Music is one of the defining art forms of our century; it has been more influential than art, or even theatre. And its kicked the shit out of sculpture or dance.

But in RPGs, its very hard to incorporate this, especially rock music (which is full of themes and ideas that should work really well for an RPG) into a game that doesn't come out lame...

I mean fuck... "starchildren"? "Lancer's Rockers"? Is that the best one can do?

Does anyone know how it could be done better?

RPGPundit

Quote"Lancer's Rockers"

:rotfl:

I have that book.  It's ridiculous.

Weird Lord Slough Feigh!

William Barton actually wrote a rock and roll rpg, all about being in a band.

Apparently it's not that great, but that could be wrong, I've never seen a single play report or review.

Does seem odd though this isn't covered more.

I'd do it as a straight historical game. Since I know the subject - I was a rock'n'roller - I'd pick the period, research it, describe the conflicts that defined the era, and hinge the game on that. I'd set up metrics for internal tension vs. personal satisfaction - basically internal tension is the drive and ego of each of the bandmembers, while personal satisfaction is fame, money, and artistic worth. So long as personal satisfaction is greater than internal tension, the band stays together. If the reverse happens, it triggers problems. The group can kick out a PC, the PC can voluntarily leave, or the group breaks up and the campaign ends.

Starchildren failed because it was whacky - and I don't mean that in a good way, like toon.  

-clash

Well, hmm.

The thing is, people give this a shot and it often turns into "we're tackling the issue of rock and roll! And the thematic premise(s) thereof!"

Which is so un-fucking rock it's unbeleivable.

I'd want something a lot more like "Josie and the Pussycats, the RPG". But perhaps with a different band.

I have a full disclosure here that I am not going to make.

Cyberpunk tried this with the Rockerboy character class, which frankly bemused me. I can't remember any cyberpunk protagonists who were professional musicians, with the possible exceptions of the characters from "Rock and Rule". Which is one of the worst animated movies ever.

Quote from: WarthurCyberpunk tried this with the Rockerboy character class, which frankly bemused me. I can't remember any cyberpunk protagonists who were professional musicians, with the possible exceptions of the characters from "Rock and Rule". Which is one of the worst animated movies ever.

Little Heroes, man.  It's all about the rock 'n' roll.

I think the "we're a band" thing could work in more-or-less any game, but the actual business of being in a band is not particularly game friendly: "Wow, I got a crit on my guitar solo roll!"
"Great, you get four fame points!"

Hm, that might work, actually.

Warthur - John Shirley and Pat Cadigan both wrote about musicians of various sorts. Check out their stories in Mirrorshades, eg.

Ned

I've kicked around an Aberrant campaign about a super team who's not-particularly-secret identity is a rock band (in other words their adoring public knows that they are also nova's, but pretends not to).  The joke being that the band aren't nova's, but their roadies are, and it's the roadies that do all of the superheroing

Hastur:

The band should totally be KISS or a KISS-type analog.

Maybe GWAR.

I was gonna mention that KISS movie - is it "KISS and the Phantom of the Park"?  Another source of inspiration could be Help! or Yellow Submarine.

Ned

Quote from: Abyssal MawThe band should totally be KISS or a KISS-type analog.

Oh, absolutely.  The Glam Metal Detectives were one of my inspirations

Also, they have to be either Scandinavian or Japanese.  Possibly both

I once ran an All Flesh game where the PCs were norms, three punk rockers who were in a dive bar trying to get a gig when the end of the world happened.  They beat the zombie that came in to death with a pool cue, loaded their car up with smokes and booze then headed to the gun store.  That was pretty rockin' if you ask me.  

:emot-rock:

There's a GWAR miniatures game.