to respond back to authors. It's important to know that if you weren't chosen for this assignment, you are still free to send in more proposals.

Things to Consider

Location--Right now we are playing in New York, which includes Manhattan as a corporate enclave, but all of the boroughs are still there.

• Does your Mission draw on all of the possibilities presented?
• Does the Mission take place in or around NYC? If not, is there a reason why talent was chosen from the NYC pool of runners?

Campaign Style--Playing in a Corporate Enclave, there is a lot of focus on corporations.

• Does the Mission use corporations that are in Manhattan?
• Does the tone of the Mission align with the rest of the campaign?

Scope--A large percentage of Missions are run at conventions.

• Can the Mission be run and completed in four hours?
• If the Mission cannot be completed in the timeslot, have you broken it into parts and mentioned that in your proposal?

Audience--These are for public play and the Missions can be run for Veteran players or first-timers.

• Does the Mission allow for approaches from multiple playstyles?
• Does it include challenges for Magic, Matrix, and Meat (Physical Skill and Combat)?

[Bai Shen]

When you say sending in proposals, can you give an example? Is it just a short blurb, most of the plot, or what?

[BishopMcQ]

What we look for in a proposal is simple: a plot synopsis and flow of events. If you are going to use creative license with the rules (introduce a piece of gear that doesn't exist, create a set of rules that is not normally used) then you need to describe that and explain how it fits in the overall arc.

Here is an example of a proposal that I sent in for SRM 02-10 Twist and Insult.

[ Spoiler ]

Twist and Insult
Boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl. Girl kills leader of boy's gang to promote him. Can these two lovers survive go-gang politics long enough to unite their warring gangs or will they be subsumed in the violent struggle which is everyday life in Aurora.

Plot Synopsis
Running through the Shadows, it takes a lot of effort to maintain a social life, much less a serious relationship. Having just handed over a package to Mr. Johnson and getting paid, the runners are approached by a young woman. She says that she needs the runners help. The Johnson from inside barks something in Russian and the girl flinches and hands directions over quickly. The Johnson then comes back out and offers you a new job.

The players have to decide whether to work for the Vory who are expanding their control over some of the local gangs or do some pro bono work for the daughter of their Vory Johnson. Either they will eliminate certain key members of the gang and enforce the Vory agenda or preserve young love and garner the enmity of a growing syndicate.

Scene Summary

1. Runners are approached by Maria Petrova, daughter of Nikolai Petrovich. She needs their help keeping her and Tony out of sight for a few days. Meeting is cut short by sounds of people inside.

2. The Johnson, Nikolai Petrovich calls the runners back inside to offer them another job. He’s having problems with a sect of the Fronts known as the Three Kings. Right now they are in turmoil since someone killed their leader. Petrovich wants the runners to clean them out or get them to join the Vory.

3a. If the runners meet with Maria it’s a short drive along the edge of the Aurora Barrens. She and Tony have scraped together 5,000 ¥ total that they can pay the runners to keep them out of sight. (Tony has three crowns tattooed on the back of his left hand to show his allegiance to the Three Kings.) The two young lovers want to stay in the house that they are in now, no one knows that Maria is there. (This is where the whole story of Maria killing the previous leader of the Three Kings comes out and her involvement with Tony.)

3b. If the runners forget about Maria and take the Vory side, they are given directions to the HQ of the Three Kings. When they arrive, there’s an obvious fight going on out front between two members of the Three Kings. One of them is supporting Tony as the new leader and thinks they should sign a truce with the Mafia, the other is pushing that the Kings rejoin with the Fronts and strengthen their numbers.

4. The Fronts—whether they protect the lovers or assault the HQ, there’s going to be a meeting with the Fronts. This can either be a tense conversation or a straight out gunfight depending on their choices.

5. Fallout by Factions—The Vory only win here if the players side with them. Otherwise depending on conversations with Tony and whether Tony survives the mission, the Three Kings will sign on with the Mafia (Chavez Family) or rejoin the Fronts.

For comparison purposes, the final Mission can be downloaded here. You'll notice that a lot of details changed in the development and writing phases.

[Chrysalis]

Is there still a possiblity to submit a proposal or has the proverbial ship already sailed?

[BishopMcQ]

Chrysalis--The scenarios above have already been filled. If you have a new idea for a Mission, please submit it.