British SF HERO

[Michael Hopcroft]

In the period from 1955 to 1990, the British Broadcasting Corporation produced several remarkable science fiction series for its television service. It was the age of Quatermass and the Pit , Doctor Who ,Blakes 7 and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy . The shows were marked the the paradoxical combination of cheap, often cheezy effects and often truly creative storytelling.

 

The era ended when Star Trek: the Next Generation proved concolusively that a government agency that relied on TV license fees could never raise the financial resources to compete. Since then BBC SF has been limited to satires like Red Dwarf , which have proved popular but not quite as satisfying to me at least.

 

Could Star HERO be used to put together a campaign in ther style of one of those classic series?

[Monolith]

Star Hero could easily do that. But really what you are describing is more of a campaign tone than a rules issue. Having garbage cans with brooms sticking out of the tops running around saying "Exterminate!" is really more of a style of play than anything else. It would be no different than using Champions to play a Golden Age game (where the heroes are heroes and the villains are villains) as compaired to a Dark Champions game (where no one is sure who the heroes are).

 

IMO, 80% of all gaming is campaign/genre tone and only 20% is dependent upon the rules of the game.

[comfortmd]

Originally posted by Monolith

Star Hero could easily do that. But really what you are describing is more of a campaign tone than a rules issue. Having garbage cans with brooms sticking out of the tops running around saying "Exterminate!" is really more of a style of play than anything else. It would be no different than using Champions to play a Golden Age game (where the heroes are heroes and the villains are villains) as compaired to a Dark Champions game (where no one is sure who the heroes are).

 

IMO, 80% of all gaming is campaign/genre tone and only 20% is dependent upon the rules of the game.

 

Hey the daleks also said the phrase "Kill the Doctor", heh heh heh (Do you know they have a remote control dalek now:D). I have almost all the Doctor Who's recorded from PBS and transferred to med quality mpeg 2 (just in case the stupid BBC tries to destroy all the episodes of Doctor Who again) and i agree that making a Hero mod would be cool. The only problem would be that it wouldn't be "Doctor Who" it would be PC's running around the universe in a T.A.R.D.I.S.... Time travel / sci fi would be cool, but i would need Brigadeer Leftbridge Stuart and John Pertwee or Tom Baker to really enjoy it, and i understand the venerable John Pertwee has passed on.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Pertwee died in the late '90s. I met him once on a tpour to Portland -- we traded notes of having been in the same show ("A Funy Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" -- he played Lycus on the West End, I played Hysterium in college.)

 

Every actor should do Forum at least once in their careers....

 

Tom Baker has aged visibly and not very well, but is still active and still has that incredible voice of his. He was in the suppedly excreble Duneons & Dragons movie, and when he appeared in one of the BBC Narnia series ("The Silver Chair", I believe it was), the old magic was still there.

 

Peter Davison has gone quite bald over the years. His major role after Doctor Who was the title role in Campion, a series that ran in America on Mystery!, and he was very good.

 

I haven't heard anything about Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) in years.

[comfortmd]

doctor who and Lord of the rings / The Hobbit were my childhood. The last Episode i believe Leftbridge Stuart was in was Mawdryn Undead, part of the Keys to Time series (somewhat right before Terminus when Nyssa leaves to help the lepers...)

[Michael Hopcroft]

Courtuney would play the Brigadier twice more -- in the 20th anniversary story "The Five Doctors" 9where he was transported with patrick Troughton to the Dead Zone on Gallifrey and got to knock the Master out with a hard right) and in the Sylvester McCoy story "Battlefield" (where we met his successor at UNIT, Brigadier Winifred Bambera, who was a formidable character in her own right).

 

And nit=pick here -- the Key to Time storyarc was four years before "Mawdryn Undead", a Peter Davison story which began a plot to kill the Doctor by inserting an evil companion itno his party. (Turlough later rejected evil and reformed).

[comfortmd]

Originally posted by Michael Hopcroft

Courtuney would play the Brigadier twice more -- in the 20th anniversary story "The Five Doctors" 9where he was transported with patrick Troughton to the Dead Zone on Gallifrey and got to knock the Master out with a hard right) and in the Sylvester McCoy story "Battlefield" (where we met his successor at UNIT, Brigadier Winifred Bambera, who was a formidable character in her own right).

 

And nit=pick here -- the Key to Time storyarc was four years before "Mawdryn Undead", a Peter Davison story which began a plot to kill the Doctor by inserting an evil companion itno his party. (Turlough later rejected evil and reformed).

*blink* you are right, they were with the first romana...right?????

[tkdguy]

The first Romana (Mary Tamm) was way hotter than the second one (Lalla Ward). I always thought Ms. Ward looked like an emaciated Cabbage Patch Kid (sorry, Lalla!). I heard she and Tom Baker got married. Is it true?

[Shadow Warrior]

Marriage

 

I heard she and Tom Baker got married. Is it true?

 

Yes it is. However, they got divorced not much more than a year later.

[Armitage]

Originally posted by Michael Hopcroft

I haven't heard anything about Nicholas Courtney (Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart) in years.

 

Actor - filmography

 

TravelWise (2000)

Lust in Space (1998) (V) .... Time Judge/Himself

... aka Doctor Who's Lust in Space (1998)

Downtime (1995) (V) .... Brig. Gen. Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart

Myth Makers Vol. 12: Ian Marter (1994) (V)

Doctor Who: Dimensions in Time (1993) (TV) .... Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart

Cybermen: The Early Years (1992) (V) (archive footage) .... Brigadier

Born Kicking (1992) (TV) .... Tim Ayling

Resistance Is Futile (1992) (TV) (archive footage) .... Brig. Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart

Doctor Who: The Pertwee Years (1991) (V) (archive footage) .... Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart

Bullseye! (1990) .... Sir Hugh

"French Fields" (1989) TV Series .... The Marquis

Wartime (1987/I) (V) (voice) .... Brig. Lethbridge-Stewart (1997 version)

Jenny's War (1985) (TV)

To Catch a King (1984) (TV) .... de Oliveira

Doctor Who: The Five Doctors (1983) (TV) .... Brigadier

"Then Churchill Said to Me" (1982) TV Series .... Lt. Col. Robin Witherton

Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974) (uncredited) .... French Intelligence Officer

... aka Undercovers Hero (1975) (USA)

Endless Night (1971) (uncredited) .... Second Auctioneer

... aka Agatha Christie's Endless Night (1971)

"Doctor Who" (1963) TV Series .... Brig. Alastair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (1970-1974)

... aka "Dr. Who" (1963)

Take a Girl Like You (1970) .... Panel Chairman

Doppelganger (1969) (uncredited) .... Medical Data Analyst

... aka Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969) (USA)

 

Himself - filmography

 

Chronotrip (2002) .... Himself

Where On Earth Is... Katy Manning Because She'd Really Like to Know! (1998) (V) .... Himself

... aka Where On Earth Is... Katy Manning (1998) (V) (UK: short title)

Return to Devil's End (1996) (V) .... Himself

... aka Doctor Who's Return to Devil's End (1996) (V) (UK)

Doctors, 30 Years of Time Travel and Beyond, The (1995) (V) .... Himself

Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the Tardis (1993) (TV) .... Himself/Narrator ('Bret Vyon/The Brigadier')

... aka Doctor Who: More Than Thirty Years In the Tardis (1993) (TV) (UK: video title)

Myth Makers Vol. 7: Myth Runner (1989) (V) .... Himself

 

Notable TV Guest Appearances

 

"Sir Bernard's Stately Homes" (1999) playing "Senior policeman" in episode: "Stebson Towers" (episode # 1.6) 16 June 1999

"Bill, The" (1983) playing "Judge" in episode: "Crown V Cooper" (episode # 1991.4) 10 January 1991

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart (retired)" in episode: "Battlefield" (episode # 26.1) 6 September 1989

"Only Fools and Horses" (1981) playing "Charles" in episode: "Dates" 25 December 1988

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Tourist" (uncredited) in episode: "Silver Nemesis" (episode # 25.3) 23 November 1988

"Yes, Prime Minister" (1986) playing "Police Commissioner" in episode: "A Diplomatic Incident" (episode # 2.3) 17 December 1987

"Juliet Bravo" (1980) playing "Superintendent Austin" in episode: "Inspection" (episode # 6.10) 9 November 1985

"Minder" (1979) playing "Raymond Wilkins" in episode: "The Balance of Power" (episode # 5.8) 31 October 1984

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart (retired)" in episode: "Mawdryn Undead" (episode # 20.3) 1 February 1983

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart" (archive footage) (uncredited) in episode: "Logopolis" (episode # 18.6) 28 December 1981

"Shelley" (1979) playing "Bank Manager" in episode: "Owner Occupiers" (episode # 2.4) 8 May 1980

"All Creatures Great and Small" (1978) playing "Paul Cotterell" in episode: "Matters of Life and Death" (episode # 3.12) 15 March 1980

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart" in episode: "Terror of the Zygons" (episode # 13.1) 30 August 1975

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart" in episode: "Robot" (episode # 12.1) 28 December 1974

"Doomwatch" (1970) playing "Philip" in episode: "Cause of Death" (episode # 3.10) 1972

"Jason King" (1971) playing "Dr. Straymam" in episode: "Wanna buy a television series?" (episode # 1.1) 15 September 1971

"Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)" (1969) playing "Max" in episode: "The Ghost Who Saved the Bank at Monte Carlo" (episode # 1.11) 30 November 1969

"Callan" (1967) playing "David Forbes" in episode: "The Running Dog" (episode # 2.12) 26 March 1969

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart" in episode: "The Invasion" (episode # 6.3) 2 November 1968

"Champions, The" (1968) playing "Dr. Farley" in episode: "The Experiment" (episode # 1.4) 16 October 1968

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Colonel Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart" in episode: "The Web of Fear" (episode # 5.5) 3 February 1968

"Avengers, The" (1961) playing "Captain Gifford" in episode: "Mission... Highly Improbable" (episode # 6.8) 18 November 1967

"Doctor Who" (1963) playing "Bret Vyon" in episode: "The Dalek Masterplan" (episode # 3.4) 13 November 1965

"Avengers, The" (1961) playing "Captain Legros" in episode: "Propellant 23" (episode # 2.2) 6 October 1962

[Mark Taylor]

A couple of years ago I ran a very successful GURPS campaign based on the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I'm sure I could have done it just as easily with Star HERO.

[Mark Rand]

Hi all,

You can find Doctor Who gaming information for various systems, which includes a 4E Hero Time Lord package deal, on the scifi RPG page of the open directory project (DMOZ.ORG).

If I read the Ultimate Vehicle book right, the Chronoportation Box on page 103 is a TARDIS.

I found images of more than one TARDIS and several TARDIS control panels through a Google image search. There's even a plan of the Master's TARDIS there. It could inspire the creation of your own.

Comment is invited.

Yours,

Mark Rand

[comfortmd]

Originally posted by Mark Rand

Hi all,

You can find Doctor Who gaming information for various systems, which includes a 4E Hero Time Lord package deal, on the scifi RPG page of the open directory project (DMOZ.ORG).

If I read the Ultimate Vehicle book right, the Chronoportation Box on page 103 is a TARDIS.

I found images of more than one TARDIS and several TARDIS control panels through a Google image search. There's even a plan of the Master's TARDIS there. It could inspire the creation of your own.

Comment is invited.

Yours,

Mark Rand

The tardis is whatever the chameleon circuit is programmed to make it, inside and out. Also, a time lord is any gallifreyan that has been imbued with the extremely long life span, inherent time sense, and regenerations bestowed by Rastelon

THAT should make it EXTREMELY easy....

 

On a different Note, just get the Hitchhikers books, remember that the point of them was that Life was just not stressing about, have some fun and laugh at yourselves, and you will do ok... Tales from the floating Vagabond (OOOLD RPG) was the closest thing that approximated the Zany Feel of the books, even if the game was not in Hitchhiker's universe. Anybody have any info on Plot lines from Dark Star?? I've heard that would be a cool one, too.

 

ALSO, THANK YOU for the filmography on Nicolas Courtney. He was my favorite companion / co-worker of the Doctor, he was just cool, and i wanted to show appropriate appreciation.

[Kevin Scrivner]

Attack of the Metronoids!

 

I threw a squad of Dalek clones at a group of pulp adventurers a few years ago. The players were all "Dr. Who" fans and loved it. There was a 175-point leader, three to five 125-point warriors, and a robot technician to repair the others. They had enough Armor so the heroes' sidearms couldn't easily take them down but were slow (4" Running) and clumsy (CV 4, 5 for the leader). They captured the PCs to make them repair the portal the robots had used to invade our world. The heroes eventually defeated them by burning down the Victorian mansion the robots were using as a base (don't use elevator in case of fire, and Dalek clones can't climb stairs). The one surviving robot (it got stuck in the mud after the requisite dark and stormy night) was taken away by terse-speaking G-men to be studied by "top men."

[Michael Hopcroft]

Daleks and Stairs

 

One of the classic scnees in the Sylvester McCoy era of Doctor Who involved Daleks and stars. The Doctor had found a Dalek "transmat" pad in the basement of Coal Hill School (which happened to be where his first companions taught all those many years ago, although the story took place in 1963!) and a Dalek suddenly appeared. Naturally it recognized the Doctor and went after him.

 

"The Stairs!" cries the Doctor and he and Ace scramble up the basement stairs. The door is locked, so the Doctor turns around and is horrified to see the Dlaek pulling itself up the stairs by its hovercraft-style bottom panels....

 

It is a common misonception that Daleks can't climb stairs. Even the Doctor had been lulled into complacency, and barely got out of the situation alive. (Naturally it was a cliffhanger!)

[Kevin Scrivner]

I'm sure it was a great episode, but I bet that's the first time in the series we saw a Dalek pull a stunt like that (drat those rising special effects budgets!). In any case, that's why I called my robots "Metronoids" -- so a player couldn't say "But Daleks would never be able to do THAT!"

[Michael Hopcroft]

Originally posted by Kevin Scrivner

I'm sure it was a great episode, but I bet that's the first time in the series we saw a Dalek pull a stunt like that (drat those rising special effects budgets!). In any case, that's why I called my robots "Metronoids" -- so a player couldn't say "But Daleks would never be able to do THAT!"

 

The Daleks have always been built around the hovercraft principle -- Daleks were rising out of the Thames as early as the second season. Only the original Daleks from the very first stroy they appeared him had limited movement, which was because they were dependent upon electricity beamed from the floor of their city. This proved their fatal weakness, which was corrected in later adventures (because the Daleks turned out to be such popular villains).

 

The only reason we didn;t see Daleks climb stairs in particular before was that BBC effects technicians had not yet figured out how to move the bulky, heavy suits up a staircase. The real-world BBC Daleks had a very small driver inside the shell, which he moved by pedaling something akin to a very small, very cramped bicycle all the while manipulating the arms, turret and lights. (At least that's how I THINK Daleks worked in real life. Terry Nation's whole idea for the Daleks was to make creatures whose movement was utterly alien, and that seemed the most logical way to manuver the shells).

 

When a Dalek had to get upstairs before the McCoy era, it would simply do it off-screen where they didn't have to manuever the shell. the McCoy-era Daleks climbed stairs by camera effects (jncluding some early CGI).

 

If the series were being made today, of course, Daleks would be 100% CGI and could probably hover three or four feet above the ground if they wanted to. And just imagine plugging a Dalek into the back seat of a starfighter....

[Kevin Scrivner]

EX-TER-MI-NATE!!!

 

Here they are, updated for 5th Edition. Coming from a recently conquered dimension near you, the Da-, oops!, the Metronoids!

 

Name: Metronoid Elite

 

Val Char Cost

25 STR 15

14 DEX 12

18 CON 16

15 BODY 10

20 INT 10

18 EGO 16

20 PRE 10

6 COM -2

6 PD 1

6 ED 2

3 SPD 6

9 REC

36 END

36 STUN

 

Characteristic Rolls: STR: 14-, DEX: 12 -, CON: 13-, INT: 13-, EGO: 13-, PER: 13-

Run: 6", Swim: 0", Jump: 0", Lift: 800 kg

 

Cost Powers END/Roll

 

30 "Heat Ray," Energy RKA 1D6, +1/2 adv No Range Mod., +1/2 adv Armor Piercing, 3 END

18 "Metallic Body," Armor 8PD/4 ED

12 "Robotic Senses," High Range Radio Perception

8 "Hover Vanes," Flight 6", -1/4 limit Only In Contact With A Surface, -1/4 limit Not At Greater Than 45-Degree Angle

4 "Metallic Body," Knockback Resistance 2"

2 "EMP Shielding," Safe Environment: High Radiation

 

Cost Skills, Talents, Perks Roll

 

3 Bugging 13-

3 Interrogation 13-

0 Language: Metronoid, native

2 Language: English, fluent

1 Familiar with Oratory 8-

3 Tactics 13-

2 WF: Energy Weapons

3 +1 Level with Heat Ray

3 Talent: Lightsleep

 

75+ Disadvantages

 

25 Distinctive Features: Alien Robot, Extreme Fear

15 Physical Limitation: "Dense Robotic Body," Mass 400 kg, Can't Jump, Can't Swim, All The Time, Slightly

20 Psychological Limitation: Arrogance, Superior to Humans, Common, Total

30 Susceptible to Water, 2D6 damage per Phase, Very Common Substance

20 Vulnerable to Electrical and Magnetic Attacks, 2X Damage

5 Unluck 1D6

 

OCV: 5 (6 with Heat Ray); DCV: 5; ECV: 6; Mental Def.: 0; Phases: 4, 8, 12

PD/rPD: 6/8 ; ED/rED: 6/4

 

Costs: Char.: 96 Disad.: 115

Powers: + 94 Base: + 75

Exp.: + 0

Total: = 190 Total: = 190

 

Name: Metronoid Warrior

 

Val Char Cost

20 STR 10

11 DEX 3

15 CON 10

13 BODY 6

10 INT

20 EGO 20

15 PRE 5

6 COM -2

6 PD 2

6 ED 3

2 SPD

7 REC

30 END

31 STUN

 

Characteristic Rolls: STR: 13-, DEX: 11-, CON: 12-, INT: 11-, EGO: 13-, PER: 11-

Run: 6", Swim: 0", Jump: 0", Lift: 400 kg

 

Cost Powers END/Roll

 

30 "Heat Ray," Energy RKA 1D6, +1/2 adv No Range Mod., +1/2 adv Armor Piercing, 3 END

18 "Metallic Body," Armor 6PD/6 ED

12 "Robotic Senses," High Range Radio Perception

4 "Metallic Body," Knockback Resistance 2"

2 "EMP Shielding," Safe Environment: High Radiation

1 "Big Batteries," Diminished Sleep, Eight Hours Per Week

 

Cost Skills, Talents, Perks Roll

 

0 Language: Metronoid, native

2 Language: English, fluent

3 Concealment 11-

3 Stealth 11-

3 Tracking 11-

2 WF: Energy Weapons

3 +1 Level with Heat Ray

 

75+ Disadvantages

 

25 Distinctive Features: Alien Robot, Extreme Fear

15 Physical Limitation: "Dense Robotic Body," Mass 400 kg, Can't Jump, Can't Swim, All The Time, Slightly

20 Vulnerable to Electrical and Magnetic Attacks, 2X Damage

5 Unluck 1D6

 

OCV: 4 (5 with Heat Ray); DCV: 4; ECV: 7; Mental Def.: 0; Phases: 6, 12

PD/rPD: 6/6 ; ED/rED: 6/6

 

Costs: Char.: 57 Disad.: 65

Powers: + 83 Base: + 75

Exp.: + 0

Total: = 140 Total: = 140

 

Name: Metronoid Technician

 

Val Char Cost

15 STR 5

18 DEX 24

15 CON 10

13 BODY 6

23 INT 13

18 EGO 16

15 PRE 5

6 COM -2

5 PD 2

5 ED 2

3 SPD 2

6 REC

30 END

29 STUN

 

Characteristic Rolls: STR: 12-, DEX: 13-, CON: 12-, INT: 14-, EGO: 13-, PER: 14-

Run: 6", Swim: 0", Jump: 0", Lift: 200 kg

 

Cost Powers END/Roll

 

30 "Toolset," Physical HKA 2D6, 3 END

9 "Metallic Body," Armor 3PD/3 ED

12 "Robotic Senses," High Range Radio Perception

10 "Toolset," Stretching 1" plus Extra Limbs

4 "Metallic Body," Knockback Resistance 2"

2 "EMP Shielding," Safe Environment: High Radiation

 

Cost Skills, Talents, Perks Roll

 

3 Computer Programming 14-

3 Electronics 14-

3 Forensic Medicine 14-

0 Language: Metronoid, native

2 Language: English, fluent

3 Mechanics 14-

3 Paramedics 14-

3 Scientist

2 Science: Bionics 14-

2 Science: Cybernetics 14-

2 Science: Medicine 14-

2 Science: Robotics 14-

2 Weaponsmith: Energy Weapons 14-

 

75+ Disadvantages

 

25 Distinctive Features: Alien Robot, Extreme Fear

15 Physical Limitation: "Dense Robotic Body," Mass 400 kg, Can't Jump, Can't Swim, All The Time, Slightly

20 Vulnerable to Electrical and Magnetic Attacks, 2X Damage

20 Psychological Limitation: Curiosity, Very Common, Strong

15 Professional Rivalry with the Elite, Rival Significantly Superior, Rival is Aware of Rivalry

10 Watched 11-: The Elite 11-, More Powerful

 

OCV: 6; DCV: 6; ECV: 6; Mental Def.: 0; Phases: 4, 8, 12

PD/rPD: 5/3 ; ED/rED: 5/3

 

Costs: Char.: 83 Disad.: 105

Powers: + 97 Base: + 75

Exp.: + 0

Total: = 180 Total: = 180

 

Background:

 

The Metronoids are robotic invaders from another dimension, accidentally unleashed on Earth when a 1920s dabbler in arcane physics developed a "chronoscope" for viewing other realities which proved to be an effective portal between worlds. Fortunately, only an exploratory squad made it through before the remorseful inventor smashed his device. The robots have been collecting data on Earth's defenses and scheming to contact their homeworld ever since.

 

Powers and Abilities:

 

All Metronoids have dense metallic bodies that are resistant to damage and Knockback; the actual amount of defense varies from model to model. They can communicate with each other via radio and are naturally resistant to radiation. Most models have a heat ray projector installed on the upper portion of their sensor array.

 

Disadvantages:

 

As robots, Metronoids are vulnerable to electrical and magenetic attacks. Their density prevents them from leaping or swimming, although Warriors are watertight and can submerge themselves for short periods of time to ford a river or make a surpise attack from a pond. They're obviously destructive alien invaders and would have trouble negotiating with humans even if they were inclined to. And despite their claims of mechanical superiority, they have a knack for blundering -- underestimating an enemy, getting stuck in muddy terrain, firing an energy blast in a hall full of mirrors.

 

Height: cm (4' 6"), Weight: 400 kg ( lbs), Sex: None, Race: Metronoid

 

Appearance:

 

The Elite is a sinister black cone-shaped machine with eerie red sensors and lots of air intake vents to cools its superior processing equipment (which also make it vulnerable to water). It has anti-gravity hover vanes on its underside which enable it to traverse steep or rough surfaces, something ordinary Metronoids can't do. It manages to inject a swaggering arrogance into its voice and occasionally makes speeches about how mankind is doomed in the face of mechanical superiority.

 

Warriors are sleek gray cones that glide along on wheels or caterpillar tracks, depending on the model. Their heat ray projectors are their most prominent feature. They speak in harsh, expressionless voices, uttering such comforting phrases as "Destroy the humans!" or "Resistance is useless."

 

Technicians look something like silver fireplugs festooned with telescoping limbs and tools. They are the smartest and most agile models but lack a heat ray and heavy armor. Their welding and metalworking equipment can be quite deadly at close range, however. Technicians have a disturbing curiosity about human anatomy and physiology and enjoy experimenting on captured specimens. They've been known to transform slain or injured humans into cybernetic drones programmed to run errands for their masters. They've also occasionally been known to question orders from the Elite.

=======

HERO System write-up by Kevin Scrivner

[Michael Hopcroft]

And Now....

 

Now that we've gone over Daleks and their clones, anyone a fan of Blakes 7 willing to figure out how to write up characters like Blake, Avon, Vila, Cally or Servalan? What is the Liberator like and why was it so superior to every other ship in the galaxy?

[Shadow Warrior]

Having garbage cans with brooms sticking out of the tops running around saying "Exterminate!" is really more of a style of play than anything else

 

Many years ago (about 1984-ish) I ran a Champions adventure loosely based on the 1972 TV adventure "Day of the Daleks" , a story which has itself been credited as being one of the influences on "The Terminator", dealing as it does with soldiers sent back in time from a post-apocalyptic, machine-ruled future to kill the man they believe responsible for starting the war that led to their future, and in so doing inadvertently causing the war themselves.

 

Anyway, the players were a small team of superheroes, peripherally involved with the main action of the TV story, as they had been assigned as part of the security for the world peace conference. They did briefly meet the Doctor (in his Jon Pertwee guise) in passing and had a somewhat more intimate and close up encounter with a small squad of Daleks and Ogrons during the attempted attack on the conference. Good fun was had by all and no one felt that it particularly jarred with the rest of the campaign. Of course, this was in the days before the widespread availability of video recordings of old episodes and no one could remember what the plot was all about anyway, so a straightforward plot "lift" was nice and easy to do - oh happy days!

[CleverName]

Re: British SF HERO

 

Originally posted by Michael Hopcroft

In the period from 1955 to 1990, the British Broadcasting Corporation produced several remarkable science fiction series for its television service. It was the age of Quatermass and the Pit , Doctor Who ,Blakes 7 and Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy . The shows were marked the the paradoxical combination of cheap, often cheezy effects and often truly creative storytelling.

 

 

Could Star HERO be used to put together a campaign in ther style of one of those classic series?

 

Sure,

 

I think Monolith was right though a lot of this is more theme and mood than mechanics.

 

Still though, I think looking for these qualities will be a worthwhile exercise. I'm just going to try to find some themes common to Dr. Who and Blake's 7...

 

1) Emphasis on storytelling - the GM should be willing to add more avant guarde storytelling techniques such as cut scenes, etc.

 

2) Fragile PCs - even superhuman characters such as the Doctor can be killed or pretty easily incapacitated.

 

3) PCs have access to supertechnology --

Most of the heroes have access to technology of a much higher scale than the norm for the setting. In both of these cases, the most impressive bit of supertech weres the heroes' ships.

 

4) Villians often reccur and are rich in detail and personality.

 

 

Others?

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Re: British SF HERO

 

Originally posted by CleverName

Sure,

 

I think Monolith was right though a lot of this is more theme and mood than mechanics.

 

Still though, I think looking for these qualities will be a worthwhile exercise. I'm just going to try to find some themes common to Dr. Who and Blake's 7...

 

1) Emphasis on storytelling - the GM should be willing to add more avant guarde storytelling techniques such as cut scenes, etc.

 

2) Fragile PCs - even superhuman characters such as the Doctor can be killed or pretty easily incapacitated.

 

3) PCs have access to supertechnology --

Most of the heroes have access to technology of a much higher scale than the norm for the setting. In both of these cases, the most impressive bit of supertech weres the heroes' ships.

 

4) Villians often reccur and are rich in detail and personality.

 

 

Others?

 

5) There are usually two or three stories going on at once, each happening to different characters. They all add up to one complete story at the end when they all come together. One of the storytelling reasons for the Doctor to have a companion instead of traveling alone is that "the poarty can split up" and the story can be in two or three places at once.

 

6) Huge ship does not euqla huge crew. One man can pilot the almost-infitely large and complictaed TARDIS. Liberator is the largets and most advanced ship in the galaxy and it effectively flies itself (to the point that its AI computer is a member of the crew).

 

7) Computers aren't just smart -- they have personality, quirks and fobiles. Orac's intellectual arrogance is at times utterly astounding. K-9 is as loyal and faithful as a dog,but still gets frustrated when its "master" ignores its repeated warnings of impending danger because he;'s occupied with something else.

 

8) Even seemingly unintelligent characters are witty, quick-tounged and scarily observant. Witness Vila -- a slave-grade Delta petty thief who sometimes seems to be the only sane man in the whole friggin' unoverse.

 

9) Everyone -- herpoes, villains, passers-by -- has secrets. BIG secrets, that sometimes even they do not know.

[Rene]

Maybe I'm weird, but when I read this thread's title I thought you were refering to HERO campaigns based around works from British science fiction writers.

 

That would be pretty easy to do. Just get a sadistic GM who likes to screw the characters over and over and over. Literary British SF in most cases consists of tales of powerlessness and poor little man crushed by uncaring society or uncaring nature. Not pleasant for RPG campaigns...

[Kaychsea]

Maybe I'm weird, but when I read this thread's title I thought you were refering to HERO campaigns based around works from British science fiction writers.

 

That would be pretty easy to do. Just get a sadistic GM who likes to screw the characters over and over and over. Literary British SF in most cases consists of tales of powerlessness and poor little man crushed by uncaring society or uncaring nature. Not pleasant for RPG campaigns...

 

A hero must overcome obstacles (every blessed one of them). A hero is often different and on the outside of society (Spiderman, Robin Hood). Being a hero is not a course of action for the weak.

 

Some of the best campaigns I've played in (or run for that matter) pitched the group against overwhelming odds at first, the slow gains gathering momentum until the day of victory comes. In an SF campaign I ran the victory parade looked quite a bit like the last scene in Mars Attacks by the time the good guys were done with the place.

[Rene]

Originally posted by Kaychsea

A hero must overcome obstacles (every blessed one of them). A hero is often different and on the outside of society (Spiderman, Robin Hood). Being a hero is not a course of action for the weak.

 

Some of the best campaigns I've played in (or run for that matter) pitched the group against overwhelming odds at first, the slow gains gathering momentum until the day of victory comes. In an SF campaign I ran the victory parade looked quite a bit like the last scene in Mars Attacks by the time the good guys were done with the place.

 

Sure, being a hero is all about overcoming obstacles. But the kind of British SF I was refering to keeps crushing the characters until the very end, and often the ending is even more depressing than the beginning.

 

The characters never stand a chance. That is the whole point of the tale; not to provide a uplifting story of overcoming the odds (that is more of a American thing), but showing that life and/or society and/or the human being is rotten almost beyond repair. Its mostly a social satire tale.

 

But of course I'm generalizing. It's not very acurate to classify all of American SF as optimistic ("the frontier spirit") or all of British SF as pessimistic ("the decadent empire spirit"), but still those are important (though not omnipresent) tendencies in both countries's SFs.