The rose-colored glasses of nostalgia may not be my current prescription, but I remember us clamoring for licensed RPGs whenever a new one came out. Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Star Trek, even the Masters of the Universe Game, we wanted them and the game companies... kinda put them out.
As I got older, it felt like every two-bit author's book series or fifth-tier TV series could get one. It's continued with all these Common Use and Open Source licensing, that everything that has a fan base has there own game, supplement, or ancient Yahoo! group.
So what's left that the role-playing community to exploit?
Favorite Media You Wish Was an RPG?
Kid's Stuff.
Outside of some generic Saturday Morning Adventure RPGs, there are few properties that have gotten any respect? I mean, GI Joe? He-Man? Transformers? All perfect for serialized adventures, just like most of us still play, but don't admit to it. (Note: Please don't send me links to a Transformers RPG using GURPS Vehicles, GURPS Robots, and GURPS Mecha unless you want me to join a terrorist organization and target your home first.)
But going beyond the nostalgic cartoons, the modern stuff has potential for play with a generation of potential gamers who can't yet spell nostalgia.
Disney, listen up! Your cartoons on Disney Jr are perfect for imaginative play, and definitely suitable for role-playing.
Octonauts
We have a large, diversely talented team, a great setting (underwater), and a perfect standardized plot each episode for excitement, danger, and a little education along the way. While each normal episode revolves around primarily Captain Barnacle, Qwazi, and Peso, I hope to tweak Scavengers' Danger Points system to force those characters to rest for an episode or three while the other secondary characters get their moment to shine.
As I got older, it felt like every two-bit author's book series or fifth-tier TV series could get one. It's continued with all these Common Use and Open Source licensing, that everything that has a fan base has there own game, supplement, or ancient Yahoo! group.
So what's left that the role-playing community to exploit?
Favorite Media You Wish Was an RPG?
Kid's Stuff.
Outside of some generic Saturday Morning Adventure RPGs, there are few properties that have gotten any respect? I mean, GI Joe? He-Man? Transformers? All perfect for serialized adventures, just like most of us still play, but don't admit to it. (Note: Please don't send me links to a Transformers RPG using GURPS Vehicles, GURPS Robots, and GURPS Mecha unless you want me to join a terrorist organization and target your home first.)
But going beyond the nostalgic cartoons, the modern stuff has potential for play with a generation of potential gamers who can't yet spell nostalgia.
Disney, listen up! Your cartoons on Disney Jr are perfect for imaginative play, and definitely suitable for role-playing.
Octonauts
We have a large, diversely talented team, a great setting (underwater), and a perfect standardized plot each episode for excitement, danger, and a little education along the way. While each normal episode revolves around primarily Captain Barnacle, Qwazi, and Peso, I hope to tweak Scavengers' Danger Points system to force those characters to rest for an episode or three while the other secondary characters get their moment to shine.
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