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I'm considering to start my first tabletop RPG sci-fi campaign (core system not yet decided, probably GURPS).
As a very dedicated GM, I normally start with the design of the lore and the maps before going into the specifics.
I am right now stuck with the designing of a military underground complex. Suggestions?
Lazer tits
Noted. I'll make sure to include laser tits and waifus that turn into warships (or the other way around).
Any suggestions on how to design underground complexes?
base it off the hive from resident evil movies,
ik they are bad
a bunch of plus signs
Don't forget about a bunch of dead ends with hot chicks just hanging out that end up to be traps.
It could be like a super jew compound that holds the gold for everyone and there are sissy boi trap jewbots
I'm a little confused, you want suggestions about the complex's features or map ideas?
>design of the lore and the maps before going into the specifics
Well you're doing it wrong, form follows function. In your case OP, make the outer perimeter look like the shape of a buttplug.
Worldbuilding is a skill in its own. I have plenty of sources on how to build medieval and fantasy cities, fortresses, even roads. The economy, culture and religion of the people too.
But as far as futuristic campaigns, I have no experience. I've found some resources that gives you clues on how to build the "big picture", how a whole solar system is organized, the potential to build galactic empires and so on, but none of these resources go into the more specific details of underground complexes.
Which is, honestly, much more important. Whereas the world around the complex will give it the right atmosphere, the players will be running *inside* the complex. It needs to be very realistic.
So yeah, maps ideas, specially coming from real underground complexes.
As far as map design goes I suggest looking up maps from the underground complexes in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. videogames, i almost always draw inspirations from those when making modern/sci-fi settings. As for features, they will mostly depend on the installation's function (weapons depot, military research, barracks, bunker etc.). Keep in mind that the military is all about practicality and work up from there.
I could just start spitting out random ideas but without some kind of famework i'm afraid i'll just confuse you more.
Crosspost to reddit
STALKER games, got it, thanks!
Nah, I'd be more interested in real/realistic examples and start working from there, not really brainstorming.
Hey, I usually pull from what I can find online or from RPG books and modify myself. I try image searching architecture and look for interesting layouts for large buildings, then merge ideas into it.
You can also try looking up stuff like WWII bunkers, NASA's research stations, modern day nuclear power plants, disposal facilities for hazardous was as well as underground transportation networks. Even if you mix and match randomly you'll still get a plausible facility. And don't shy from looking up blueprints for fictional space stations like the Death Star or Warhammer 40K's space hulks.
>designing of a military underground complex.
Like how - as pictures, as details?
Also what kind of military are we talking about? Is it the pure "we do it for the good cause" - military, or maybe more like "shady private military force / raider" - military, or maybe a completely neutral one?
What's the setting and time (are laser guns a thing yet? has there been a nuclear war / bio weapons outbreak / other apocalyptic scenario?)
This is a good point.
Its more like a regular military bunker annexed to a civilian nuclear shelter - but all of large proportions. I haven't worked the details, but I'm assuming that several tens of thousands of civilians could take shelter, and at least a whole military division. It is supposed to be really like an underground city.
But that's just one of the underground complexes I'll be needing for the campaign. There will be also underground labs with illegal experiments at some point.
There are no laser guns, but armors, exoskeletons and the likes are supposed to be common.
Nuclear yes, bio no, apocalyptic yes. Think some mixture between Shadowrun and Warhammer 4K... maybe.
>Nuclear yes, bio no, apocalyptic yes. Think some mixture between Shadowrun and Warhammer 4K... maybe
Recent Apocalyptic or long term Apocalyptic? I ask because recent disaster means little modifications and no new expansions. Long term means the place has a lived in feel and most likely with have vast portions excavated and built onto by the inhabitants which will look much more different or just not seem to match the original scheme of things.
I see, so let's develop the structure together:
First of all you've gotta determine the original purpose of the bunker complex. Different purposes may be:
>production line for air crafts / rockets (nazi germany had one of these, check for reference en.wikipedia.org
>defensive bunker for vip's (politicians etc) This would require much less infrastructure, but would be a lot more lively. (For reference: spiegel.de
Other structures may be any depot for any kind of gear. You may even make this a major part of the lore that it's an torpedo depot with massive amounts of torpodos which nobody ever needed and that the people living there start to make all kinds of stuff from the left over torpedos.
It is post-war scenario, where the war had been particularly brutal; it is described that 64% of urban areas of the globe were no more habitable. But the war itself lasted relatively long - 82 years. The story happens 15 years after the war was over, so I'm not sure if it is long or short term :/
The purpose is to evacuate civilians who were bound by insurance contracts in case of a nuclear strike. So not really for VIPs, but certainly not for the poor.
The complex is described so far as having 5 levels, the two lowermost being the civilian shelter. The other floors are not described, except for the first, which is described as parking lot and maintenance parlor for mechas (there aren't really giant ones in this scenario, they are normally 2.5~4m tall).
Energy in this scenario comes mostly from cold fusion. Theoretically, they have a cold fusion reactor somewhere in the underground facility itself.
They fire rockets mostly from satellites in this scenario.
You're gonna want to plan for redundant systems then: At least 2 of everything (did something malfunction at some point changing the purpose of one room?)
A major concern in these kinds of bunkers is air circulation and prevention of epidemics, something that will surround pretty much everything is a constant humming of the ventilation system.
Due to danger of epidemics or infiltration those systems are not directly connected. Concerning the quality of life you've gotta make a decision if they produced their own goods, or if their goods just get fixed at this point. (A bed or clothes will be pretty much wrecked after 100 years.)
The water system is relatively uninteresting, and i'd barely avoid it, but you may want to explain how food is grown. (Is lifeless meat a thing yet? Do people eat mostly astronaut food like proteine pastes, is the good food actually vegetables and REAL meat?)
Yes, those aspects I already thought of, though I didn't design them.
VAT-Grown food is thing, and it is much cheaper than "real food". Epidemics are not really a main concern, as the scenario claims that nano-technology overcame external-agent diseases (though genetic diseases and cancer are still a thing).
Those are interesting points though.
Continuing:
If they have farms they will be maxed out for efficiency: Lamps are not fixed ontop on he ceiling but directly on leaves, minimal water and resources are used for plantations, nobody can walk in those farms upright, you might be able to crawl in them. (The more agriculture levels you put in one level the more crops you can grow.) The septic waste is used for fertilizing reasons and possibly automatically distributed by drones.
This could be a way to inflitrate the base, if a drone gets stopped a malfunction appears for one of the service technicians who will check out the spot where the players are.
Cont.
Also: If you infiltrate the base like this the players are bound to smell like literal shit. Consider a confrontation with an officer right afterwards who asks them what they're doing there and they might avoid military confrontation by assuming the roles of service technicians or biologists.
Key cards will have originally be a main issue in this base (make this part of the original plan for the infiltration, optionally including the acquisition of key cards) only leading to the realization that they key card system was hacked / broke down at some point and was replaced with manual controls on points of interest.
Another thing about every day life: Is communication with the outside world possible / allowed / common? How do the civilians see themselves? Have they developed an understanding of an identity as survivors? (The base must have a name, i'll just pretend it was Lincoln - the people may refer to themselves now as Lincolonians.)
Then what about jobs? People are bound to work somewhere, there must be schools and so on. Is mining a thing? Did an earth quake / nuke destroy anything?
Interesting. Are the resrouce books for this kind of thing?
People in these complexes work mostly with the maintenance of the machines. They have tons of lines of productions and the cleaning as well as other chores is done by specialized robots. Everything is automatized.
Well the metro- / STALKER / fallout series give some ideas, but i read a whole lot of sci fi and spend quiet an amount of time pondering about deep space travel which is where i got these ideas.
I've never been much of a sci-fi RPG guy, but these replies are super interesting. Thanks OP and others!