In my post-apoc games, I'm big on using a bombed-out, future-ified version of the players' Real World city of residence. The group seem to get a HUUUUUGE kick out of it, as it makes the setting so much "closer to home"...and provides a meta incentive to explore the sandbox. You know, "I wanna see if my old high school's still standing!" kinda stuff.
Accordingly, local shopping malls make perfect dungeons / fortresses / lairs...and their maps and store directories are just a Google away.
Here's a few maps of authentic consumer meccas in the modern Houston area. Just print 'em, change stores to taste, mutant-ify and high-tech 'em up...and viola! Adventure!
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| Willowbrook Mall |
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| Greenspoint Mall |
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| Deerbrook Mall |
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| The Woodlands Mall |
A blown-out and greatly expanded Greenspoint Mall is the main campaign city, and The Willowbrook map above was the site of last weekend's crawl through the ruins. Stay tuned for the recap!
Nice. I wonder if there's a map of that consumerism Taj Mahal the Mall of America.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it's working for you, since I'm planning something similar for my ever-upcoming Mutant Future game. Setting a post-apocalyptic campaign in a group-familiar region surely seems the way to go; The tension/humor deriving from what the players "know" versus what proves to be the case has got to be a game enhancer.
ReplyDeleteI'm planning on having the home village be the remains of a "U-Store-It" that sits on a rise above a bend in the local river, not far from the Mall that drew them there to begin with and the mysterious conclave of mystics haunting the community college...
) Dr. Trey: There is a PDF map of the MOA--including the theme park, and (overwhelming) directory of all stores--available here.
ReplyDelete"Weapons Of Mass Consumerism" await!
) Jayson: There's actually a few high-rise buildings here that have converted over to U-Stor-Ems...I think your concept is gold! Be sure to post plenty about it!
(And you're spot on about the whole "knowing" thing. It's a hoot to get players that involved.)