Silent HERO?

[Nelijal]

While anticipating the arrival of the newly remastered DVD of Metropolis, I started wondering about the feasability of running HERO like a silent movie. The players are not allowed to speak; they instead write on placards to describe major or key actions, and otherwise must mime their intentions.

This would fit any genre, if executed in the spirit of the medium.

[Deejmeister]

I played in a D&D game once where one of the players had lost his voice the day of the game. So our DM ran a scenario where a whole town was under a silence field. We couldn't talk to each other about anything but game mechanics, and had to invent ways to get each other's attention in character and hand signals. It was quite fun. (Did I mention the demons, or the fact that most of our spells had verbal components?)

[jtelson]

If only I had players that would be receptive to something like that.. Ah well a GM can dream. If you're going to do it you can find dry erase boards at places like Michaels or AC Moore(?) in a reasonable variety of shapes and sizes. I use one for scene clarification doodles when I run. Get one for each player for their dialogue.

[BlackCobra]

Originally posted by jtelson
If only I had players that would be receptive to something like that.. Ah well a GM can dream. If you're going to do it you can find dry erase boards at places like Michaels or AC Moore(?) in a reasonable variety of shapes and sizes. I use one for scene clarification doodles when I run. Get one for each player for their dialogue.

Oh, pshaw! If they can sit through an hour of pantomime conversation with a cat familiar who only knows the word "meow", they can probably go for Silent Movie Placard scenes. On the other hand (paw?), it probably wouldn't be something we'd want to do for 4 hours.

But interesting thought!

[Deejmeister]

Originally posted by BlackCobra
On the other hand (paw?), it probably wouldn't be something we'd want to do for 4 hours.

Yeah, It sounds like something that would be good for a one shot, like at a Con or something, but I couldn't see finding enough players who would be interested in a full campaign.

[Armitage]

Originally posted by Deejmeister
I played in a D&D game once where one of the players had lost his voice the day of the game. So our DM ran a scenario where a whole town was under a silence field. We couldn't talk to each other about anything but game mechanics, and had to invent ways to get each other's attention in character and hand signals. It was quite fun. (Did I mention the demons, or the fact that most of our spells had verbal components?)

And did the party wizard meet the love of his/her life while hiding from the demons?
(Vending machine not required).

[lemming]

I've never seen an entire table do the silent routine, but that might not be a bad idea for some Con games. I always seem to lose my voice near the end of the Con.

I once played a character, (supers) names "The Mime". Big VPP, but I had to act out the powers.

In another game, my character was on a solo quest and ran into a language problem. The GM and I did a lot of pantomime to get our various points across.

For Silent Hero, I would have various music sources since you need that organ or piano player to convey mood.

For the placards, I think small whiteboards would be good.

[Armitage]

Originally posted by lemming
I once played a character, (supers) names "The Mime". Big VPP, but I had to act out the powers.

That's funny. I once created a professional assassin called The Mime. He had the power to create invisible force constructs.
Kill targets with an invisible sword or shoot them with an invisible bow and arrow.
Trap opponents in an invisible box.
Make a quick escape on an invisible bicycle.

[Crimson Arrow]

My recollection might be faulty on this, but I think there was a scenario for "Call of Cthulhu" (in "Blood Brothers 2"), which was based on silent German expressionist films ("The Golem", "The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari" and "Nosferatu" to be precise). That much is certain, but IIRC, there were supposed to be cards on which people wrote their dialogue. I don't think they were forbidden from speaking as themselves, just in character.

This fits right in with "Metropolis", of course.

[Supreme]

Expect a lot of tired hands.

[Law Dog]

Originally posted by Crimson Arrow
My recollection might be faulty on this, but I think there was a scenario for "Call of Cthulhu" (in "Blood Brothers 2"), which was based on silent German expressionist films ("The Golem", "The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari" and "Nosferatu" to be precise). That much is certain, but IIRC, there were supposed to be cards on which people wrote their dialogue. I don't think they were forbidden from speaking as themselves, just in character.

This fits right in with "Metropolis", of course.

Correct. Wonderful scenario. It also makes them keep it brief. Wonderful flavor device.

[Nelijal]

For anyone who cares, further research has turned up the term intertitle to refer to the written parts of a silent film. Perhaps placard refers to the physical card used to make the intertitles? My silent film knowledge is lacking.

[steriaca]

This reminds me of one of the villians I am developing. His name is Mister Wicked, and, yes, he looks like the sterotypical bad melodrama villian. Acts like one also (to a point).

Big question is, what can I do with him besides kidnap female DNPCs, burning down orphenages, and forclosing morgeges?

[Killer Shrike]

Originally posted by steriaca
This reminds me of one of the villians I am developing. His name is Mister Wicked, and, yes, he looks like the sterotypical bad melodrama villian. Acts like one also (to a point).

Big question is, what can I do with him besides kidnap female DNPCs, burning down orphenages, and forclosing morgeges?

Duh....twist mustaches

That one was too easy.


Back on topic: SilentHERO:
This might be feasible, if you have a group of players that can actually read and write. Of course, not all of us are so lucky as to have such well-educated and sophisticated players, but if you are then I say go for it. All you have to loose is an afternoon, a pack of whiteboard markers, and consciousness (yours or that of your players).

Me, you couldnt get to watch a 1 hour silent movie, much less spend 6 hours in a game session trying to emulate one. If your players are made of higher brows, then good luck. I would probably have 'other plans' that week if I were a player in that group however.