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How best to explain the Bionicle Universe to friends for an RPG?


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I dont know if this is the place for this but it seems the best to me. I am planning on running a pen and paper bionicle rpg campaign using the doronai nui system. The only problem is that none of the people I am playing with know anything about the bionicle universe (and most have little to none experience with rpgs). I was planning on having the campaign being set after the matoran civil war, and possibly having the pcs go to the northern continent on a mission for Teridax. I have toa  of lightning, psionics, and fire so far in the group. Do you have any reccomendations on explaining the bionicle universe to my group or any campaign ideas to help thrust them into the world easily?

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I've been running a game under very similar circumstances (using the same Doronai Nui). None of my players know the lore, but they owned some Bionicles as kids - so there was some interest there. I've found the most success by talking to my players about what they want out of the game. Have a conversation about if they want more combat, more role-playing/story, and go from there.

For story, my best advice is to help your players create characters with backgrounds and histories, and talk to them about their relationship to possible NPCs or other in-world organizations/places and go from there. Players are usually a little more invested in stuff their characters have direct involvement in, cause they want to affect how it works out. For instance, one of my players worked at a volunteer hospital in-game, so I made it so his village is dealing with a mysterious plague and have given the party opportunities to learn more about it and even make it directly affect the main conflict!

Luckily, Bionicle is really rich with lore, so it's ripe for filling in the blanks with some interesting stuff. In terms of presenting the world to the players, I wouldn't treat it any different from any great story out there. Often it helps to makes sure your world seems real. Let the world change based on what your players say or do. Have NPCs that are doing something in their own lives. Give them reasons for doing those things. You might find something hooks your players interest and then run with that! I like the premise of going on a mission for Teridax, personally, but I would pitch the idea to your players. Maybe offer them a couple premises and see what bites!

Kind of a rambly response, but I hope this helps!

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I mean you can always crib other pop culture references and see if that can give them enough of an idea of how the setting works, I.E:

1) A sci-fi setting created by mysterious "Great Beings" who have long since vanished (ala Halo's Forerunners)
2) The entire species in this world are various Warforged-esque sub races, cybernetic beings created artificially to serve the world (ala Dungeon's and Dragon's Eberron setting's Warforged)
3) The civilization is divided into several elemental tribes, and have spiritual-warrior champions called Toa protecting them (maybe draw a comparison to something like Avatar the Last Airbender?)
4) Its based on an old Lego theme (maybe go to a used Lego store and grab some bulk Bionicle bricks, and after they create their characters give them the chance to MOC up their character in actual Lego to use as a game token of sorts?)

Maybe its cheap to compare Bionicle to other pop-culture icons... but I would think saying "Polynesian Transformers from Lego" as cheesy as it sounds, is kind of the attitude you need to rope them into play. Break down the universe into its simple components, then create an elevator pitch to the players to recruit them to the game. 

I would think it would be important to keep "the big secret" with Mata-Nui being a giant robot well, a secret as long as possible. Sure if they use Google the players might learn the true nature of Mata-Nui and the Great Spirit Robot; but part of the shock and awe of Bionicle is that world building around the GSR without ever outright explaining it was the GSR until late in the story. If your players discover the GSR's nature from external sources, make sure they remember to treat it as meta-knowledge until their player characters actually figure it out. 

If you can, maybe invite them to play MNOG. The game is a quick primer and guide to the style of Bionicle from its early years, setting up the big secrets without revealing anything major... If you can, don't let your players know more about the franchise than we did as kids back in 2001. 

Also you say you have a Toa of Lightning and Psionics in the group already. Are these player characters, or NPC's? Make sure if you have such powerful NPC's to not let them become "DMPC's" and overshadow your players. Arguably you could use them as training wheel characters in the first few sessions, and then kill them off to give your players incentive to engage with the main quest. If they are PC's though, that sounds like fun and will make interesting player characters in the game. 

Edited by Xboxtravis

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All aboard the hype train!

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Xboxtravis said:

give them the chance to MOC up their character in actual Lego to use as a game token of sorts?)

They are both talented artists so it might be interesting to see their take on what a bionicle looks like.

2 hours ago, Xboxtravis said:

Also you say you have a Toa of Lightning and Psionics in the group already. Are these player characters, or NPC's? Make sure if you have such powerful NPC's to not let them become "DMPC's" and overshadow your players. Arguably you could use them as training wheel characters in the first few sessions, and then kill them off to give your players incentive to engage with the main quest. If they are PC's though, that sounds like fun and will make interesting player characters in the game. 

They are the PCs but I was thinking about having Toa Jovan be a major NPC and possibly having the first quest for the mask of life be a potential campaign plot( but that might mean one of the PCs might have to sacrifice themselves).

Also, what would be some good background music? I was thinking something instrumental that blended sci fi and tribal music.

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