Movies, books, TV, whatever you've based games on.

Dominus Nox · December 02, 2006, 05:19:03 AM

At a convention a while ago I based a traveller adventure on a classic old SF movie from Italy (Maybe the ONLY good SF movie italy ever made) called "Planet of the vampires".

A friend of mine are thinking of doing a game based off "Ghost in the shell stand alone complex".

What books, movies, tv shows or other media have you based scenarios or campaigns off of?

Dr Rotwang! · December 02, 2006, 08:49:25 AM

I'm toying with a SF/Action game of mercenary space opera antics which steals so much from Iain M. Banks' Consider Phlebas that I'll probably go to jail.

I've switched from d20 Future to D6 Space, BTW.

KenHR · December 02, 2006, 09:28:26 AM

A low-fi, street-level criminal organization in my Traveller game is based off of the Barksdale crew (and a few of the East side players) from the HBO series the Wire. There's a starport detective who I picture as being more than a little like Bunk from the same show, too.

David R · December 02, 2006, 10:39:06 AM

Quote from: Dominus NoxWhat books, movies, tv shows or other media have you based scenarios or campaigns off of?

Nearly all my games are inspired by movies and to a lesser extent tv and books...

Regards,
David R

Balbinus · December 04, 2006, 06:05:17 AM

Any I can credibly file the serial numbers off, in a less serious game I don't even worry about that bit too much.

My first Space 1889 game stole the plot from a Boris Akunin historical crime novel, my Chinese fantasy game stole liberally from the Judge Dee novels (in spirit more than plot), I know no shame.

Sosthenes · December 04, 2006, 06:20:25 AM

Task: Re-imagine "Atlas Shrugged" as a OD&D dungeon.

Please don't exceed 900 pages, I'll have your submissions by the end of the week.

One Horse Town · December 04, 2006, 06:31:07 AM

I ran a Die Hard solo adventure set in a castle years ago. The character had his boots stolen and awoke to find out that the castle had been taken over by bandits after the Lords money which was arcane locked in a vault. Crowd control goons had repeating crossbows. The wizard had a wand of fireballs for getting rid of any knights asualting the main gate and everyone kept in touch via message spells read from scrolls.

I also ran an Evil Dead rip off in WFRP years ago.

Mr. Analytical · December 04, 2006, 07:05:31 AM

Well I'm thinking of running a game based on the works of Len Deighton, HP Lovecraft, Charles Stross and the film War Games.

My current game is historical but it's also influenced by a french films called Les Tontons Flingueurs and La Reine Margot as well as Plunkett and Macleane and Quills.

Mr. Analytical · December 04, 2006, 07:08:26 AM

Quote from: SosthenesTask: Re-imagine "Atlas Shrugged" as a OD&D dungeon.

What do you mean re-imagine? I'd argue that dungeon-bashing is an incredibly Randian activity. They take place in worlds where most people spend their entire lives never getting anywhere but some people make fortunes and become incredibly powerful because they have the balls to reach out and grab that wealth and power.

Your average OD&D game-world is a bare-knuckle libertarian paradise. When was the last time your characters paid any taxes on their income?

Sosthenes · December 04, 2006, 07:11:13 AM

Quote from: Mr. AnalyticalYour average OD&D game-world is a bare-knuckle libertarian paradise. When was the last time your characters paid any taxes on their income?

Do guild taxes and church tithe count?

Mr. Analytical · December 04, 2006, 07:25:12 AM

Arguably not actually, but if you pay that stuff then your characters are very much in the minority.

Mr. Analytical · December 04, 2006, 07:27:10 AM

Quote from: BalbinusMy first Space 1889 game stole the plot from a Boris Akunin historical crime novel, my Chinese fantasy game stole liberally from the Judge Dee novels (in spirit more than plot), I know no shame.

You read Judge John Dee? Given your day job I would have thought that the idea of a "maverick judge" would have been anathema. Surely the whole point of a judge's career is consistency, not flashes of brilliance and a tendency to go off and investigate on your own?

Balbinus · December 04, 2006, 08:01:21 AM

Quote from: Mr. AnalyticalYou read Judge John Dee? Given your day job I would have thought that the idea of a "maverick judge" would have been anathema. Surely the whole point of a judge's career is consistency, not flashes of brilliance and a tendency to go off and investigate on your own?

The Judge's dedication to following correct jurisprudential procedure is salutary. Anyway, it's more of a French style system, the Judge is investigator as well as judge.

Hurrah for Judge Dee!

In real life, maverick judges are a pain in the ass, but my job doesn't actually involve judges in any way so it's not something I give much thought to.

Hastur T. Fannon · December 04, 2006, 08:29:32 AM

Quote from: One Horse TownI ran a Die Hard solo adventure set in a castle years ago.

"Now I have a crossbow. Hey-nonny-no."

I once ran a Men In Black game where the plot was brutally ripped off of Stephen King's "The Tommyknockers". The players noticed as soon as the vending machine attacked them and spent the rest of the session taking the piss out of me

Sosthenes · December 04, 2006, 08:30:44 AM

Tommyknockers? The Stephen King tentacle porn? Ewwwww...