31 Questions for Barking Alien - Question 13

Whoa, Question 13 falls on a Friday the 13th? Sooo spooky! Except I don't have any specifically spooky questions. Bummer. Oh wait, I do have something awesome though...

Activate...The Omega 13!

Question #13 comes from Carl Stark, who Never Gives Up and Never Surrenders!

What RPG system would work best for a Galaxy Quest one-shot or campaign?

The YouTube channel RedLetterMedia recently featured Jack Quaid (Huey on THE BOYS and the voice of Boimler on Star Trek: Lower Decks) as a guest for a video discussing Galaxy Quest, which is apparently one of Jack's favorite films. It's very funny and if you're a fan of the movie, of Jack's, or RedLetterMedia's material I highly recommend checking it out.

It immediately got me reminiscing about the times I've run Galaxy Quest RPG games, including looking through my old notes. This question popped up in my email the next day. Kismet!

It's a hell of a thing.

On to the subject at hand...like Jack Quaid, I LOVE this movie. It is definitely one of my all time favorites and as I mentioned, I've run both a short campaign and a few one-shots of Galaxy Quest over the years and honestly it's some of my best work and the most fun I've had as a GM. The trifecta of Science Fiction + Comedy + Star Trek Parody/Homage is simply made for me. It's also an IP and I do love me some IP gaming. 

The system I've used in the past has been my modified version of Teenagers from Outer Space by R. Talsorian Games, which I refer to as 'Advanced TFOS'. The main difference is that I switched the D6 for a D10. Additionally, I added special abilities for each of the roles on the ship - Commander, Doctor, Engineer, Operations, Pilot, Science Officer, and Security/Extra - and character types such as Feature Alien (originally Token Alien), Background Alien, and Prodigy. I go into more detail on this homebrew in these three posts:

It's a Hell of a Thing

By Grabthar's Hammer, We Live to Tell the Tale

This Fine Ship, This Fine Crew

If I were going to run Galaxy Quest today, I might not use the same system (more on that in a moment) but I would definitely incorporate the special abilities I attributed to each 'Job' or ship's position. Those unique capabilities, such as the Commander's 'Overdramatis Persona' and Security's 'Glorified Extra', have been lauded by my players and blog readers alike as the key to making a Galaxy Quest game feel like the Galaxy Quest movie. 

What set of rules would I use if not my variant of TFOS? Well, there are actually a lot of options. I've considered using Starships and Spacemen, Far Trek, or even Star Trek Adventures.

While it may seem strange to suggest Star Trek Adventures, it being 'too close to the source material' as it were, keep in mind that STA has a published 'Lower Decks' supplement. It is certainly possible to use this system to facilitate a comedic campaign. I've used it to run a Lower Decks game as well as The Orville, so theoretically it would seem appropriate for Galaxy Quest. The role abilities I mentioned could become Talents I suppose and Momentum might be renamed 'Fanmail' or 'Star Power'. Threat can be 'Interference', as in interence from the studio execs. 

A note: When I've run Galaxy Quest previously, I've done so with the assumption that the PCs are characters living in the universe of the mock TV series. I don't directly incorporate the Meta nature of the characters being played by actors on a show but treat it the way most people treat playing a Star Trek or Star Wars RPG. 

However, outside of the events happening in-game the players and I have joked about the actors, episodes, writers, and the special effects budget for the series. I would describe it by saying that during 'Time Out's we are aware its a television program and during 'Time In' we are unaware of that and it's the 'real world' for the PCs. 

Honestly, after all this recent discussion about the film I decided to watch it again and damn it holds up perfectly. I'd really love to run it again if given the opportunity. 

AD

Barking Alien

RPGaDay Challenge 2023 - Day 8

 

My previous response to the same question covered my favorite Player Character of my own creation. This time I'll talk about one of my favorite Non-Player Characters that I've come up with.

I considered discussing a favorite PC from one of my players over the years or NPCs another GM created but there are other blog challenge events where those might come up. Forgive me for indulging my own materials would you? Thank you. You're too kind.

OK, favorite NPC of mine. Here goes...

BARKLEY! 

Barkley is essentially the mascot character of this blog, the quintessential, literal interpretation of a 'Barking Alien'. He started life as an impromptu NPC created during the first session of what would come to be my one and only Galaxy Quest homebrew campaign way back in 1999.

Since then he's appeared as a Non-Player Character in different variations for games set in such universes as those of The Orville, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Traveller. He shows up on this blog from time to time as either the voice of reason when I go off ranting or he allows me an outlet to voice my opinions in an intense but humorous manner while 'Adam' remains calm and collected.

Lastly, Barkley's image is part of the logo for Barking Alien Productions and is seen quite often here on the blog in many alternative iterations to liven up the text of a a given post. 

So what makes him my favorite character? Well, that's tricky to explain, as no two versions of Barkley used in my games are exactly the same.

Traveller Barkley is a retired Vargr adventurer who claims to be a member of a 'rare sub-species' with green fur hailing from either deep within or far beyond the Extents depending on the day you ask him. His is a restaurant/bar owner, a collector of rare objects and information, and is a generally good natured fellow on the side of whomever or whatever most benefits the safety of himself, his business, and his space station home.

Star Wars Barkley owned and operated a landing bay and repair shop on the planet Gardine in a role akin to that of Peli Motto on The Mandalorian. This incarnation of Barkley was of an unknown species and seemed a bit more shifty than Traveller Barkley, though definitely less conniving than the original, Galaxy Quest Barkley. 

In each and every variation he tends to be clever, charming, a bit on the sly side, and usually self interested (at first at least). He is also shown to be good natured and willing to help others as long as it also helps (or at least doesn't harm) him. Over time, his true goodness always comes through even if he refuses to ever believe the universe doesn't revolve around him. 

Say the post is over Barkley.

"The post is over Barkley."

Thanks, pal.

"Your welcome. Now let's talk dinner. What are you making us?"

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Barking Alien

 

A Day To Remember

I woke up this morning to a link shared by one of my close friends and fellow gamers to this youtube video by The OG GM's Adventures discussing his latest entry into the RPGaDay 2021.

In it he tackles the prompt 'Translate' by mentioning the Goblin Slayer RPG translation and the fact that he not only feels he doesn't need one but also, paraphrasing 'Do we need any IP made into a full game or can they just make a system-agnostic sourcebook/sourcebook for an existing generic system?'

This seems like the perfect subject to address today for my 44th Anniversary in the TRPG Gaming Hobby! That's right guys, gals, non-binary pals, and all entities across the multiverse - I have been gaming since August 25th, 1977! Woohoo! What a long, strange trip it's been as the Grateful Dead might say.

Barkley celebrates his own way. 

On to the subject at hand...

The OG GM says that we don't really need a whole, $75 dollar RPG to run most IPs. They don't need their own game but rather Sourcebooks, not unlike those that go along with GURPS.

For those less familiar, GURPS is a generic rules system with numerous Sourcebooks that can be 'plugged in' to support using the basic system with a variety of different genres, settings, and IPs. There is a GURPS Japan for running in the Feudal/Medieval periods of Japan and a GURPS Lensman for running games in the universe of E.E. 'Doc' Smith's Space Opera hero. 

When you think about it, do we need an entire Goblin Slayer RPG, a Dragon Prince RPG, or a Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi) RPG - which I am working on in my spare time - Muwahahaha! Spare time! That's hilarious. - when they (game designers and publishers) could just put out less expensive Sourcebooks so you could play these IP settings using Dungeons and Dragons, Savage Worlds, or some generic game system or other?

A good question and one that relies largely on preference and taste. Certainly if a publisher put out a Goblin Slayer Sourcebook for D&D I'd buy it but it wouldn't be what I want. I don't like D&D...or Savage Worlds or GURPS or most other generic games for that matter. It would only be useful to me in the source material it provides. I would still have to find or make a system with which to run the game. 

What I would much rather have - and I feel this is the point that OG GM misses - is a game tailor made to emulate the IP in question. I don't like the idea of forcing a square peg of Star Trek or Star Wars into a round shaped Savage World hole. It almost never works out well. I would go out on a limb as to say it can never work as well as a set of mechanics built around the IP for the end goal of creating a game that truly feels like it fits the particulars of the setting.

I am currently in love with the ALIEN RPG system from Free League Publishing and think it would be awesome to adapt it or at least parts of it to Ghostbusters. On the other hand I haven't thought about adapting it to Superheroes or Cowboys. What makes the game special IMHO isn't the same as what makes those other genres special.

Finally, I totally understand not wanting to shell out $75 dollars for a new RPG when you already have a bunch of RPGs in your library. Of course, I hope you don't have just one or two in your library. You would need to have at least a dozen or so to be thinking/feeling this way I'd imagine. Otherwise, you are greatly limiting yourself. That is just my opinion of course. I am into variety and the idea that there is yet another new RPG coming out always interests me. It interests me even more when it's based on something I like. 

If WotC announces a new supplement for D&D I barely pay it any mind (that's being gracious actually). If its announced that there is a Anime-themed supplement for Cortex, I will likely give the page a read. If Dicebreaker says, 'River Horse Publishing, makers of the Labyrinth Adventure Game is doing a Dark Crystal Tabletop RPG' I am immediately putting money aside. That bad boy is mine. 

Basically, I want more game options not less. Sure it would be nice if games were less expensive these days but that's why I don't buy everything. I buy what interests me. Funny enough, there are many IP based games that do.

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Barking Alien

Twelves Years of Barking Alien!

Today is the day!

Happy Anniversary to BARKING ALIEN!

Apparently silk is the popular gift for a 12th anniversary

so I decided to get Barkley a silk kimono.

I think he looks pretty good in it don't you?

My first post to the Barking Alien blog was posted February 23rd, 2009. It seems like forever ago. At the same time, didn't I just do an entire month of Muppets RPG posts? No, that was 2011. Oh geez. What about the first Thorough Thursday entry? That couldn't have been too long...2015, huh? The first Campaigns I Have Known post was 2016?

Wow.

As I noted at the beginning of the month, it really has been a long, strange trip. I wouldn't change it for the world (or perhaps worlds). Thanks to this block I've made a number of great friends both in-person and online, been mentioned in blog articles in Spain and Poland, run official demo games at conventions, been involved in events and YouTube interviews, taught at a tutoring center using games, and published my very own RPG.  I've gotten to speak with some amazing bloggers, brilliant game designers, and a host of truly creative people who really love this hobby. 

I want to thank and give a special shout out to Charles A, Lord BlackSteel, Tim Knight, and the incomparable WQRobb, who have gotten me excited to keep going when I wasn't sure I should. Likewise I thank JB, Jeff Rients, and Noisms for their continuing inspiration and dedication to gaming and blogging. If I hadn't read yours, I might not have created mine. 

I also need to thank the friends, players and GMs in my life who make this pastime what it is. I heartfelt hug to AJ, Alex, Andy, Arthur, Carl, Chris, Craig, Dan, David, Esmeralda, all the Erics, Jeff, John, Joseph., Keith, Leo, Lynn, Marcus, Mark, Mike, Nick, Ray H., Selina W., Will C., Will L., and far too many others. 

Finally, a posthumous salute to those we've lost in the past dozen years who I could among the greatest gamers I've ever had the privilege to know: David Cotton. Allen Halden. Peter Hernandez III. I miss you guys so much. 

With that, here's to another twelve years and new horizons...

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Barking Alien

Shameless Self Promotion!

 Hi Ho Everybody!

This has been a very difficult year and I wanted to do something to lift myself out of the overwhelming feeling of malaise that has gripped me since this past April. Additionally, I wanted to re-invigorate my love of all things RPG and a little off kilter. 

Lastly, not going to lie, I need to make some extra scratch as my business has been hurt badly by our current global health crisis. 

So...

I have just updated my game, The Googly Eyed Primetime Puppet Show, available on Drivethrurpg!

The updated version corrects numerous spelling and grammar errors, clarifies certain rules, and adds in a few sample Puppet Characters to go with the Series Pitches / campaign ideas that are included in the book. 

I've been meaning to do this for some time now. I decided to do it now for all the aforementioned reasons plus one - I intend to make new product! 

I wanted to use this moment to announce my upcoming series of system-agnostic, Sci-Fi RPG e-booklets, 'The Barking Alien Guide Series' TM, beginning with 'The Barking Alien Guide to The Neraida Sector' TM.

Each product will showcase the planets in an area of space that can easily be placed into your Sci-Fi/Space Adventure game of choice. Within its pages, Barkley - the titular 'Barking Alien' himself - serves as your travel guide introducing you to each worlds' points of interest, native flora and fauna, culture, cuisine, and possible adventure opportunities. 

The idea is provide Gamemasters and players with worlds to discover and explore whatever their default theme or setting.

Maybe you have an adventure planned but haven't thought of an environment to set it in. Perhaps you are itching for an outing on a desert planet but you're not sure what to do once you're there. Peruse one of these galactic gazetteers and find your next stop for excitement, intrigue, and the best deep fried Szor'riz this side of the Pleiades Star Cluster! 

Stay tuned for more and keep it together anyway you can. 

We'll get through this. 

Peace and Love,

AD

Barking Alien

I Ship It

"We're going to need to repair the fuel tubes on that Nova 3-Z. No, no, the one in Bay 5. She took a heck of a beating back in...Oh Hello! Sorry, I didn't see you there. Happy Western Civilizations of Earth Solar Cycle to you!

Yes it's me, your ol' pal Barkley. Hmm? What am I up to? So glad you asked.

One of the interesting features of the Barking Alien Blog is our Space/Time Interphase Capacity Ket-Yield, or 'S.T.I.C.K.Y.' Hangar Bay, and Orbital Dock facilities. These unusual launching, landing, storage, and maintenance yards allow Adam to store every starship he has ever used in a Role Playing Game campaign.

No it's true!

Why everything from the very first faster-than-light vessel he ever used as a character to the Leviathan Class Heavy Cruiser from his upcoming The Orville game is docked here in S.T.I.C.K.Y. fleet yard facilities. 

Periodically throughout the year, Adam will be featuring one of these beauties on the blog in one of his irregularly regular features. This new one, entitled STARSHIP SUNDAYS, will give you information on the many galaxy-spanning space vehicles Adam and his players have featured over the last 40+ years.

Well, I'd love to chat with you some more but these ships don't stay in tip-top working order all by themselves. As it happens I'm covering for the lead Dockmaster Droid who's currently on leave. His wife had twins! Isn't that wonderful! No, I don't understand how it's possible either.

Hope to you see you again soon!

AD

Barking Alien

Additional Notes:

In this series I will showcase the interstellar (or even interplanetary) space vessels that have appeared in RPG games I've run or played in.

Just to be clear, a lot of these were ships used by the PC party in a campaign I ran and are therefore not original designs. Some are, but a lot of them are ships from the respective universes the campaigns were set in. For example, the PCs in a Star Trek game might have used a Miranda Class or a Nebula Class, vessels I certainly didn't come up with.

At the same time, I won't be covering the ship classes overall but the specific ship we used and what made it unique and special. 

I will also be discussing craft that my own PCs commanded. A lot of my Sci-Fi PCs have had ships, from one-man starfighters, to freighters, to the big capital ships. When I play SF games my desires are pretty simple; I want to be an alien and I want to own, or at the very least serve on a starship. Everything else is just icing on the cake. 

Joy to The World

Welcome to December, the last month of 2017, the year that marks my 40th Anniversary in the Role Playing Game hobby. Wow. The year feels like it flew by at light speed. 

This was a year of big changes for me. I moved, my business picked up finally, and considerably, one relationship ended, another has begun, and I've done a lot of gaming. A lot. A butt load honestly. 

This blog has been a bit neglected though as a result of all these other things, and while that bums me out a bit, the aforementioned events needed my attention more than this did. Barking Alien is fun, and even therapeutic, but it doesn't pay the bills. 

Now the holiday season has arrived, and I am still incredibly busy. A good thing too, as I know things will get very quiet in a week, or two. With the additional time off I may be able to game some more, and even blog a few times. We'll see.

What I am getting at here is don't be surprised if you don't hear too much from Barkley, and I until January. I'm focusing on real life, and enjoying doing so (a far cry more than I have over the past several years). 

When Barking Alien returns to its regularly scheduled programming, (such as it ever is) expect to see a lot of Sci-Fi/Space Adventure material. I've been missing Science Fiction, and related gaming a lot and I'm heavily inspired to get back to it in a big way. 

I intend to go more deeply into my gaming ideas based on The Orville TV Series now that Season 1 is complete, and I'm sure Star Wars: The Last Jedi will add fuel to the fire that's been burning in me to revisit that galaxy long ago, and far, far away. 

Until then, I want to wish everyone, and everything a very happy, and healthy holiday, regardless of the holiday, or tradition you follow.

Joy to the World,

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Barking Alien

November Has Come

Hey gang!

Adam and Barkley here at the Barking Alien Blog to welcome you to the month of November, and what we're going to focus on this month.

Excellent! What are we going to focus on?

What? I thought...I thought you knew.

Me? Why would I have that kind of information?

The blog is called 'Barking Alien'. You're the barking alien.

Oh no. No, no, no. You're not laying this in my lap mister. First...technically...I don't have a lap exactly...and second, we knew going in that this site is your baby. I'm just the help.

Wonderful. 

Look, don't get discouraged just because your out of post ideas...

I'm not out of post ideas. I'm not. How long have we known each other? I'm never really out of ideas for posts, I just...I don't know what I actually want to take the time to talk about. 

I'm running two campaigns right now, a Star Trek Adventures campaign titled, 'Star Trek: Prosperity', and a homebrewed Superhero campaign based on 'My Hero Academia' called, 'My Hero Academia: American Ultra'. 

I'm also playing in three campaigns. A modified Powered by the Apocalypse Wizard World Game - 'Hogwarts: Ravenclaw' - , a Kapow! Superhero game featuring our original team, 'The Wardens', and a bi-weekly (or so) Star Trek Adventures campaign titled, 'Star Trek: Excalibur'. 

That's a lot of gaming! So what's the problem? You have tons to talk about.

Yeah, but I don't really want to play-by-play report on all of those. If I talk about some, why not others? It's just not the mood I'm in blog wise.

Geez. Fine. What do you want to talk about?!

I don't know! It's like...it's like when you're really hungry, and you're at the supermarket, and you can't decide what you want to eat. Know what I mean?

No. I'm a extraterrestrial dog. If I am hungry enough, the boots on your space suit are just fine. By the way, you need new space suit boots. Just FYI.

*Sigh* I need something to spark my drive to post. Something I haven't done before, or in a while. I'm thinking, if I can find my catalyst, everything else will fall into place. 

You need a theme for the month...an angle.

Yes! Precisely. I will probably talk about other things as well, but a theme will help me focus my thought. If you look back at August of this year, and the RPGaDay Challenge, I made 42 posts even though there were 31 questions. The challenge got me writing, and coming to the blog so I did an additional 11 posts. I need something like that.

OK, so how's this...

Hey there Barking Alien enthusiasts, viewers, and visitors! 

For the month of November, 2017, the Barking Alien blog will be answering questions from our audience! That's right, ask any question, and Adam and I will answer it to the best of our ability.

Did Adam ever co-GM a game, with two GMs running simultaneously? What is his favorite snack food? How many times has a starship named Bonhomme Richard been destroyed in his Star Trek games? (Answer: Every time).

Not a bad idea. I can still post whatever comes to mind, but I will also post responses to ideas from my fellow gamers. It also ties into my 40th Anniversary, answering questions about my gaming interests and experiences as we head toward the end of 2017. I love it! Thanks Barkley! Good work ol' friend. 

No problem chum. That's why I'm here. That, and the free food. 

Well, this might turn out to be an interesting month of posts after all...

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Barking Alien

Creeping It Real

Boo!

Did I scare you?

It's October, and you know what that means don't you? Autumn's arrived, the air has cooled, and the leaves have turned to russet hues. Soon, sooner than we think, All Hallow's Eve will be upon us!

Barkley here and yes, I know it's been some time since you've seen me, but I've been extraordinarily busy of late. 

Oh indeed! I have been scouring the fringes of time, and space, and that one dimension, you know, with the goopy stuff, surely you know it, yes? - anyway, I've been searching for new content for Adam to post to the Barking Alien blog, and low and behold I have!

This month, in addition to whatever posts should strike Adam's fancy, he will be posting various Halloween themed games, adventures, and the like which have come across our paths over the years. 

To be a bit clearer, the Halloween themed posts will include things like...

• Halloween Themed Star Trek, Superhero, and other sessions I've had over the years
• Ideas and Mechanics from my new RPG, Unfinished Business
• Running, and Playing Comedic Horror Games

There may be other Creepy, Kooky, Mysterious, and Spooky things this month, so you'll have to keep checking. 

Until then...Fangs for coming by! 

Muwahahahaha!


Barkley
Barking Alien

ALIEN VACATION...REIMAGINED

My ALIEN VACATION theme for this month's A-to-Z Blog Challenge? Well...

I'm reimagining it.

The truth is, I reimagined it starting from the very first post.

What I actually want to do is go back to my original idea. For some reason that I can't explain, for the first post of this series I wrote something that was not really what I wanted, or intended to write.

Unfortunately, once I wrote it, and posted it, it soured my enthusiasm for continuing. I knew what I wrote was not what I'd originally envisioned, and [honestly] I kind of hated it. As a result as I put off the project. I lost my focus, and my excitement over the whole thing. I'm sensitive that way.

To fix this situation I am declaring a do-over.

The old 'first entry' has been deleted.

What follows is the new first entry, and my proper attempt at completing the A-to-Z Blog Challenge for 2016.

Thank you for your time, and sorry for any confusion.

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Barking Alien

The A-to-Z Blog Challenge: GALACTIC LAMPOON'S ALIEN VACATION!

It's April again, and you know what that means don't you? It's time for me to fail the A-to-Z Blog Challenge.

Yep, this time every year for the past few years I attempt to join the long, and varied list of bloggers who partake in the A-to-Z Challenge, only to find I am unable to complete it. Repeatedly. You'd think that after a while I would give up, not bother, and save myself the hassle.

You'd think.

Well, the fact of the matter is...

The fact of the matter is we're out of here!

Barkley? Where've you been lately? I was just making a post introducing this year's A-to-Z Challenge.

Yes, I heard as much. Sounds like a hoot. Luckily, it's not a concern. You my dear friend, and I, are going on vacation!

Vacation?

Vacation! I took the liberty of packing your bag for you, I have the blog on standby, the Emergency Holo-chronal Adam has been activated, my cousin has promised to come by three times a week to feed the unnamed horror living on Level 25M, and we are good to go!

What?...I can't. I have to...

Non-sense! One month, that's thirty days or so, traveling the galaxy aboard a Happy Hunting Tours star cruiser. I've rented us a personal exploratory saucer which can launch from the mothership, fly around for a closer look, or even land on any of the various planets the tour will visit.

We...we're going to other planets?

Yessiree! It's going to an incredible adventure! Just you,and me old chum (and the hundred or so other passengers on the star cruiser)! We're going to go to different worlds, see the creatures there, sentient life if there is any, and maybe check out some ancient ruins from bygone civilizations. That's more for you. I know you love that stuff.

Plus, the Happy Hunting Tours vessel has over a dozen restaurants from around the cosmos, at least five cantinas, three nightclubs, a zero-gee handball court, three swimming pools (although only one has Human safety compatible conditions), and much, much more. You are going to see, and do so many amazing things...

That I'll have tons of material for the A-to-Z Challenge! Barkley, you're a genius!

Well, I don't know about being a genius. Smart yes, and dashing for sure. I...wait a second. No, no, no! This isn't about...

This is perfect! It shows here on this computer pad that I can alphabetize the trip's itinerary. That means an A-to-Z listing of all the aliens, sites, food, EVERYTHING!

  "Not what I had in mind..."

Oh boy...

Barkley my friend, I don't know how to thank you.

Neither do I.

I can't wait to get started!

A-to-Z Blog Challenge across the Milky Way, here we come!

*sob*

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Wait...Happy Hunting Tours? Hmmm...

Oh, by the way...

This is the 1000TH POST ON BARKING ALIEN!!! WOOHOO!

The Blog Awakens

There has been an awakening. Have you felt it?

 

I sure have.

May The Spoilers Be With You

BK-2187

 

Maybe.

Greetings one, and all! Welcome back to Barking Alien, and a very Happy New Year 2016 to everyone!

I took a break from posting at the end of last year in preparation for, and immediately following, my viewing of the new Star Wars film, The Force Awakens.

Having seen the movie twice now, I want to share my thoughts about it, but almost more importantly to me, what the movie means to my future outlook on gaming.

Star Wars is a franchise that, with one exception*, all my friends mutually enjoy, and find to be an exciting, and fun setting in which to run a role playing game. Be it a one shot, or a campaign, it's usually not difficult to get people to play Star Wars.

The prequel films, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith, put a damper on enthusiasm for the IP, but many true believers never lost faith. They were rewarded for their dedication with an excellent cartoon series in the form of Clone Wars, to be followed by an equally amazing CGI animated Clone Wars program. Going further forward, the follow up CGI series, Star Wars Rebels, had a weak start, but in this viewer's opinion quickly came into its own to become a wonderful new addition to the Star Wars universe.

In addition, the franchise was well supported in the role playing game market by Wizards of the Coast, followed not long after by Fantasy Flight Games. While neither company made the game I wanted to run, and play, they certainly contributed to keeping Star Wars alive**.

As I've mentioned before, I came to this new movie with great trepidation. I did not like the prequels one bit. Furthermore, I find J.J. Abrams to be a poor director, and storyteller. Early on, back when The Force Awakens was first announced, I was pretty certain (and pretty sad) that it would be awful.

I am happy to say I was wrong, and pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

Barkley Dameron

 

I assume.

 

I enjoyed this new movie because it did the one thing that the prequels, and much of the expanded universe novels, comics, and RPG materials often failed to do, and that is...Feel like Star Wars.

The Force Awakens gets what Star Wars is.

*** SPOILERS ***
  

Gone are midichlorians, intricate politics, unclear enemies, and kids who can't act. Instead, we have both young, and old adult characters, a clear-cut, fascist regime led by a power mad General, a Magical Black Knight, and an evil Wizard-Priest, and a weapon powered by a Sun!

Science?

Feh. Spaceships zoom as easily in an atmosphere as they do through the stars. Aliens come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Guns shoot bolts of light and go pew, pew!

Politics?

Feh. There is a good government, and a bad one.

Complex villainy?

Feh. The bad guys? Faceless armored goons, led by a spooky, mystical fellow with a fiery sword who answers to an even spookier mystical fellow. Done.

For me, the keys to Star Wars are:

• The Engine is Fantasy, the Chassis is Pulp, the paint job is Science Fiction.
• The overall plot is sweeping, and heroic. The details are in the characters.
• Don't over complicate it.

This film, unlike the prequels, nails all that down.

Now, for some it hits the nail a bit too squarely on the head. A number of people, including a couple buddies of mine, were disappointed by The Force Awakens, feeling it was far too similar to the first film, A New Hope.

I can't really argue against that assessment. The new movie is very much a homage to the original, and many of the plot elements, themes, and story beats are virtually identical. However, it is an excellent homage. In addition (although my friends may disagree) I think it brings in a few new ideas we haven't seen before. In fact, it brings with it a sense of nuance that doesn't defy what I said above, but rather enhances it.

We see a Faceless Minion of Evil become neither evil, a minion, nor faceless.
 
We get a sense that the Magical Black Knight is a natural with magic (The Force in this case), but his 'knight' skills could use some work.
 
The Magical Black Knight is tempted by goodness. That's certainly a bit different.

The oft mentioned 'Space Pirates', a staple of Space Opera adventure stories, are rarely if ever actually seen. In this film we see Space Pirates. Two groups.

And there's more...did I mention the diversity? No? 'Cause one of the major new characters is a woman, and another is Black man, and both are freakin' awesome.!

It's not just the main characters either. Look around this new Star Wars universe, and you will see men and women of varying ethnicities. It's about time too! 

Bay on Jakku.

 

It is too.

What does this all lead up to you're wondering. A good question, and one I've asked myself repeatedly over the holiday 'break'***.

Then it came to me.

With a single individual* aside, my mainstay group of players are up for some Star Wars gaming. However, I've long since known that they like a little more crunch, and mechanics in their games then I do. I'm not sure Star Wars D6, a game I know and love dearly, will feel right to them. In addition, I know of a Science Fiction game they already like so much they are willing to start a new campaign of it right after ending a three year long one with the same system.

This got me thinking...new Star Wars film...new year...new approach and attitude...but just like The Force Awakens, a sense of the familiar. A reach back to the nostalgia of my old games, a leap forward to embracing a new era with my current group.

Barking Alien proudly presents, my latest harebrained scheme...

Stay tuned. The saga continues...

May The Force Be With you,

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Barking Alien

* I have one close friend, a member of my Barking Alien Gaming Group who at the age of 30something, has only seen the original Star Wars film once. He has seen none other the others, nor any other Star Wars related animated series, comic, or game. I'm serious. He is a geek through-and-through, yet he does not know Star Wars.

I can't even.

** And yet...Elements of the original West End Games Star Wars D6 RPG have found their way into the prequels, many of the books, and the animated series. The second season episode of Star Wars Rebels entitled 'Wings of the Master' is literally the WEG Star Wars adventure module 'Strike Force Shantipole'.

How come none of the other incarnations of Star Wars tabletop gaming have added material to the mythos of the franchise in the same fashion? I have a number of theories of course, but in the end it boils down to what I discussed above. West End Games 'got it' more than any of the others. They just understood Star Wars better.

***Yeah, no. I did not actually take a break, or get a vacation of any kind. I did have a number of really light work days however as my clients were all on vacation, and one moved away. Between Christmas Day and New Years Day, things have been very quiet on the business end, affording me more time to game.

A silver lining if ever there was one.

Funny Business

While Adam attends to our guests in the Green Room, I would like to take this time to introduce a very special surprise for the studio audience, and the viewers at home. Coming to you all the way from the Trailing Extensions of the Whirlpool Galaxy comes the great seer, soothsayer, and sage, Carnac the Magnificent!

Thank you Mr. Barkley, thank you. May the filthy soap scum of a thousand bathtub rinses avoid your private parts.

Thank you Carnac, you are too kind.

Now then, I hold in my hand a set of envelopes. As a child of four Earth cycles can plainly see, these envelopes have been hermetically sealed. They've been kept in a #2 mayonnaise jar on Funk and Wagnalls' back porch on Earth West-38 since noon today. No one knows the contents of these envelopes, but you, in your borderline divine and mystical way, will ascertain the answers having never before seen the questions.

THAT...is correct.

Very good. Here is the first envelope.

The answer is..."Expedition to the Barrier Peaks."

Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.

The question..."What is the term for attempting to look at your wife, or girlfriend's bosom, while her parents are in the room."

The next envelope.

The answer is..."Fire, Fusion, and Steel."

Fire, Fusion, and Steel.

I just said that. The question is..."Name three things easier to swallow than Donald Trump running for President."

I hold in my hand...er...paw, the last envelope. Here you go.

The answer is..."Nasty, Brutish, and Short."

Nasty, Brutish, and Short.

The question is..."Describe the history, as you understand it, of comedic RPGs."

A [Very] Brief History of Humorous Tabletop Role Playing Games,

By Adam Dickstein

 

I haven't had time to do a lot of research, and as such, I am unlikely to be as thorough as Lowell Francis is when he does his 'History of...' posts (which are oddly not tagged in such a way that you can just pull them up. A tag of History would make them much easier to search for IMHO).

The very first commercial RPG with a purposely humorous focus, as far as I can tell, was called Alma Mater. It was produced in 1982 by a company known as Oracle Games. Supposedly, the art for the game, by Dungeons & Dragons legend Erol Otus, so deemed so offensive, the game was banned from the GenCon.

I don't think the game was overly popular, as I've never heard much talk about it, hadn't seen a copy until much, much later, and it's definitely not one any player I've played with regularly has ever mentioned.

And I've played with a pretty diverse bunch.

One could certainly argue that Alma Mater was preceded by another game with a distinctly humorous tone. That game was Ken St. Andre's Tunnels and Trolls. While not specifically a comedy game, Tunnels and Trolls, first published in 1975 by Flying Buffalo, Inc., had a rather tongue-in-cheek attitude to many of its elements, including spells with names like 'Take That, You Fiend', and 'Hidey Hole'.

Furthermore, Flying Buffalo put out another game called Monsters! Monsters!, in which PCs turn the tables on the traditional Fantasy character dynamic by playing the creatures that live in the dungeons being invaded by adventurers.

Over the next few years, no significant entry into the field of humorous RPGs is even made. Role Playing Games, into the early-to-mid 80s, are serious business.

Thankfully, that all changed with the arrival of Toon in 1984.

The story goes that the idea for the game originated with artist, and Villains and Vigilantes co-creator Jeff Dee. Dee was with Greg Costikyan, as well as other game designers, trying to figure out what genres where not yet covered in the field of RPGs. Dee suggested a RPG based on Cartoons. The rest of the assembled talented said, although a great idea, created a system for such a game would be impossible. A few years afterward, with the help of Warren Spector, Costikyan created Toon.

Greg Costikyan is, in some ways, the unofficial father of the humorous RPG. In addition to Toon, Costikyan was also a key designer on Paranoia from West End Game, which came out in the same year, 1984.

While the ball was now rolling, the next two entries were licensed games, and so their popularity may have been more closely tied to their IPs, at least initially. Palladium's Teenager Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness, and West End Games' Ghostbusters were hits, and while no where near as big as the big boys like D&D, Call of Cthulhu, or even Traveller, the gaming consumer had spoken, and been heard loud, and clear. Comedy games were a hit.

Proof positive was the fact that it didn't end there. Not by a long shot. Teenagers from Outer Space, Macho Women with Guns, Tales from the Floating Vagabond, HoL and many, many more followed. A not really complete, though decent list can be found here.

The independent publishing movement of the last 10 years, or so really helped in this area as well. Some of my personal comical RPG favorites such as The Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men, Doom and Cookies, and the recently released Spirit of 77 were all made possible by the indie game boom.

Interestingly, since this is something I am going to discuss in a later post, not all this humorous games are billed as comedy RPGs. Spirit of 77 is very funny, but it isn't sold as a humorous game. Likewise, HoL, and Doom and Cookies can be quite dark, though this is a definite comedic tone to them.

Well, that's about all I want to say on the subject for now. I highly recommend looking into the history of comedic RPGs, and Role Playing Games in general, as it is some fascinating stuff.

I highly recommend:

The Designers and Dragons series and Heroic Worlds by Lawrence Schick. Also Age of Ravens of course, as Lowell does a bang up job in this regard.

Thanks for watching! Now, back to our show...

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Barking Alien