Home

Since I’ve mentioned that The Prosperitas Protocols Trilogy is in play test, a few people have asked what I’m actually watching for. It’s not just “does this work.” It’s a lot more specific than that.

Here’s what I’m paying attention to:

• Hook to action time. How long does it take players to go from “we heard about a weird thing” to “we’re in the car / on the boat / at the auction door”? If that drags, I tighten the early clues or raise the pressure sooner.
• Decision points that matter. In each scenario there are a few big choices: how to approach the bunker, what to do with the obelisks, whether to work with or against Prosperitas in the basement. I want those to feel like genuine forks, not “guess what the writer wants.”
• Pulp energy. This is written for Pulp Cthulhu. I’m watching for moments where players lean into bold, cinematic moves and making sure the text supports Keepers in saying “yes” and making that feel mechanically satisfying.
• Emotional beats. Chelsea’s ambivalence about being “rescued,” Rourke’s realization about what Deepwater Recovery actually is, Marcus’s file, Voss’s pitch in New Orleans — those are the scenes I really care about landing. If they don’t, I rewrite until they do.

All of that takes time. The good news is: the bones are solid. Nothing has broken in play. What I’m doing now is smoothing the edges so you don’t have to house‑rule your way through rough spots on game night.

If you’re interested in hearing more about specific changes that come out of play testing, or in seeing an early peek at one of the pregenerated investigators and how they tie into all three scenarios, that might be the next blog post.

TTFN,

Keith