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View Full Version : Intellectual properties that deserve to be made into RPGs/RPG supplements?



Isamu Dyson
2014-01-17, 06:21 PM
The Dark Tower (novel series): A blend of science fiction, fantasy, and horror across multiple worlds that's tempered by bursts of highly cinematic action. In my opinion, King should've sold an RPG license back in the late 1990s/early 2000s when the series was going strong, but I think there would be enough fan/gamer interest now to make releasing it worth the effort.

The Legend of Zelda (video game series): A high fantasy setting with an incredibly long in-game history, and still wildly popular. I know there is an unofficial PDF floating on the internet, but why did Nintendo never try to pitch this setting to RPG developers?

Half-Life/Half-Life 2 (video game series): Half-Life alone might have been slim, even with the material of the expansions, yet Half-Life 2 introduced a worldwide war with a human Resistance and second high-tech corporation (Aperture Science, via Portal) that leaves plenty of room to play around in. There's also the dimensional politics of the G-Man and whoever he serves to spice things up. Oh, and, a twenty-year gap between the invasion and "present" presents many opportunities for adventures.

Gargoyles (cartoon series): Colorful cast of personalities and enough myth that fuses science-fiction and fantasy together to spawn many campaign ideas. This is a great low-realism (generally) / high action and intrigue setting.

Sliders (television series): While the basic premise was already handled by Alternity's Tangents supplement, it didn't specifically cover the world created by Tracy Tormé. I imagine that this system should focus more on roleplaying how we react to different ethics and morals (conveniently enforced thanks to the divergent human populations on other worlds) than straight up adventure, but, of course, that would still exist.

Resident Evil (video game series): Why this was never picked up by Eden Studios (creators of All Flesh Must Be Eaten) or ANY developer of a "modern day setting" system is a mystery to me.

The Walking Dead (comic book series): ^ Ditto.

Grinner
2014-01-17, 07:15 PM
The Legend of Zelda (video game series): A high fantasy setting with an incredibly long in-game history, and still wildly popular. I know there is an unofficial PDF floating on the internet, but why did Nintendo never try to pitch this setting to RPG developers?

Because it's own by a multinational corporation of Japanese origin, meaning it's both outside their culture and too small of a project for them to otherwise care.


Half-Life/Half-Life 2 (video game series): Half-Life alone might have been slim, even with the material of the expansions, yet Half-Life 2 introduced a worldwide war with a human Resistance and second high-tech corporation (Aperture Science, via Portal) that leaves plenty of room to play around in. There's also the dimensional politics of the G-Man and whoever he serves to spice things up. Oh, and, a twenty-year gap between the invasion and "present" presents many opportunities for adventures.

Have you ever associated the words "proactive" or "punctual" with Valve Software? I'm more inclined to associate them with the term "development hell".


Gargoyles (cartoon series): Colorful cast of personalities and enough myth that fuses science-fiction and fantasy together to spawn many campaign ideas. This is a great low-realism (generally) / high action and intrigue setting.

Because it's a cartoon.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-17, 07:19 PM
For a cartoon, Gargoyles is incredibly nuanced and surprisingly mature.

Don't be so quick to judge purely on appearance alone.

Grinner
2014-01-17, 07:22 PM
For a cartoon, Gargoyles is incredibly nuanced and surprisingly mature.

Don't be so quick to judge purely on appearance alone.

I'm not.

I'm saying it's a cartoon, and since when are cartoons licensed out for RPGs?

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-17, 07:26 PM
I'm not.

I'm saying it's a cartoon, and since when are cartoons licensed out for RPGs?

Didn't Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles receive an RPG?

Grinner
2014-01-17, 07:28 PM
So it did. I stand corrected.

Still, I daresay it's an anomaly rather than a trend. I'll also note that it was released in 1985, arguably the hey-day of pen and paper gaming.

The Glyphstone
2014-01-17, 07:29 PM
RPGs can get cartoons (D&D: The Animated Series), so why not the reverse?

Totema
2014-01-17, 07:32 PM
I would have said Fallout, except google tells me that they already did! Kinda.

Frozen_Feet
2014-01-17, 07:34 PM
Uh, pen and paper RPGs definitely aren't outside Japanese cultural sphere. Point first: all computer RPGs, very definitely including JRPG subgenre, started as emulations of D&D. D&D is up there with Space Wars and Pong as one of the biggest influences on videogaming culture. Point Second: LoZ has always had JRPG elements, with the second part of the series pretty much being one. Point three: Japan has its own tabletop RPG subculture. It's pretty niche, but tabletop games are niche everywhere.

Really, considering all other LoZ trash merchandise, it would be right up their alley. I think it's mostly Nintendo being money-grubbing bastards and clinging to their classic series with zealous fervor so no-one else gets to ruin it.

Oh well, we still got History of Huryle. It pretty much passes for a RPG setting book.

Grinner
2014-01-17, 07:35 PM
RPGs can get cartoons (D&D: The Animated Series), so why not the reverse?

Because cartoons should stay in the ghetto (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimationAgeGhetto) where they belong.

Totema
2014-01-17, 07:40 PM
Uh, pen and paper RPGs definitely aren't outside Japanese cultural sphere.

QFT. Record of Lodoss War is still one of my favorite anime-ish series.

(Un)Inspired
2014-01-17, 08:10 PM
You guys know how they made Streetfighter: The Movie: The Game?

Dungeons and Dragons: The Movie: The Game

LimeSkeleton
2014-01-17, 08:38 PM
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, by Rick Riordan. A bunch of teenage demigods fighting Ancient Greek monsters and wielding incredible magical powers? Sounds great to me!

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 01:03 AM
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, by Rick Riordan. A bunch of teenage demigods fighting Ancient Greek monsters and wielding incredible magical powers? Sounds great to me!

Is there a strong in-universe setting (including established NPCs and an expansive history) to draw upon?

Jacob.Tyr
2014-01-18, 01:28 AM
I'm really confused to find Zelda on here, because I've been playing in a Pathfinder game in the Zelda-verse and several of the players have hard cover copies of a sourcebook. I've been trying to find the damned thing online now, but it doesn't seem to show up in any google search or on amazon and I'm very confused.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 01:39 AM
I'm really confused to find Zelda on here, because I've been playing in a Pathfinder game in the Zelda-verse and several of the players have hard cover copies of a sourcebook. I've been trying to find the damned thing online now, but it doesn't seem to show up in any google search or on amazon and I'm very confused.

This (http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-Zelda-Hyrule-Historia/dp/1616550414/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390027166&sr=8-1&keywords=History+of+Hyrule) book?

Jacob.Tyr
2014-01-18, 02:08 AM
This (http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-Zelda-Hyrule-Historia/dp/1616550414/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390027166&sr=8-1&keywords=History+of+Hyrule) book?

Nope, that book doesn't seem to include item rules based around the d20 system so I don't think that is it.

Rosstin
2014-01-18, 02:19 AM
Surprised no one has mentioned Avatar and Pokemon yet.

Avatar: The Last Airbender was practically made for tabletop. Hardly a stretch of the imagination to see 4 players each from a different elemental tribe setting out to save the world. The only part that seems tricky is the thing where the show has the Avatar, who has a sort of role of central importance. But the show provides a good model of the Avatar not being all-powerful and standing alone. I think there are already some fan-made systems for this, and they made it so that gaining all 4 types of bending makes you less proficient at the specifics of each element. So maybe the Avatar can use all 4 elements, can merge them, and do some special Avatar stuff, but only the Water Bender can blood-bend or is a proficient healer, stuff like that.

I admit I was skeptical that you could make a non-silly tabletop RPG out of Pokemon, but I saw a really good fan-made PDF of it that captured my imagination. The PDF did a great job of looking at different kinds of trainers and the abilities they could have, explaining the different goals trainers could have, and laying out some adventures and campaign arcs. It has a very well-defined world ripe for all kinds of adventure. As long as the players were into it, it would make an excellent tabletop campaign.

Oh, I guess I should also mention Homestuck. Regardless of what you think of Homestuck, like Avatar it basically begs to be a tabletop campaign.

I think it's important to pay attention to the elements that make a good world, so that you can learn how to design one. A good tabletop world is the kind of place that makes you wonder: Who would I be if I lived there?

Sith_Happens
2014-01-18, 02:46 AM
The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, by Rick Riordan. A bunch of teenage demigods fighting Ancient Greek monsters and wielding incredible magical powers? Sounds great to me!

From what I've heard about Scion, it's basically a White Wolf-ified version of Percy Jackson.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 02:49 AM
Why didn't the Sword of Truth (novel series) receive an RPG the way the The Wheel of Time (novel series) did?

Kitten Champion
2014-01-18, 02:52 AM
The Grimnoir Chronicles by Larry Correia. It's basically the X-Men meets Raymond Chandler, but with magic instead of mutation. An alternate universe 1930's where people have been manifesting magical abilities for about a century, and a magical secret organization which fights against the exploitation and oppression of magic-users by muggles and the more pernicious element of their own kind.


Why didn't the Sword of Truth (novel series) receive an RPG the way the The Wheel of Time (novel series) did?

Wheel of Time has a comprehensive and specified setting, whereas Sword of Truth does not.

TuggyNE
2014-01-18, 03:57 AM
You guys know how they made Streetfighter: The Movie: The Game?

Dungeons and Dragons: The Movie: The Game

That reminds me of reading a novel adaptation of the Little Women movie. Just … why would you do that? Whyyy?

CubeB
2014-01-18, 04:07 AM
I've always wanted to do a game based in Persona.

The concept is great for an RP heavy campaign. A group of ordinary people get caught up in a mystery involving Shadows, and have to overcome their own neurosis and insecurities in order to gain the power to fight back.

You don't even need to call upon much of the universe besides Shadows and the Velvet Room, though there's a potentially expansive one there. (You can stick with the P1/P2 era universe, the P3/P4 era universe, or combine them into a larger cosmology if you're feeling ambitious.)

The issues I've found with most adaptations are that they're either incomplete, or oddly complicated. The closest system I've found that can do it is Monsters and Other Childish Things (based on the one roll system), which even has a Social Link mechanic. But it doesn't do well for the human side of combat, just the persona side, and personae are weird to model in combat. (Are they always there? Do they disappear after you use a power?)

Plus there's the question of who (if anyone) gets to be a Wild Card, and then the question of Persona Fusion...

Gamgee
2014-01-18, 04:38 AM
Mass Effect!!!! Come aaaaannnnnn!

Witcher series.

Hazzardevil
2014-01-18, 04:44 AM
Tyrant: by Christian Cameron, I'm surprised we haven't just had any general Ancient Greek RPGs. It's set in Ancient Greece during Alexander the Great's campaigns the wars afterwards. This time period would have plenty of adventuring to be done. I can understand why it hasn't, the series is quite small.

It comes down to the fanbases of stuff is rarely as large as people think it is. There's a big difference between the people who consume the media and the "fans" who will buy the merchandise/tat that goes with it.

(Un)Inspired
2014-01-18, 04:53 AM
Breath of fire would be so cool. It could be based on any of he games settings.

Even Dragon Quarter!

Scootaloo
2014-01-18, 05:23 AM
You know, I've given this thought to MMO's - i want to see dune and Legend of the five rings MMO's so damn bad - but not actually to pen and paper RPG's.

I would like a good version of EverQuest for pen-and-paper. The swords and sorcery make is functional, i guess, if you squint...

Naomi Novik's Temeraire series could definitely be adapted to P&P RPG.

I'm going to second the Gargoyles idea.

Kick-Ass; the RPG has all kinds of potential. There's lots of games where you pretend to be a superhero... but no game where you pretnd to be a guy who's pretending to be a superhero. if you've ever wanted to make "guy who robs a convenience store" an actual risk for the characters, there you go!

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 05:25 AM
I'm going to second the Gargoyles idea.

Sweet :smallsmile:!

DarkKensai
2014-01-18, 05:43 AM
You know, I've given this thought to MMO's - i want to see dune and Legend of the five rings MMO's so damn bad - but not actually to pen and paper RPG's.


I'm going to second the Gargoyles idea.


I would LOVE anything that ran with Frank Herbert's Dune! One of my favorite books ever.

Gargoyles sounds fun too.

Silverbit
2014-01-18, 05:46 AM
I recall that there were several attempts to make a Dune RPG, but I don't think any of them worked out well. Dammit, all I want to do is play a Freman! Is that too much to ask?

And whilst it wouldn't need it's own system, I'd rather appreciate a sourcebook or setting book for the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. If you ignore the fairly generic elves it's a good setting for adventure.

Edit: doubly Dune Sardaukar'ed. This proves that Dune needs an RPG!

Vanitas
2014-01-18, 05:50 AM
Uh, pen and paper RPGs definitely aren't outside Japanese cultural sphere. Point first: all computer RPGs, very definitely including JRPG subgenre, started as emulations of D&D. D&D is up there with Space Wars and Pong as one of the biggest influences on videogaming culture. Point Second: LoZ has always had JRPG elements, with the second part of the series pretty much being one. Point three: Japan has its own tabletop RPG subculture. It's pretty niche, but tabletop games are niche everywhere.

Really, considering all other LoZ trash merchandise, it would be right up their alley. I think it's mostly Nintendo being money-grubbing bastards and clinging to their classic series with zealous fervor so no-one else gets to ruin it.

Oh well, we still got History of Huryle. It pretty much passes for a RPG setting book.

Yeah, Japan has some outstanding RPGs, such as Tenra Bansho Zero, Golden Sky Stories and Ryuutama. There is also Maid. Good thing some of those games are being translated to English. TBZ is specially intriguing, since it's a game form 1999 that uses many mechanic quirks that only become popular in English language RPGs around the mid '00s.

DarkKensai
2014-01-18, 06:09 AM
Edit: doubly Dune Sardaukar'ed. This proves that Dune needs an RPG!

Or a Swordmaster, or a Face dancer...oooo, the possibilities...

falloutimperial
2014-01-18, 06:54 AM
Hmm, seems like a cool thread

Coughcough-- Animorphs: Based around a group of 5-6 people who face impossible odds in a world that can feature both paranoia and high adventure, both near-realism and space epic. Plenty of combat and plenty of roleplaying.

--Coughcoughcough! Whuh? Who wrote that? Not me.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 07:03 AM
Hmm, seems like a cool thread

If nothing else, we'll (hopefully) make more campaign-worthy material exposed to other people.


Coughcough-- Animorphs: Based around a group of 5-6 people who face impossible odds in a world that can feature both paranoia and high adventure, both near-realism and space epic. Plenty of combat and plenty of roleplaying.

--Coughcoughcough! Whuh? Who wrote that? Not me.

That would be great :smallcool:. The only Pencil-and-Paper experience I have with the series is reading about a short-lived Animorphs campaign powered by GURPS.

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-18, 07:13 AM
I totally agree that Gargoyles would make an awesome setting for a game. It would be like a superhero/political intrigue game set in the modern world, with a bit of a Vampire: The Masquerade twist to it (since gargoyles are helpless during the day and must hide their homes from enemies).

I'd like to see a Fullmetal Alchemist rpg. Magic there is different enough to justify its own system of ritual magic, and a specific list of chosen powers with their own limitations. Plus it's like an early 20th century setting, which seems like an underused time period for rpgs. And automail is just all around awesome. Because of it, limb loss could happen during gameplay without crippling characters forever (though the recovery time is still pretty long, a character could lose a limb and get a new one that has its own unique properties!)

The Mormegil
2014-01-18, 07:13 AM
I had an idea a while ago to make a gritty campaign setting (loosely) based on Pokemon, where Pokeballs didn't exist and humanity was clinging on in a world inhabited by monsters that create massive earthquakes, mind control people and incinerate their souls, all while inhumanly powerful god-beings soar the skies or sleep in deep dungeons below the earth. As with many of my projects, it didn't last long, BUT! It could have a lot of potential.

Black Jester
2014-01-18, 07:59 AM
15 years or so ago (I'm ooooold)when we actually saw the Gargoyles series, a friend of mine and me, we actually tried to create a Gargoyles-RPG. it wasn't very good, completely in hand-writing and was based on the Star Wars D6 rules, but mostly it was really, really bad. I am not completely sure how it worked, but I can remember that we had a random table for the appearance of gargoyles, and that it was no problem whatsoever to create Gargoyle characters who werealmost completely invulnerable.

So yeah, I think it is a pity that there never was a 'real' Gargoyles RPG. Because our sorry attempts were already quite entertaining. Even though they were really, really bad.


Another setting that I would like to see as an RPG background is Tad William's Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn books. For an RPG, the plot of a story source material isn't as relevant as the world building aspect, and I think Williams did great in this regard.
Also, do Herodot and Plinius Maior count as a veritable source for this? becase I would love a game that use the classic pseudo-humans and vestiges of their work in an otherwise very straight setting, with Cynocephaly (literally dog-headed people) and Panotti (people whose ears are so large they can use it as a replacement for clothes, and may or may not use them as short wings for gliding).

Wraith
2014-01-18, 09:57 AM
I admit I was skeptical that you could make a non-silly tabletop RPG out of Pokemon, but I saw a really good fan-made PDF of it that captured my imagination. The PDF did a great job of looking at different kinds of trainers and the abilities they could have, explaining the different goals trainers could have, and laying out some adventures and campaign arcs. It has a very well-defined world ripe for all kinds of adventure. As long as the players were into it, it would make an excellent tabletop campaign.

A friend of mine wanted to run Pokemon using the rules for Monsters And Other Childish Things (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters_and_Other_Childish_Things). All you have to do is make one houserule - "Monsters are now visible to everyone, not just children" and you're pretty much done. :smallsmile:

I would like to repeat a call to see a Mass Effect RPG, as I adore the setting. Also, for a better developed FallOut system, that would be nice.

Borderlands could work as a dungeon crawler. I'm imagining huge tables in the appendices to randomly generate your loot, but it already has in-built classes with skill trees, an established setting....

The Glyphstone
2014-01-18, 12:38 PM
A friend of mine wanted to run Pokemon using the rules for Monsters And Other Childish Things (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters_and_Other_Childish_Things). All you have to do is make one houserule - "Monsters are now visible to everyone, not just children" and you're pretty much done. :smallsmile:

I would like to repeat a call to see a Mass Effect RPG, as I adore the setting. Also, for a better developed FallOut system, that would be nice.

Borderlands could work as a dungeon crawler. I'm imagining huge tables in the appendices to randomly generate your loot, but it already has in-built classes with skill trees, an established setting....

There's always Mass: The Effecting (New World of Darkness hack) - fan-made, but reportedly pretty good.

Actana
2014-01-18, 02:00 PM
I would like to repeat a call to see a Mass Effect RPG, as I adore the setting. Also, for a better developed FallOut system, that would be nice.

If you like the Star Wars Saga system, I made a fairly comprehensive conversion of it to fit the Mass Effect setting. It's backwards compatible, includes all the powers and weapons from the games, and is pretty much complete. There would still be a few things to do, like customizable equipment ala armor parts in ME2&3, but the system is entirely functional, though not particularly thoroughly playtested.

You can find it here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282956) (that thread is past the necromancy threshold, so if you have questions just PM me). :smallbiggrin:

teacupprincess9
2014-01-18, 02:09 PM
A friend of mine wanted to run Pokemon using the rules for Monsters And Other Childish Things (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters_and_Other_Childish_Things). All you have to do is make one houserule - "Monsters are now visible to everyone, not just children" and you're pretty much done. :smallsmile:



I just played my first session of Monsters and Other Childish Things and I had the same thought! It would be so much fun to do, and my friends really want me to run it, but I need to get more familiar with the system first.

I also always thought the Discworld books would make a great RPG, and apparently there's a GURPS setting for it, but I've never gotten the chance to play it.

I would also love an RPG based on Tamora Pierce's Tortall or Circle of Magic books. I think both of them would be easy enough to adapt using basic D&D rules, but it would be nice to have the specialized magic systems and settings.

erikun
2014-01-18, 02:16 PM
Familiar of Zero (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Familiar_of_Zero) is an odd one that I always thought would make an interesting RPG. It has quite a lot of political in-fighting between different countries and factions, alongside the magic of wizardry which grant spellcasters powers based on the four elements. There's also the wizard/non-wizard divine, frequently falling into bigotry, which could make for some very interesting RP situations. (Note: You wouldn't play a non-wizard in this setting. Wizards are, as might be assumed, granted favoritism.)

DarkKensai
2014-01-18, 02:18 PM
I'm not sure that it's distinctive enough from "standard fantasy" to warrant its own system, but I really enjoyed the Riftwar saga (novels) by Raymond Feist. Especially the interactions between the different planes. If not its own system, it would be a fun setting to play in.

Lanaya
2014-01-18, 03:07 PM
I would also love an RPG based on Tamora Pierce's Tortall or Circle of Magic books. I think both of them would be easy enough to adapt using basic D&D rules, but it would be nice to have the specialized magic systems and settings.

Damn, you beat me to it! I was going to throw in a vote for Circle of Magic, I've wanted to play an RPG around them ever since I first read the books. It'd be a less restrictive version of an Avatar RPG; you can play as a water, fire, earth or air mage, but you can also manipulate basically anything else you could imagine. You'd probably need some GM discretion (no you can't be a power over life and death mage alongside someone with fish magic), but it'd be really fun.

TheTrueMooseman
2014-01-18, 04:06 PM
Fate/Stay Night: Admittedly a bit more adversarial/PvP than most RPGs, but it's almost there in terms of theme and setting, and it's such a cool concept.

The Edge Chronicles: High fantasy, but low/no magic. Sky-pirates, weather-academics and hundreds of species of goblins, troggs, ogres and miscellaneous other beasties all thrown together in one delightfully quirky melting pot would be divine.

The Glyphstone
2014-01-18, 04:44 PM
Damn, you beat me to it! I was going to throw in a vote for Circle of Magic, I've wanted to play an RPG around them ever since I first read the books. It'd be a less restrictive version of an Avatar RPG; you can play as a water, fire, earth or air mage, but you can also manipulate basically anything else you could imagine. You'd probably need some GM discretion (no you can't be a power over life and death mage alongside someone with fish magic), but it'd be really fun.

Hey, if thread magic can save the world, I'm sure fish magic can be employed in some creative fashion to be useful.:smallcool:

Grinner
2014-01-18, 05:07 PM
Geneforge: It's got a reasonably detailed setting with plenty of room for further expansion. The powers are internally consistent, and the games ooze bizarre technologies. The biggest decision is deciding whether to go pre-Rebellion or post-Rebellion.

Jeff, I know you're busy trying to feed your family, but just do it for us. Pretty please?


I'm really confused to find Zelda on here, because I've been playing in a Pathfinder game in the Zelda-verse and several of the players have hard cover copies of a sourcebook. I've been trying to find the damned thing online now, but it doesn't seem to show up in any google search or on amazon and I'm very confused.

I think I know what you're talking about, and it's a fan-made effort. Link (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/da.vane/ZeldaRPG.htm)

It's entirely possible that those players simply took the PDF to a copy-print place.

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-18, 05:13 PM
While going through various franchises in my mind, I thought of one that would work very well.

Schlock Mercenary. It's been several years since I've read the comic regularly, but there's a very wide range of races, technology and factions within it. And best of all, weapons, armors, ships and lots and lots of unique and interesting locations. Plus mercenaries, which make for an ideal player character faction. Your goal: get paid. Preferably more than once.

Grinner
2014-01-18, 06:12 PM
While we're dreaming about cartoon RPGs, I'd like to nominate Fighting Foodons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Foodons). :smallbiggrin:

From Wikipedia:

It all started some years ago when a culinary-confused king asked a question to his chefs. Which would be stronger: tofu surprise or stuffed duck? The king's chefs thought the king had gone a little too heavy on the nutmeg. One mysterious chef knew what the king was talking about and presented him with magical cards called Meal Tickets which turns the food into monsters called Fighting Foodons. Since then, regular food recipes have been turned into Foodons when the art of culinary combat is concocted.

One day, King Gorgeous Gorge and his Gluttons cook up a devious plan to rule the world and they sprinkled an extra dash of destruction. They plan to rule the world by kidnapping the best chefs & forcing them to make powerful, evil Foodons. A boy named Chase, a young apprentice chef with an appetite for action, thinks he has what it takes to become an Elite Master Chef like his dad Chef Jack. Zen believes that he, his friends, family, and Foodons can change the world, one at a time, even if it involves going into battle against the Glutton Gormandizers, King Gorge's Big 4, and King Gorge's female cat-like servant Clawdia. Then, he'd have a final showdown with Don Cook.

SouthpawSoldier
2014-01-18, 06:12 PM
The Dark Tower (novel series).....


It's been done. I have the PDF; forget exactly where I downloaded it, but it was free. Pretty rules light, too. When I get a chance I'll edit with info. Rules was only a couple pages long. Pulled it and a dozen other free RPG's from somewhere, but have yet to get a chance to try them. Only games in the area are 3.5/PF with a mix of homebrew.

Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash); quintessential cyberpunk, and would probably do well as a Shadowrun campaign. Uber hacker with authentic daisho who delivers pizza for the Mafia? Yesfreakingplease!

Wasn't Hitchiker's Guide done up as an RPG? If not, it would be another candiate for a narrative-focused system like FATE.

On a related note to the votes for Fallout; how about A Canticle for Leibowitz? Lots of ideas to play with from there for RP.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 06:52 PM
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_Crash); quintessential cyberpunk, and would probably do well as a Shadowrun campaign. Uber hacker with authentic daisho who delivers pizza for the Mafia? Yesfreakingplease!

Is there enough material to differentiate it from other cyberpunk settings?

SouthpawSoldier
2014-01-18, 06:58 PM
Oh yes. Check the linked wikipedia article; language as a program, psychological firmware manipulation; all kinds of interesting factions. Religion, anthropology, science and tech, sociology/ anarcho-capitalism; all kinds of fun material to play with. Plus it's a fantastic read.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 07:04 PM
Turok (comic book/video game series): Yet again, another "everything and the kitchen sink" setting. Mutants, dinosaurs, aliens, demons, human hunters, cyborgs, and more, across the Lost Land.

Speaking of which, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (comic book series) deserves a new RPG/RPG supplement.

AuraTwilight
2014-01-18, 07:14 PM
I'd mention Silent Hill, Neon Genesis Evangelion, or Puella Magi Madoka Magica, but those all got pretty much perfect adaptations in the form of a Call of Cthulhu d20 supplement, Adeptus Evangelion, and Magical Burst respectively.

SouthpawSoldier
2014-01-18, 07:15 PM
Going back to the "cartoons" commentary...

Why not revisit some of the classic? Thundercats, Centurions, Silverhawks, etc? Not much RP there, but for straight hack/slash, could be entertaining.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 07:18 PM
Neon Genesis Evangelion (anime series)

How would a Neon Genesis Evangelion RPG differ from another mecha based RPG?

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-18, 07:24 PM
Going back to the "cartoons" commentary...

Why not revisit some of the classic? Thundercats, Centurions, Silverhawks, etc? Not much RP there, but for straight hack/slash, could be entertaining.

I would LOVE a The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers (cartoon series) RPG.

(Un)Inspired
2014-01-18, 08:09 PM
Turok (comic book/video game series): Yet again, another "everything and the kitchen sink" setting. Mutants, dinosaurs, aliens, demons, human hunters, cyborgs, and more, across the Lost Land.

Speaking of which, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (comic book series) deserves a new RPG/RPG supplement.

I would be so on board for a Cadillacs and Dinosaurs RPG.

Warlawk
2014-01-18, 11:31 PM
Codex Alera (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codex_Alera)

The way the series ended just left it WIIIIIIIIIIIIIDE open for an RPG or MMO style game. Lots of political upheaval, longtime enemies forced into close living quarters and temporary alliances, devastation of the realm, banditry and feral vord left over from the war.

AuraTwilight
2014-01-19, 12:11 AM
How would a Neon Genesis Evangelion RPG differ from another mecha based RPG?

The psychodrama and Call of Cthulhu-esque aspects? The mechs in question not actually being mechs but having all sorts of reality-warping pseudomagical abilities?

Idk, I'm not very engrossed in the mecha genre, but Adeptus Evangelion is essentially a Dark Heresy hack because NGE is basically "Warhammer 40k in modern times instead of the far future."

SouthpawSoldier
2014-01-19, 01:06 AM
+1 To Alera; shamefully forgot about that. Figure if they can FATE Dresden, why not Alera?

Now that I'm home, let me look at my bookshelf.......

John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" might be fun. Various humans breeds vs random alien species. Series was pretty well wrapped up, so the overarching conflict is done. Still have economic factions, grudges from the war, things like that that could provide plenty fodder.

Laura Joh Rowland's Sano Ichiro series might be fun. Like Dresden was to fantasy, so this is to The Book of Five Rings. Edo period detective novels; interesting stuff.

That segues nicely into Harry Turtledove; Videssos makes a nice setting (similar in origin to Alera, but in Margaret Weis' "Rose of the Prophet" setting). On that note; if any of her work HASN'T been done up in game format (pretty sure most, if not all of it has) then make it so.

I think C.S. Lewis would translate to game better than Tolkien. There's not as definitive an end to the story (just the four central kids' chapter). Not as much room for spellslingers, but doable.

Piers Anthony would be fun, but there's a lot of opportunities for Deus Ex Machina to occur.


This (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/102338/21-Guns) is the aforementioned Dark Tower based game. 3/5 stars reviews, but I have yet to play a game to form my own opinion. Anyone interested in a PbP game, let me know.

Totema
2014-01-19, 01:16 AM
How would a Neon Genesis Evangelion RPG differ from another mecha based RPG?

Well, for starters, they're not even really mechas...

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-19, 01:38 AM
How about an RPG based on Mistborn (novel series)?

Kitten Champion
2014-01-19, 02:07 AM
How about an RPG based on Mistborn (novel series)?

There already is one. (http://www.crafty-games.com/content/buy-mistborn-adventure-game)

I think The Lotus War series by Jay Kristoff would make a better RPG than book series. Steampunk Imperial Japan with skyships, power-armoured samurai, and something akin to Eberron's Dragonmarked -- it's got a lot to it.

DarkKensai
2014-01-19, 02:10 AM
+1 To Alera; shamefully forgot about that. Figure if they can FATE Dresden, why not Alera?

Now that I'm home, let me look at my bookshelf.......

John Scalzi's "Old Man's War" might be fun. Various humans breeds vs random alien species. Series was pretty well wrapped up, so the overarching conflict is done. Still have economic factions, grudges from the war, things like that that could provide plenty fodder.



That could be a lot of fun. The over, arching story was wrapped up, but I think if the PCs weren't regular soldiers, but the Ghosts, that it would be more fun. The Ghosts would provide all the Spec-Op stuff, sneaking, spying, assassination, etc. And being Spec-Ops they could keep being sent on missions behind the scenes, without needing a full blown war to be in. Plus, the Ghosts had a larger array of augmentations, allowing for more player customization.


Also, what about Metal Gear? Giant robots, genetically modified soldiers, worldwide conspiracies, nanotech and what for all intents and purposes is magic. Could be fun.

SouthpawSoldier
2014-01-19, 02:31 AM
I think it could be fun to play other species as well. There are so many, and only a few make it into the novels. Imagine FATE rules applied to a Obin.

Tricky thing would be interspecies interaction. He really gets into that in Android's Dream. Definitely see how he drew from Speaker for the Dead.

Speaking of which, I don't think Ender's Game would be well done. Maybe strictly as one-shots as kids in the Battle School; level progression similar to Dresden Files; Launchy, _____ Army, Dragon, or some such. Each PC is out to reach graduation; NPC's and villains are your Bonzo Madrids and such. I see it as a rules light, dialog heavy game, almost free flow. Not quite my style; I like some structure to my games.

Metal Gear would work best from a villain campaign; the party is an incarnation of Foxhound. Figure party is level 5ish, trying to defend from a higher-level rogue trying to infiltrate.

Rosstin
2014-01-19, 02:42 AM
All of Brandon Sanderson's works are basically RP settings. They're just perfectly set-up worlds for tabletop adventure waiting to happen.

Balain
2014-01-19, 03:56 AM
I actually ran a Gargoyles campaign years ago. We used Ars Magica 3rd edition I think it was.

I would love to do a Myth Series campaign.

Knaight
2014-01-19, 04:13 AM
I was going to list the Humanx Commonwealth, but that's already a thing (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/humanx/). As such, I'd nominate The Journey of the Catechist instead. It's a fantasy setting, but it's got a heavy basis in central African mythologies that are sadly neglected elsewhere. Redwall could also be good, aimed at a younger audience - though given that Mouseguard exists, it's pretty easy to simulate already.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-19, 04:28 AM
There already is one. (http://www.crafty-games.com/content/buy-mistborn-adventure-game)

I'm surprised that Crafty Games managed to obtain the license.

Vanitas
2014-01-19, 05:47 AM
Well, if we're talking fantasy, I would love official RPGs for the Gentleman Bastards sequence, the Demon Cycle and the Kingkiller Chronicles.

Specially since A Song of Ice and Fire got such a good RPG out of it.

SiuiS
2014-01-19, 08:51 AM
There's always Mass: The Effecting (New World of Darkness hack) - fan-made, but reportedly pretty good.

Mass: the Effecting actually had a lot of rules that made it into the godmachine chronicle rules update, implying they really are better balanced for what they want to achieve than the new world of darkness rules alone.

I for one am glad that my shotgun isn't more effective at long range than my rifle.


How would a Neon Genesis Evangelion RPG differ from another mecha based RPG?

The fact that the mech aren't important except to enable psychodrama?

Yora
2014-01-19, 09:28 AM
Mass Effect is basically a blend of ideas and concepts from Star Wars and Star Trek, but attempts to be more serious about it than Star Wars and less shiny-eyed idealistic than Star Trek. It's a perfect setting for pen and paper games.

However, I don't really see how the rules would be different from Star Wars Saga, or what you would have to alter for a game using Fate.
For Fate, you could make an equipment list and a standardized list of biotic Stunts and Extras, but that would be pretty much it.

Wraith
2014-01-19, 10:41 AM
You can find it here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=282956) (that thread is past the necromancy threshold, so if you have questions just PM me). :smallbiggrin:

Thanks, I'll give it a look. :smallsmile:
I was actually thinking of using the SLA Industries (http://www.sla-industries.com/) ruleset, since it's one of my favourite games despite it's flaws, but the races and technology stack pretty close to how I think an ME game would run - Krogan/Stormers, Turians/Wraith Raiders, Asari/Ebons, that sort of thing.

I... Wouldn't want to meet the ME equivalent to a Necanthrope, but I'm sure there's something out there.....


Speaking of which, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs (comic book series) deserves a new RPG/RPG supplement.

I would be so on board for a Cadillacs and Dinosaurs RPG.

Another setting that I once suggested to my group (more to prove that such a thing as a post-apocalyptic wasteland with spontaneously arising dinosaurs actually existed) and we more or less agreed that Savage Worlds (http://www.peginc.com/product-category/savage-worlds/) works well, if only because it's one of the few rulebooks I've seen that stats Dinosaurs alongside cars and machine guns. After the Bomb (http://palladium-store.com/1001/product/503-After-the-Bomb-RPG.html) might work too, depending on ho you fluff the PCs.

More IPs that'd work for an RPG?

Bucky O'Hare (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Mh7hhaqhk) (A setting virtually tailor made for After the Bomb, but still)
Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9K0SzFIf4A) (How often do you see a non-mecha RPG where the main form of combat occurs inside a tricked-out vehicle?)
Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdIvffTM4xQ)

Heck, most 1980's cartoons could probably work in some capacity. Even this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA5I9Cd_Wq4), if you really think hard about it and bring in a bunch of house rules.... :smallbiggrin:

The Glyphstone
2014-01-19, 10:50 AM
Heck, most 1980's cartoons could probably work in some capacity. Even this one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA5I9Cd_Wq4), if you really think hard about it and bring in a bunch of house rules.... :smallbiggrin:

Wouldn't that basically be playing Adventure Time: The RPG?

Sith_Happens
2014-01-19, 12:11 PM
I can't decide whether the SCP Foundation would make a good RPG or not.

SiuiS
2014-01-19, 01:56 PM
Mass Effect is basically a blend of ideas and concepts from Star Wars and Star Trek, but attempts to be more serious about it than Star Wars and less shiny-eyed idealistic than Star Trek. It's a perfect setting for pen and paper games.

However, I don't really see how the rules would be different from Star Wars Saga, or what you would have to alter for a game using Fate.
For Fate, you could make an equipment list and a standardized list of biotic Stunts and Extras, but that would be pretty much it.

Depends on if you're running it ME1 or ME trilogy. The first game was a much better setting, even if the next two made it a better story.


I can't decide whether the SCP Foundation would make a good RPG or not.

Not. Your job at the foundation is to wait around for something to happen, then get killed trying to contain it. The thing has great ideas that can be used, but is not a self contained setting with enough to make a good sandbox. Maybe rails, as someone tries to finally off the immortal crocodile.

The Glyphstone
2014-01-19, 02:53 PM
Not. Your job at the foundation is to wait around for something to happen, then get killed trying to contain it. The thing has great ideas that can be used, but is not a self contained setting with enough to make a good sandbox. Maybe rails, as someone tries to finally off the immortal crocodile.

If your characters are scientists/guards, sure. But remember that the Foundation also has field agents/teams, the guys whose job it is to go out and capture SCPs in the first place, or recapture the few that get lost/stolen/escaped. Men In Black meets Warehouse 13 meets Call of Cthulhu, and that would make an excellent RPG - not all SCPs are lethal, or even dangerous, but they still need to be captured and contained; and not all enemies are anomalous with the various GOIs out there to oppose the Foundation.

Lord Raziere
2014-01-19, 03:16 PM
Code Geass
not (just) for the mecha, but for the Code, the planning rules, the political rules and of course super-athletic abilities outside the mecha, and of course to expand upon the alternate history...

Magic the Gathering
Seriously, there are so many planes, so many kinds of magic within the five colors, so much potential that I'm surprised that one hasn't been made in all this time, it just deserves it so much.

Paper Mario
Odd, I know, but the world is just so nonsensical and full of potential adventure that you could pretty much put in anything and it would work. a bomb omb, a goomba and a paratroopa must save Mario from being kidnapped by the Joker/a Joker ripoff and being sent into a strange dimension full of magical ninja? normal day in the Mushroom Kingdom.

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-19, 03:32 PM
Paper Mario
Odd, I know, but the world is just so nonsensical and full of potential adventure that you could pretty much put in anything and it would work. a bomb omb, a goomba and a paratroopa must save Mario from being kidnapped by the Joker/a Joker ripoff and being sent into a strange dimension full of magical ninja? normal day in the Mushroom Kingdom.
I was almost thinking of suggesting this myself, actually. The only thing that prevented me was I couldn't figure out what in the world it would actually look like, from battle systems, to the actual world. Paper Mario/Mario RPGs/Mario-anything is just too weird to make much sense of.

Ninjadeadbeard
2014-01-19, 03:40 PM
Magic the Gathering
Seriously, there are so many planes, so many kinds of magic within the five colors, so much potential that I'm surprised that one hasn't been made in all this time, it just deserves it so much.

There is one already...but I'd have to link to 1d4chan to show you. :smallredface:

Lord Raziere
2014-01-19, 03:42 PM
I was almost thinking of suggesting this myself, actually. The only thing that prevented me was I couldn't figure out what in the world it would actually look like, from battle systems, to the actual world. Paper Mario/Mario RPGs/Mario-anything is just too weird to make much sense of.

its already done for you.

everyone starts with 10 hp, everyone starts out dealing 1 damage, every attack automatically hits, but you make a save to see whether or not you reduce the attack's damage by 1.

then you have some power points to distribute, to determine the characters various special abilities, from increasing their attack/defense, to determine whether their flying or have more health and such...

to go up a level you simply need to gather 100xp, which can only be gained from level appropriate encounters. now just figure out the amount of levels you normally gain in the course of playing the entirety of Paper Mario/Thousand Year Door, then just change all the action commands to rolls, and you have the beginnings of a paper mario rpg.

maybe badge points can be the power points? after all, you can increase HP and FP with badges, so technically by purchasing HP all your doing is purchasing an HP badge.

veti
2014-01-19, 04:26 PM
In the case of Zelda and Pokemon, I'm reasonably sure the answer is: because Nintendo's IP is precious, and they don't want to dilute it. (Although I'm not sure how much lower Pokemon can sink, to be honest, since Black/White.)

Zelda games aren't roleplaying, they're a combination of storytelling and puzzle solving. If lots of other people start making up/telling their own stories set in Hyrule, then Nintendo's own stories are that much less unique. To make things worse, there would inevitably be rules and sourcebooks stating things like "exactly how far it is from Hyrule Forest to the Castle" and "how hard it is to kill a Darknut", which might be seen as restrictive, or at least inhibiting, to future game designers.

Kitten Champion
2014-01-19, 04:38 PM
Fire Emblem seems a natural fit for the tabletop. There's a fan-made d20 version, but seriously, this is a marketable opportunity for Intelligent Systems or Nintendo... or whomever, to get someone to make a miniature wargame with RPG elements.

Actana
2014-01-19, 04:47 PM
a miniature wargame with RPG elements.

Like, I dunno, D&D? :smalltongue:

Kitten Champion
2014-01-19, 05:01 PM
Like, I dunno, D&D? :smalltongue:

No, because Fire Emblem.

SiuiS
2014-01-19, 05:23 PM
If your characters are scientists/guards, sure. But remember that the Foundation also has field agents/teams, the guys whose job it is to go out and capture SCPs in the first place, or recapture the few that get lost/stolen/escaped. Men In Black meets Warehouse 13 meets Call of Cthulhu, and that would make an excellent RPG - not all SCPs are lethal, or even dangerous, but they still need to be captured and contained; and not all enemies are anomalous with the various GOIs out there to oppose the Foundation.

I did cover "get killed trying to contain" though. That handles "we went into the woods and Johnson turned into pennies. Then the bananas attacked" quite well, I think. :smalltongue:

Seriously though. Read the reports of people who aren't scientists. Standing for hours on guard duty, bizarre rituals for each assignment, massive casualties for no real reason. It's like making an RPG about the real life military where you play out each day of basic training in real time, rolling to see how bored you are of another night of fire team. And then you continue real-time play in the field, honing your "hurry up and wait" skills. And then the next time you show up to the table the DM informs you who does while you weren't looking.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-19, 05:25 PM
Zelda games aren't roleplaying, they're a combination of storytelling and puzzle solving. If lots of other people start making up/telling their own stories set in Hyrule, then Nintendo's own stories are that much less unique. To make things worse, there would inevitably be rules and sourcebooks stating things like "exactly how far it is from Hyrule Forest to the Castle" and "how hard it is to kill a Darknut", which might be seen as restrictive, or at least inhibiting, to future game designers.

All the custom Legend of Zelda P&P RPGs i've seen would seem to disagree.

Besides which, an RPG can be light on the "roleplaying" when need be.

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-19, 05:27 PM
Zelda games aren't roleplaying, they're a combination of storytelling and puzzle solving. If lots of other people start making up/telling their own stories set in Hyrule, then Nintendo's own stories are that much less unique. To make things worse, there would inevitably be rules and sourcebooks stating things like "exactly how far it is from Hyrule Forest to the Castle" and "how hard it is to kill a Darknut", which might be seen as restrictive, or at least inhibiting, to future game designers.
The point isn't to adapt a roleplaying game. The point is to adapt a setting people think is interesting enough to be a roleplaying game setting. Which is why things like Gargoyles have been suggested.

I can't speak for the Zelda franchise being interesting in that regard, as it doesn't really interest me in that way, but if it does for someone else, I can understand that.

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-19, 05:32 PM
I did cover "get killed trying to contain" though. That handles "we went into the woods and Johnson turned into pennies. Then the bananas attacked" quite well, I think. :smalltongue:

Seriously though. Read the reports of people who aren't scientists. Standing for hours on guard duty, bizarre rituals for each assignment, massive casualties for no real reason. It's like making an RPG about the real life military where you play out each day of basic training in real time, rolling to see how bored you are of another night of fire team. And then you continue real-time play in the field, honing your "hurry up and wait" skills. And then the next time you show up to the table the DM informs you who does while you weren't looking.
Don't forget the people who occasionally poke the ultra-dangerous things for no real reason other than they're bored. That's the real danger. If you get too bored, you spontaneously decide to go draw on the soul-eating paper or something.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-19, 05:38 PM
Another setting that I once suggested to my group (more to prove that such a thing as a post-apocalyptic wasteland with spontaneously arising dinosaurs actually existed) and we more or less agreed that Savage Worlds (http://www.peginc.com/product-category/savage-worlds/) works well, if only because it's one of the few rulebooks I've seen that stats Dinosaurs alongside cars and machine guns. After the Bomb (http://palladium-store.com/1001/product/503-After-the-Bomb-RPG.html) might work too, depending on ho you fluff the PCs.

For those that are interested, you can snag the complete collection of C&D comic books in one convenient tome (http://www.amazon.com/Xenozoic-Mark-Schultz/dp/1933865318/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390170960&sr=8-1&keywords=Xenozoic+Tales). Also, the original RPG book is floating around on ebay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/cadillacs-and-dinosaurs-rpg-book-/161197179007?pt=Games_US&hash=item258819c07f).

SiuiS
2014-01-19, 05:38 PM
Yeah, that would be the best alone too. "SCO foundation RPG: Universal Terrors. first World Problems."

Tengu_temp
2014-01-19, 05:40 PM
Avatar: The Last Airbender

Legend of the Wulin sounds like it'd fit excellently here. It's a martial arts game that feels like a martial arts movie, and even has elemental styles already! You just need to add a few more homebrew styles and there you go.


Witcher series.

It had not just one, but two RPGs. Both of them only in Polish.


Persona

Fullmetal Alchemist

Fate/Stay Night

Code Geass

Mutants and Masterminds works well for all of those. I ran a Persona game in it, saw several F/SN games, ran a Code Geass-like game, and can easily imagine FMA to work. In fact, M&M works well for most mecha, except:

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Apart from Adeptus Evangelion, there's also CthulhuTech and Bliss Stage, which aim to simulate the feel, though not the setting of Evangelion. And there's a Japan-only Evangelion RPG, as well.


Why didn't the Sword of Truth (novel series) receive an RPG the way the The Wheel of Time (novel series) did?

It did. Its name is FATAL.


Don't forget the people who occasionally poke the ultra-dangerous things for no real reason other than they're bored. That's the real danger. If you get too bored, you spontaneously decide to go draw on the soul-eating paper or something.

I thought we're past the era of lolFoundation?

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-19, 05:41 PM
It did. Its name is FATAL.

If you say that name three times, I believe you will (inadvertently?) summon an incredibly evil ghost from the closest mirror.

tensai_oni
2014-01-19, 05:45 PM
I can't decide whether the SCP Foundation would make a good RPG or not.

An SCP Foundation RPG already exists. It's called Delta Green.

It's also technically a Call of Cthulhu sourcebook and really old - much older than SCP Foundation in fact.

Qwertystop
2014-01-19, 05:59 PM
Damn, you beat me to it! I was going to throw in a vote for Circle of Magic, I've wanted to play an RPG around them ever since I first read the books. It'd be a less restrictive version of an Avatar RPG; you can play as a water, fire, earth or air mage, but you can also manipulate basically anything else you could imagine. You'd probably need some GM discretion (no you can't be a power over life and death mage alongside someone with fish magic), but it'd be really fun. Hard to work out rules for ambient magic, though. Academic would be simple enough, but when it's "pick a non-abstract noun, get magic based on it," it becomes kind of tricky to make rules.

Tortall might be easier - especially with the built-in power limitations that explicitly allow massive amounts of power with the downsides of backlash and inability to do small things. Gives you quite a range and doesn't prevent big things or non-magicians.



Paper Mario
Odd, I know, but the world is just so nonsensical and full of potential adventure that you could pretty much put in anything and it would work. a bomb omb, a goomba and a paratroopa must save Mario from being kidnapped by the Joker/a Joker ripoff and being sent into a strange dimension full of magical ninja? normal day in the Mushroom Kingdom.


I was almost thinking of suggesting this myself, actually. The only thing that prevented me was I couldn't figure out what in the world it would actually look like, from battle systems, to the actual world. Paper Mario/Mario RPGs/Mario-anything is just too weird to make much sense of.
Well, one suggestion was to use the system from either of the first two, but personally I like some of the perspective stuff in Sticker Star, and that would be the hardest to cover no matter how you do it.

veti
2014-01-19, 06:05 PM
All the custom Legend of Zelda P&P RPGs i've seen would seem to disagree.

How many of those are published or licensed by Nintendo?

Serious question. I'd be interested to see one.

The Glyphstone
2014-01-19, 06:19 PM
I did cover "get killed trying to contain" though. That handles "we went into the woods and Johnson turned into pennies. Then the bananas attacked" quite well, I think. :smalltongue:

Seriously though. Read the reports of people who aren't scientists. Standing for hours on guard duty, bizarre rituals for each assignment, massive casualties for no real reason. It's like making an RPG about the real life military where you play out each day of basic training in real time, rolling to see how bored you are of another night of fire team. And then you continue real-time play in the field, honing your "hurry up and wait" skills. And then the next time you show up to the table the DM informs you who does while you weren't looking.

Maybe I'm not understanding you...you can use D&D to play a game where everyone is 1st-level Commoners in a tiny valley hamlet where nothing ever happens (then you all die to an orc horde). That doesn't make D&D a bad RPG. You're deliberately picking the most banal, boring parts of a Foundation agent's existence and assuming the theoretical RPG would be all about RPing out that tedium, rather than relegating it to downtime like every other RPG in existence.

Investigative plots/missions? Hunting down reports of an anomalous object or creature.
Combat plots/missions? The anomalous creature doesn't want to be contained. Or it couldn't care less, but the GOC/COI/M&D/CotBG/Insert Bad Guys Here got there first and won't give it up.
Diplomatic/social/talky plots missions? Maybe the Bad Guys are willing to be reasonable, or the escaped SCP just needs to be talked back into custody.

It'd be a very lethal game, like Dark Heresy or Call of Cthulhu. Plenty of D-class and faceless grunt agents would die, onscreen or off, because it's not SCP without grimdark casualty lists. But you're very much failing to convince me that it would automatically be a boring game, any more than this (http://ffn.nodwick.com/?p=78) represents an accurate portrayal of how you play CoC.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-19, 06:51 PM
How many of those are published or licensed by Nintendo?

Serious question. I'd be interested to see one.

As far as I know? None. However, we weren't discussing financial viability at that instance, but what the games (and, by extension, the setting within) lend themselves to in terms of gameplay.

Tengu_temp
2014-01-19, 07:48 PM
It'd be a very lethal game, like Dark Heresy or Call of Cthulhu. Plenty of D-class and faceless grunt agents would die, onscreen or off, because it's not SCP without grimdark casualty lists.

Depends on the SCP's danger level. Also, SCP Foundation is cold, but not cruel, and it cares for the safety of its agents (not so much for D-class though, they're expendable), so they will be provided with proper equipment. So if they start dying left and right, you know stuff got really serious.

Basically, I don't like grimdark Foundation as much as I don't like lolFoundation. The Foundation doesn't waste resources, including human resources, and stuff like killing witnesses when amnestics are widely available is as dumb as professional researchers using dangerous SCP objects to play pranks on each other.

Sorry for the offtopic. I will now unload my head cannon (http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-1132-j).

Sith_Happens
2014-01-19, 10:38 PM
I can't believe the thread went this long without my remembering Fairy Tail. That series is practically an RPG setting already.

(And before anyone says anything, yes, I am aware that the best representation of Fairy Tail would probably be a hack of a superhero system. I'm just saying that someone should actually do so.:smallsmile:)

Grinner
2014-01-19, 11:12 PM
I can't believe the thread went this long without my remembering Fairy Tail. That series is practically an RPG setting already.

I always got the impression it was based on MMORPGs.

SassyQuatch
2014-01-19, 11:46 PM
I'm surprised that Hasbro hasn't bothered to create RPG setting guides for their classic cartoons. Especially since they have currently hot (ok, some are more warmish) properties like MLP, Transformers, and G.I. Joe, and the fact that they also own WOTC which (supposedly) is a quality PNP RPG company.

DarkKensai
2014-01-20, 12:30 AM
I kind of like the idea of something set in the universe of Mortal Kombat. There are a lot of varied skill and magical systems, and with the multiple worlds it seems like it could be a fun place to explore.

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-20, 03:03 AM
I just thought of a silly one. Ecco the Dolphin.

It's Call of Cthulhu. But the entire party is dolphins that has access to time travel.

Sith_Happens
2014-01-20, 03:39 AM
I just thought of a silly one. Ecco the Dolphin.

It's Call of Cthulhu. But the entire party is dolphins that has access to time travel.

http://media.tumblr.com/86b9c82e997dcb9efaa2200db47de57e/tumblr_inline_mrw28cB0W61qz4rgp.gif

EdokTheTwitch
2014-01-20, 05:01 AM
The Tales of the Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding could be easily adopted into a solid RPG. Unfortunately, I don't think many people have heard of them. It has airships, fighter pilot dogfights, a hivemind society of inteligent ghouls, and ritualist artificers that bind extradimensional, sound based entities into objects to give them certain powers, such as minor illusions, sickening aura, two way communication, and the like.

On a side note, I love it how every mention of FATAL, in whatever context, is bound to cause some sort of reaction on this forum :smallbiggrin:

aldeayeah
2014-01-20, 05:42 AM
Hardish SF: Asimov's Foundation, particularly around the time of Second Foundation, although other epochs have great potential too.

Contemporary fantasy: the Nasuverse (Tsukihime, Fate/stay night, Kara no Kyoukai...); some of the existing material already reads like a RPG supplement.

EccentricCircle
2014-01-20, 06:20 AM
What I'd really like to see is a Mortal Engines RPG. Its a kind of diesilpunk post apocalyptic future where a large part of the world's population have become nomadic, travelling around in vast Traction Cities, which prey upon each other, breaking captured towns down for spare parts and enslaving their population. Lots of people fly around in airships, searching for lost archeotech in the wastelands around the cities etc. It's the perfect setting for an RPG as it's distinctive and flexible. The GM can easily adapt their home town into a traction city, without too much difficulty etc.

I've also thought that while Narnia wouldn't make a particularly interesting RPG in and of itself the Magcian's Nephew has a lot of potential. Imagine a game set during the second world war, where Prof Digory, Peter Pevensie and a bunch of home guard soldiers are using the rings to travel to the woods between the world and explore all of the myriad world pools which Digory and Polly never got a look at in the book. It would be a bit like Stargate, except retro and with Aslan showing up from time to time.

SiuiS
2014-01-20, 10:33 AM
Maybe I'm not understanding you...

The purpose of turning an intellectual property into a game system is to have access to that property's unique attributes.

The only thing the foundation has over any other setting is a realistic military deployment structure. Else, why not just play world of darkness?


I just thought of a silly one. Ecco the Dolphin.

It's Call of Cthulhu. But the entire party is dolphins that has access to time travel.

I have never before in twenty five years of full cognizance been dissuaded from finishing a video game. But you) you've convinced me. I'm putting Ecco the dolphin to rest. No I'm not. Now I'm thinking about how far I got last time and it's just making me want to play...

Sith_Happens
2014-01-20, 11:11 AM
The only thing the foundation has over any other setting is a realistic military deployment structure. Else, why not just play world of darkness?

Then make it a setting book for World of Darkness. You seem to be under the impression that every hypothetical RPG in this thread has to be its own unique system, and I can assure you that is not the case.:smallannoyed:

Gadora
2014-01-20, 11:26 AM
Geneforge: It's got a reasonably detailed setting with plenty of room for further expansion. The powers are internally consistent, and the games ooze bizarre technologies. The biggest decision is deciding whether to go pre-Rebellion or post-Rebellion.

Jeff, I know you're busy trying to feed your family, but just do it for us. Pretty please?
Ooh... that and Avernum would both be pretty great to have.

While going through various franchises in my mind, I thought of one that would work very well.

Schlock Mercenary. It's been several years since I've read the comic regularly, but there's a very wide range of races, technology and factions within it. And best of all, weapons, armors, ships and lots and lots of unique and interesting locations. Plus mercenaries, which make for an ideal player character faction. Your goal: get paid. Preferably more than once.

Sadly, I seem to remember that there was a GURPS supplement discussed and abandoned. I want to say I heard it secondhand through my brother, so I could give him a poke to see if he recalls more than I, if you'd like.

The purpose of turning an intellectual property into a game system is to have access to that property's unique attributes.

The only thing the foundation has over any other setting is a realistic military deployment structure. Else, why not just play world of darkness?



I have never before in twenty five years of full cognizance been dissuaded from finishing a video game. But you) you've convinced me. I'm putting Ecco the dolphin to rest. No I'm not. Now I'm thinking about how far I got last time and it's just making me want to play...
Heh. That white text...


As for my dream game... I'd love it if C.J. Cherryh's Alliance-Union setting could get an RPG... possibly with sourcebooks for the various standalones, trilogies, aliens, and eras... I think I know someone who'd love a Faded Sun sourcebook, while I'd love to explore the core of the Alliance/Union/Sol space, or just play around in Hanni space...

SiuiS
2014-01-20, 11:34 AM
Then make it a setting book for World of Darkness. You seem to be under the impression that every hypothetical RPG in this thread has to be its own unique system, and I can assure you that is not the case.:smallannoyed:

I'm sorry, angry-face "it can be a supplement, doesn't have to be a complete game!" As a rebuttal to "it wouldn't work as a complete game"? Isn't that kind of severe?



As for my dream game... I'd love it if C.J. Cherryh's Alliance-Union setting could get an RPG... possibly with sourcebooks for the various standalones, trilogies, aliens, and eras... I think I know someone who'd love a Faded Sun sourcebook, while I'd love to explore the core of the Alliance/Union/Sol space, or just play around in Hanni space...

I like the one with the Mri, the sort of nomadic space mercenary tourag people. I base my generic halflings in D&D off them now.

Gadora
2014-01-20, 11:40 AM
I'm sorry, angry-face "it can be a supplement, doesn't have to be a complete game!" As a rebuttal to "it wouldn't work as a complete game"? Isn't that kind of severe?



I like the one with the Mri, the sort of nomadic space mercenary tourag people. I base my generic halflings in D&D off them now.

So I was right, and you'd love a Faded Sun sourcebook? :smallbiggrin:

Zombimode
2014-01-20, 11:46 AM
War Wind
Or any non-rules-light system, that blends archaic melee combat with modern military with futuristic weapons with magic with biomechanical augemtations with actually GOOD vehicle rules.

Sure, you could probably hack something together with Shadowrun or GURPS but I would prefer a product tailored to the setting (and setting material of course).

Qwertystop
2014-01-20, 02:01 PM
City of Angles. It's... confusing, and it's hard for me to give much explanation without spoilers (there's some big surprises right from the start). But I'll try.

There's this city, right? And buildings (plus anyone in them) just show up sometimes, no warning to either someone near the landing site or the imports themselves. Everyone there either turned up that way or is the kid of someone who did. The city, as you'd expect, is pretty weird because of that, though there are stable spots. Of course, that's just the main city. There's also Sideways - places where nothing quite works right. Doors connect rooms that have no business being connected, and if you turn around and go back you might end up somewhere else entirely. In the really weird places, you get stuff like repeaters - take a box off the shelf in some Sideways stationary store and the box is still there on the shelf after you've put it in your bag. If people get too messed up by all this, on the other hand, they come down with cubism - flickers and jitters and momentary repeats like a bad film projector. If that goes too far, you go Picasso. Picassos are twisted messes of people and whatever they were doing or thinking about at the time, all wrapped up in pretzel gravity. You, of course, will just be wondering why everyone keeps running away and screaming about giant gears and arrows and numbers - you just want to know what time it is!

Perseus
2014-01-20, 03:07 PM
Has anyone mentioned the old cartoon Reboot?

Also along the lines for Zombie games... The Last of Us could be an interesting game what with the spores and clickers/bloaters. This would be a very fatal game so perhaps an e6 3.5 or low level 4e game could work with it. I would mention 1e/2e but they are already that fatal haha.

Though The Last of Us would work as a campaign setting for another game I guess... Hmm I think I want to adapt it over to D&D sometime.

Super Paper Mario series would be fantastic as a tabletop RPG... Hell Super Mario RPG for that matter...

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-20, 03:17 PM
The purpose of turning an intellectual property into a game system is to have access to that property's unique attributes.
What about The Simpsons? You're rewarded with roleplaying xp for making your character flatter and more one-dimensional. Also, everyone must choose a phrase that they have to use as often as possible. Examples:
"Excellent."
"Hah-hah!"
"Hi-diddly-ho neighborino!"
"D'Oh!"

I have never before in twenty five years of full cognizance been dissuaded from finishing a video game. But you) you've convinced me. I'm putting Ecco the dolphin to rest. No I'm not. Now I'm thinking about how far I got last time and it's just making me want to play...
You're welcome. I remember that game, and 'Tides of Time' being brutally difficult. It's best not to let them challenge your sanity and controller stress tolerance.

CarpeGuitarrem
2014-01-20, 03:20 PM
While going through various franchises in my mind, I thought of one that would work very well.

Schlock Mercenary. It's been several years since I've read the comic regularly, but there's a very wide range of races, technology and factions within it. And best of all, weapons, armors, ships and lots and lots of unique and interesting locations. Plus mercenaries, which make for an ideal player character faction. Your goal: get paid. Preferably more than once.
Behold, straight from the mouth of Howard Tayler! (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23schlockRPG&src=hash&f=realtime)

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-20, 03:40 PM
Behold, straight from the mouth of Howard Tayler! (https://twitter.com/search?q=%23schlockRPG&src=hash&f=realtime)
That is great! The setting details alone have the potential to be quite interesting.

Sith_Happens
2014-01-20, 05:17 PM
I'm sorry, angry-face "it can be a supplement, doesn't have to be a complete game!" As a rebuttal to "it wouldn't work as a complete game"? Isn't that kind of severe?

Maybe the smiley was uncalled for, I was kinda tired at the time.


Has anyone mentioned the old cartoon Reboot?

No, and on behalf of the entire thread I sincerely apologize for that.:smalltongue:

CarpeGuitarrem
2014-01-20, 05:40 PM
That is great! The setting details alone have the potential to be quite interesting.
I'm also interested to see what Howard thought up for a core mechanic.

The Glyphstone
2014-01-20, 06:22 PM
I'm also interested to see what Howard thought up for a core mechanic.

As long as weapons receive a bonus from having an OMINOUS HUMMMMMMM, then I'm happy.

TuggyNE
2014-01-20, 06:59 PM
City of Angles.

The question is, how much of that can actually be mechanically expressed, given how very unstable the whole thing is, and how prone to unexpected developments and strange quirks?

I mean, just look at the very first Picasso they encountered and try to work out how that would go down in a game.

Qwertystop
2014-01-20, 07:28 PM
The question is, how much of that can actually be mechanically expressed, given how very unstable the whole thing is, and how prone to unexpected developments and strange quirks?

I mean, just look at the very first Picasso they encountered and try to work out how that would go down in a game.

So...
Doorknobs, that's probably a semirandom change in any nearby inanimate objects. The Picasso tries to <do something>. If it fails, a random thing happens in the general theme of that goal or potential solutions. This may or may not result in a solution immediately. It'd need a system with room for abstraction such that the GM covers the details - the random tables would probably be "X% chance for something relevant that produces no progress; X% for something relevant that produces progress; X% for something relevant that causes immediate success;" then the GM decides what actually happened.

Fire escape - similar, but undirected. Tends to result in a variety of interesting wanton destruction. Both can probably be rolled into one mechanic, where if the Picasso has a goal the randomness is relevant, and if the stuff is just nearby it's random twisting and rewriting.

The inability to see the thing straight - if it's not just fluff, it'd be a penalty to anything that requires focusing on it, or to everything while looking at it, depending on how major you think the disorientation is. Probably you can learn to get past it.

And then... if they can be calmed down/placated, they fade. Temporary or permanant, disappearance or recovery, that's probably case-by-case.

That cover it? Most of the weirdness is in the writing, not the mechanics.

TuggyNE
2014-01-20, 08:47 PM
So...
Doorknobs, that's probably a semirandom change in any nearby inanimate objects. The Picasso tries to <do something>. If it fails, a random thing happens in the general theme of that goal or potential solutions. This may or may not result in a solution immediately. It'd need a system with room for abstraction such that the GM covers the details - the random tables would probably be "X% chance for something relevant that produces no progress; X% for something relevant that produces progress; X% for something relevant that causes immediate success;" then the GM decides what actually happened.

That is pretty abstract, all right, and doesn't offer much at all in the way of consistency or interaction.


And then... if they can be calmed down/placated, they fade. Temporary or permanant, disappearance or recovery, that's probably case-by-case.

And how do you determine how to placate them, mechanically? This basically seems to be a lot of "free-form this enormous and crucial part of combat, and also this one, and also that", which seems, to me at least, somehow lacking.

Qwertystop
2014-01-20, 09:38 PM
That is pretty abstract, all right, and doesn't offer much at all in the way of consistency or interaction.



And how do you determine how to placate them, mechanically? This basically seems to be a lot of "free-form this enormous and crucial part of combat, and also this one, and also that", which seems, to me at least, somehow lacking.

Well, as far as the story goes, it can be more about exploration than combat. I'm assuming you've read most or all of it - Fighting Picassos is not the main point. I see them more as a puzzle-fight than a direct one, anyway - fire holds them back, but it won't kill them unless it spreads faster than they can flee, and they can flee in five directions at once and pick which they like best. It's really more a setting than a system.

More specifically, let's go through what interactions a person can have with a Picasso:

Direct physical contact. This results in bending and breaking.
Fleeing. That's where the random stuff I mentioned before comes in. If you want more crunch, it leaves difficult terrain or system equivalent behind when moving and has a % chance of overcoming obstacles on any given attempt. What it looks like is fluff.
Indirect combat: Projectiles are unlikely to work unless there's enough to cancel out the total inaccuracy. Fire will stop them, but unless you can actually light it directly under them they'll probably get away or go around. Explosives are all you've got that's probably going to kill them.
Containment: Firstly, you'd need to take them by surprise or use the bears. This means setting things up ahead of time, or having the occasionally-mentioned anti-Picasso foam which as best as I can tell is just overcoming them with sheer mass/volume of hardening globs of foam.
RP: This is where placating them comes in. Again, this depends on each Picasso individually. Since it's all RP, I don't see why it needs more rules than that.

Wraith
2014-01-21, 04:34 AM
Been looking through my old video games collection - there's loads of stuff in there that could make for a good RPG.

Golden Axe
Instead of race or class you pick your starting weapon - Light Sword, Heavy Sword, Battle Axe, Unarmed, Flail, Mace, etc - which sets your Fighting Style and then your Magical Affinity type.
Fighting Style determines what sort of special attacks you can perform - small weapons allow you to achieve extravagant things like Flying Kicks, larger ones restrict you to slower maneuvers like Shoulder Barging and Headbutts.
Killing an enemy with a special attack lets you roll a d6 - on a 1-3 nothing happens, on a 4-5 you gain a 1/4 Magic Pot and on a 6 you gain a 1/2 Magic Pot.
Magic Pots are saved up to use spells, when they are expended to cast your chosen magic type (Fire, Earth, Lightning, Shadow, etc) at whatever Rank of Power you want to use. Strong Fighting Styles let you carry much less Ranks of Power than weaker Fighting Styles, with balance being found in the middle. I'm thinking a 'Dice Pool' style system, Like Ironclaw or maybe Shadowrun.

You and your fellow adventurers must ride upon your faithful Bizzarrian mounts and defeat the forces of darkness in order to free the land of Yuria by wresting the legendary Golden Axe from the grip of the Death Adder.....

"Mimeep!" :smallbiggrin:

Streets of Rage
I'd use something like the White Wolf 'Street Fighter RPG' system. Everyone can pick their own fighting style, and as they build up their Inner Strength stat through acts of heroism it allows them to unleash their Ki and other special attacks as they patrol the city and take on the forces of Shiva and Mr. X.
....Mostly, I just want to play as a sentient Kangaroo and fistfight a bulldozer. :smallwink:

The Chaos Engine
Crazy Steampunk dungeon-crawling goodness.

Wonder Boy in Monster World
Players evolve into a selection of Man/Animal Hybrids, becoming more beastly as they gain experience until they become unstoppable atavistic Warriors.

Earthworm Jim
Seriously - just imagine what sort of PCs you'd end up with.
Yes. Oh God, a thousand times, yes.

Vanitas
2014-01-21, 04:54 AM
Streets of Rage
I'd use something like the White Wolf 'Street Fighter RPG' system. Everyone can pick their own fighting style, and as they build up their Inner Strength stat through acts of heroism it allows them to unleash their Ki and other special attacks as they patrol the city and take on the forces of Shiva and Mr. X.
....Mostly, I just want to play as a sentient Kangaroo and fistfight a bulldozer. :smallwink:

While I have used SF StG for that, nowadays there are two indie games that work a lot better: Final Stand (free) and Fight!!
There is also a brazilian system called 3D&T which is perfect for this.

Ravens_cry
2014-01-21, 05:22 AM
I'd love an Earthsea RPG. The magic system would probably work best with an Ars Magica varient, but it's such a wonderful world, not just the magic but the islands, the sea and ships, the bronze age Mediterranean, yet not Roman or Greek, feel to the place. Sadly, it will never happen. She's been burned to often by other licensed works. I mean, seriously ScyFy?

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-21, 07:09 PM
Thief (video game series): A vaguely medieval/steampunk-ish setting with a lot of originality and darkness. The setting favors anti-heroes (actual heroes, and not merely brooding jackasses). Essentially, this would be "Rogue: The Game".

Cronus
2014-01-21, 08:02 PM
I'd like to see the Cat (Psion/Catspaw/Dreamfall) series from Joan D. Vinge as an RPG.

DarkKensai
2014-01-21, 08:10 PM
Thief (video game series): A vaguely medieval/steampunk-ish setting with a lot of originality and darkness. The setting favors anti-heroes (actual heroes, and not merely brooding jackasses). Essentially, this would be "Rogue: The Game".

That could be a lot of fun. I was just thinking of Dishonored(Video Game).

Sith_Happens
2014-01-21, 08:51 PM
That could be a lot of fun. I was just thinking of Dishonored(Video Game).

I'm pretty sure Dishonored was heavily inspired by Thief.

DarkKensai
2014-01-21, 08:53 PM
I'm pretty sure Dishonored was heavily inspired by Thief.

It was. That's why i mentioned it in a reply to a Thief suggestion. I just haven't played as much Thief as I have Dishonored.

CarpeGuitarrem
2014-01-21, 09:29 PM
Thief (video game series): A vaguely medieval/steampunk-ish setting with a lot of originality and darkness. The setting favors anti-heroes (actual heroes, and not merely brooding jackasses). Essentially, this would be "Rogue: The Game".
Not to be confused with Rogue: the RPG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_(video_game)), which is basically BECMI D&D. :smallbiggrin:

SouthpawSoldier
2014-01-22, 01:12 AM
Slight Aside: Serenity RPG vs Firefly RPG.

So, my understanding is Serenity RPG was published back in 2005. A few updates/new editions, and a few additional materials followed.

Firefly RPG is due out in Feb, according to MW Productions (LOVE the fact that one of my favorite authors as a kid is publishing game material). Supposed to be an upgrade (Core Plus vs Clore Classic) to the system, so on so forth.

And yet today in Barnes & Noble I saw a BIG game box titled "Firefly". Contents listed cards, but no real details on the game. How many Firefly games are there?

CarpeGuitarrem
2014-01-22, 01:20 AM
Slight Aside: Serenity RPG vs Firefly RPG.

So, my understanding is Serenity RPG was published back in 2005. A few updates/new editions, and a few additional materials followed.

Firefly RPG is due out in Feb, according to MW Productions (LOVE the fact that one of my favorite authors as a kid is publishing game material). Supposed to be an upgrade (Core Plus vs Clore Classic) to the system, so on so forth.

And yet today in Barnes & Noble I saw a BIG game box titled "Firefly". Contents listed cards, but no real details on the game. How many Firefly games are there?
Was it this game (http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/138161/firefly-the-game), by any chance? That's the recently-licensed board game what premiered at GenCon, as I recall.

Lanaya
2014-01-22, 05:52 AM
Hard to work out rules for ambient magic, though. Academic would be simple enough, but when it's "pick a non-abstract noun, get magic based on it," it becomes kind of tricky to make rules.

Tortall might be easier - especially with the built-in power limitations that explicitly allow massive amounts of power with the downsides of backlash and inability to do small things. Gives you quite a range and doesn't prevent big things or non-magicians.

It would be very difficult. I've tried to write up rules for it before and failed utterly. But hey, this is a thread largely for unrealistic dreams. As for Tortall, I don't feel it's substantially different from a fairly generic D&D 3.5 type setting, except that the only spellcasters are wizards who have easy access to healing magic on top of everything else, and a very small number of very weak druids, plus one super powerful one. There are a few differences, but nothing that couldn't be achieved with five minutes of houseruling D&D.

SiuiS
2014-01-22, 09:47 AM
So I was right, and you'd love a Faded Sun sourcebook? :smallbiggrin:

Yes! Faded sun, that's right. Sorry, recognized the author but didn't see the right keywords to remind me of that specific trilogy.


City of Angles. It's... confusing, and it's hard for me to give much explanation without spoilers (there's some big surprises right from the start). But I'll try.


Cool.

That actually sounds like it's doable in the Demon: the descent.


What about The Simpsons? You're rewarded with roleplaying xp for making your character flatter and more one-dimensional. Also, everyone must choose a phrase that they have to use as often as possible. Examples:
"Excellent."
"Hah-hah!"
"Hi-diddly-ho neighborino!"
"D'Oh!"

I am confused as to how this originates from my post?


Maybe the smiley was uncalled for, I was kinda tired at the time.

It's all good. I understand those moments ^^


It would be very difficult. I've tried to write up rules for it before and failed utterly. But hey, this is a thread largely for unrealistic dreams. As for Tortall, I don't feel it's substantially different from a fairly generic D&D 3.5 type setting, except that the only spellcasters are wizards who have easy access to healing magic on top of everything else, and a very small number of very weak druids, plus one super powerful one. There are a few differences, but nothing that couldn't be achieved with five minutes of houseruling D&D.

Tortall actually seems like an e6 variant to me.

BeerMug Paladin
2014-01-22, 01:46 PM
I am confused as to how this originates from my post?
It's the first thing I thought of when you said that the purpose of a property having its own rpg mechanics was to do something that would be unique to that intellectual property. Or rare for others to do.

And for some reason, The Simpsons and Flanderization just popped into mind first. And I wondered, what if Flanderization was the goal of an rpg system? And once I thought of that, I had to suggest it.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-22, 06:51 PM
Not to be confused with Rogue: the RPG (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogue_(video_game)), which is basically BECMI D&D. :smallbiggrin:

What is BECMI?

AuraTwilight
2014-01-22, 07:45 PM
"BECMI" refers to the Frank Mentzer 1983 edition of Basic, Expert, Companion, Masters, and Immortals Dungeons & Dragons.

Urpriest
2014-01-22, 10:17 PM
Dune would be tricky to make an RPG for, since the setting is full of very explicit power levels. You can't rise up because your power is based on your breeding, and you can't even use subtle tactics to defeat more powerful people because a big component of power is tactical skill and foresight. It would have to be split up into a bunch of different RPGs like 40k, or have a mechanic like Ars Magica's Mages and Companions.

Speaking of that mechanic, I could see a Girl Genius (Webcomic) hack of Ars Magica with the Spark replacing the Gift, and the PCs playing an ensemble cast of minions and their Spark masters. The research rules could even be largely the same.

China Mieville's New Crobuzon Trilogy (Books) would make a pretty cool setting, there was a Dragon that had some material based on it back in the day. His more recent-ish book Kraken is interesting in terms of how belief dictates reality, it's an old theme that several RPGs employ but I can't think of any that does that magic system justice.

Recently I've been thinking of a Starcraft (video game) RPG-oid, specifically where one plays as a semi-independent agent in the Zerg. For the most part, Starcraft doesn't get a chance to get into the whole "evolving new abilities to meet challenges" and "creative biological solutions to problems" angle, and only does a little of the "conquering enemies via infestation" angle. A tabletop RPG would be flexible enough to actually cover that sort of thing, though it might need a more nontraditional structure.

AMFV
2014-01-22, 10:19 PM
Dune would be tricky to make an RPG for, since the setting is full of very explicit power levels. You can't rise up because your power is based on your breeding, and you can't even use subtle tactics to defeat more powerful people because a big component of power is tactical skill and foresight. It would have to be split up into a bunch of different RPGs like 40k, or have a mechanic like Ars Magica's Mages and Companions.

Speaking of that mechanic, I could see a Girl Genius (Webcomic) hack of Ars Magica with the Spark replacing the Gift, and the PCs playing an ensemble cast of minions and their Spark masters. The research rules could even be largely the same.

China Mieville's New Crobuzon Trilogy (Books) would make a pretty cool setting, there was a Dragon that had some material based on it back in the day. His more recent-ish book Kraken is interesting in terms of how belief dictates reality, it's an old theme that several RPGs employ but I can't think of any that does that magic system justice.

Recently I've been thinking of a Starcraft (video game) RPG-oid, specifically where one plays as a semi-independent agent in the Zerg. For the most part, Starcraft doesn't get a chance to get into the whole "evolving new abilities to meet challenges" and "creative biological solutions to problems" angle, and only does a little of the "conquering enemies via infestation" angle. A tabletop RPG would be flexible enough to actually cover that sort of thing, though it might need a more nontraditional structure.

Actually the evolving to meet problems sounds like it could be used as an RPG in its own right even without the Starcraft stuff. I would certainly play such a game.

Isamu Dyson
2014-01-22, 10:45 PM
I believe Steve Jackson Games is working on a Girl Genius supplement (http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/books/girlgenius/) for GURPS.

AMFV
2014-01-22, 10:47 PM
I'd love an Earthsea RPG. The magic system would probably work best with an Ars Magica varient, but it's such a wonderful world, not just the magic but the islands, the sea and ships, the bronze age Mediterranean, yet not Roman or Greek, feel to the place. Sadly, it will never happen. She's been burned to often by other licensed works. I mean, seriously ScyFy?

Seconded.

That and the Belgariad are my favorite books that have never been into RPG settings as far as I am aware. Narnia would be interesting as well, There's an ICE solo adventures module set for it, but I'm not sure how poorly or well developed it is.

Amaril
2014-01-23, 01:04 AM
Has anyone mentioned Discworld yet? Pretty sure I saw someone bring it up earlier on. I just finished The Color of Magic, and one of my first thoughts was "man, this would be a perfect D&D setting!" I mean, wizards pretty much already use Vancian casting and spell slots, how common is that in fantasy settings?

SiuiS
2014-01-23, 02:20 AM
It's the first thing I thought of when you said that the purpose of a property having its own rpg mechanics was to do something that would be unique to that intellectual property. Or rare for others to do.

And for some reason, The Simpsons and Flanderization just popped into mind first. And I wondered, what if Flanderization was the goal of an rpg system? And once I thought of that, I had to suggest it.

That makes sense, although I wouldn't say flanderization was a goal in any normal sense.

Man. I think I played that, actually. It was called "D&D with twelve year olds". Every female PC used the catchphrase "I become a hooker, how much gold do I get?" :smallsigh:


What is BECMI?

Basic had the rules for levels 1-3, expert had rules up to level 8-ish from memory, champion had rules for the teens, master went up to either 24 or 36, and immortals allowed you to turn in your feeble mortal powers to ascend to godhood and join the games of celestial chess.

The whole of it, sans immortals, was compiled into the rules cyclopedia I believe, which is widely regarded as the best edition of dungeons and dragons that isn't 3e, both because it is complete and also functional, where older systems and even 3e have some glaring holes and RAW weirdness.

That's all from memory though, check with your local experts with citations before taking My Opinion. There may be, as with all pills to swallow, side effects.

Raine_Sage
2014-01-23, 03:09 AM
One setting I would adore running is Fallen London previously known as Echo Bazaar which is an excellent browser game that's a little different from most other browser games in that you're not trying to rack up loot or achievements but you're literally playing to see the stories your qualities unlock.

The Premise is that the city of London has been "stolen" by bats (seriously) and dragged underground by an entity known as the Bazaar and overseen by the Masters which are vaguely humanoid abominations always hidden under heavy cloaks. By the time your character arrives the inhabitants of London have more or less adjusted to life underground and you embark on your own personal ambition which is the reason you came to the Neath in the first place.

The problem is, considering the story is "drip fed" to the players, and that the story is the only reason to play, the developers don't have any reason to publish a lore book or anything a DM could use to introduce new players to the setting quickly. You could basically only play with people who had already been playing the browser game for months if you wanted to try and transplant the setting into say FATE core or another narrative focused system.

I think there was a plan at one point for development of an official system for the game but it fell through for a couple different reasons.

CarpeGuitarrem
2014-01-23, 11:32 AM
I keep meaning to put together a Fallen London game, using GUMSHOE as the basis. It'd have a very substantial GM section that explained how to build your own lore and tie it together, avoiding the "gradual lore flow" problem quite handily. Since GUMSHOE is all about discovering the answers to mysteries, it'd be a great fit. It'd actually let you mimic that same dynamic of unlocking and uncovering lore.

(You're also correct; John Harper and Vincent Baker were collaborating on Knife & Candle, but it fell through. I think a lot of it was coordination issues between the two of them.)

Raine_Sage
2014-01-23, 02:58 PM
I keep meaning to put together a Fallen London game, using GUMSHOE as the basis. It'd have a very substantial GM section that explained how to build your own lore and tie it together, avoiding the "gradual lore flow" problem quite handily. Since GUMSHOE is all about discovering the answers to mysteries, it'd be a great fit. It'd actually let you mimic that same dynamic of unlocking and uncovering lore.

(You're also correct; John Harper and Vincent Baker were collaborating on Knife & Candle, but it fell through. I think a lot of it was coordination issues between the two of them.)

Ahh that would be lovely. I've been playing for a year and I've only just now found out what the spiders are doing with those eyeballs. Yeah I heard a combination of coordination issues, the fact that they were an indie dev mostly interested in it as a side project, and on at least one of the developer blogs they mentioned "Being very protective of their cannon" which is usually artist code for "too much was getting changed."

Ivellius
2014-01-23, 03:52 PM
What I'd really like to see is a Mortal Engines RPG. Its a kind of diesilpunk post apocalyptic future where a large part of the world's population have become nomadic, travelling around in vast Traction Cities, which prey upon each other, breaking captured towns down for spare parts and enslaving their population. Lots of people fly around in airships, searching for lost archeotech in the wastelands around the cities etc. It's the perfect setting for an RPG as it's distinctive and flexible. The GM can easily adapt their home town into a traction city, without too much difficulty etc.

Oh, I really like that setting. You have a pretty long period of time in which you could set games, several different factions...it could be fun.

No one's suggested Runeterra (fictional world of League of Legends)? There's all sorts of weird things in that setting, although the focus of the game would likely have nothing to do with the titular organization.

CarpeGuitarrem
2014-01-23, 04:18 PM
Ahh that would be lovely. I've been playing for a year and I've only just now found out what the spiders are doing with those eyeballs. Yeah I heard a combination of coordination issues, the fact that they were an indie dev mostly interested in it as a side project, and on at least one of the developer blogs they mentioned "Being very protective of their cannon" which is usually artist code for "too much was getting changed."
Ah, okay.

Also, things certainly start to tie together the further you get. (I've reached 165+ on all of my main stats, and there's quite a lot of stuff that's going on, plus the conjectures that I've picked up from other players on the forums. Case in point...I've been on the trail of Jack'O'Smiles long enough that I've discovered the truth behind him.) Another reason GUMSHOE would be awesome, especially with structures like in Night's Black Agents--where you build up a conspiracy that gets uncovered (and toppled) by the players.

Piratecat
2014-01-28, 10:46 PM
Another reason GUMSHOE would be awesome, especially with structures like in Night's Black Agents--where you build up a conspiracy that gets uncovered (and toppled) by the players.

I'm hip deep in the Conspyramid for another project I'm doing, and I'm continually amazed by how well it works in a conspiracy game. It's one of those great concepts that transcends GUMSHOE or Night's Black Agents. I even yoinked it for my D&D game.