busyDead Inside
This is a game of loss, redemption, and supernatural horror. The premise is that the characters have lost (or sold, or broken, etc.) their souls and must either regain them or grew new souls. By following their Virtue and doing other positive things, they gain soulstuff, which can be used towards re-ensoulment or to fuel various mystical activites. By giving in to their Vice or doing other negative things, they lose soulstuff -- which goes to their Shadow, the instinctive part of their nature. Cooperation helps all the characters progress faster; too much competition and roughhousing slows character growth.
Dead Inside is variously cool, creepy, inspiring, sublime, terrifying, and wondersome; often in the same session. It can be played along a spiritual, mythic, psychological, supernatural, or horror angle; or you can adapt it to something else. The only potential drawback is that the premise might be a little too heavy for younger players, and some people aren't too keen about mixing spirituality and gaming. This game is ideal for experienced players who want something truly different. Yet the PDQ rule system is simple and intuitive enough that it can be taught to a new player in a few minutes. If you want a fast, flexible game with a unique premise that will actually make you think ... this is it. Most highly recommended.
Truth & Justice
This superhero game captures the essence of why we love superheroes in the first place: the "mad, beautiful ideas" that distinguish comic books. The characters are, of course, superheroes. By behaving in proper heroic style, and using their Powers creatively, they can earn Hero Points to do even more cool stuff. The manual describes classic comic book tropes and styles, explaining how to set the mood and tone of a campaign and design characters to suit the different styles -- all inspired by different periods in actual comic book publishing history. Whatever your favorite style is, you can assemble it.
Here the PDQ system supports the kind of things that superheroes can and should do. They even get rewards for going along with horrifying plot developments when the bad guys trick or trap them. This makes it more fun than frustrating for players to go along. The system's inherent flexibility works beautifully with the comic book worldview, allowing players to do wildly imaginative things -- darn near anything that fits the character. You don't have to know any specific superhero stuff to play this game, but for best effect, you do need a thorough familiarity with the genre. If you want a colorful, dynamic game that will make you feel 12 again ... here it is. Highly recommended.
A number of freebies are available on the Atomic Sock Monkey site. These include the collected vignettes used as examples in Dead Inside, a preview and sample characters for Truth & Justice, the original core PDQ rules and the spiffy new PDQ# rules for the forthcoming Swashbucklers of the Seven Skies. That's enough to give you an idea of the game flavors. Have fun!
October 26 2008, 17:38:53 UTC 12 years ago Edited: October 26 2008, 17:48:02 UTC
I'll be employing something similar in my next PBEM RPG if I opt for one of the comedy themes for the setting. 'Course, the Hero Point idea might be a good one to get heroics going in ANY system.
Hey, that reminds me of one of the few ways to earn Force Points in the old West End Games Star Wars RPG, where if you were spending a Force Point to do something extraordinarily benevolent (i.e. running across an open landing field with blasters blazing, so you could distract the platoon of stormtroopers long enough for the remaining Rebel soldiers to sneak inside the detention building to rescue a critical prisoner, would count), you could not only earn your original one back, but even earn and extra.
Oh, and then there's the LOTR tabletop game where one player is Sauron (the 'game master') and the other characters all play Hobbits having to try and get the One Ring to Mt. Doom. Each Hobbit has special abilities they can use, and each Hobbit can take up the Ring if the current Ring Bearer is in danger of losing it to Sauron. It's a very cooperative action based games where, yes, players do often sacrifice their characters for the benefit of the group.
Hmm...
October 27 2008, 02:23:05 UTC 12 years ago