Some genres are pretty well covered, be it by classic RPGs (Cthulhu) or new arrivals (Iron Heroes).
What genres do you think aren't?
Maybe wilderness genre, such as Daniel Boone, Jack London, and stories of the RCMP.
Quote from: Elliot WilenMaybe wilderness genre, such as Daniel Boone, Jack London, and stories of the RCMP.
I wonder if Northern Crown would work for that?
It depends on if you mean good games or not. Just about every genre is covered by crappy games, and some are covered by good games.
Are we just asking if ANY game covers ANY genre? Because if that's the case: I can't think of any missing genres in RPGs.
Biopunk.
The genre hardly exists yet, but it's coming.
Quote from: beejazzBiopunk.
The genre hardly exists yet, but it's coming.
Wasn't Kromozone (sp) by TSR (I think) a bio punk game.
Regards,
David R
Quote from: beejazzBiopunk.
The genre hardly exists yet, but it's coming.
Splicers by Palladium is great example IMO.
Quote from: beejazzBiopunk.
The genre hardly exists yet, but it's coming.
It's not precisely what you're talking about, but TSR's old Buck Rogers XXVc game featured a very wide range of genetically engineered and enhanced humans and animals. Some of them were extremely bizarre.
Woah... two (edit:three). I'm actually surprised.
I'm fairly certain psychics have been done to death.
Sci fi that hinges on synthetics, then?
Colonial & Medieval & Ancient Trade.
Well, of the general film and novel genres, RPGs are very concentrated in fantasy, sci-fi (including cyberpunk) and horror.
Mysteries, heists/crime stories, war stories, sports stories, drama, and romance are all pretty popular in films and/or films, but rare or completely absent in RPGs.
Quote from: McrowI wonder if Northern Crown would work for that?
Possibly, at least on some level, for the Daniel Boone stuff. Seargent Preston, White Fang, Silver King, etc., I'm guessing not.
Yes, a genuine "mystery" RPG has yet to be designed. I don't mean an investigative RPG in the style of CoC, but an RPG dealing with the genre of murder mysteries in the style of Sherlock Holmes, Mrs. Marple, Hercule Poirot, etc.
RPGPundit
Quote from: jhkimMysteries, heists/crime stories, war stories
Not prominent but covered, I think. Actual mysteries are harder for the reasons you've discussed in your blog but the hardboiled Noir stuff is out there. Gangbusters for crime. War I think is pretty well covered for a minor genre--Recon, Godlike, and a number of GURPS books for example.
Quotesports stories, drama, and romance are all pretty popular in films and/or films, but rare or completely absent in RPGs.
I agree, and here the common thread is lack of violence. Sports are a funny category since they do have action, but if you look at sports movies they're rarely about how problems are solved through action. It's more like problems are solved and then the solution is portrayed metaphorically through the action. There are a lot of boardgames on sports, but those aren't at all about the filmic qualities; instead they get their excitement by emulating the real-life sport.
If we look at genres where violence and physical struggle aren't the main focus, and leave out games like Primetime Adventures or Universalis (because the genre isn't packaged in the game), I'd point to Chinese and Korean serial costume dramas, like Jewel in the Palace.
Quote from: beejazzBiopunk.
The genre hardly exists yet, but it's coming.
Transhuman Space is great for that genre. Just tone down the optimistic angle a bit.
I'm not exactly sure if it'd qualify as a genre, but I have a hankering to be able to play the kind of classic thriller where relatively ordinary people get caught up in evildoings beyond their wildest imaginations. You know, films like North by Northwest, or Three Days of the Condor to name but 2 sterling examples. I like to think that adventures like this could make good one-off games, although I must admit that I can see that they might be difficult to carry off satisfactorily. ;)
Quote from: Elliot WilenNot prominent but covered, I think. Actual mysteries are harder for the reasons you've discussed in your blog but the hardboiled Noir stuff is out there. Gangbusters for crime. War I think is pretty well covered for a minor genre--Recon, Godlike, and a number of GURPS books for example.
Well, I don't think one game means that a genre is "covered". If it did, then we've also covered soap operas (Dallas, Soap), animal drama (Bunnies & Burrows), romance (Breaking the Ice), and a lot more.
Also, I don't count superheroes as war genre -- even if they're superheroes during WWII. Still, Recon and GURPS WWII count, and GURPS WWII was a fairly extensive line.
Twilight 2000 is marginal since it's post-apocalyptic survival, which is quite different from real war stories.
Quote from: Elliot WilenI agree, and here the common thread is lack of violence. Sports are a funny category since they do have action, but if you look at sports movies they're rarely about how problems are solved through action. It's more like problems are solved and then the solution is portrayed metaphorically through the action.
Well, you mean the hero wins over the opposing team in the end -- but the real story is a dramatic storyline running parallel to the action, like how the hero learns how to trust his friends or restores his marriage or something like that? I agree that this is true of sports stories -- but the same is true of most action-oriented fantasy and sci-fi.
WWI aviation a la Flyboys, Blue Max, Dawn Patrol. I'm working on something, but nothing there yet!
-clash
Covered is relative, of course.
I haven't played Godlike but my impression from reading the buzz on it is that it takes very little to make it into a historical war genre game. Basically in responding to this thread I'm assuming that if all you have to do is take out the kewl powerz in order to get an historical or whatever game, then it's covered in that sense.
Surely there are mafia games other than Gangbusters. But modern cops & robbers might not be very well covered. (From Wm. Shatner in a police uniform to Hawaii 5-0 to Homicide, etc.) Wait, nope: GURPS Cops, and something also turned up on RPGNow called Vice Squad.
I disagree about the similarity between how sports stories and action stories work, but I've gotta run. All I can say is, if they really worked the same, I think there'd be more RPGs on sports. Or else there might be something deeper there in that traditional RPG design is based on a paradigm different from cinematic narrative.
Quote from: flyingmiceWWI aviation a la Flyboys, Blue Max, Dawn Patrol. I'm working on something, but nothing there yet!
That sounds very interesting, although in general I'm not sure of the appeal of purely military RPGs...once you go there, I start to wonder why not play a wargame?
On the other hand if you dispense with the God's eye view of maps and counters, and run the game with the GM just describing things, then I think you may have something.
Quote from: Elliot WilenThat sounds very interesting, although in general I'm not sure of the appeal of purely military RPGs...once you go there, I start to wonder why not play a wargame?
On the other hand if you dispense with the God's eye view of maps and counters, and run the game with the GM just describing things, then I think you may have something.
I leave hex maps and counters to the wargames. I'm not interested in which army wins - er already know that - I'm interested in the warriors themselves.
-clash
Cops & Robbers. I'm serious, how about tv inspired cop shows. NYPD Blue, The Sheild, The Wire , Prime Suspect - a little bit of gunplay, investigations, interogations, etc. No supernatural stuff, just good old fashioned cops and robbers. I'm sure, there are games out there somewhat like this, but I doubt there is any pure police procedurals (Hollywood version of course)
Regards,
David R
HI David:
There's PiG's Vice Squad.
-clash
Quote from: flyingmiceHI David:
There's PiG's Vice Squad.
-clash
I knew there was something out there - there always is :D So, this Vice Squad, real(tv/movie) cops & robbers stuff?
Regards,
David R
Quote from: RPGPunditYes, a genuine "mystery" RPG has yet to be designed. I don't mean an investigative RPG in the style of CoC, but an RPG dealing with the genre of murder mysteries in the style of Sherlock Holmes, Mrs. Marple, Hercule Poirot, etc.
RPGPundit
GURPS Mysteries has you covered there, and to a lesser extent, GURPS Cops.
What about Italian Renaissance and the German Hansa? There have to be a few games out there...
Quote from: David RI knew there was something out there - there always is :D So, this Vice Squad, real(tv/movie) cops & robbers stuff?
Regards,
David R
Well - it's more Miami Vice than CSI or Shield. :D
-clash
Quote from: flyingmiceWell - it's more Miami Vice than CSI or Shield. :D
-clash
Old school vice or New....:D
Regards,
David R
I don't know if anyone would want to play in it, but a setting book for germany dealing with the times between world wars might be interesting and original.
Players might try to survive in germany as the nazis rise to power, trying to resist or even simply escape them.
As I said, I doubt this has been done, but maybe there's a good reason for that.
Then again, having a game where players get a good look at how a fascist state rises and replaces a democracy could be educational, especially with what's happening in america now...
Quote from: JMcL63I'm not exactly sure if it'd qualify as a genre, but I have a hankering to be able to play the kind of classic thriller where relatively ordinary people get caught up in evildoings beyond their wildest imaginations. You know, films like North by Northwest, or Three Days of the Condor to name but 2 sterling examples. I like to think that adventures like this could make good one-off games, although I must admit that I can see that they might be difficult to carry off satisfactorily. ;)
I just did something like this, and it was surprisingly easy. Start with one of the characters being mistaken for someone else (X) during the first scene, have some people try to kill him because of it.The Pcs will want very badly to know who X is. Every step they take towards finding out only serves to convince the npcs that the pc in question is X. X is, of course, involved in some heavy shit, and has several factions (I used Lemurains, Nazis and KGB agents) after him- or whatever item or information or what have you he is supposed to have. After you get the ball roling it tuns itself, really.
Quote from: David ROld school vice or New....:D
Regards,
David R
I believe this (http://www.pigames.net/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=105) will answer your question... :D
-clash
Quote from: flyingmiceI believe this (http://www.pigames.net/store/product_info.php?cPath=23&products_id=105) will answer your question... :D
-clash
But can the squad captain be a samurai? :D
Miami Vice was all anout the style, so of course! :D
-clash
Does hentai count as a genre?
Quote from: Elliot WilenThat sounds very interesting, although in general I'm not sure of the appeal of purely military RPGs...once you go there, I start to wonder why not play a wargame?
Not only that the lack on independence characters have as part military structure causes problems. If you do have military games they tend to focus on mercenaries or small special forces units that have more independence and not so rigid a command structure.
Quote from: David RCops & Robbers. I'm serious, how about tv inspired cop shows. NYPD Blue, The Sheild, The Wire , Prime Suspect - a little bit of gunplay, investigations, interogations, etc. No supernatural stuff, just good old fashioned cops and robbers. I'm sure, there are games out there somewhat like this, but I doubt there is any pure police procedurals (Hollywood version of course)
Not seen http://www.hogshead.demon.co.uk/ there
Crime Scene stuff for D20 is probably what you are talking about.
Protect and Serve for Cyberpunk was also pretty close but obviously in a near-future setting.
Well, in military games, there's carry (http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/products.php?publisherLink=hamsterprophet&PHPSESSID=dee014cda85b589e02ea37fcc9c7d3e7). In sporting games, there's Contenders (http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/products.php?publisherLink=princeDarkness).
Does StreetFighter: the Roleplaying Game (probably the best Storyteller game published) count for the Sporting Genre?
I like the idea of playing part of a football team.
"I give a nazi salute to the Lazio faithful and stamp on his bollocks!"
Hmmm... that's a great idea actually. You could handle it in a Pendragon-y way by having the actual games be the "winter phase" and then roleplay the different characters' social lives and attempts to break through into the England side.