Struggle Running Heroes Games

[Juce734]

For some reason I really struggle to run Heroes Unlimited games. Either I leave things too open and the players never seem to do anything except wait for me to give a hook it seems. OR I feel as though I railroad them too much (my old group preferred I just threw them into stuff) which bothers me more than my players.

The online games I have ran seem to go a little better but never last more than a few sessions. Usually a player or two drops and I get frustrated or I just don't have time to keep it going.

I'm cursed when it comes to running Heroes Unlimited.

[Damian Magecraft]

For some reason I really struggle to run Heroes Unlimited games. Either I leave things too open and the players never seem to do anything except wait for me to give a hook it seems. OR I feel as though I railroad them too much (my old group preferred I just threw them into stuff) which bothers me more than my players.

The online games I have ran seem to go a little better but never last more than a few sessions. Usually a player or two drops and I get frustrated or I just don't have time to keep it going.

I'm cursed when it comes to running Heroes Unlimited.

If the players have no problem riding the train.
Then I would just stoke it up open up the engine to full tilt and then shoot the engineer...
and watch as the players scramble to keep the train from derailing itself.

[The Oh So Amazing Nate]

If the players have no problem riding the train.
Then I would just stoke it up open up the engine to full tilt and then shoot the engineer...
and watch as the players scramble to keep the train from derailing itself.

That sounds like a good game opener right there.

[Iczer]

I seem to recall that a writer, forgive me for not remembering the name, once said "if the story starts to slow, just have some goons kick in the door and start firing. sort out the "why" after the smoke clears"

Get yourself a metaplot and some generic bad guys and you should see your ship sail straight again
Batts

[Mediapig71]

When in doubt, I always start as every other super hero game I can remember starts... bank robbery!

Then, I try to spin it in a different direction... maybe the robbery was a diversion, or maybe the thieves were after the contents of a mysterious safe deposit box, or the whole thing was staged for the players benefit... take a typical super hero scenario, then spin it in a unique direction and see where it takes you.

[Lord_Dalgard]

I heard George Alec Effiinger say that once, but I think he got it from a pulp detective writer. Mickey Spillane, maybe?

Shameless self-promotion alert! Check out my blog where I give some advice about sandbox play. This is written with AD&D in mind, but just adapt the ideas on running a sandbox to supers.

http://isungr.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-challenge-day-12-favorite-dungeon.html

Also, look at some of the adventures written for the old Marvel Super Heroes game or ones for M&M or V&V. At the least, it can spark ideas.

[Matt]

Best of all, you can legally download for free almost every adventure module for TSR's Marvel Super Heroes game at Classic Marvel Forever. I have adapted a few for use in my games.