"No Ticket" Makes No Sense [Archive] - Wizards Community

"No Ticket" Makes No Sense [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
DoveArrow
08-14-05, 01:16 AM Has anyone tried to wade through this module? It's an absolute nightmare! DMs who are planning to download this module should see the following spoiler before doing so:

This module has over a dozen characters to keep track of, most of whom have nothing to do with the overarching story. It has a convoluted system for movement on board the lightning rail, a nonsensical assassination plan, and so many spelling errors and words missing that it's a wonder the module's intelligible at all. Honestly, if you haven't already, do not order this adventure. It'll give you a headache the likes of which you've never seen.
Kryptonian Scion
08-15-05, 07:05 PM Ran it yesterday. Had a great time. The multitude of NPCs and factions made for an interesting mix, particularly when the angry Cleric of the Silver Flame NPC chased down the "thieves" who stole her magic shields, only to turn her wrath upon the Hag assaulting the PCs in the final car.

Most of the NPCs, including the medusa and a few other information providing NPCs, were only there if the players decided to tear through each and every compartment. Most PCs will note from the initial description of the Lightning Rail's departure, that Beltrudegald is near the front of the train and they don't need to open every door.

In fact, the only reason the group I ran the scenario for met the Emerald Claw group, was because Riki Thorne is supposed to be comic relief, and ended up being a bungling, nosey reporter that opened the wrong door.

Overall, a great adventure to run - and I hope fun to play through for those PCs - if you are able to keep track of numerous factions and agendas.
TimRat
08-16-05, 11:36 AM ok there are some spoilers from the previous post so watch out people. minor ones but spoilesr none the less.
DoveArrow
08-22-05, 10:24 AM Okay, I will admit that after having run the game, it was actually a lot of fun. In fact, I would even go so far as to say it was the best game I've run or played in a really long time. If you're thinking about running it, just be prepared for a very messy, very convoluted module that will look like it was edited by a monkey. Read it through about three times, and I think then that you'll be prepared.
CyberGaston
09-16-05, 01:44 AM We played through No Ticket tonight. It was ok.

I completed the report and I was surprised to see that my players only got 450gp each for this adventure. Is it because it was meant to be a 2nd level adventure and the RPGA didn't readjusted the gp benefit of playing it ? (they should have because home play could only play it after the level bump at level 4)

I wonder if my players only got the XPs of a 2nd level adventure too ?!? That would be sad because they got a level 4 challenge.....

Oh well....
TimRat
09-16-05, 03:32 PM yes the gold was low b/c it was intended for 2nd level PCs
Shadowed Intent
09-17-05, 02:43 AM I was wondering if there was going to be a fix for the 4th level play vs 2nd level awards issue, or if it is as CyberGaston said . . .

Originally Posted by CyberGaston:
Oh well....
Thank you for your efforts TimRat. Having someone trying to help is greatly appreciated.
Templeton
09-17-05, 03:03 PM I ran it last week. The players had a great time, but avoided almost all npc's as they decided to advance to the front car on top of the L.R.

I did have a problem with processing their certs online though. Never could get it to go through. I gave the the printed certs with notes that the online system was not working. Anyone have any ideas or maybe I just don't know something that I should.

Thanks.
CyberGaston
09-17-05, 03:43 PM I ran it last week. The players had a great time, but avoided almost all npc's as they decided to advance to the front car on top of the L.R.

The same for me. And it is a sort of relief they did that because even with going directly to the Hag, the game's lenght was longer then the standard 5 hour... It was the first time for me that we played that long on an MoH adventure. I just can't imagine how long it would have been, if they had decided to go through the cars...

I did have a problem with processing their certs online though. Never could get it to go through. I gave the the printed certs with notes that the online system was not working. Anyone have any ideas or maybe I just don't know something that I should.

I didn't know what it was for so I wrote nothing. Should I have ? Is it to report Story Objects ?
MerricB
09-19-05, 06:40 AM I think you'll find that it is for reporting story objects, but it's the default behaviour and only later adventures will make use of it.

I ran No Ticket a few weeks ago and had a great time. The players really loved it. :)

Cheers!
CyberGaston
09-19-05, 11:46 AM Thanks for the confirmation Merric !! :)
ShadeMoon64
09-20-05, 02:37 AM I completed the report and I was surprised to see that my players only got 450gp each for this adventure. Is it because it was meant to be a 2nd level adventure and the RPGA didn't readjusted the gp benefit of playing it ? (they should have because home play could only play it after the level bump at level 4)

I wonder if my players only got the XPs of a 2nd level adventure too ?!? That would be sad because they got a level 4 challenge.....

Oh well....
Like he said...It seems to me that the adventure must have been delayed from before the level kick. It is a shame that 4th level characters take on 4th level challenges and get 2nd level rewards. :(

I rather liked the "Orient Express" feel to the setting and so did my players. Not being able to just hack their way to the goal without serious alignment issues really pushed them to think things through. The best moment of the night was when one of the players's 8 year old son walked up to the table and asked "why not go over the roof to where the bad lady was instead?" Players with over 40 years of combined game experience just looked at him and said, "Because... because...yeah... he right and we are stupid!" :D
DerekSTheRed
09-24-05, 06:57 PM The hook was a little contrived. The PC's had to get on the LR without a ticket (hence the title No Ticket). The PC's are supposed to travel to Nowhere on Magebred horses to get on a LR. The LR left Wroat shortly before the adventure began and it should have left them in the dust. There is no way the magebred horses can keep up and there is no stop between Wroat and Nowhere.

But the LR was damaged and the PC's find that it has detoured to Hatheril. If a PC looks at a map he would see that the LR has to come back to Nowhere before going to Thrane, the final destination. If you let the PC's understand this, there is nothing to stop them from staying in Nowhere, selling they're Magebred Horses and buying tickets to Starilaskur.

I had to glaze over that part of the adventure just like the dm who ran it for me did. Then when your horses die of exhaustion in Hatheril you have to jump on the train. After the initial contrived hook though the adventure was pretty good.

My only advice to any dm running this would be to throw in some train specific encounters. Like the train going up (or down) a hill during combat or in a tunnel while the PC's are on the roof just to spice things up.

Overall good but not great.

Derek
Itzchy
09-25-05, 09:11 AM I have to say, this is the first RPGA game I played and it was scary as hell. Our party has no sense of subtlety at all. To avoid spoilers, let's just say that we summarily slaughtered our way through to the second carriage (it was midnight, everyone not fighting was sound asleep), threatened Riki into submission, killed every hostile creature on board EXCEPT the lord and lady. They escaped.

We killed everything else but our objectives escaped.

Anyway, just a question. After reading the adventure once we completed it, I noticed that tunnels do 15d6 damage to any character not prone while going through one.

The thing is, if the tunnel does that to characters on the roof, what the heck happens to the towers??? :confused:
DerekSTheRed
09-25-05, 02:33 PM Good point. It seems they reprinted the material about the Lightning Rail from the Explorer's Handbook. Looking at the map there probably wasn't a place to put a tunnel along that specific route.

So just pretty much ignore what I said about the tunnels, at least on this adventure. I still think the dm has to give a train feel to the encounters to make them more memorable but that's just me.

Derek
bshugg
10-04-05, 12:15 PM The tunnel thing is amusing. 15d6 should be pretty fatal. Then you look at the picture and see these HUGE towers sticking up. :) Clearly the art and design didn't match up very well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
DoveArrow 08-14-05, 01:16 AM	Has anyone tried to wade through this module? It's an absolute nightmare! DMs who are planning to download this module should see the following spoiler before doing so: This module has over a dozen characters to keep track of, most of whom have nothing to do with the overarching story. It has a convoluted system for movement on board the lightning rail, a nonsensical assassination plan, and so many spelling errors and words missing that it's a wonder the module's intelligible at all. Honestly, if you haven't already, do not order this adventure. It'll give you a headache the likes of which you've never seen.
Kryptonian Scion 08-15-05, 07:05 PM	Ran it yesterday. Had a great time. The multitude of NPCs and factions made for an interesting mix, particularly when the angry Cleric of the Silver Flame NPC chased down the "thieves" who stole her magic shields, only to turn her wrath upon the Hag assaulting the PCs in the final car. Most of the NPCs, including the medusa and a few other information providing NPCs, were only there if the players decided to tear through each and every compartment. Most PCs will note from the initial description of the Lightning Rail's departure, that Beltrudegald is near the front of the train and they don't need to open every door. In fact, the only reason the group I ran the scenario for met the Emerald Claw group, was because Riki Thorne is supposed to be comic relief, and ended up being a bungling, nosey reporter that opened the wrong door. Overall, a great adventure to run - and I hope fun to play through for those PCs - if you are able to keep track of numerous factions and agendas.
TimRat 08-16-05, 11:36 AM	ok there are some spoilers from the previous post so watch out people. minor ones but spoilesr none the less.
DoveArrow 08-22-05, 10:24 AM	Okay, I will admit that after having run the game, it was actually a lot of fun. In fact, I would even go so far as to say it was the best game I've run or played in a really long time. If you're thinking about running it, just be prepared for a very messy, very convoluted module that will look like it was edited by a monkey. Read it through about three times, and I think then that you'll be prepared.
CyberGaston 09-16-05, 01:44 AM	We played through No Ticket tonight. It was ok. I completed the report and I was surprised to see that my players only got 450gp each for this adventure. Is it because it was meant to be a 2nd level adventure and the RPGA didn't readjusted the gp benefit of playing it ? (they should have because home play could only play it after the level bump at level 4) I wonder if my players only got the XPs of a 2nd level adventure too ?!? That would be sad because they got a level 4 challenge..... Oh well....
TimRat 09-16-05, 03:32 PM	yes the gold was low b/c it was intended for 2nd level PCs
Shadowed Intent 09-17-05, 02:43 AM	I was wondering if there was going to be a fix for the 4th level play vs 2nd level awards issue, or if it is as CyberGaston said . . . Originally Posted by CyberGaston: Oh well.... Thank you for your efforts TimRat. Having someone trying to help is greatly appreciated.
Templeton 09-17-05, 03:03 PM	I ran it last week. The players had a great time, but avoided almost all npc's as they decided to advance to the front car on top of the L.R. I did have a problem with processing their certs online though. Never could get it to go through. I gave the the printed certs with notes that the online system was not working. Anyone have any ideas or maybe I just don't know something that I should. Thanks.
CyberGaston 09-17-05, 03:43 PM	I ran it last week. The players had a great time, but avoided almost all npc's as they decided to advance to the front car on top of the L.R. The same for me. And it is a sort of relief they did that because even with going directly to the Hag, the game's lenght was longer then the standard 5 hour... It was the first time for me that we played that long on an MoH adventure. I just can't imagine how long it would have been, if they had decided to go through the cars... I did have a problem with processing their certs online though. Never could get it to go through. I gave the the printed certs with notes that the online system was not working. Anyone have any ideas or maybe I just don't know something that I should. I didn't know what it was for so I wrote nothing. Should I have ? Is it to report Story Objects ?
MerricB 09-19-05, 06:40 AM	I think you'll find that it is for reporting story objects, but it's the default behaviour and only later adventures will make use of it. I ran No Ticket a few weeks ago and had a great time. The players really loved it. :) Cheers!
CyberGaston 09-19-05, 11:46 AM	Thanks for the confirmation Merric !! :)
ShadeMoon64 09-20-05, 02:37 AM	I completed the report and I was surprised to see that my players only got 450gp each for this adventure. Is it because it was meant to be a 2nd level adventure and the RPGA didn't readjusted the gp benefit of playing it ? (they should have because home play could only play it after the level bump at level 4) I wonder if my players only got the XPs of a 2nd level adventure too ?!? That would be sad because they got a level 4 challenge..... Oh well.... Like he said...It seems to me that the adventure must have been delayed from before the level kick. It is a shame that 4th level characters take on 4th level challenges and get 2nd level rewards. :( I rather liked the "Orient Express" feel to the setting and so did my players. Not being able to just hack their way to the goal without serious alignment issues really pushed them to think things through. The best moment of the night was when one of the players's 8 year old son walked up to the table and asked "why not go over the roof to where the bad lady was instead?" Players with over 40 years of combined game experience just looked at him and said, "Because... because...yeah... he right and we are stupid!" :D
DerekSTheRed 09-24-05, 06:57 PM	The hook was a little contrived. The PC's had to get on the LR without a ticket (hence the title No Ticket). The PC's are supposed to travel to Nowhere on Magebred horses to get on a LR. The LR left Wroat shortly before the adventure began and it should have left them in the dust. There is no way the magebred horses can keep up and there is no stop between Wroat and Nowhere. But the LR was damaged and the PC's find that it has detoured to Hatheril. If a PC looks at a map he would see that the LR has to come back to Nowhere before going to Thrane, the final destination. If you let the PC's understand this, there is nothing to stop them from staying in Nowhere, selling they're Magebred Horses and buying tickets to Starilaskur. I had to glaze over that part of the adventure just like the dm who ran it for me did. Then when your horses die of exhaustion in Hatheril you have to jump on the train. After the initial contrived hook though the adventure was pretty good. My only advice to any dm running this would be to throw in some train specific encounters. Like the train going up (or down) a hill during combat or in a tunnel while the PC's are on the roof just to spice things up. Overall good but not great. Derek
Itzchy 09-25-05, 09:11 AM	I have to say, this is the first RPGA game I played and it was scary as hell. Our party has no sense of subtlety at all. To avoid spoilers, let's just say that we summarily slaughtered our way through to the second carriage (it was midnight, everyone not fighting was sound asleep), threatened Riki into submission, killed every hostile creature on board EXCEPT the lord and lady. They escaped. We killed everything else but our objectives escaped. Anyway, just a question. After reading the adventure once we completed it, I noticed that tunnels do 15d6 damage to any character not prone while going through one. The thing is, if the tunnel does that to characters on the roof, what the heck happens to the towers??? :confused:
DerekSTheRed 09-25-05, 02:33 PM	Good point. It seems they reprinted the material about the Lightning Rail from the Explorer's Handbook. Looking at the map there probably wasn't a place to put a tunnel along that specific route. So just pretty much ignore what I said about the tunnels, at least on this adventure. I still think the dm has to give a train feel to the encounters to make them more memorable but that's just me. Derek
bshugg 10-04-05, 12:15 PM	The tunnel thing is amusing. 15d6 should be pretty fatal. Then you look at the picture and see these HUGE towers sticking up. :) Clearly the art and design didn't match up very well.