This week is the anniversary of Ernesto "Che" Guevara's death.  The political situation throughout latinamerica in the 1960s and 70s was a brutal and complex one, with a strange mix of idealism and terrible acts.  The sixties were mostly a decade of guerillas, and the 70s of repression as one democracy after another fell under dictatorships.
Its been my thought that this would be the sort of stuff that could make for a very good modern RPG.

So what kind of themes would be good for it? What kind of twists could it have, if you didn't want it to be purely "realistic"?

But of course, this isn't the only era that would be of interest to gamers in Latinamerican history.  The first half of the 19th century, especially in the river plate region, was an era of wars and caudillos (warlords), lonely ranch-houses where each man was his own law; a particularly brutal version of the wild west (to the point that one british author who visited what is now Uruguay in that time called the region "the Purple Land", because the green grass was stained purple with all the blood that flowed over it), interspersed with intense political and military struggles all around; the spanish against the colonials, then the portuguese versus the argentines, the Uruguayan urbanites of the city of Montevideo sending armies against the warlords of the rural areas; british and french invasions and incursions, and all the while a process of people trying to carve out a new governments, countries, and societies.

The other day Jong hinted at me that he was thinking of making an RPG about this... methinks he should be encouraged.
But hey, it might be just me: does anyone else see the potential in this?

RPGPundit

Quote from: RPGPunditThis week is the anniversary of Ernesto "Che" Guevara's death.  The political situation throughout latinamerica in the 1960s and 70s was a brutal and complex one, with a strange mix of idealism and terrible acts.  The sixties were mostly a decade of guerillas, and the 70s of repression as one democracy after another fell under dictatorships.
Its been my thought that this would be the sort of stuff that could make for a very good modern RPG.

There are games about modern conflicts? There's not even a single serious game about WWII that I could name...

There were a couple of frankly ghoulish D20 products released for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  I remember them causing the other place (from which I got banned the other day!) to have a minor melt-down.

I would dearly love an rpg set in 19th century Latin America or in the 1960s to 1980s.

Mr A, I didn't actually think your post a personal attack, in fact I agreed with it entirely, but so it goes over there these days.

I do find it extraordinary though that one can be banned for pointing out that reading drizzt novels (or however it's spelt) is a miserable fucking waste of time given all the great literature out there.

Anyway, Latin America, hell yes.

Yeah, it's funny that the "group attack" rule, which was originally used to stop racist and homophobic posting now gets used to get rid of people who disagree with such oppressed minorities as "people who might want to buy a Solomon Kane RPG" and "People who read Drizzt novels".

If I've told you guys once, I've told you a hundred times. That GM fudges.

The 60's and 70's in Latin America would make a terrific setting, especially if you run it in terms of a "shades of grey" morality.   The rightist forces were a nasty bunch, but a case could be made that groups like the Tupamoros sparked the violent backlash with their Marxist "urban guerrilla as the vanguard" tactics.  The same dynamic occured here in Quebec--although but a faint shadow compared to events elsewhere--during the October '70 crisis when the seperatist FLQ kidnapped two important officials.  You likely remember it better than I, RPGPundit.  I still get chills hearing about the murder of the second kidnap victim, and tanks and soldiers patroling the streets of Montreal.  Thankfully the Canadian social fabric wasn't as polarized at that of South America's.

     As for the 19th century, what about the Paraguayan wars (Triple Entente and Chaco)?  You could probably use the Paranoia rules to portray the horrible ridiculousness of those conflicts.

     As for Che, I lack much admiration for the trendy hero of the socialist revolution.  He pretty much got what was coming to him when he got whacked in Bolivia.

Andrew

TLATELOLCO, Mexico City, October 2nd 1968 -- While protesting the Mexican government's occupation of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, 200-300 student protestors, as well as uninvolved bystanders, are killed by military forces who begin firing indiscriminately into the crowd.  

Within hours, student protestors respond with the ultimate weapon available to them:

Pinches Arañas Gigantes.

That, I'd play.

AND NOW, SERIOUSLY:  You know, I'm not digging historical gaming at the moment, but I've always, always thought that Mexico City has been sorely overlooked as a cyberpunk setting.  Read this, from the Wiki:

QuoteTepito is a barrio located in Mexico City. It is a popular flea market (tianguis, in Spanish) among locals. However, it is best known for being home to many of Mexico City's most dangerous gangs and criminals. When visiting, one should be aware, however it is not recommended.

The prices in this market are indeed very cheap. A large portion of the merchandise sold on this place is illegal in one way or many. The products available range from movies (both pirated and legitimate), videogames (pirated and legitimate), clothing, and electronic devices such as cameras and DVD players. Among the locals, Tepito is known to have its good share of crackers, being able to modify almost any device or program. One semi-famous case was one of the Tepito sellers getting ahold of an Xbox 360 months before the official release.

When I lived in Mexico City (1981-1987), there was certainly a mystique about Tepito.  Hell, the whole city has something to offer for adventure gaming, from gangs and corruption to long-lost underground temples (the new city's built over the old one).  

And the food?  Fabulous.

They threw giant spiders at them?

THIS is why someone needs to write a proper Cold War RPG.

Quote from: SosthenesThere are games about modern conflicts? There's not even a single serious game about WWII that I could name...

GURPS WWII. I don't even play GURPS, but I love their supplements. This is a whole game line.

-clash

Quote from: Mr. AnalyticalThey threw giant spiders at them?

THIS is why someone needs to write a proper Cold War RPG.

Giant Fucking Spiders.  

Er, the adjective.  Not the verb.  

"Hijo de su madre!  Se lo chingaron al profesor!'

Oh! And I'd play the latin american game any time, anywhere. Fascinating stuff!

-clash

Quote from: flyingmiceGURPS WWII. I don't even play GURPS, but I love their supplements. This is a whole game line.
-clash

Okay, as a supplement it kinda makes sense. Can be used in conjunction with other settings and you don't have to invent a whole new realistic system to get things going. Rather unlikely to work as a stand-alone game. I'd like a "GURPS: Revolution". That could group lots of historical episodes together into one neat package, generalise for your own favorite revolution and nicely tie in with other products...

The early to mid-19th century in Latin America is a great setting, and I look forward to do something about it as soon as I finish other projects. Ditto for previous centuries.

I'd skip the 1960s and 1970s here in Latin America, though. It's still a hot topic, and I'm sick of being dragged back to those decades by political interests.

The exception would be a comedy/noir game, a 60s version of Cosecha Verde (Green Harvest). "Our glorious President for Life welcomes you to Paradiso!"

Tangentally: I believe there is at least one Vietnam game. Forget the name.  It's a real meat grinder where the standard play is you work your way up from green grunt towards specialization like SpecOps or such. Much war related death on both sides ensues.


I like the idea of a south american setting. And yes Dr Rotwang!, I often am saddened that FASA decided to make central american one big monolithic evil corp/government. Without some sizable deviation from canon it is sort of a no-fly zone.  Or maybe that's all in my head?  Any thoughts Jong?