Eosin Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 My recent internet hiatus got me thinking (well, watching) about using TV or Cinema inspired campaign settings for a Dark Champions game. Of course, who would restrain their diet to one simple entrée when there are so many good ones to sample? 1. Buffyverse — Vampires, Demons, and other weirdness at the hellmouth (I have only seen season 1). 2. Charmed — witches, white-lighters, demons, and a score of other infernal creatures (my wife watches it). 3. The 4400 — psychic powers, governments here to “protect you,†and people from the future. Now then, what other shows would work? Once I get a good list of candidates, I may try to kit-bash them all together into Hudson City as an experiment. Maybe come up with a list of package ideas for “good guys†and create some of the various creatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korvar Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV I would have thought "24" would be a reasonably good fit - especially for a kitbash! Although how you'd do the "real time" think, I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thia Halmades Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Real Time is easy. You can't "really" do it so you have to present it as a rolling clock and give the character teleport. ;-) The new TNT series 'Saved' is very DC in its flavor, and is about Real People, so it'll be a good balance and give you some nice 'normal' paramedics to include. Other than that, I don't generally watch the dross, and I (snarky this morning, methinks I am) don't see why you'd want to throw it all together. You'll just get a sort of cross-genre episodic mess. But hey, that's me, being snarky today. I'm going back to writing my plot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted June 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV I would have thought "24" would be a reasonably good fit - especially for a kitbash! Although how you'd do the "real time" think' date=' I'm not sure.[/quote'] Funny you should mention it. I just put Jacks write up on my webpage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted June 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Real Time is easy. You can't "really" do it so you have to present it as a rolling clock and give the character teleport. ;-) The new TNT series 'Saved' is very DC in its flavor, and is about Real People, so it'll be a good balance and give you some nice 'normal' paramedics to include. Other than that, I don't generally watch the dross, and I (snarky this morning, methinks I am) don't see why you'd want to throw it all together. You'll just get a sort of cross-genre episodic mess. But hey, that's me, being snarky today. I'm going back to writing my plot. Actually, what I was thinking about doing was something similar to the World of Darkness stuff. Tinkering with the city until witches, slayers, demons, vampires, and others were integrated in a seamless ugly morass. Try to create a single setting using themes that work well together. i.e. Use Buffy, Charmed, Witch Blade, and Brimstone to create a derivative but unique setting. or use X-files, The 4400, 24, Taken, and Stargate to create a techie urban abyss filled with horrid threats of mass destruction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV X Files gives an umbrella that would cover all of the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fur Face Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV I think any good crime tv/video can provide plot seeds. Not too long ago on CSI:Miami a corrupt video game maker created a robbery-bang-bang-shoot'em-up game, staring the PC's as gangsters and using local locations. The only way the CSI's found out what was going to happen next was to have someone play the game. A secret "GM" kept score on how many points were given for finishing the crime & murdering innocent people. That could be a perfect DC scenario. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV My default campaign timeline, inspired by Wold Newton, assumes that every TV show or movie you've ever seen had some basis in reality. Michael Knight got bumped from the KITT project and ended up heading up a team of crime fighting lifeguards. The only changes are those needed to let the shows make sense in the same universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starwolf Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Not a TV show but it is cinematic - Sin City From TV: The Unit (Spec Ops Adventures) Criminal Minds (FBI Profilers track down sickies) The various CSI programs (Fornesic Investigations) NCIS (Navy/Marine Corps criminal investigations) MI-5 (British Intelligence Agents root out terrorists) Streethawk (Crippled motorcycle cop turns super-cycle vigilante) Airwolf (Stolen military hardware used by a vigilante to mash bad guys) Walker: Texas Ranger (Tough Rangers use martial arts to create mayhem for the forces of evil) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV I've been watching Supernatural lately. It is more of a Monster Hunter game. I guess sort of a Dark Champs / Horror Hero cross. I missed the initial run on TV but I've been catching up with the reruns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother Jim Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Night Stalker....both old and new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Wiseguy would make a good heroic-level campaign. More information on the series can be found here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolgroth Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Wiseguy would make a good heroic-level campaign. More information on the series can be found here. I used to love that show, but hated it when Vinnie was replaced by some other guy. The show lost a whole lot of the magic that made it cool. Hard to imagine setting something like that up for a role-playing game though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolgroth Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV I've been watching Supernatural lately. It is more of a Monster Hunter game. I guess sort of a Dark Champs / Horror Hero cross. I missed the initial run on TV but I've been catching up with the reruns.Yeah Supernatural is one of my three favorite (and only) shows that I watch with any regularity. Barring a continuous campaign of monster hunting, one shot adventures that pull the characters (and players) out of their comfortable cop dramas, would be a great use of these type of ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolgroth Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV I would have thought "24" would be a reasonably good fit - especially for a kitbash! Although how you'd do the "real time" think' date=' I'm not sure.[/quote']I've heard so many good things about this show and Jack Bauer and I have never even seen one episode of it. Anyone know if/where they are showing reruns? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted June 18, 2006 Report Share Posted June 18, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV I've heard so many good things about this show and Jack Bauer and I have never even seen one episode of it. Anyone know if/where they are showing reruns? I think F/X shows reruns of the show. i'm not sure if UPN does too. I don't know the exact times. For some reason, I get lousy reception on those networks despite cable, so I don't watch them very often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midas Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Supernatural: Route 66 meets Xphiles. Dead Like Me: Some people don't move on, when they die they become Grim Reapers, responsible for escorting the newly dead onward. Surface: Some *thing* is now at the top of the food chain. It's big, it's unkillable, and it's hungry. Sabrina: You've got Charmed and Buffy, why not? How far back are you willing to go? Bandit: Show running on alternate weekends with Hercules. Allien nation the Series Kung Fu: The Legend Continues Highlander: Pick any of eight universes The Immortal: A HL "Homage" but if you ignore the Highlanderisms, an interesting show. Medium & Ghost Whisperer Joan of Arcadia, Wonderfalls, Tru Calling (would like to see the characters from Tru Calling meet Dead Like Me sometime). Full House & Friends (Mind Control: Induce Nausea, always on, inherent). Midas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV How about Renegade, which was Lorenzo Lamas' gig before The Immortal? Or Also, shows like Law and Order and CSI would work well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Michael Knight got bumped from the KITT project and ended up heading up a team of crime fighting lifeguards. Thanks, Oddhat - I needed a good laugh this afternoon! i.e. Use Buffy, Charmed, Witch Blade, and Brimstone to create a derivative but unique setting. or use X-files, The 4400, 24, Taken, and Stargate to create a techie urban abyss filled with horrid threats of mass destruction. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive, either. Just because 24 focuses on fighting human terrorists doesn't mean there aren't also vampires hiding in the shadows of the universe. So you're free to mix & match whatever elements you like. I've heard so many good things about this show and Jack Bauer and I have never even seen one episode of it. Anyone know if/where they are showing reruns? See if you can rent the DVDs. (I know Netflix has them.) Definitely a show best seen in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourtFool Posted June 20, 2006 Report Share Posted June 20, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Alias - Every time I watch an episode, I am thinking I would houserule the campaign that there are no penalties to Disarm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV The Shield would make a great Dark Champions campaign if your players don't mind having their characters do illegal things from time to time. And if that's the case, maybe The Sopranos would also be a good pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverhawk Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV MI-5 (British Intelligence Agents root out terrorists) There's an old Yorkshire Television show called Sandbaggers which a friend of mine in college ran as a Danger International campaign. Was about SIS (MI-6) and was Cold War era (1979-1980). But was really good. It is available on DVD. Is something that could be brought forward just replace the Soviets with terrorists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korvar Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV Find the British TV series "Ultraviolet". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkwleisemann Posted June 21, 2006 Report Share Posted June 21, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV The Pretender! Preferably before the finales, but certainly the first 3 seasons are well worth stealing from! On DVD too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkdguy Posted June 22, 2006 Report Share Posted June 22, 2006 Re: DC inspired by TV How about First Wave? That had some interesting ideas. Or The Invaders, if you prefer classic sci-fi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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