help with travel time

Natasha · Unread post by **Natasha** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:45 pm

Yea they could floor it on a good road.

Otherwise 20-50 mph max.

That doesn't include stops. It could take months if they need to find fuel.

lather · Unread post by **lather** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 12:18 am

Is being on the road part of the adventure?
You could just fast forward and say it took a month and give a few reasons why.

sasha · Unread post by **sasha** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:03 am

In Natasha's Systems Failure game over the weekend the PCs bantered for while in a little food shop. That could have lasted quite literally for hours, I think.

It depends on the style, flavour, and needs of the adventure.

Fast forward, 1.5x, slow motion, or some of it all...

sasha · Unread post by **sasha** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:26 am

Hm. Strand them somewhere so they have to walk. Maybe they picked up some gremlins at the last stop and realise it only when the hover breaks down after going 100s of miles because they were going so fast.

Natasha · Unread post by **Natasha** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:00 am

Experiencing it in real life really helped me. Russia has 11 timezones, and you measure travel in days even if you go by train. In the States I was utterly amazed how utterly empty a lot of the country is; for me the United States was basically New York City and Chicago without much of a realisation that there is more of just wilderness.

It's difficult to explain. Anyway, then I was taken on a road trip from Kansas City to Sioux City to Rapid City :shock:

So putting these real life experiences together has helped me as a player make my character shoot cactus in the distance on long trips because it is tedious and tiring and boring and desolate.

You probably have to spend time playing the stops for resting and the loo. A looooong night next to the campfire or sleeping in the jeep. Maybe they see something on the horizon or have other detours and distractions along the way.

bigbobsr6000 · Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:45 am

I have the Players alternately roll a 1d6 against this table:

1 = Major Encounter, usually really bad. (Being attacked, vehicle breaks, horses killed/run off, magical event, etc.)
2 = Weather Encounter (Ley Line Storm, Acid Rain, Severe Thunderstorm, Blizzard, High Winds, etc.)
3 = Moderate Encounter good or bad. (Road blocked, Wounded traveler(s), Small quick attack, Offered help, A stay at a roadside station, warm caves to sleep in, etc.)
4 = Meeting Encounter. (Meet others of their kind or not. Who and How this plays out is up to the GM and PC's actions.)
5 = Minor Encounter. (See herd of _______, See Flock of _______, See Dark shadow, See pair of eyes in the darkness briefly, etc.
6 = No Encounter.

How this works on trips that take:
Time / Roll intervals
1-7 days / Daily and during Night Watch.
1-14 days / On even days of journey. And an occasional Night Watch.
1-4 weeks / 2-3 times each week day and night.
1 month + / 2 a week during day and 2 a week during night.

As I said each player takes turn rolling the 1d6 for each time interval. This doesn't drag out long trips, but gives various chances for things to happen during any trip and things not to happen as well.

Feel free to use and abuse as you see fit, Enjoy