Introduction

The Morrow Project was a pen and paper post-nuclear holocaust game from the late 70's (IIRC). In it the team is put in suspended animation for 10 years or so with the intention to emerge to help rebuild after the radiation had diminished. Something goes wrong and the team does not awake until much later.

I'm looking at the idea of adapting this to an FO: T campaign.

I envision a first act set during the war in which the player sets up his team and then has to fight armed civilians to get to the BOS/Morrow suspension facility, sort of an opening teaser or prologue.

The team wakes up in a secret area of a now-wrecked bunker, no supplies except what they have on them, and no idea where they are. It seems their sleep capsules were moved to a secure bunker by the BOS when the original facility was deemed unsafe. The new bunker was subsequently invaded and wrecked by parties unknown.

My inclination is to make the early part of the campaign low firepower and actually use the pistols and ignored weapons for a while (and not have everyone with a hunting rifle and SMG by the second mission). I'm also looking at adjusting certain weapons stats (like fixing the unfairly maligned M14).

The overall plot arc I'm looking at is the Tyranny of the BOS (who we have already seen are a bunch of fascist insects). The Morrow teams tended to a higher ethical standard than the mainstream BOS so the player will be cast in the role of the rebel leader.

The setting for this campaign is up in the air; my own backyard was already used in the original FO (hint: I live just over the hill from what will become the Boneyard) so I'm thinking of maybe Texas or New Mexico (hmmm…Roswell is in NM). The travel map in FO: T is a .png file that can be replaced so I'm looking for an artist that can make a map in the FO style.

Design Notes

It appears that any FO:T campaign will have to be linear to some degree and access to towns will be through orders only, you will not be able to find a town by wandering around (unless the Special Encounter feature on the editor is flexible on how hard the encounter is to find). The player will thus need orders, or at least advice and information (which can perform the same function as orders). It is not yet known how many missions you can have assigned at once or if you can receive a new mission while an old one is unresolved.

The role of Briefing Officer (at least for Act One) will be taken by a computer AI that is either a portable unit or a Pipboy enhancement. The AI can tap other terminals for data. The AI needs a goofy, Fallout-style acronym-name.

Act One features 8 maps.

Prologue: Time: During the Atomic War. Location: Town 1. The player and one trooper (a pre-assigned medic) will have to cross the town during a riot and arrive at the Morrow Cryo-Capsule Facility. Once there the player can pick 2 more troopers (limit squad slots to 4 if possible) and the squad is then put in the cold-sleep tubes.

Ruined Bunker: The squad wakes up when the cyro-tubes are activated due to declining power supplies. They must clear out some ghouls and find the terminal. The AI tells them about 2 locations that need to be investigated.

Town 1 (same as prologue, now in ruins, as are all towns): The Morrow Cryo-Capsule Facility has a computer, the AI needs data from it to replace what was lost when some of its storage drives were damaged. There are people living in the ruined town that are being oppressed by the [local bad guys]. The AI will learn of the location of a BOS bunker and another town if the data is retrieved. A local inhabitant will tell them that the town in the data is the [local bad guy] base and contains prisoners. The locals are upset because they give food and recruits to the BOS but were not protected from the [local bad guys].

Town 2: A Morrow Project computer research facility was here and contains the hardware needed to make a mobile link to the AI.

[Local Bad Guy] Base:

Abandoned Bunker: This bunker is empty. Enraged anti-BOS fanatics attack when they see the squad going inside (this is a defensive battle). From terminals here they learn that the BOS was driven out by [someone who fights the BOS tyranny] and have withdrawn to new bunkers. They will meet [an npc] who recognizes the Morrow Team and want to join the squad if they will attack the BOS internment camp and free the prisoners, including the [relative] of [an npc].

BOS Internment Camp:

Town 3: a trading town where the squad can go shopping and get some R&R.

Detailed Map Notes

Map 1 (Town 1: Before the missiles hit) concept map
The scene: The city is gripped by riots and madness as news leaks out that missile are in the air and the Atomic War has started. Two Morrow Team members have wrecked their vehicle and will have to cross the city on foot to get to the Cryo-Facility before the police find out they don't have auto insurance.

This map covers an area that is primarily commercial/office buildings with some residential as well. The buildings are in good repair with some recent damage and some burning cars in the streets.

NPCs: Civilians (pipes and tools) and police (Browning HP). Hostile and Neutral.

Notable NPCs: hostile gang members (zip guns and molotovs), chanting cultists, TV News reporter, hostile state trooper (pump shotgun), neutral survivalist group (?), anti-war protesters.

Map 2 (Ruined Bunker) concept map
The scene: The team wakes up in a hidden cryo-chamber and finds that they are in a ruined bunker filled with hostile ghouls. Hilarity ensues as they kill the ghouls and try to figure out where they are.

NPCs: Hostile ghouls (?)

Notable NPCs: The Computer AI terminal, which has a key to a locked safe containing some useful items.

There is a locker with some gear in the cryo-chamber and some more items in lockers elsewhere in the bunker.

Map 3 (Town 1: The expanded, ruined version of Map 1)
The scene: The [local bad guys] have taken over the town and despite any promises, the BOS hasn't done anything about it. The citizens will ask the player to clear out the [local bad guys].

NPCs: Hostile [local bad guys], neutral townspeople.

Notable NPCs: Mayor, NPC Warrior who will offer to join in the fight to free the town.

There is a cantina and some merchants.

Other Notes

NPCs who can do things: While the squad will probably have all skill represented, skilled NPCs will be around to do things if needed. As an example, a Mechanic can be available to repair a vehicle. Using the Newton Mission trick of adding a temporary squad member, an npc trained in Repair can be placed in a town. This npc will have nothing in inventory and will need to be supplied with a tool kit. The player talks to the Mechanic, who joins the squad until it leaves the map.

Comments? E-mail Matt Helm.

all contents copyright 2001 by Cary Martin

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