Author Topic: Hunger Games and RPG's  (Read 9412 times)

Cthuluzord

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Hunger Games and RPG's
« on: June 28, 2011, 07:22:37 PM »
Has anybody out there read the Hunger Games series? I know its YA, but the writing ain't half bad and it gets as violent as any mature fantasy/science fiction book I've ever read. I just finished Mockingjay and it occurs to me that the setting would be ridiculously game-able as an RPG. 

So has anybody read the books? Think there would be a market for this among gamers?

Setherick

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2011, 07:54:15 PM »
My wife has read the whole series. You should talk to her about it.
"Something smart so that I can impress people I don't know." - Some Author I've Not Read

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2011, 11:20:28 AM »
I'm not familiar with the books. I do know other Young Adult series that I think would make exceptional RPG settings though so I'm always looking. What's Hunger Games about?

Cthuluzord

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2011, 12:37:32 PM »
Society collapsed in North America after a nuclear war.  A new society called Pan-em arose.  Pan-em is a dictatorship centered around the Capitol, and there are 13 districts of extreme poverty that serve this single city as its labor castes (i.e. one produces lumber, one produces food, the main character is from the coal mining community, etc).

74 (?) years before the books start, the districts rebelled.  The Capitol eventually regained control by eradicating District 13 off the map. In order to prevent rebellion in the future, harsher curfews and food shortages were enforced on each district, and the Hunger Games were invented.

The Hunger Games take place every year and operate as "a reminder to the lives lost in the rebellion." It takes the form Battle Royale meets reality TV.  Every child between the ages of 10 and 16 is eligible to play if they sign up for lots in the taesarae, which is a lottery where a family gets extra rations of grain for every time their kid signs up.  Each district sends one female and one male to the capitol.

At the Capitol, they are required to train in a weapon and outdoor survival techniques. They participate in a fashion show and TV interview. Then all 24 kids are transported to an Arena and forced to fight to the death.

In the center of the Arena is a massive pile of weapons where the best stuff is in the very middle, so there is usually a massacre as the most ruthless kids try to get the best weapons.  It is surrounded on all sides by a massive wooded area (usually) that is mined with every futuristic death trap imaginable. Lasers, genetically engineered swarms of smart animals, artificial volcanos, etc.

The best part (to me, at least) is the gifts.  The audience in the Capitol can pay money online to have weapons, medicine, or food dropped into their favorite players.  But since the Capitol is full of heartless, decadent fools, they will only help those who most entertain them.  So as they are murdering each other, the kids are manufacturing alliances, romances, rivalries, and anything else they feel will please the viewers, all just so they can get some medicine to stop their hallucinogenic wasp stings or whatever.

Anyway, that's all in the first book.  The second focuses on the main character having to go back to the game and third starts a new rebellion against the Capitol.  It think its insanely gamable because you could use the different skill sets of each district as classes.  You would also have the option of making it largely a PVP game by running one of the Hunger Games, or you could set up a campaign in the rebellion-mode.  There are all sorts of crazy monsters, jackbooted thugs, and devious traps to throw PC's up against either way.

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2011, 01:29:10 PM »
That's simple astounding. Sounds like an excellent setting for a game, though I would be more interested in playing the second option, a rebel among the distracts. FATE would be a great system for that with your high concept partly determined by your district. The Basic Roleplaying system might be good too, it's work for CoC of a couple decades.


Additionally, in an effort to multi-rail this thread (ie, add similar subjects) I'd suggest the The Foundling's Tale (former the Monster Blood Tattoo) books by DM Cornish who created a book series out of his art school illustrations and creations of a fictional land where humans struggle against dozens of kinds of monster for survival, the oceans are made of mild acids, and biological creations supplement technology. It's kind of steam punk if you replace steam with flesh.

Seems like young adult authors have good gaming ideas. Must come from being closer to the minds of children.

clockworkjoe

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2011, 02:30:25 PM »
That's a YA novel? Goddamn, I didn't know that YA novels were so over the top. Sounds like a fun read.

Z

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #6 on: June 29, 2011, 02:37:16 PM »
this sounds miles more adult than the dresden files books and they were made into an rpg so why the fuck not

Tadanori Oyama

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #7 on: June 29, 2011, 04:10:16 PM »
I'd guess that it being made into an RPG doesn't really have much to do with how "adult" the books are, it's about the quality of the setting and how marketable it is.

I haven't heard of Hunger Games and I'm wagering most people here haven't heard of The Foundling's Tale. I have no experience in the industry; my gut tell me that makes them less then ideal for liscensed RPG. On the other hand Hemingway is famous as crap and I have yet to see an The Old Man and The Sea RPG.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2011, 04:19:00 PM by Tadanori Oyama »

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Re: Hunger Games and RPG's
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2011, 07:30:21 PM »
Quote
On the other hand Hemingway is famous as crap and I have yet to see an The Old Man and The Sea RPG.

The Old Man and the Sea: The RPG

Amongst the turmoil of inner guilt, repentance, and hope, you stand alone against the uncaring sea.   The sun beats down on your crisped flesh as you hold on for dear life in your small fishing boat. You sit poised to reel in the catch of your life...or could it be your death?

Remember, beware the sharks...