So, what is the best period for an rpg in which the PCs are the crew of a tramp freighter, selling dodgy cargos around the South China seas?

The ones that spring to mind are as follows:

1920s, it's just a cool time and you have Chinese warlords, White Russians, Shanghai, all kinds of coolness.

1930s, as above but with nazis, possibly a point against actually.

1970s, modern but still kind of low tech, not much by way of computers or satelites or whatnots.  The Cold War, tinpot dictatorships in Africa, war and terrorism abound...

Now, higher tech but not much of it penetrates that lifestyle I suspect.  Tensions with China, tinpot dictatorships in Africa (though less of them than the '70s I suspect), war and terrorism abound...

What do you think?  Which works best and why?

And for the curious, yes, I was rereading this thread:  http://www.therpgsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3016 and I refer you to this excellent PDF by Green Tongue for those of you who've forgotten it http://home.earthlink.net/~djackson24/TrampSteamer.PDF

Finally, would your answer change if the PCs had a small plane instead of a ship?

I'd go with the 1930's, but I don't know how much of a Nazi presence you're going to find in the South China Sea at that time- especially in the early part of the decade.

I'd put it in the 1920s if I wanted it pulpy, and in the present if I wanted it grittily realistic with all sorts of moral questions and such.

Forgot to ask, assuming only existing or easily adapted systems, what would you use and would it change by period?

Obvious choices to me seem to be Savage Worlds for the 20s or 30s, or CoC but that might be too unforgiving and too focussed on academics.

Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes for the 1970s maybe?

Not sure for modern day.  UA?  Though not sure obsessions are really relevant.

Other suggestions?  Tone would be gritty to low (as in not early superheros, more Sam Spade than the Shadow) pulp as it were.

i'd go with the 70's.  plenty of potential for mayhem, not so much reliance on high tech.  plus i'd be comfortable running that era.  

with enough period notes, i'd try the 20's too.

system-wise, either BRP / re-worked CoC (more action, less academe) or adapted traveller.  don't know how MSPE works as i've no experience with it (unfortunately).

What about the '40s, just after WWII?  You've got all these sailors and pilots coming back into civilian life, many at loose ends.  There are also all kinds of places still left in chaos and Nazi submarine crews hiding out in Mozambique (or whatever the hell it was called back then).

I stole all this from a pretty good bande-dessinée called, appropriately, Tramp.  It's got some great ideas.  I feel like you speak French, Balbinus, but I can't remember where I got that impression.

I'd love to run or play a game on a tramp freighter.  So many ways you could go with it.  Doc Holaday did an episode of the Gaming Ether (old time radio and gaming) where he talks about high seas adventures. There are a few episodes that involve freighters, including The Beast and SSSan Pedro that may have some good ideas and atmosphere.

My preference is "Between the Wars". There are plenty of things going on, so ideas should be easy to come up with.  (and of course Savage Worlds )
=

Whatever period allows for the PCs to get lost in a fog bank and come out near a strange, rocky island with odd skull-like formations sticking out.

Quote from: Dr Rotwang!Whatever period allows for the PCs to get lost in a fog bank and come out near a strange, rocky island with odd skull-like formations sticking out.

done up in the 70s, with a heavy blaxploitation and disco element?  comedy gold!  :haw:

For me?  A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

Seriously. Star Wars. Run it in the Tales of the Jedi/KOTOR era, and there is nothing you can't do. There's no history nuts claiming that such-n-such can't happen because in '45 the axis/allies did thing X, and there aren't any SW canon nazis claiming the same stuff.  The PCs can be BIG DAMN HEROES and not screw the world up, or just do the struggling to make ends meet thing as per everyone's preferences.  

Quote from: ScoundrelFor me?  A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

Seriously. Star Wars. Run it in the Tales of the Jedi/KOTOR era, and there is nothing you can't do. There's no history nuts claiming that such-n-such can't happen because in '45 the axis/allies did thing X, and there aren't any SW canon nazis claiming the same stuff.  The PCs can be BIG DAMN HEROES and not screw the world up, or just do the struggling to make ends meet thing as per everyone's preferences.  

I second this recommendation.

But then again, history buffs who can't allow themselves to have fun within a game belong in a special Hell, thinks I.

Could you run STAR WARS in a pseudo-1930s paralell timeline??

Sort of like that movie version of Shakespeare's Richard III that was set in late 30s/early 40s England by its trappings.

 Have an analog of Luke that winds up in a huge adventure with his crazy old Uncle who is veteran of the "Geat War" (WW I paralell) and he winds up on a tramp freighter that has a rogue/scoundrel captain with a foreign or exotic first officer/spare mechanic.

- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarCould you run STAR WARS in a pseudo-1930s paralell timeline??

Sort of like that movie version of Shakespeare's Richard III that was set in late 30s/early 40s England by its trappings.

 Have an analog of Luke that winds up in a huge adventure with his crazy old Uncle who is veteran of the "Geat War" (WW I paralell) and he winds up on a tramp freighter that has a rogue/scoundrel captain with a foreign or exotic first officer/spare mechanic.

- Ed C.

Yea and verily, thou dost rock.  

Seriously that would be a blast.

 The "DEathStar" might be some kinbd of weird science/pulp-style huge dreadnaught or battleship.

 - OR -

 How about the 1930s of the CRIMSON SKIES world??
 We know about the fractured United States and the skies above it - but what about the oceans and the rest of the world ??

 That might play out like an extreme version of the 1930s portrayed in SKY CAPTAIN and THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.

- Ed C.




For anyone who isn't familiar with Crimson Skies :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimson_Skies