Author Topic: What would you think  (Read 9499 times)

Green artificial light

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What would you think
« on: August 18, 2009, 09:12:30 PM »
I've been giving this idea a few years of thought and I believe I have come to a point where I'm going to go for it. I would like some feedback if you guys please.

First of all let me say I have never been a big fan of video game to table top conversions. That being said the fodder for this idea has always been special in my mind and thus deserved special attention. Some of you may have heard of the game , for those of you who havent - frankly you missed a gem in the rough. Herzog Zwei. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herzog_Zwei
The wiki gives you an overview, but please trust me when I say it could be very very addictive. For its time it also had some of the coolest video game music ever         http://gamesounds.holycrap.org/music/gen/midi/h/Herzog_Zwei.html       
So basically my intention is to use the original Battletech ( pre-clan) rules to create a strategy game. The basic premise being a fight for limited resources in a psuedo apocolyptic world. I'm not going to waste everyones time going into each individual nuance I have in my head for mechanics , im just curious what everyone thinks of the overall premise.
So its 3 am and im seriously thinking about ordering "Monster Ballads" ...please help

Murph

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Re: What would you think
« Reply #1 on: August 19, 2009, 08:42:26 AM »
Could you expand on the setting a bit?  Post-apocolyptic is so generic as to be non specific.  The wiki page is a little light on plot.

Green artificial light

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Re: What would you think
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2009, 10:07:17 AM »
Yeah in retrospect it is and is offer my apology for that. I'm also guilty of not only abusing the "post apocalyptic" theme, but generally using it incorrectly. Perhaps it would have been better stated such: In the 31st century man has searched beyond earth for desperately needed resources. Sadly only a handful of planets were found to contain usuable resources. The earths goverments long ago gave way to 4 private corporations which control vast "defensive" millitarys. At the beginning of the 31st century the "Division Compact" was signed by the ruling corporations, which basically states force will be used to achieve control of the off-worlds resources. The 4 corporations use advanced millitary weaponry each utilizing natural gas as a fuel source. This very fuel source is one of the precious resources sought after which serves to limit the number of units commited to a campaign. I am attempting to work in the harsh enviroments Herzog Zwei on a planet wide scale.
 The people of earth now pay there taxes based on the results the corporation achieves: i.e.; corporation A loses 5 out of 7 battles and the public loses trust in thier ability to secure the resources which trickle down to each citizen, and the cost of the losing corporations production increases. In a sense I wanted to show a sort of capitalism gone over the top. I'm also thinking about the idea of govermentalist. That would be groups that wish  return to the standard goverment systems of old and occasionally sabotage the corporations through captured technology.
To me there are elements that seem to have real potential. The thought of a group of people who recognise that raw unchecked capitalism is actually destroying the society as a whole is very interesting to me. I think we typically see things from the opposite perspective in real life.
Honestly this probably seems poorly thought out, and a bit all over the place, and to some extent it certainly is. I was merely wandering if anyone else thought this even remotely sounded interesting.
« Last Edit: August 19, 2009, 11:11:48 AM by Green artificial light »
So its 3 am and im seriously thinking about ordering "Monster Ballads" ...please help

Murph

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Re: What would you think
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2009, 12:38:21 PM »
It kind of sounds like how the Corps are in Shadowrun, minus the space travel and the like.  Are you thinking each player plays a different corp, or do they all start as young hotshot pilots, with something to prove and nothing to lose in the same corporation.  The first would be better for a light roleplaying one shot tabletop game.  The former would be better for a longer running campaign.

I've yet to play/read a system that does vehical combat well (this is probably my fault, I'm sure there's some out there) so I can't offer suggestions that way.  I think Ross mentioned Reign had a neat corporation competition system?  Not sure.

Green artificial light

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Re: What would you think
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2009, 01:29:06 PM »
I guess what my intention was to allow people to play one of the corporations or one of the guerilla groups attemtping to reinstitute a goverment. My first thought would be to give the corporation players increased numbers , while the guerilla groups would have superior equipment ( based on the idea that the guerillas would take much better care and put far more time in their machines) in the battles. Of course this allows for some skirmishes where the guerillas inflitrate the research and development centers of the corporations. I was also thinking that down the road perhaps an alien intellect could support these guerillas for there own nefarious ends- but honestly Im a ways off from that.
So its 3 am and im seriously thinking about ordering "Monster Ballads" ...please help

Murph

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Re: What would you think
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2009, 01:45:18 PM »
The guerrilla groups could be done very easily as a campaign as Shadowrun.  Just remove all the magic or reskin it as "advanced technology".

Otherwise, I'd keep it all the PCs as corps or guerrillas.  Balancing issues would probably be too large, and the goals of the groups would be to different to reconcile.  However, you have some good fluff here.  For some reason Brave New World comes to mind.

Green artificial light

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Re: What would you think
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2009, 01:47:12 PM »
Excellent feedback , greatly appreciated
So its 3 am and im seriously thinking about ordering "Monster Ballads" ...please help