RPG Inspiration: The Adjustment Bureau

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Nenad

The Adjustment Bureau is based on the Story ”Adjustment Team” by Phillip K. Dick. Like pretty much all of the movie versions of his stories, it is entertaining, but does not do justice to the original.

The Adjustment Bureau is a 2011 movie, directed by George Nolfi and starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Michael Kelly. (IMDB page)

Small things matter

The entire movie happens because the main character does not spill coffee on himself at a correct time.

Perhaps the characters are playing the adjustment bureau? and their job is to implement the small changes necessary to maintain the plan.

Unclear goals

I find it interesting that the Adjustment Bureau never lets its operative know of the full plan. When the coffee plan does not work, if Harry had known that the point of it was to make the main character 10 minutes late, it would have been very easy for him to engineer something.

I am not really sure of what the application to games of this is, but I did find it very interesting.

Seeing things you are not supposed to

I like the idea of the characters getting to see things that they are not really supposed to. Perhaps the characters in a fantasy game get an artifact allowing them to see the machinations of the Gods. How will the characters react when they find out that the war which killed thousands of people, including their loved ones, was just to settle a bet?

Doors

I love the running through doors idea… I really need to add that into an RPG one day… Not a 1005 sure how to best handle it, though.

Adjustment Bureau Fate book

Railroading

The whole movie is an example of how players deal with a railroading GM… Trying anything possible to get out of the railroad… Really, most of the time, just give the characters somebody trying to force them to follow any kind of plan, and you can watch them struggle against it, by any mean possible.

Trust no one with a hat

I just really like the idea that some innocuous characteristic suddenly becomes threatening. Perhaps the characters in a fantasy setting are told not to trust anyone with clean hands? Or perhaps, no-one wearing gloves.?

Not really bad guys

Finally, I like the fact that the antagonists in this movie are not bad guys… They do not really want to make the main character suffer, they are just sticking to their plan, which is never explained in the movie (if memory serves me, in the original story their purpose was to prevent a nuclear war). In a sense, the plan called for the characters to reach their full potential.

I have always like having morally grey antagonists, who oppose the characters for a good reason.

RPG Inspiration: Skyline

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Nenad

This time I am going to talk about Skyline. It is one of those movies that I wanted to like, since it had so much potential, but the script should have been a lot tighter.

Skyline is a 2010 movie, directed by Colin Strause and Greg Strause starring Eric Balfour, Donald Faison and Scottie Thompson (IMDB page)

Use tricks wisely

The movie starts off in media res, then flashes back to 15 hours earlier. I have seen this technique used numerous times, and I normally like it, but here it fell flat for me, and I have figured out why., there are two reasons.

The times I have seen it work has normally been in a series, normally once I have already gotten to know the characters, which makes me actually care about their plight.
The other thing is, the events preceding the event should somehow explain it, show how the characters have gotten themselves into that situation. In this case, the alien invasion had nothing to do with the characters actions during the preceding fifteen hours, so why show them to me?

Party

You could let the players to get to know the other characters at a party. Just a time to roleplay what the characters do in their down time, without it necessarily tying into a deeper plot.

In a fantasy or historical setting, you could play through a couple of quick scenes from a spring festival at the village.

Know when to end a scene

This is more a what not to do example from the movie. It spends a lot of time setting up conflicts which turn out to be completely irrelevant to the main story. A couple of short scenes to get an idea of the characters are really useful, but don’t over do it.

Of course, in an RPG situation, if the characters are really having a blast at the party, then let them, but most of the time, you can just move on.

Don’t look at it!

I really like the idea of a weapon that will do harm when you just look at it. Something about it also brings the idea of Lovercraftian horrors to mind, where just seeing something may be enough to drive a character insane. How do you fight something that you cannot even look at?

Redshirt

This is the traditional trope of having somebody die horribly early on to show how dangerous the situation/villain is.

In order to do this, you need to have some NPCs hanging around with the characters, preferably ones that the players are not too attached to, but that they will still react when they meet a horrible end.

Other people are doing things too

At times it seems like the characters seem to be the only ones doing anything in the whole world. Sometimes, just for variety, make sure that they see other people trying to act as well. Perhaps they are not the only adventurers going to slay the dragon?

Of course, those other characters will fail, possibly in a way that will highlight the danger, or give the characters a clue how to defeat the evil.

Put the characters at the centre

For most of the movie, the main characters are hiding, while the battles are being fought by others.

Most of the time, you want to avoid this in an RPG… Put the PCs in the center of the action. Don’t let them be just observers, unless it is as a change of pace.

Waiting

Sometimes the characters have nothing to do, perhaps they are waiting for a contact, hiding out, or are on a long ship voyage. It is easy to gloss over these times “After four days, you think it is safe to come out”. There is nothing wrong with this, but you can also use those times to highlight the characters, and let them do just short snippets of roleplaying.

Coming back to life

This is a classic trope, which I have not seen often enough in RPGs. The players have just killed the Big Bad, when he suddenly pulls himself back together. I think it could be really effective during the final battle, or perhaps during what the players think is the final battle, until the dragon gets back up, forcing them to rethink their tactics.

Acquired Immunity

It seems as if surviving the initial exposure to the light gave the character some sort of immunity later on. I have always liked the idea that surviving an attack gives you some sort of immunity, or perhaps some type of additional ability.

You can use this in a fantasy game, the classical werewolf would be a good example of gaining extra power by surviving the initial attack… Perhaps surviving a dragon’s breath would give you immunity to it?

Alien Aliens

I really liked the aliens in this movie, they did not explain what they were doing, and just collected people for reasons which are not entirely clear.

I think that aliens should be alien, both in how they look and in the outlook they have on life.

RPG Inspiration: Sucker Punch

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Nenad

Sucker Punch

Sucker Punch is a 2011 Movie directed by Zack Snyder, and starring Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish and Jena Malone (IMDB Page)

Innocents in the line of fire

In the very first scene, we see Babydoll accidentally kill her sister (she was aiming for their stepfather).

In RPGs, we often ignore the possibility of collateral damage, with bullets and fireballs flying around, with no consideration of where they could end up. Bringing this in would make the characters more cautious. As a GM, you might want to mention the collateral damage that the characters are causing, and bring their attention to the innocent villagers that might get caught in the blast when the mage launches her fireball.

Imagination

Most (possibly all) of the movie takes place in the imagination of one of the characters. This is something that could be interesting in a roleplaying game, with the right group. (With the wrong group, it would just get silly and incoherent.)

To do this, you will need to create several “layers”… Probably in conversation with the players, and have them change layers as things happened.

Asylum

The action in the movie takes place withing an asylum, which I think could be a unique way to bring the party together. In a game with dimensional horrors that drive people insane, this could be used to bring together characters that have already encountered the mythos.

Running an entire session in an asylum is also an option. It is a perfect setting to induce paranoia and a feeling of isolation, especially as the stuff will not always take what the characters have to say seriously.

Collecting

During the movie, the main characters are trying to collect the items that they will need for their plan. The thing is, most of the items are fairly common, but in their situation, still hard to get to.

So, in an RPG, it might be interesting to put the characters in a situation where the things that they take for granted are hard to get to.

Rule of Cool

The Rule of Cool states that anything can be forgiven in a work of fiction so long as it is sufficiently cool, which is very obvious in this movie. This is just a reminder to the GMs and the Players out there, that while internal consistency and realism is all well and good, please do not let it get in the way of having an awesome game.

Mecha in WWI

In the World War 1 Sequence, one of the characters is piloting a mecha… Of course, the use of mecha in WWI has left very little evidence, but in my opinion, this falls firmly under the Rule of Cool.

In an RPG, you can play around with that a lot… Perhaps one of the characters in a traditional Medieval setting gets a machine-gun? Or how about ancient greece where everybody has a smartphone?

Guilt-free Killing

In all the fantasy sequences, the enemies are not human, allowing the protagonists to slaughter them with no concern. In the case of a typical PC party, the idea of killing other people seem to be not much of a concern, but if you are running a more serious game, it might be fun to throw in guilt-free opponents that can be slaughtered indiscriminately.

RPG Inspiration – Zombis Blanc

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Nenad

Since I have not had much time to watch movies lately, so this time I am going to use a short story for inspiration.

I am going to use Zombis Blanc by Greg Stoltze. The story is avaliable for free at his site, so you really have no excuse not to read it before reading my thoughts.

Neglected History

The story is set in 1790, on Haiti, a period and location that is generally ignored by history, but this does not mean that there are not stories to tell there. There are so many neglected locations that could provide a new and interesting setting for a game. In addition to Haiti, most of Africa (with the exception of Egypt), is extremely neglected as a setting for an RPG.

Revenge of the Oppressed

The story takes place within a rebellion of the slaves in Haiti. This is another theme which could make for an interesting story. The characters could be the rebels, or perhaps, in a more traditional fantasy setting, the goblins decide to rise up against their orcish masters?

Another interesting game could involve the characters playing UN peace keeping troops called in to resolve the situation after such an uprising, in a more modern game? If handled well and with the right players, this could be an amazing game.

RPG Inspiration: High Plains Invaders

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Nenad

High Plains Invaders

High Plains Invaders is a 2009 movie, directed by Kristoffer Tabori and starring James Marsters, Cindy Sampson and Sebastian Knapp. (IMDB Link)

This is actually a very fun movie, and deserves more recognition than it gets.

About to be Executed

At the start of the movie, the main character is in a cell, awaiting his own execution. I think it is a great way to start a story, or even a campaign. Perhaps all of the characters are on death row, which is how they meet.

A Hanging

The Gallows is Town Business

Soon afterwards, we learn the the gallows is the driving force behind the town’s economy. This is something that is not explored in the movie, due to the aliens invading, but is an interesting concept. It is something I would love to add to a campaign, just as a bit of background colour, if nothing else.

Interrupted Hanging

And of course, the hanging gets inevitably interrupted (I guess this would count as a spoiler for somebody who has never seen a western).

Another scene I would love to use in a game… Have a character get captured and sentenced to death, just so the other characters can rescue him in the nick of time.

Dealing with the Wounded

A large part of the problem that the protagonists have is the fact that one of them is wounded, and therefore needs special attention.

In most RPGs, damage and injury is abstracted, it would be interesting, both in story terms, and in strategic terms, if the actual effects of injury are treated more realistically.

Material Science

Finally, the day is saved due to one character’s understanding of material science. This is just a very good example of how normally ignored skills could still save the day in the right situation.

Dung Beetles

The aliens in this movie are compared to dung beetles, in the sense that they extract and concentrate the Uranium from their food.

This could work very well in a SciFi game. Perhaps the characters encounter a planet which uses animals for purifying materials in this way? Smelters get replaced by herds.

RPG Inspiration – Predators

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Nenad

Predators

Predators is a 2010 movie, directed by Nimród Antal and starring Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne and Topher Grace. (IMDB Page)

In Media Res

The movie starts with the characters falling out of an aircraft, with little idea of how they got there. It is a good way to start off a session with a bang.

It is not a new idea, by any measure, in this case, I think it just works very well.

Nameless Characters

There is something very old-school about the start of the movie, it takes a long time until any of the characters names are revealed. But even before that, they emerge as distinct individuals, and we get to know them more through their actions.

Attack Suddenly Ends

At one point, the protagonists are fighting a pack of quadripedal beasts, and the beasts just suddenly break off, for no reason that the characters can see. This is something that can really spook characters. Perhaps they are fighting a group of Orks, when they suddenly all turn as one, and run off into the bushes, ignoring the characters. Are they leading them into an ambush, or have they just been called to defend their king… Or is time for their coffee break?

Trophies

The Predators collect trophies from the creatures that they kill. Finding a trophy case from an enemy could be an interesting way to provide some information and hints to the characters. If they find the skull of a red dragon in a wizard’s trophy room, the characters might be a bit more cautious in their dealings with him.

Or, if you really want to mess with the characters, what if they find the skull of a loved one? Or even of one of the characters, perhaps of the guy standing right next to them?

Crazed Survivor

Enemy of my Enemy

We are not on Earth Anymore

RPG Inspiration – Call of Cthulhu

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Nenad

Call of Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu came out in 2005. It was directed by Andrew Leman, and stars Matt Foyer and John Bolen (IMDB Page). Needless to say, it is based on the story of the same name by H. P. Lovecraft.

Silent Movie

This is a silent movie, with no speech, just music, and the occasional card of text. This gives a very interesting feel to the movie… It really takes you back to the era that the it is set in.

This got me thinking about running a silent RPG… It would not really work with a classic round the table set up. But in a LARP or a JeepForm, it might be an interesting experience. The players not allowed to speak, and they are forced to rely on other means of communication. There could even be an in-world explanation for this… Perhaps they have all been struck dumb by something, or for a darker game, they are all slaves whose tongues have been cut out.

Of course, the tricky part would be to keep the game from devolving into a game of Charades, which would kill the mood.

Specialists Called in

At one point, Thurston consults with the archaeological society. This scene reminded me of how rarely players actually ask for help from NPCs. It makes sense for the characters to ask specialists for their opinions. Of course, there is never a guarantee that those opinions will be accurate, or even sane.

Linked Timelines

The story is actually two simultaneous stories, the story of Thurston’s uncle, and the story about Thurston discovering what happened.

This could easily be applied to an RP session, as the characters discover what happened before, rather than presenting the information they found, allow them to play a short scene or two as the characters that they are learning about.

RPG Inspiration: Boondock Saints II: All Saint’s Day

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Nenad

Boondock Saints II: All Saint’s Day

Boondock Saints 2: All Saint’s Day was a 2009 Movie, directed by Troy Duffy and Starring Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus and Billy Connolly (IMDB page)

Framed

The movie starts of with the main characters getting framed for a murder of a friend of theirs. This is made much easier since the killer followed the same M.O. as the characters.

This is an obvious way to start an adventure. If the characters are fond of using a specific weapon, this could very well be used against them, as people use the same weapon to frame them. This could be an attempt to get the characters arrested by the authorities,

Forced out of Retirement

It is something of a cliche, but it works here, the characters have given up the vigilante life, but are forced by circumstance to take up their old life again.

This could easily be used with old characters that have retired, perhaps the party of adventurers has settled on some land given to them by the king as a reward for saving the kingdom, but when their homes are threatened by a tribe of Orks nearby, they are forced to take up their swords and spells again?

Of course, you can start the characters off this way, and allow them to fill in their background as the game progresses, answering the questions of why they have retired in the first place?

Gearing up Scene

Before they leave, the brothers need to prepare themselves, and we have the classic gearing up scene, as they get ready. This is something that I have not really seen in a roleplaying game, where a gearing up scene seems to involve going through weapon lists and rulebooks, trying to get that perfect set up of equipment…

Copycats

One thing that I liked is the fact that the brothers had people imitating their MO. This is something you can always use to throw a bit of a twist to the players. Perhaps they become so well known that other people start using their ideas, either to discredited them, as n homage, or possibly just because the characters’ methods work.

Planning

One of my favourite scenes in the movie is when they show the Saints’ plan as it happens in their heads, with everything perfectly organised… The actual execution was a bit different.

This is something I would love to see in a game… First play through what the characters expect, then actually go through what actually happens. I think that it could be great fun with the right group.

Last Rites

Before killing someone, if they can, the brothers administer the last rites to them, acknowledging the fact that the person they are killing is a human being, even if they are a criminal.

This is something of a stark contrast with the casual way in which death is treated in most RPGs. This is some advice to players: Perhaps the Paladin utters a short prayer to the Orcs he has slain, wishing them a higher incarnation in their next life, or the vampire who makes sure to bring flowers to the grave of a person she killed.

The Saints Organisation

At the end of the movie, it is implied that there is an entire organisation devoted to looking after the saints, a sort of benign conspiracy, that even they are nor aware of.

The applications of this idea to a roleplaying game is obvious: Perhaps the characters find themselves being followed, or find evidence that there is a conspiracy targeting them, just to discover that they are there to help.

The characters could even be on the other side, as members of a conspiracy to protect the chosen ones and guide them on their path, without ever revealing their existence. It might make for a nice change of pace.

Reflections on TedX Cape Town – Closing Thoughts

Posted on April 23, 2011 by Nenad

This is the final part of my series about TedX Cape Town 2011, and here is where I get to reflect on the experience as a whole, and what I got out of it.

For those of you that are interested in the previous parts of this series, discussing the individual sessions:

The whole experience for me was truly amazing. It was a true pleasure to listen to intelligent and passionate people who are truly working to change and improve the world we all live in. It made me want to do something that matters more with my life, and to pick a truly inspiring cause for myself.

In addition to that, it managed ot make me more aware of the role water plays in our lives, and of the limitations that the ways we are currently utilising it are putting on our development. In one day, they managed to make me care more about water, than an entrie childhood spent with two civil engineers speicialising in water supply. In that sense, TedX Cape Town was a success.

The audience at the talk was every bit as interesting as the people on the stage, and I believe that every single person I spoke to had an idea worth spreading, and deserved to be on the stage in a future Ted event. I really hope I manage to stay in touch with the people that I have met.

And finally, here are a couple of links, for those of you that want to learn more about TedX Cape Town, or just read somebody else’s point of view on it:

RPG Inspiration – Crank: High Voltage

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Nenad

Crank, which I have talked about before.

Crank: High Voltage

Crank: High Voltage came out in 2009, was directed by Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor and stars Jason Statham and Amy Smart. (IMDB page)

I thought I was Dead

This movie start exactly where the previous one left off, with the main character discovering that he was not as dead as he expected.

This is something that you can spring on your players as well. In a situation when they should have died, they might discover that they survive, but for somebody else’s purposes.

For example…

Stealing the Heart

The whole reason why the main character is being kept alive is because somebody else wants his heart as a transplant, since he has proven its quality by surviving for so long in the previous movie.

You can easily do the same thing to the PCs, with somebody being after them for their internal organs, or possibly, in a more supernatural setting, perhaps their soul. Maybe in the setting it is possible to gain somebody’s strength by eating their heart/brain/liver?

Device to keep alive

Without his heart, the character ends up with an artificial one, and needs a battery pack to keep it going.

Perhaps a PC could have something that she needs to keep her going? A battery pack for a droid PC? Or even a magic item of some sort that is holding the characters death at bay?

There is no reason why an NPC could not have one of those. Perhaps a villain in a Superhero game has a stasis device that keeps him in this dimension, and will revert to his home dimension if that device is destroyed.

Recurring NPCs

This movies is filled with characters from the previous one, as the main character runs into them with the flimsiest of pretexts.

The fact is, if the players like a PC, they will not care how you put him back into the story. He just happens to be having a beer at the bar the characters walk into, even if the last time they saw him was getting trampled by wildebeest on another planet. I am sure the players will forgive you.

Twin Brother

This is just another way to reintroduce a character, perhaps with a twist. IF the NPC died without a doubt, feel free to return him as his twin/clone/body double.

Of course, you could always do a switch: “That was not me, that was my twin brother, he offered to take care of a couple of things for me while I was out of town”

You can even do this with PCs, but watch out for going overboard (unless you feel like it)