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How to create a golden age super campaign

Started by Ratguy, August 09, 2023, 06:35:42 PM

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Ratguy

August 09, 2023, 06:35:42 PM
How can i create a golden age supers campaign,and what rpg systems can be  used?

GeekyBugle

#1
August 09, 2023, 06:40:54 PM
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

GeekyBugle

#3
August 10, 2023, 01:00:10 PM
    Golden Age: 1938 (first appearance of Superman) to 1954 (introduction of the Comics Code)
    Silver Age: 1956 to early 1970s.
    Bronze Age: 1970s to 1986.
    Modern Age:1986 until today.

Now, you're preobably too young to have read those comics and don't have the money to go buy them, read a bunch and extract the essence to build a campaign, so let me see if I can put to writting MY ideas about what made it special.

It's a world with black and white morals, none of that pantsy everything's grey morality of today.

The heroes were good but human (yes, even Superman), meaning they had human character flaws, they were good not because they lacked those, but in spite of those.

Being patriotic was always portrayed as a good thing (except if the character was a villain: Nazis, Japanese, Italian), chivalry, courtesy, were also depicted as a good character trait.

A sense of wonder, Captain Marvel (Billy Batson the one and true Captain Marvel) was a teen/child in the body of a superpowered grown man, and it showed.

Some heroes did kill, Batman famously used a handgun in his first apperances but it was quickly ditched. Still you need to remember there were Western comics too and cowboys did kill their enemies, Captain America never shed a tear when a member of the Axis fell to his/her death.

Polite, Superheroes didn't cuz, they didn't take the Lord's name in vain either.

Honor, Superheroes were men (and women) of their word with very rare exceptions.

The how or why they got their "powers" (remember Batman has none) was less important than how wondrous those powers were. Not that for a game this doesn't present unique roleplaying and maybe even mechanical opportunities, it depends of the system and GM.

"Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound." At first Superman wasn't as powerful, but that changed relatively fast, by 1940 (Whiz Comics #2 First appearance of Captain Marvel) Superman was already able to fly among other things.

Now, unless you want to run a campaign about one Superhero and his superpowerful sidekicks, or you're good enough to create adventures where having a Superman doesn't turn everybody else in cheerleaders I'd advice against allowing such kinds of PCs. Or make the character limited to Superman/Wonder Woman when they first appeared, remeber he wasn't as powerful and she could be defeated by tying her with simple rope.

Which brings me to the silly weaknesses, the more powerful superheroes had one: Wonder Woman any normal rope, Green Lantern anything made of wood.

If you can, go watch Justice League: The New Frontier. While it's not the original heroes in some cases (Flash, Green Lantern and the Atom) it keeps to the spirit of the Golden Age comics very well.

The JLU cartoons are also very good source of inspiration, you could even rip off the plot of some of the episodes.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

Ratguy

#4
August 10, 2023, 03:55:50 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on August 10, 2023, 01:00:10 PM
    Golden Age: 1938 (first appearance of Superman) to 1954 (introduction of the Comics Code)
    Silver Age: 1956 to early 1970s.
    Bronze Age: 1970s to 1986.
    Modern Age:1986 until today.

Now, you're preobably too young to have read those comics and don't have the money to go buy them, read a bunch and extract the essence to build a campaign, so let me see if I can put to writting MY ideas about what made it special.

It's a world with black and white morals, none of that pantsy everything's grey morality of today.

The heroes were good but human (yes, even Superman), meaning they had human character flaws, they were good not because they lacked those, but in spite of those.

Being patriotic was always portrayed as a good thing (except if the character was a villain: Nazis, Japanese, Italian), chivalry, courtesy, were also depicted as a good character trait.

A sense of wonder, Captain Marvel (Billy Batson the one and true Captain Marvel) was a teen/child in the body of a superpowered grown man, and it showed.

Some heroes did kill, Batman famously used a handgun in his first apperances but it was quickly ditched. Still you need to remember there were Western comics too and cowboys did kill their enemies, Captain America never shed a tear when a member of the Axis fell to his/her death.

Polite, Superheroes didn't cuz, they didn't take the Lord's name in vain either.

Honor, Superheroes were men (and women) of their word with very rare exceptions.

The how or why they got their "powers" (remember Batman has none) was less important than how wondrous those powers were. Not that for a game this doesn't present unique roleplaying and maybe even mechanical opportunities, it depends of the system and GM.

"Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound." At first Superman wasn't as powerful, but that changed relatively fast, by 1940 (Whiz Comics #2 First appearance of Captain Marvel) Superman was already able to fly among other things.

Now, unless you want to run a campaign about one Superhero and his superpowerful sidekicks, or you're good enough to create adventures where having a Superman doesn't turn everybody else in cheerleaders I'd advice against allowing such kinds of PCs. Or make the character limited to Superman/Wonder Woman when they first appeared, remeber he wasn't as powerful and she could be defeated by tying her with simple rope.

Which brings me to the silly weaknesses, the more powerful superheroes had one: Wonder Woman any normal rope, Green Lantern anything made of wood.

If you can, go watch Justice League: The New Frontier. While it's not the original heroes in some cases (Flash, Green Lantern and the Atom) it keeps to the spirit of the Golden Age comics very well.

The JLU cartoons are also very good source of inspiration, you could even rip off the plot of some of the episodes.
cool,man,thank you very much for the advice

Thor's Nads

#5
August 10, 2023, 11:30:49 PM
Quote from: Ratguy on August 09, 2023, 06:35:42 PM
How can i create a golden age supers campaign,and what rpg systems can be  used?

Use Guardians. Read some old issues of Superman (Action Comics), Batman (Detective Comics), and Shazam (Capt. Marvel), they are easy to find online. Get your friends together and play.

You can thank me later.
Gen-Xtra

Ratguy

#6
August 11, 2023, 12:58:45 PM
Thanks,but what about the other super hero role-playing games?

Slambo

#7
August 11, 2023, 01:09:26 PM
Step 1: Give batman his gun.

tenbones

#8
August 11, 2023, 03:13:28 PM
GeekyBugle gave your some great parameters.

Pick a City (or make one up that will have analog locations or be a pastiche of your favorite era-specific genre cities).

Populate it with cool locations.

Create list of threats - organizations, Big Bosses, Mad Scientists, Cult leaders etc. Make sure you know their motivations. Make them fit the conceits of the genre.

Have tables handy for random events that are supers-worthy: Muggings, low-level organized crime - shakedowns, gambling, gang-warfare, runaway subway trains, building fires, car-pileups, cats stuck in trees etc. Or be ready to make them up on the spot.

Make a BUNCH of NPC's relevant to the city(ies) that are potentially important to the PC's - Mayor, Chief of Police, Union leaders? Industrialists, Scientists, Rich assholes you love/hate, Femme Fatales, "neutral" organizations that have their own motivations that could help/hinder your PC's, - GIVE THEM ALL MOTIVATIONS.

Create some setpieces - Arkham Asylum, Sewer hideouts, buildings that are fortresses for bad guys, secret laboratories, industrialist factories (where the fuck do you think all those cool jetpacks come from?) populate them with cool interesting people, interesting traps/security.

Make a relationship map of all the NPC's Neutral/Good/Bad - and reinforce those connections for the PC's to interact with. The Shadow's network had tons of people from all walks of life that were often criminals themselves. Maybe some of your good/evil/neutral NPC's of note have connections and influence over one another without the PC's knowing.

Create as much complexity as you can handle and wind it all up - drop the PC's in and let it all unfold on its own.

Report back. That's an order.

GeekyBugle

#9
August 11, 2023, 03:44:51 PM
Quote from: tenbones on August 11, 2023, 03:13:28 PM
GeekyBugle gave your some great parameters.

Pick a City (or make one up that will have analog locations or be a pastiche of your favorite era-specific genre cities).

Populate it with cool locations.

Create list of threats - organizations, Big Bosses, Mad Scientists, Cult leaders etc. Make sure you know their motivations. Make them fit the conceits of the genre.

Have tables handy for random events that are supers-worthy: Muggings, low-level organized crime - shakedowns, gambling, gang-warfare, runaway subway trains, building fires, car-pileups, cats stuck in trees etc. Or be ready to make them up on the spot.

Make a BUNCH of NPC's relevant to the city(ies) that are potentially important to the PC's - Mayor, Chief of Police, Union leaders? Industrialists, Scientists, Rich assholes you love/hate, Femme Fatales, "neutral" organizations that have their own motivations that could help/hinder your PC's, - GIVE THEM ALL MOTIVATIONS.

Create some setpieces - Arkham Asylum, Sewer hideouts, buildings that are fortresses for bad guys, secret laboratories, industrialist factories (where the fuck do you think all those cool jetpacks come from?) populate them with cool interesting people, interesting traps/security.

Make a relationship map of all the NPC's Neutral/Good/Bad - and reinforce those connections for the PC's to interact with. The Shadow's network had tons of people from all walks of life that were often criminals themselves. Maybe some of your good/evil/neutral NPC's of note have connections and influence over one another without the PC's knowing.

Create as much complexity as you can handle and wind it all up - drop the PC's in and let it all unfold on its own.

Report back. That's an order.

That's such great advice and it could fit in maybe 3 pages with examples and or illustrations!

The Fleischer Superman Cartoons are freely available in Youtube.



This shortly lived cartoon encapsulates most everything Golden Age with the caveat that it focuses on Superman and he's more powerful than when he first appeared but not as much as he latter became. IMHO it's a must watch.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

tenbones

#10
August 12, 2023, 11:25:18 AM Last Edit: August 12, 2023, 11:29:12 AM by tenbones
oh for sure! I think I even had those cartoons running in the back of my mind when I was riffing off your original post.

Something that is often overlooked when GMing any kind of specific genre is your descriptions of places/people. Golden era cities are monumental in size downtown, art deco, larger than life. Describe the hats, the suits, the subtle colors, and make the important people POP. Another good inspiration that you can REALLY dig into is find catalogs of "stuff" that was sold in that era. Populate your game with name-brands of that time. The music!!! What's playing on the radio? Create some radio announcer NPC that the PC's will come to know - maybe become a contact?

Don't forget those SWEET SWEET art deco cars and motorcyles!!!!



Dive into movies of that era and soak it up.

GeekyBugle

#11
August 12, 2023, 02:24:03 PM
Those sweet vehicles bring us to Batman The Animated Series, which should also be a big influence in any Golden Age Supers Campaign.
Quote from: Rhedyn

Here is why this forum tends to be so stupid. Many people here think Joe Biden is "The Left", when he is actually Far Right and every US republican is just an idiot.

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."

― George Orwell

Grognard GM

#12
August 12, 2023, 04:05:32 PM
Quote from: GeekyBugle on August 12, 2023, 02:24:03 PM
Those sweet vehicles bring us to Batman The Animated Series, which should also be a big influence in any Golden Age Supers Campaign.

Exactly right. B:TAS obviously styled all of its vehicles on concept cars from the 30's and 40's, and look cool as fuck as a result.
I'm a middle aged guy with a lot of free time, looking for similar, to form a group for regular gaming. You should be chill, non-woke, and have time on your hands.

See below:

https://www.therpgsite.com/news-and-adverts/looking-to-form-a-group-of-people-with-lots-of-spare-time-for-regular-games/

Spinachcat

#13
August 12, 2023, 05:25:58 PM
I bought Crusaders and I need to write up a review.
It's VERY good on paper and I'm excited to run it to see how it plays at the table.
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/400193/CRUSADERS
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