Split off from Balbinus' thread on genuinely new RPGs.

One of the things that cropped up was police procedural. I've been working on a private investigator game for a bit now. Now the default i was going for was the 1890s and Sherlock Holmes types of characters fighting crime in the colonial empire. Which would be cool...Then my fevered brain started adding to the mix and i considered adding something that i've talked about on this forum before: Grafts (You can view the Fantasy Mecha thread for the idea if you haven't read it already).

So the poll is:

A)Would you like to see a PI game played straight with Sherlock Holmes/Columbo/Piorot type figures foiling the dastadly plots of Moriaty type figures in the 1890s.

or

B) A PI game where an alternate 1890s has resulted in Grafts being possible and Sherlock Holmes/Columbo/Piorot type figures who have augmented hearing/sight/physical abilities foil the dastardly plots of Moriaty types who have had suckers grafted onto them to climb buildings with and have wrist sheaths to hide knives in etc.

or

C) Neither. Not interested in a PI game.

Edit: I should point out that this isn't necessarily about what i should do, 'cos i doubt i'll get that far!, but if the game became available from any source.

Straight PI game, all the way. Hell, if I wanted fantasy PIs I can run that in any one of a dozen different fantasy systems.

a.  B already exists by the way, it's called Rippers and is for Savage Worlds, that said I genuinely just don't see the attraction.

Quote from: Balbinusa.  B already exists by the way, it's called Rippers and is for Savage Worlds, that said I genuinely just don't see the attraction.

Yeah. I was unsure how much rippertech resembled what i was thinking of, to be honest. I don't have enough money to keep up with everything!

Hmm, straight PI work seems to be in the lead at present.

BIGGEST PROBLEM: Most RPGs are stories involving a group of characters.

The typical PI story is normally about a lone individual ...sometimes he or she has a sidekick. The PI doesn't normally have 4 to 5 "sidekicks".


- Ed C.

Quote from: KoltarBIGGEST PROBLEM: Most RPGs are stories involving a group of characters.

The typical PI story is normally about a lone individual ...sometimes he or she has a sidekick. The PI doesn't normally have 4 to 5 "sidekicks".


- Ed C.

Yeah. I'm figuring that an option tied to the setting would have to be offered whereby the PCs are part of a 'group'. Kinda like Moonlighting!

Quote from: One Horse TownYeah. I'm figuring that an option tied to the setting would have to be offered whereby the PCs are part of a 'group'. Kinda like Moonlighting!

Then focus on a detective agency rather than straight PIs. Have rules for generating offices, budgets, staff, and resources, as well as relations with the various authorities in town.

-clash

Quote from: flyingmiceThen focus on a detective agency rather than straight PIs. Have rules for generating offices, budgets, staff, and resources, as well as relations with the various authorities in town.

-clash

I like the cut of your jib! If this was tbp, lots of people would now come in and say you could do it with Reign...

I'm going to try to actually do this one. The main mechanics are already sorted. Now it's just specifics and flavour! I've gathered a few ideas from a few threads on the design & theory forum, so i guess it's time i put my money where my mouth is.

I think the main stumbling block now is; a specific time period or a generic game that you can slot into any time period you want?

Quote from: One Horse TownI like the cut of your jib! If this was tbp, lots of people would now come in and say you could do it with Reign...

I'm going to try to actually do this one. The main mechanics are already sorted. Now it's just specifics and flavour! I've gathered a few ideas from a few threads on the design & theory forum, so i guess it's time i put my money where my mouth is.

I think the main stumbling block now is; a specific time period or a generic game that you can slot into any time period you want?

My recommendadion would be to make it generic and slot it into a specific time period by example. In other words, make the rules extensible and flexible, but use one period as the baseline.

-clash

You're missing the option for both. I'd enjoy both a straight "real world" style PI game, and a near future cyberpunk style PI game.

Quote from: Balbinusa.  B already exists by the way, it's called Rippers and is for Savage Worlds, that said I genuinely just don't see the attraction.

There is an odd strain among gamers that seems to downright insist that ever game be gonzo'd up somehow, or genre mashup, or whatever other silly thing.

I like that now and again too, but sometimes it would be nice to jsut play something straight once and awhile.

Quote from: flyingmiceThen focus on a detective agency rather than straight PIs. Have rules for generating offices, budgets, staff, and resources, as well as relations with the various authorities in town.

Advice for pursuing this approach, by the way: check out the Continental Op stories by Dashiell Hammett. The Op works for an agency and frequently calls in for back-up, and yet still manages to get into scrapes; the stories are an excellent source of ideas for minor NPCs and resources a detective agency might have access to.

Quote from: WarthurAdvice for pursuing this approach, by the way: check out the Continental Op stories by Dashiell Hammett. The Op works for an agency and frequently calls in for back-up, and yet still manages to get into scrapes; the stories are an excellent source of ideas for minor NPCs and resources a detective agency might have access to.

Besides, they are absolutely brilliant examples of the Hard-boiled genre! Fantastic stuff!

Remember links to Lawyers offices too!

-clash

Thanks. I'll check those out. As far as links to other organisations go, there's a couple of things i'm working on. Part of the standard 'investigation template' that i'm aiming to have cases follow is the Consult stage. This is where our intrepid investigators track down experts that can help them with the case (if they don't have the relevant knowledge themselves), talk to their contacts in the police/law office/pathology labs etc. Indeed the investigators could have followed those careers themselves before going the gumshoe route. I'm tending towards abstracting the contacts at the moment although of course in play that can change in a heartbeat. Shit, i've really got a game already (7 or 8 pages!), but it needs a hell of a lot of expansion, explanation and extrapolation. Along with a few other e's.

I had started out with the name Bloodhounds, but, Hmm...Gumshoe.

Quote from: flyingmiceThen focus on a detective agency rather than straight PIs. Have rules for generating offices, budgets, staff, and resources, as well as relations with the various authorities in town.

In Harm's Way: A Dame and a Dick?