OK -  so I'm watching some stupid-ass giant saltwater crocodile vs. Pretty People movie on the Sci Fi channel right now, and it occurred to me that we could do a pretty fun tongue-in-cheek game based on the sort of idiotic crap this channel churns out on a weekly basis.

Some mandatory features would have to be:

Heavy use of archetypes in developing characters: Square-Jawed Blue-Collar Hero, Sea Dog On a Quest For Revenge, Scream Queen, Power-Mad Business Man, etc.

Experience or "fate" point bonuses for using archetypically appropriate dialogue: "There are some things, babe, that Man Was Not Meant to Know", or "C'mon guys, this isn't funny anymore!"

Popularity ratings that determine whether a particular character will get to star in future movies (franchise?).

A bestiary of various critters appropriate to these movies: Giant Squids, Ant People, Serial Killers, Mad Scientists, Zombies...

I know that there was a "Late, Late Show RPG" a while back, but it doesn't quite capture the vibe I'm looking for here.

I want something that communicates the shiny, stupid histrionics of these movies, particularly their idiot pseudo-scientific bent.

I know we've got a lot of game designers on the board. How would you proceed with this?

The system I thought up might be like so:

attribues (Roll d4)
Brains:
Brawn:
Charm:

Choose archetype: (examples)
Scientist: +1, Brains. -1, Charm.
Babe in distress: -1, Brains. +1 Charm.
Square jaw hero: +1 Brawn, -1 Brains.

Add +1 to one attribute of the player's choice.

Receive skills based on archetype:
Scientist: Science!, Jerry-rig, Mr. Know-it-all.
Babe in distress: run, bat eyes, hide
Square jaw hero: Whip ass, flex muscles, befuddling quip

Choose three additional bonus skills:
Guns
Pilot
Make things asplode!
etc., etc.

task resolution:
Die rolls are handled via a six-sided die.
Target number is derived from the parent attribute.
"Science!" is based on Brains, for example. Doc Wormly has a Brains score of 4, so his target number is 4 or below, unmodified.

Each level of the skill gives the player one additional die to roll, but only one success is necessary to succeed at a given task, unless it is opposed and then it is the person with the greatest number of successes that wins.

Damage is handled thusly:
Each weapon has a damage die roll, like so: machete (1d6).

When a hit is resolved (see above for task resolution), the damage die is rolled. Each point of brawn above 3 gives the player a 1d6 soak roll.

The soak roll is subtracted from the damage roll, with the result being obtained below:

Negative = no wound.
Positive = wound! All actions at -1. Bleed and look heroic!

two wounds = Incapacitation.

three or more wounds = dead. Spend a franchise point to star in the next movie.

----

Players who use archetype-appropriate cliches receive re-shoots: a maximum of three may be used a game, awarded by the GM. They do not accumulate from game to game.

A player may call for a re-shoot of any scene. Essentially, this is a "do-over" roll or - if the GM decides - an automatic success.

Each character who survives a game MAY receive a franchise point that may be used to save their character from certain death in any one game. The character isn't allowed to "come back" during that particular game, but can be in the sequel or an unrelated later game.

Franchise points are rewarded solely at the discretion of the GM.

Advancing characters:
A character receives 1-3 skill bumps which may be applied to any existing skills after a game is completed. This can be rolled randomly, or awarded by the GM based on character play. Buying new skills costs 3 points.

So, anyway, that's what I just came up with. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I haven't fleshed out a bestiary or anything, and I just came up with this on the fly sitting in my pajamas just now, so forgive the crudity.

There was a RPG released by Stellar Games called It Came From The Late, Late, Late Show that would be good start for this sort of gaming.  The rules were nothing great (same basic rules as Nightlife), but it hit on some of the same basic concepts that you mentioned (players got bonus points for "acting appropriately stupid") and lots of breaking-the-fourth-wall stuff (character could heal hit points by having an extra apply makeup for them).

http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showbook&bookid=1502

Quote from: KnightskyThere was a RPG released by Stellar Games called It Came From The Late, Late, Late Show that would be good start for this sort of gaming.  The rules were nothing great (same basic rules as Nightlife), but it hit on some of the same basic concepts that you mentioned (players got bonus points for "acting appropriately stupid") and lots of breaking-the-fourth-wall stuff (character could heal hit points by having an extra apply makeup for them).

http://www.pen-paper.net/rpgdb.php?op=showbook&bookid=1502

Yeah, I have It Came From The Late, Late, Late Show. It was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread.

We played that last week.

No, seriously.  Back in the Spring, my wife and I cooked up the idea that our annual Halloween game would be Sci Fi Pictures Presents: A Sci Fi Pictures Original Role-Playing Game.  It ended up being a diceless free-for-all about students being stalked by a lycanthrope in the Australian outback.  

The title:  Mandingo.

I like these rules, though...

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!The title:  Mandingo.

Oh, gracious, that's naughty.  You're a bad, bad person.  You know that, right?

That was a stealth-pun, Rotwang!
Very funny.

'Random Sci Fi Movie of the Weekend generator"

A(n)

1 mutant
2 alien
3 horde of
4 prehistoric

creature(s)* assaults

1 College students
2 Scientific explorers
3 Military Commandos
4 Campers



1 in jungle
2 on desert island
3 aboard a (space) ship
4 inner city

utilizing vast

1 supernatural
2 mutations
3 numbers
4 ninja skill



*Optional Creature subtable

1-2) Alligator/Crocodile
3) Bears
4) Bats
5) Insects
6) Shapeshifters

Dang it, Silverlion!
You beat me to it!

Quote from: mattormegThat was a stealth-pun, Rotwang!
Very funny.

My wife thought it up.