Happy Little Bluebirds Fly

I do believe I nearly missed the opportunity to wish a dear friend a happy birthday. Well that just won't do. Not at all, not at all. 

Happy Birthday to The Wizard of OZ!

According to my information, the 1939 film was officially released on August 25th, 1939. However, for reasons I haven't yet been able to determine, most of my friends who are celebrating the occasion seem to have posted their well wishes yesterday. 

I am doing it today, as is proper in my opinion, and once again thinking how cool it would be to run a campaign set in the wondrous land of Oz and it's surrounding world once again.

Ah, maybe some day soon.

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Barking Alien

Direct Hits

Yes folks, I know this one is late. OK, really late. My plans for the close of my September theme had to take a backseat to my Real LifeTM, which just got a lot more interesting. I am soon to be the owner of my own business. Details coming soon.

The next few posts are not all I have to say on the subject of comedic RPGs by a long shot, but they are all you're going to see of the theme month gimmick for September. As we are now into October already, I want to switch to my next theme, Horror, and Fantasy.

Just like September, I am going to play fast, and loose with the overarching motif, so some remaining material from September may yet find its way into the new month of posts.

***

My next guests first hit the scene in 1987, where they found a niche with fans looking for a different kind of sound. Not truly indie, they were also not emulating the bands that were topping the pop charts at the time. In many ways, they were very much a part of the new wave movement of the late 80s.

Here promoting their self-titled album, sentients and sophonts across the cosmos, please give it up for our musical guest...

Teenagers From Outer Space!

 

'Ride On Shooting Star'
From the Anime FLCL, or Furi Kuri
By The Pillows

I've said it before and I have no problem repeating it here:

Star Trek is my favorite setting to game in.

Star Wars D6 by West End Games is my favorite system.

Superheroes is probably the genre I've run the most at this point.

 

Teenagers From Outer Space however, that's the game that has my heart; green, eleven-valved, and methane producing as it might be.

Over the last twenty-eight years that the game has been in existence, I have easily run Teenagers From Outer Space, or TFOS, dozens upon dozens of times. Sometimes, I've even used it to run Teenagers From Outer Space!

Yeah, I'll explain...

I've told this story before, but about a day after reading the rules for TFOS, I modified them by changing the D6 standard to a D10 standard.

In addition to giving the game a bit more range, it made the system more compatible with R. Talsorian Games' other 'Interlock System' games, such as Cyberpunk 2013/2020 and Mekton. Other advantages to this alteration included facilitating some additional house rules, and homebrewed sub-systems, as well as making TFOS adaptable to outside systems, most notably Ars Magica (more about that below).

At a Japanese Pop Culture convention in 1995 or 96, I met with the editor of R. Talsorian's V-Max Magazine, a house periodical dedicated to Anime, Manga, and gaming with a lean toward their Anime related titles. I described to him my modified Teenagers From Outer Space game, which I had come to call 'Advanced TFOS'. He loved the idea, and had me work it up as a full article for V-Max. Unfortunately, RTG folded up the magazine before the article could see print.

While I'm not a huge fan of universal systems (believing a game's mechanics should be tailored to the game it's supporting), I do have a scant few games that I believe can be used for a wide variety of genres, subgenres, and settings. My Advanced TFOS, and even standard TFOS, are among the most versatile, and effective in my opinion.

The main reason is their simplicity. TFOS is a Stat + Ability/Skill + Roll system, with very little else going on to get in the way. Perhaps my favorite idea in the game though, is that if you roll too low, you fail, if you roll the difficulty number or higher you succeed, but if you roll too well...it can end up backfiring on you royally. Exceed the required difficulty number by more than double, and things can get out of control. It is recommended that the GM embellish the success to the point of extreme, over-the-top, you'll-wish-you-failed-the-roll, comedic annoyance.

 

As I mentioned, I've used the 'Advanced TFOS' rules to run a plethora of games, including several set in my homebrewed campaign setting of Blast City Blues. The Blast City Blues universe is similar to the default idea for TFOS but my variant allows for more character and story options. Magical Girls in stylized sailor suits, Giant Robot Pilots, adolescent Cyborgs, and Psychic School Kids can all be found somewhere in the milieu of Blast City.

 

However, the default premise of the game isn't what I want to address with this post so much as what else can be done with the system. As the focus of September's entries are comedy games, I would like to tell you all about some other humorous trips I've taken using this very versatile map as a guide.

 

Some of my most successful alternate uses of TFOS include:
  

Galaxy Quest

 

My first Galaxy Quest game, a one shot that turned into a campaign (that became a phenomena! Um...yeah), was originally based on my Advanced TFOS rules. I added the Jobs, and Character Types, and the rest is history. It was a hell of a thing.

Near Miss

A Science Fiction Comedy campaign very much in the vein of Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy meets This Is Spinal Tap.

The PCs were members of a musical group of misfit aliens travelling around the universe getting into one crazy mess after another. The name of the band, Near Miss, was also the name of a garage band I was in with some buddies from high school (who were incidentally the players in the group plus one, or two others).

Neo-Tokyo Crimebuster - Furiransu Keikan

Using a hybrid of the Advanced TFOS rules, and the rules of Mekton II (foolishly trying to make the R. Talsorian 'Interlock' systems actually interlock), Furiransu Keikan (roughly, Freelance Police) was an Action/Comedy set in a cyberpunk future where various corporations police various regions. Citizens are welcome to chose, and pay for whichever 'Law Enforcement Provider' they wish.

The PCs represented a small-ish, independent police precinct trying to make a name for themselves in the crime ridden, high tech city of Neo-Tokyo. Inspirations for the game included (but were not limited to) Dominion Tank Police, Blade Runner, Mobile Police Patlabor, Barney Miller, and Starsky and Hutch.
 

Once Upon The End of Time

A Science Fiction Time Travel/Action-Adventure/Murder Mystery campaign inspired by my friend Avram Grumer in which the entire plot is revealed in reverse order, starting from the end of the story in the first session.

 
Each session afterwards was set a few days to several months before the previous one. The last adventure had the players joining the Time Patrol, and being confronted on their first mission by their older more experienced selves who were out to stop the campaign villain's creation.

Wizard of Oz - End of the Rainbow

 

I ran a campaign set in L. Frank Baum's Oz and its surrounding magical lands using my Advanced TFOS system crossed with (get this) Ars Magica. A significantly simplified Ars Magica to be sure, the combination of the two worked incredibly well. I was very happy with the outcome and would love to try running it again.

 

***

 

I haven't played, or used the game in quite some time, and that is a shame. Not just because I love it so much, but because I feel it's the kind of game my Barking Alien Gaming Group could really get behind. So why haven't I brought it to bear with my regular gang? Well, it goes with something I am hoping to bring up in a future post, but in all honesty, I may just say to hell with it, and do it. We've been experimenting with the occasional one-shot comedy game here, and there recently, so there is no reason we couldn't give it a go.

We're going to pause one last time for a commercial break, but we'll be right back after this...

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Barking Alien

 

Belated Happy Birthdays to Groucho Marx (Oct. 2), Jim Henson, and Steve Whitmire (Both born on September 24th!). 

I've Got A Lot To Say

Actually I really do have a lot of stuff I want to post today but time is limited so I will simply start with this small, low content, largely just for fun post and get to the really meaty stuff later.

Mmmm...meat.

Anyway, today is the birthday of two very creative, very clever people who have been major inspirations to me throughout my life.

The first is L. Frank Baum, the imaginative writer of the Oz books. The second, yet by no means coming in second, is my Mom. Happy Birthday Mom!

I still need to continue the recapping of our recent Champions adventures but I'm in less of a rush since this coming Saturday I will be get a break. I am handing the GMing reins over to my friend and player Ray (Professor N in our Champions game) who will be running a one shot Marvel Heroic RPG Event. All I know is that it involves a very particular period of X-Men history, takes place in New York City and somehow involves Spider Man and the Morlocks. Woohoo! I am actually excited to play. Who'da thought?

What else, what else...oh yeah...so this coming August 25th marks 35 years that I've been gaming. Thirty-Five. Wowzers. I want to do something special and I have an idea but it's not full fleshed out so stay tuned for more on this story as it develops.

That's all the time we have for now. I have this idea for a post I've been wanted to write for a few days now and I think (I hope!) I will get the chance to post it tonight.

Til then, have a great day everybody!

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Barking Alien

The Birth of Inspiration

I wanted to take this opportunity to cheer for two of my major inspirations, both of whom celebrate their birthdays today.

Happy Birthday to L. Frank Baum, creator of Oz and so many other fantastic flights of fantasy fancy and of course, My MOM!

That's right kids, my Mom's birthday is today and she rocks so Happy Birthday Mom!

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Barking Alien

O is for Oz and it's Emerald City

We leave the world of nightmares for a strange land located somewhere between dreams and fairy tales. Beyond the rainbow, at the end of the Road of Yellow Brick, lies Oz.

Welcome to the Emerald City.

I have noted before that L. Frank Baum is one of my literary heroes and I've been fascinated with the land of Oz and it's nonestic neighbors since I was very young. A more perfect setting for a role playing game of magic, faeries, dragons, wizards, and witches I can not fathom dear reader. While I have read the likes of Tolkien, Vance, Howard, Moorcock, Lieber, and many others that make up the foundation of modern medieval fantasy fiction and gaming, none of those writers do it for me the way Baum, Carroll, Byron, Yates, Aesop, and the Grimms do.

Now in regards to gaming in the Land of Oz, there are several interesting options. First and foremost I would have to recommend Adventures in Oz, the Oz RPG by the talented F. Douglas Wall and art by a variety of skilled illustrators including yours truly (ah the joys of the shameless self-plug). This is a good choice because aside from being one of the few if not the only RPGs truly based on the source material and its unique style (more on that in a bit), I can vouch for the fact that it's an Oz game by an Oz fan. Doug Wall and those that provided additional material for this game are individuals who care about and have a deep passion for the original stories and making sure the tone is right.

This is not Wicked or an American McGee take on the setting but a faithful tribute to Baum and the wonderful world, at once both whimsical and exciting, that was created over 100 years ago. That is an IP with staying power if ever I've seen one. While Adventures in Oz retains the darker aspects of the setting, it doesn't dwell on them. There are games that focus more on those elements but sometimes in doing so they lose the charm of OZ, that American fairy tale nature that is easy to perceive but difficult to explain.

As with other settings I enjoy, this isn't one where killing your enemy, finding gold, or becoming more powerful are primary goals that drive the PC's lives. Everyone in Oz gets what they need as far as food and a place to stay. No one gets sick and no one ages. These are adventures about hope, love, helping others, overcoming problems, and vanquishing evil because it's doing bad things to people who you care about.

Also in the same category is the Zantabulous game The Zorcerer of Zo, an Oz-But-Not-Oz RPG created by those wacky guys over a Atomic Sock Monkey. I recommend this game as it too captures the correct atmosphere, and interestingly enough lends itself quite easily to adaption of non-Oz settings that hold the same general mystique such as Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Bridge to Terabithia, and the like.

Obviously I can't pass up the chance to suggest using Faery's Tale Deluxe or a modified Teenagers from Outer Space. I actually used a mix of TFOS and Ars Magica (yes...TFOS and Ars Magica. Do not question me! The Great and Terrible Adam has spoken!) to run my Oz campaign those many years ago.

Now this being a Monday I am predisposed toward mentioning the Muppets somewhere and there were certainly instances where Oz and the Muppets crossed over.

A number of instances in fact. Most notable of course was The Muppets Wizard of Oz, which had some elements unchanged from the books that were altered for the famous MGM movie. In the Muppets special The Muppets Go to the Movies there is a different take of the classic story. In addition, Fozzie alone makes the mistake of thinking the Tin Man is a character in Wonderland in the Muppet Show episode featuring Brooke Shields.

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Barking Alien

You Can't Always Get What You Want

I am a little disappointed that my last post didn't get as many comment responses as I was hoping for. Perhaps I didn't quite pitch it correctly. The idea was 'What game would you want to run if it was strictly your choice without having to worry about your players' interests, opinions, tastes, etc.'

Since I run games to entertain my audience as much as myself, this question has a fairly large impact on my thinking. I'm always concerned about what my group will like and what kind of campaign best suits their preferences. As I've stated elsewhere, player input has a major effect on my plots and subplots as well as the type of adventures I design.

In the case of my running Hunter Planet for example, I don't think that game would go over well in NY. My New York crew is a bit 'too serious' and has trouble getting behind games whose premise is humorous from the start. It addition, I can't see them all playing weird aliens. Most likely you'd get very Human looking Star Trek types.

My NJ group could play this in a heartbeat. My lord it would hit the ground running and never look back. The issue here is I've promised them a serious game as a 'change of pace' from our usual comical endeavours.

So Hunter Planet, like so many other crazy Barking Alien ideas, goes back into RPG limbo for now. I will continue to tweak it and add to it and when the time comes I will unleash it on an unsuspecting world. For the time being however, I'll put it aside with my OZ campaign, FIENDish, and the like. I'm sure they all have much to discuss.

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Barking Alien

31 Flavors of Vanilla

As someone who enjoys many different rules systems and game settings, I often get very frustrated with playing the same old thing again and again. While I would love to be part of a long term campaign that lasts for years and years, at this point in my life I'll be lucky if my friends and I can get together a few times a month for a whole year. If this is going to be the case (as it has been for some years now), I want to expand my gaming horizons and try some new flavors instead of the same old vanilla.

It seems however that when a campaign ends and/or something new is called for, the vast majority of players and GMs default to the same games. Usually its some incarnation of Dungeons & Dragons or the D20 System. Superheroes games see a lot of activity in the circles I travel in and I am a big fan but even then too much of a good thing can lead to boredom with the genre. World of Darkness used to be a common default but not so much for my groups over the past few years and rarely the one I find to be the most intriguing of the series, Changeling: The Dreaming.

I long for someone other then myself to run something strange, different and new. Mouse Guard, Faery's Tale Deluxe and Spirit of the Century would all be a welcome change. Alternatively, something ol' school and classic would be nice too. I haven't played Call of Cthulhu in forever. Nor have I had the opportunity to play Cyberpunk, Shadowrun (any edition) or Gamma World in recent memory.

Now, what I would like to point out if it was not particularly clear is that these are games I'd love to play. I consider myself about 90% Gamemaster and 10% Player, prefering to GM the vast majority of the time. In part, it is because I know I will run something different from time to time. This is occaisionally met with a little initial resistance. Many players my age don't want to learn a new system. A lot of my current players are GMs as well and seem to prefer games where this fact gives them an advantage during character creation (yes, for the first time in 25-30 years I have min-maxers and powergamers - slay me).

Also, many of the game ideas I enjoy and have run for full on awesome campaigns in the past are viewed as not 'serious' enough by my current peers (Faery's Tale Deluxe, Mouse Guard, Oz) without really giving them a chance. So my thinking is, if my ideas are too 'goofy' for you, please come up with something yourself. Unfortunately, at least for me, the response to that is usually, "OK. I've got an idea for D&D...". To which I often reply, "Zzzzz..."

Well, my hope is that things will improve as I try to introduce new ideas to the groups and see if anything sticks. Already a few of my players and fellow GMs are looking at games they may not have looked at before. The chance to run something truly unusual may still be a ways away but at least I can look forward to more variety in the future instead of 31 flavors of vanilla.

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Barking Alien

Beyond the Yellow Brick Road

While I am not so moved by the type of medieval fantasy role-playing so popular with the vast majority of people in the RPG hobby, I am very much enamoured with faerie folklore, fairy tales, local legends, and the like.

I would much rather play or run an RPG that emulates welsh folktales or the works of Lewis Carroll, J. K. Rowling, and T.H. White then those of Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, or R. A. Salvatore.

Of all the authors of the fantastic that I enjoy and of all the worlds they have envisioned, none quite compare to L. Frank Baum and Oz. I designed and ran an Oz campaign once, many, many years ago and though short lived it definitely rocked. I have since been working on a new Oz game and 20 some odd years later I am still doing so.

Luckily for me (and for any of you with a similar interest), a very dedicated and talent fellow by the name of F. Douglas Wall is currently working on and soon to finish just such a game. Entitled, Adventures in Oz, the game is not far from being released with a pretty nifty cover and some really cool ideas. If you've been itching to game somewhere over the rainbow or just want to add something different to a fantasy game you're already playing, I highly recommend checking out his blog and related sites.

Go and hear the Wizard discuss his project at the Royal Blog of Oz.

It's a Twister!

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Barking Alien