A bit of Advice

[aesir23]

I suggest you take a vote on which campaign they want to play in. Lay out the three ideas, see which one they're most interested in.

[Stormcrow]

I also agree that letting the players vote is the best policy, but I recommend playing something completely different than what they're used to. If you play something too similar, they'll just start thinking it's D&D, and will get frustrated with the differences. If you play something very different, it will seem like a new experience.

[aesir23]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

I also agree that letting the players vote is the best policy, but I recommend playing something completely different than what they're used to. If you play something too similar, they'll just start thinking it's D&D, and will get frustrated with the differences. If you play something very different, it will seem like a new experience.

Quoted for Truth.

However, if you have a player who only wants to play spell casters or theives, and these aren't options in your campaign, that may cause some resentment as well. It's a fine line to walk.

[Nymdok]

If you have experienced RPGers, let them vote.

If not, just TELL Them what your going to run and how you're going to run it. Asking Inexperienced players to vote on something they know little about puts an unfair amount of pressure on them.

For example, GURPS gun combat can kill people quite quickly! IF they arent aware of that risk, how can they possibly vote for/against a modern day SpecOps game?

Nymdok

[aesir23]

There are some very good reasons to have inexperienced players vote:

If they're playing in a genre they enjoy and appreciate, players will
A: build more appropriate characters,
B: play characters in a more dramatically appropriate way,
and C: carry a stronger emotional investment in the game.

Pulp and horror games have a very specific feel and their own rules about dramatic appropriateness. They will run a lot smoother if the players are fans of pulp literature or horror films, FREX.

[Archangel Beth]

Originally Posted by Crakkerjakk

I think for especially the {{horror option}}, you could have their pre-gens be the people who stumble onto the horrible truth and end up dead, and have the characters they create be the guys who investigate the disappearance of the pre-gens.

But, if you do this, be very very very very very very sure to explain that's what you're doing. Otherwise, players tend to get kind of wonky about character survival, in my experience. So, flat-out say, "Okay, this is the horror option. These are pre-gens to get you familiar with the system and to provide a prologue to the game. They are the mooks that are going to die horribly so that your real PCs will be able to investigate the situation. Everyone on board with this idea, yes?"

Or, better yet, give them the prospectus and include "For the horror option, the pre-gen characters will be the hapless victims whose mysterious and probably terrible demise, in the first session or three, causes the real PCs to show up on the scene."

For stress relief, you can always do high fantasy and make all the pre-gens elves.

[Nymdok]

Originally Posted by aesir23

There are some very good reasons to have inexperienced players vote:

If they're playing in a genre they enjoy and appreciate, players will
A: build more appropriate characters,
B: play characters in a more dramatically appropriate way,
and C: carry a stronger emotional investment in the game.

Pulp and horror games have a very specific feel and their own rules about dramatic appropriateness. They will run a lot smoother if the players are fans of pulp literature or horror films, FREX.

Inexperienced players are generally need GMs help building characters anyway.

Dramatic appropriateness is something that players and GMs normally work out over time as they come to a concensus on the feel and style of the game and the characters in it. We all have differnet ideas in our head as to what any genre is really all about and what defines it. Getting all 5 (or however many) people at a table to agree on that takes time.

Its been my experience that the emotional investment starts first with the character and evolves into the game. If you like the Character, you'll play it to see where the story goes, at least for the first couple of sessions.

Again, for experienced players (especially those experieced with YOUR GM style), these are generally not problems.

Using other stories as a reference, or even as a setting, is a good idea. Keep in mind that we all read those stories differently though and we take away differnt perspectives and interpretaitons. We dont really have that luxury around the table. We kind of all have to be on the same page.

Nymdok

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Prep - Don't forget Combat Cards.

Characters - I'd suggest 175-225 points for characters, and that you make them all yourself with player input.

Campaign - Right up a short synopsis and let them vote on it.
I'll also second the recommendation of giving them the option of a modern day urban noir setting.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Nymdok

For example, GURPS gun combat can kill people quite quickly! IF they arent aware of that risk, how can they possibly vote for/against a modern day SpecOps game?

Uh, do you think that there are any real people in the world who can read, have access to a computer and disposable income enough to buy game books; but aren't aware that guns can kill people rather quickly?

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by Icelander

Uh, do you think that there are any real people in the world who can read, have access to a computer and disposable income enough to buy game books; but aren't aware that guns can kill people rather quickly?

Isn't that a common artifact of D&D and certain video games?