A game in search of a setting ...

[jeffmoore]

So, Rob Lang's advice for is pretty sound. He also has written an article on creating a better fantasy RPG: . And it strikes me that one of Rob's personal soap-boxes for game design is: setting, world design, setting, backdrop, setting, background, setting ... all that. And I am also sure that I wouldn't have to look very hard to find dozens of game designers and publishers who agree with him.

So, in the interest of sound advice, I find myself looking at my own work, past and present, and find that ... I ... I am a systems man. I like playing with numbers and dice and tweaking and twisting the tiny bits of math associated with old school RPG random task resolution.

Everything I do is another approach at rolling dice and interpreting results. There's nothing wrong with that ... it's what I like. That being said, I would like to endeavor to make my latest project something more ... something greater than the works of the past, and I believe the way to do that is with the setting.

My creative bent in the design portion of my RPG does lend itself to suggesting some setting ideas ... so, I have a start ... but I believe that there might be a valid reason that my previous projects are all but completely devoid of anything resembling a setting. I am not driven creatively to write this kind of material. My solution? Seek help.

I said that my current design efforts do hint at some setting ideas ... these are:

[1] Superheroes

I just love superheroes. I grew up reading comics and fantasizing about the fantastic worlds these heroes come from. I like them. I have written no less than 5 superhero inspired RPG's already ... and I still want to do more. (I feel that I can do better.)

[2] Women

I just love women. I grew up reading Playboy and ... Uh, okay bad joke ... but really ... I have decided to create my own art for a game for the first time, and the art that I have been doing is superheroine cheesecake. To be brutally honest, it's what I like to draw, and I need to continue to feed into my joy for this project. Drawing sexy superheroines in spandex is fun. And I am actually pretty good at it. (.)

So this has started me thinking along the lines of a world of Superhero Women. I don't want to force players into playing a specific gender. I don't want that kind of game. And I don't want a parody like "." But, I think the world that I do want to make could be an interesting setting for a superhero game.

I see something like this: some fantastic event creates a bunch of superheroes out of everyday people. Overnight, a world of superheroes is born. Interestingly, 90% of the persons effected are women. That's it ... the basic concept.

This setting presents some interesting challenges. What would a culture of superheroes dominated by women by like? Could this produce a reality that is very different from the male dominated hero world depicted in the comic books? How would it be different? Is there a way to answer these questions that will validate the cheesecake in my drawings and not be insulting or stupid? What role will the minority group of superhero males play? How will they interact in this world ruled by women?

I am looking for help. I am putting it out there to the universe and the internet ... "Help me design my universe of super hero women." I am looking for someone who would like to take an honest stab at creating this setting for my game. I am looking for a creative partner who thinks this would be something both fun and great to do. If that's you ... please let me know.

Regards,



Jeff

[kumakami]

I think to really add zest you need to have it occur in a time when women were REALLY under-valued

like 1950's America!

but I like conflict on a social level....

I would love to help but my like has gotten in the way.....sorry

[Rob Lang]

[jeffmoore]

Thanks for the ideas and thought provoking questions ... what I am seeing now is a 1950's setting option like the one discussed ...

*plus*

... another alternative setting:

a modern world option that presents a society changed by those women heroes of the 1950's.

I am thinking that the change that gave these women their powers did not make them sterile and that they have in fact passed their powers on to their children, but again the power favors female children almost exclusively and so male heroes are rare.

I don't like the idea of making the men who have powers villains, for myself I prefer that heroes and villains are born of each individuals own human nature rather than some arbitrary factor ... this just makes a better story to me (and I want players to be able to choose to play male if they wish.)

I want to consider how the modern world might be different if these super woman really existed in 1950 ... would today's social landscape be drastically different? If so, how??

Thanks again for the feedback!!


Jeff

[Kinslayer]

The more patriarchal nature of society sixty years ago is, ironically, the reason for the cheesecake attire. Now it's just tradition, and high fashion for the super set. The costume of a superhero is supposed to be distracting. As a superpowered woman in the Fifties, it was nigh essential. Bright colours, skintight fabrics, and lots of leg drew attention away, and helped obfuscate one's identity. A domino mask becomes an effective disguise if no one ever looks at your face.

[jeffmoore]

[jeffmoore]

Well, the game is done! At least until I take it back to "follow the guide" that's Rob Lang's Guide to Organizing your RPG. But that won't happen until the game has undergone some play testing. I reiterate that I am terrible at writing setting material. I think it's because for me setting has always been something that has only grown beyond a basic framework through game play and is an embodiment of that game play and input and reaction by my players and the paths that they choose. So, this setting will get fleshed out as I play test. That will also allow me to polish any rough spots in the rules and fix anything that I find broken. I also intend to complete more illustration. Once all that is done, I'll take the game back and take a hard look at Rob's Guide. I did decide to take one of Rob's setting suggestions that I initially dismissed. He suggested that male supers be evil. I had said I didn't want to do that, but have since embraced the idea, so thanks for that Rob ... so, for now ... it's all over but the playing.

Regards,


Jeff Moore

[Rob Lang]

Jeff, this is great news! Once you get it into order, I'd love to take a look. I've been following the updates of Xceptional on your blog and it's looking cool.

[Cram]

I'd love to read this too. I love the idea of superheroes tackling pervasive social problems. Or that civil rights issues are actually being perpetrated by nefarious supervillians. A lot of interesting historical characters (Amelia Airheart, Rosa Parks) might be re contextualized in a more heroic light. All in all, this sounds like a unique and fun angle for a game.

[Rob Lang]

Glad you're keen. Jeff's only

(Sorry for stealing your thunder, Jeff!)