https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gallantknightgames/zorrotm-the-roleplaying-game?ref=user_menu

There's a new Zorro game in the works. I always liked Zorro more than superheroes, but I wonder if the franchise is too tied up with just one really interesting character. In a Conan game I could see playing a group of barbarians, or people from other parts of that world. But Zorro is so strongly tied up with the character with the mask and sword that I am wondering how it could be made into an interesting game. Nice artwork though!

The premise of Zorro could work as an RPG.

You'd just have a group of Zorro-ish characters fighting for justice in Alta California. Basically a street level superhero/vigilante game set in the Zorro alternate history.

But this game will suck.

The guy writing the setting material had basically no interest in reading the original Johston McCulley stories for his source Material.

Nor did he have any interest in having the game setting be true to the way Johston McCulley portrayed Spanish culture. (Social class was a big deal in Spanish/Mexican California and the original Zorro stories).

So the setting will be a Kids comic book Zorro façade over 2020 Seattle rainbow culture.

Save your money.

Quote from: Jaeger;1123851The premise of Zorro could work as an RPG.

You'd just have a group of Zorro-ish characters fighting for justice in Alta California. Basically a street level superhero/vigilante game set in the Zorro alternate history.

But this game will suck.

The guy writing the setting material had basically no interest in reading the original Johston McCulley stories for his source Material.

Nor did he have any interest in having the game setting be true to the way Johston McCulley portrayed Spanish culture. (Social class was a big deal in Spanish/Mexican California and the original Zorro stories).

So the setting will be a Kids comic book Zorro façade over 2020 Seattle rainbow culture.

Save your money.

Ah, so you have been following this development?

Quote from: Trond;1123853Ah, so you have been following this development?

   I went all-in on backing the RPG and share some of the complaints after a read of the PDF. I've been spending the past year working through the original Johnston McCulley stories, and Zorro is not 'woke'--the character is very much a conservative reformer, not a revolutionary, interested in correcting the abuses of the colonial system rather than overthrowing it.

Quote from: Trond;1123846https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gallantknightgames/zorrotm-the-roleplaying-game?ref=user_menu

There's a new Zorro game in the works. I always liked Zorro more than superheroes, but I wonder if the franchise is too tied up with just one really interesting character. In a Conan game I could see playing a group of barbarians, or people from other parts of that world. But Zorro is so strongly tied up with the character with the mask and sword that I am wondering how it could be made into an interesting game. Nice artwork though!

Zorro's Fighting Legion - 12 episodes - 1939

ahem.

Actually Zorro is counted as a superhero of the masked hero western sort. Pretty sure hes been teamed up with the Lone Ranger.

TSR's Marvel Superheroes RPG could handle that easily and even has one module set in the wild west and covering several of Marvels old western themed heroes. In fact Marvel did a short lived Zorro series.

Assuming no supernatural elements then MSH or any good western with sword fighting rules could handle the genre. What you'd need is to broaden the scope to allow for other western themed masked heroes.

Quote from: Trond;1123853Ah, so you have been following this development?

 Had a conversation with they guy who said he was doing the setting stuff on the big purple before my permaban.

I love me some Zorro. The same way others love themselves some Conan/Robert E. Howard. Watched the Guy Williams stuff when I was young on tv, and have devoured the original Johnston McCulley stories as they have come back into print.

The original stories are loaded with flavor - and it is clear that Johnston McCulley was probably bi-lingual and had a very clear understanding of Spanish culture. He plays of that to hilarious effect in some of the stories as Don Diego plays the part of the fop to conceal his Zorro identity.

Quote from: Armchair Gamer;1123855I went all-in on backing the RPG and share some of the complaints after a read of the PDF. I've been spending the past year working through the original Johnston McCulley stories, and Zorro is not 'woke'--the character is very much a conservative reformer, not a revolutionary, interested in correcting the abuses of the colonial system rather than overthrowing it.

This.

Zorro was a pureblood Spanish Hidalgo who believed in Nobless Oblige.

In the new "Zorro" RPG they probably made him into a POC, Chafing against his oppressive culture, Fighting the system of evil western colonialism in 2020 seattle - ummm, errrr,  I mean Early 19th century El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles.

Quote from: Jaeger;1123885In the new "Zorro" RPG they probably made him into a POC, Chafing against his oppressive culture, Fighting the system of evil western colonialism in 2020 seattle - ummm, errrr,  I mean Early 19th century El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles.

   No, but Don Alejandro gets dismissed from governorship for trying to stop or slow the establishment of the mission system. Meanwhile, some quotes from the game:

QuoteThere are lessons we can learn from Zorro as a heroic figure.  ...

The second lesson goes back to playing the game: do not play theirs--play yours. If the whole machine is designed to keep people down, then break it, rather than try to affect its course.

QuoteZorro is a symbol of the fight against oppression and institutionalized greed (which nowadays we'd recognize as capitalist overreach).

  Make of them what you will.

Quote from: Armchair Gamer;1123894No, but Don Alejandro gets dismissed from governorship for trying to stop or slow the establishment of the mission system.

Naturally, because as a good lifelong Spanish Catholic, that would be at the top of his agenda...

Quote from: Meanwhile, some quotes from the game:The second lesson goes back to playing the game: do not play theirs--play yours. If the whole machine is designed to keep people down, then break it, rather than try to affect its course.
....

Spoken like a good little NPC revolutionary.

Quote from: Meanwhile, some quotes from the game:Zorro is a symbol of the fight against oppression and institutionalized greed (which nowadays we'd recognize as capitalist overreach).
....

Ahh, of course! Because Socialist systems have never had problems with oppression and institutionalized greed. It is all clear to me now...



LOL... So typical!

The Zorro Rpg has been "Woked".

Well, you have been warned kids.

I'm a lifelong Zorro fan...and I won't be picking up this wokefest nonsense.

Sadly, the Antonio Banderas movies will be the last good Zorro flicks. There's no way the woketards of Hollywood could make a Zorro film today without shitting it into oblivion.

Zorro was Batman with a sword who got hot chicks with huge tracks of land. Pure awesome. What wasn't there to like?

But as a RPG...it would be like playing the James Bond 007 RPG. It was cool with 1 GM and 2 players. I could see that working for Zorro, but I don't see how it plays at a full table.

I recall watching some black and white zorro show as a kid, usually on about the same time as munsters, adams family, twilight zone, or the rifleman. I do not remember much other than zorro being a masked swashbuckling romantic type hero, rapier type sword fights, usage of a whip and black powder weapons, cannot recall a single plot of any episode though. I seem to recall zorro fought highwaymen that accosted wealthy senoritas, and other rich senors who had plots against the common people or said senoritas to take their land, seemed like he had a strange relationship with federales/mexican army where he was technically a bad guy to them but they viewed him like commisioner gordon viewed batman, its filed in my memory under mexican robin hood for some reason.

This project was supposed to use D6 system, that would be my interest in it, the system should be more well known and used in my opinion since its my favorite, but i have no idea how one would run a zorro campaign if the players are not zorro or his sidekicks (did he have sidekicks?), it would just be late era D6 fantasy or early era D6 adventure in the cali/new mexico region...with my group that would devolve into some billy the kid shit faster than you could say claimjumper.

Quote from: Jaeger;1123885Had a conversation with they guy who said he was doing the setting stuff on the big purple before my permaban.

I love me some Zorro. The same way others love themselves some Conan/Robert E. Howard. Watched the Guy Williams stuff when I was young on tv, and have devoured the original Johnston McCulley stories as they have come back into print.

The original stories are loaded with flavor - and it is clear that Johnston McCulley was probably bi-lingual and had a very clear understanding of Spanish culture. He plays of that to hilarious effect in some of the stories as Don Diego plays the part of the fop to conceal his Zorro identity.




This.

Zorro was a pureblood Spanish Hidalgo who believed in Nobless Oblige.

In the new "Zorro" RPG they probably made him into a POC, Chafing against his oppressive culture, Fighting the system of evil western colonialism in 2020 seattle - ummm, errrr,  I mean Early 19th century El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles.

Side note: I enjoyed the Curse of Capistrano, and the old (1950s?) movie, which other Zorro stories would you recommend?

EDIT: the film was the Mark of Zorro (1940). I seem to remember the Hopkins and Banderas films being kinda amusing too (particularly because Catherine Zeta Jones I guess )

Quote from: Trond;1123946Side note: I enjoyed the Curse of Capistrano, and the old (1950s?) movie, which other Zorro stories would you recommend?

  Bold Venture Press has put all of Johnston McCulley's stories back into print in 6 volumes; each volume contains one novel and some (2-12) short stories. $20 for paperback, $40 for hardcover. I'd suggest starting with the first two and seeing how you like them. IMO, the first four volumes are the strongest and the last two drop off a little, but are still worth reading.

  EDIT: Although if you're not a completist and have read "The Curse of Capistrano," skip straight to Volume 2, which includes the sequel--Vol. 1 is just "Curse …" with an introductory essay and two short stories.

I liked Guy Williams take on Zorro that Disney produced. And for some reason really enjoyed Alain Delon's take on Zorro in the 70s.