Reviving a game, after a long hiatus Options

[Jrayjoker]

I am considering reviving a game after a few months on hiatus.

I would greatly appreciate help and advice on how to deal with the inevitable difficulties inherent in picking up a run in the middle of the planning stages after such a long period.

I have maintained relatively good notes, and set up a web site for the players to review what I have summarized.

Comments/suggestions?

[Charon]

I'd scrap the run that was halfway through. Either retcon things to just before that run or even better arbitrarily assign an outcome to that run and pick up things after.

It's good to have a gap in game time too when picking up a game again. "It's six month after the United Oil refinery incident and..." You use that time jump to shake up the statu quo a little, starting with things you disliked the first time around.

A cliche would be to decide that the run you had half started ended up badly and the team has been apart for a while now. But some old enemy is resurfacing and forcing the group back together. Lifted straight up from hundreds of comic books.

[Crimson Jack]

Agreed. Most of the well laid plans the runners should have came up with, will most likely be forgotten. Unless this run was a particularly crafty stroke of genius, I would vote for just wrapping it up with a nuetral outcome.

If you're set on finishing up the run, I would talk privately with each player prior to the game starting to make sure that what you have in your notes matches up with what they remember. This will prevent comments like, "Dude, that is NOT what I said I was going to do 3 months ago." It will also give the players who may have not kept copious notes, a brief update on what's going on again.

[Smiley]

That's what we did with the current campaign. We were midway through a (pretty damn good) run that I'd wanted to inflict for a while when everyone bailed. We met a few more times before we nixed the whole thing and we just called the half-run a draw.

[wargear]

I disagree with the neutral outcome plan. I find that after a hiatus, it's better to come in with something to get the juices flowing.

The run went ahead, but the runners were betrayed by the Johnson, or another team, or a contact sold them out to the Star. Whatever happened, they are on the run. Feel free to slaughter their character sheets and equipment lists.

On the other hand, they will doubtless be upset about this, so throw them a bone or two. The last run resulted in them getting their hands on a few nice prototype toys. One offs. Bleeding edge stuff that NO-ONE else has.

Surviving long enough to clear their names, for the heat to cool down, or to eliminate/buy off their hunters, is the challenge.

Trading in their cool new toys to a corp in return for protection is an option...but how many players do you know who would willingly do so?

Just an idea...

[Jrayjoker]

Thanks all.