SyFy Television Movie Genre:

[quozaxx]

Ever so often there is a “monster” movie during the daytime on the SyFy channel. My son and I have watched several of these movies together over time. And I thought they would make a good genre for a role playing games.

 

The premise is pretty consistent from movie to movie. Group is in an out-of-the-way place. They get involved with the monster in the area (usually unwillingly), a lot of npcs die, and the remaining group (the PCs) either have to destroy the monster or destroy where the monster is living.

 

Monsters: The movies differ in which monsters are depicted. (Giant Wasps/bees. Swarm of deadly insects, mythological monster, Giant Spiders, ½ human - ½ creature, underground creature, Sasquatch/Bigfoot, etc) But there are a lot of similarities. Either the monster is very difficult to harm with guns, or there are a lot of them that are easy to kill with guns; but have a main (or head) monster that is hard to harm with guns (or the group simply doesn‘t have access to guns). The main monster usually has to be killed with an explosion of some kind. (not always granted, but a reoccurring theme). More than often, the group has to find where the main (or head) monster “lives” in order to destroy it.

 

Remote location: I never could understand why these things only seem to show up in remote places. In the mountains, in the forest, a remote town, a ski resort, etc. are just some of the remote places that show up from TV movie to TV movie. I guess it is so the main character can decide to stop the monster from showing up in a more inhabited area.

 

Death: Let’s face it, non main character die. And (sometimes) a lot of them die. Here’s a note: if you don’t know a characters name and they are about to meet the monster; they are toast. Also, if they have seen less camera time than the “main” characters; they usually are toast. My son and I always joke “We don’t really know that character, he’s going to die.

 

Also on the subject of death: The monster HAS to die. Either it’s kill or be killed; or you are stopping it from killing, or stopping it from showing up in a more inhabited area; or similar outlook. But you don’t reason with the monster. You don’t “talk” it out of attacking. You kill it, clear and simple.

 

Find the nest: Usually, in these movies, the main character (or PCs if you make it a game), has to find where the monster lives, or it’s nest, or where it was “created” in order to get rid of it forever. There is no other way! What I don’t get is how they can enter this area/nest and still live to see the end of the TV movie. In most movies there is usually something to look out for. Anywhere from the Giant beasts/insects, to the main monster, or a possessed person guarding the entrance.

 

Possession: A common reoccurring theme is that NPCs get possessed. It usually happens when they get bit or stung and then slowly turn into part monsters themselves; or infected with a virus of some kind that the main characters have a resistance to. Then you usually have to kill those NPCs too. In these movies, the ones that get possessed usually also HAVE to die. Of course it’s up to a GM to see if there is a way out of being possessed or not.

 

Getting hurt: In most of these TV movies, the main character (or one of them) gets hurt. More than often it is the leg that gets hurt. Which (supposedly) makes it more suspenseful . Also, sometimes the NPCs don’t die. They need medical help instead. And for some reason they need more help than they can get in the local area. The main characters hardly ever get possessed or die, but (at least one of them) almost always gets hurt or has to help someone else who has gotten hurt.

 

Character considerations: Not only are the situations, place, and/or monsters similar. Characters seem to run into some “archetypes” too.

 

The Thinker: This character is the one that isn’t familiar with guns or weapons but almost always thinks of a creative way of destroying the monster.

 

The Scientist: Similar to The Thinker, but with a scientific background. Most TV movies depict this character as physically weak, but dexterous and a quick thinker.

 

The History Buff: This character knows something about the history of the monster or knows where to find information of it. They are usually depicted as locals in the area. Many movies typecast these roles.

 

The Military Expert: This doesn’t necessarily have to be a military personnel, but more of a gun and/or tactics expert. Like a hunter or a survivalist. But in many TV movies they are simply military (sometimes retired) persons.

 

The Jerk Jock: Physically superior than the others. Not well known for thinking ahead. Most often this type of character doesn’t see it to the end of the movie, but usually those that do, sacrifices themselves in the end.

 

The Hostage: What is a TV monster movie without someone being carried (or flown) off. It’s often the reason the group even goes looking for the nest / hiding place of the monster. This role is mostly for NPCs. What PC would want to be carried off time and again.

 

The Tomboy Girl: Many of these TV movies have rough tough females that can hold their own against any adversary. Usually depicted as “boyish” or “unfeminine”.

 

The “Pretty” Girl: Some of these TV movies do have an attractive female in it; but unfortunately they either turn out to be hostages, or killed within the first ½ hour of the movie.

 

The Relative: In many of these moves, one of the characters end up as the relative (for some reason, is more often a father). They usually end up having to be killed by the main character, thus having to make a harsh decision. More than often, these characters are jerks themselves, or at least start out as jerks.

 

No Kids or Curious Kid: In most of these TV monster movies there is no one under the age of 13. If there is, they are usually a main character (or possibly a PC), and, more than often, “unique”. (They are immune to the poison, they are a prophesy, they can control the monster, etc). The kid usually is overly curious and can lead others to what he (or less often she) knows.

 

Most games, (I would think) would probably either be Skilled Normal, Competent Normal, or Standard Heroic. Many do not have access to higher than “normal” weapons. They usually can get a hold of some sort of explosive device, or make it themselves. (Fire sometimes works well too when guns don’t depending on the movie)

[quozaxx]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

I almost forgot another important aspect for this kind of "genre".

 

No Additional Help: Usually the characters cannot call out, or they are in an area which won't give them help, or the ARE the help, or even someone sent help but they were killed and the help don't realize that they are dead - so the characters have to continue to fend for themselves.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

I don't know how you can logically justify in this day and age a group of people being completely incommunicado. One person or a couple maybe, but in this age when nearly everyone has a cellphone, smart phone or other device hermetically sealed to their hands you'd need to use a lot of handwavium to keep them from calling for help.

 

Getting help is another matter of course. If you were a 9-1-1 operator and someone called in to say that gargoyles had eaten their friend Bubba Joe and were trying to chase them down, would you believe them?

[BobGreenwade]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

This is a pretty good list. Hopefully when it comes time to do Star Hero, Steve will take a moment to devote a page to this subgenre, and what you have here would be a good start.

 

(One could legitimately argue that it belongs more appropriately in Horror Hero, of course, but I'd rather see this given a light treatment in SH and then something more in-depth in HH.)

[Karmakaze]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

I don't know how you can logically justify in this day and age a group of people being completely incommunicado. One person or a couple maybe' date=' but in this age when nearly everyone has a cellphone, smart phone or other device hermetically sealed to their hands you'd need to use a lot of handwavium to keep them from calling for help.[/quote']

 

If you're far enough out into the boonies, there are still zones with no cell service -- http://www.cellreception.com/deadspots/

[Susano]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

This is a pretty good list. Hopefully when it comes time to do Star Hero, Steve will take a moment to devote a page to this subgenre, and what you have here would be a good start.

 

(One could legitimately argue that it belongs more appropriately in Horror Hero, of course, but I'd rather see this given a light treatment in SH and then something more in-depth in HH.)

 

I'm not sure there's any science in any of these. They're more "horror" in that they feature powerful, unknown monsters with a large appetite. I mean, not even the "atomic" monsters of the 1950s were science fiction. Godzilla was the atomic bomb personified, which definitely made him a horror-themed character. The same goes for the titular Alien. That said, I can see Steve mentioning this sort of thing when he discusses mixing other genres and meta-genres with SF in the opening pages of Star Hero.

[quozaxx]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

Where did the monsters come from?

In The Area: Some monsters have always been here (according the genre). Whether they are born here, have been hibernating for 1000 years, always underground, or just thawed out from ice. They are just waiting for the characters to come upon them, or have a reason to come into town for their killing spree.

 

Magic: Most of these monsters have exited, or can exist, but they need magic to come out. They can be linked to an object, or summoned by a ritual, or hidden in a protected tomb waiting for someone to let them out. This is the most common reason for this genre.

 

Man Made: Sometimes the government has their dirty hand in the making of these monsters. Or it could be some scientist trying to make the world a better place - but it goes horribly wrong, or even chemicals can be the cause of these monsters coming forward.

 

Prophesy: A lot like magic, the monsters are just waiting to come forward they just need the right circumstances to open their extra-dimensional cage.

 

Out Of This World: Sometimes a meteor crashes on earth and mutates something (usually a bug, wasp, bee, or spider). More rarely, they may even come from aliens or be from some alien handiwork.

 

Global Changes: This is the cause of a lot of swarms in these TV movies. Climate is getting global warming or deforestation causes creatures to come forward. Natural selection also may fit somewhat in this category. The strong survive, so now you pests are strong.

 

How do the characters get involved?

 

In The Area: The characters live in this out-of-the way place. But this may not be the ideal reason for a role playing game unless the area JUST so happens to be plagued with these monsters.

 

Happen By: Plane crashes are popular for this genre, and of course the radio is ALWAYS broken. Also, vacations and just passing by are frequent reasons for being in the area. Again, this may be difficult to explain time and time again in a role playing manner.

 

Trapped: As mentioned above vacations are popular for this genre. And many times the group is trapped at the vacation spot until help arrives or until they can find a way out. That’s when the monster arrives.

 

Hired: The group or individual is hired for something. Often related to Magic listed above. The character is there to decipher hieroglyphics or a tome, or to find a unique item, or as protection from animals, or as a guide.

 

Government Hired: A lot like the Hired above, but more military in appearance. In role playing terms, you are the expert and the government needs your help.

 

Visiting Relatives: A lot like Happen By above but you are there to visit some loved one. In most TV movies I have seen, it is a father, and they have to be killed before the end of the movie.

 

Another aspect of this genre is the cliffhanger ending. You kill the monster all right, but at the very end, while the credits are rolling you see the monster, it’s babies, someone turning around and saying “Oh, no!” (or Oh, Bleep, since the SyFy channel usually edits these movies), or other such cliffhanger.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

If you're far enough out into the boonies' date=' there are still zones with no cell service -- http://www.cellreception.com/deadspots/[/quote']

 

Man, I was excited. I was hoping for a color coded map, so I could know where I wanted to live next. What a gyp.

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

You forgot one of the other recurring themes: the fact that, most times when you

think you've killed the monster and you've gone home to celebrate being alive, it's

only to find out much, much later, that the monster had babies -- sometimes, an

entire @$%#pot full of'em. Unfortunately, by the time you and your group finds

this out, the babies have grown up and found their way to the nearest small town,

where they've proceeded to turn the locals into the newest Major Food Group.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Shadow Hawk]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

Not off topic:

Have you ever read the Kent Montana books by Lionel Fenn (aka Charles L. Grant)? Kent is a Scottish Baron/Actor, who keeps finding himself in situations just like 1950's horror movies. Titles are

• The Really Ugly Thing From Mars (1990)
  
• The Reasonably Invisible Man (1991)
  
• The Once and Future Thing (1991)
  
• Mark of the Moderately Vicious Vampire (1992)
  
• 668, the Neighbor of the Beast (1992)
  

Your concepts sound very similar to these stories (I imagine because SyFy and Mr. Grant used the same source material).

[quozaxx]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

I don't know how you can logically justify in this day and age a group of people being completely incommunicado. One person or a couple maybe, but in this age when nearly everyone has a cellphone, smart phone or other device hermetically sealed to their hands you'd need to use a lot of handwavium to keep them from calling for help.

 

During Thanksgiving I visited my mother who lives in a remote area. My sister had no cell phone coverage. Thankfully I did, but it may be plausible for no coverage at all.

 

This is a pretty good list. Hopefully when it comes time to do Star Hero, Steve will take a moment to devote a page to this subgenre, and what you have here would be a good start.

 

(One could legitimately argue that it belongs more appropriately in Horror Hero, of course, but I'd rather see this given a light treatment in SH and then something more in-depth in HH.)

 

I think this is more appropriate for Horror Hero, since some of the backgrounds include magic and no technology. But a footnote in SH would be nice

 

You forgot one of the other recurring themes: the fact that, most times when you

think you've killed the monster and you've gone home to celebrate being alive, it's

only to find out much, much later, that the monster had babies -- sometimes, an

entire @$%#pot full of'em. Unfortunately, by the time you and your group finds

this out, the babies have grown up and found their way to the nearest small town,

where they've proceeded to turn the locals into the newest Major Food Group.

 

Hence the "cliffhanger" note added to my recent post at the bottom of the thread.

 

 

 

Another reoccurring aspect is the Achilles Heel factor. Even though many of the movies depict monsters without flaws, many of the movies had an exploitable disadvantage (or is that Complications?) Just look at the Tremors movies (and sequels) Each monster had something different for the characters to work with.

[Certified]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

It's not Steve I want reading this thread it's the writers at Sci-Fi. I think Quozaxx has identified one of the core reasons why I stopped bothering with this channel.

[quozaxx]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

It's not Steve I want reading this thread it's the writers at Sci-Fi. I think Quozaxx has identified one of the core reasons why I stopped bothering with this channel.

 

Pretty much the movies are the only thing I do still watch on that channel. And most of those bring about at least one laugh at the predictability or content.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

i haventwatche it much since the stopped superhero world, if they had more superhero-type shows or movies i might rsume watching it

[sinanju]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

I mean' date=' not even the "atomic" monsters of the 1950s were science fiction. Godzilla was the atomic bomb personified, which definitely made him a horror-themed character.[/quote']

 

You're very wrong. Godzilla wasn't the atomic bomb. Godzilla was AMERICA. An immense, unstoppable, nuclear-powered monster which initially rained destruction on Japan, but eventually became it's friend and protector, defending the land from other, more hostile super-sized monsters.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

You're very wrong. Godzilla wasn't the atomic bomb. Godzilla was AMERICA. An immense' date=' unstoppable, nuclear-powered monster which initially rained destruction on Japan, but eventually became it's friend and protector, defending the land from other, more hostile super-sized monsters.[/quote']

 

Good point. Repped.

[Nothere]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

Well is the monster is supernatural in origin, or there is a ghost nearby that solves the cell phone problem. Ghosts ruin cell phone reception. Scientifically proven fact:) Besides there's isolation and theres isolation. As was pointed out, just because you can go next door and tell 20 people that the Tigerwasp man has landed on your roof, dosen't mean their going to do anything but laugh at you. In fact if I were doing a scifi movie it would take place in a big city. Though the intial idea would only involve 2 pcs, there would be places to add more.

 

Water Wierd

 

We begin with our resident scientist/thinker/pretty girl compiosite. Though for a pc game we'd split off at least one for 2 pcs. Are catolouging artifacts from Ireland. She's examining a jar thatt's very tightly sealed and has mystic writing on it. She hears a sloshing sound and calls over the jerk archiologist. Who will later be satisfactorily eaten, so he can't stand in for the Jerk Jock. The archeologist opens the jar, and finding nothing but water dumps it into the sink. He then returns the jatr and tells her to go on to more important pieces. We then switch in a we have less than two hours and need to give the nitpickers something to complain about, a water pumping station were our rugged hero works. And in the interest of party his exarmy buddy giving us 4 pcs and thus military expert works. Becomes concerned with weird readings in the pipes. He becomes more concerned when the trouble is alwyas in a pipe leading to an area where a horribly mutilated body with bite marks is found by a faucet. Most cops find the faucets unimportant, but one begins to suspect something about them. He becomes pc #5 we have a party.

They get together when scientist gal translates the writing that the jar holds a captured Water Wierd, and since nobosdy else believes her goes to the water plant where she naturally runs into rugged hero. They start working together just in time for the cop to show up. They decide to trap the weird in a tank, and as required blow it up. This makes them look like terrorists, so a squad of police arrive just in time for the wierd to use the water in the tank to grow to 50 feet and start eating them. The tank is blown t, the weird, killed, and our heros cleared of all charges. All is well. Untill it rains. What's causing thouse strange ripples in the pool?

[quozaxx]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

Well is the monster is supernatural in origin, or there is a ghost nearby that solves the cell phone problem. Ghosts ruin cell phone reception. Scientifically proven fact:) Besides there's isolation and theres isolation. As was pointed out, just because you can go next door and tell 20 people that the Tigerwasp man has landed on your roof, dosen't mean their going to do anything but laugh at you. In fact if I were doing a scifi movie it would take place in a big city. Though the intial idea would only involve 2 pcs, there would be places to add more.

 

Water Wierd

 

We begin with our resident scientist/thinker/pretty girl compiosite. Though for a pc game we'd split off at least one for 2 pcs. Are catolouging artifacts from Ireland. She's examining a jar thatt's very tightly sealed and has mystic writing on it. She hears a sloshing sound and calls over the jerk archiologist. Who will later be satisfactorily eaten, so he can't stand in for the Jerk Jock. The archeologist opens the jar, and finding nothing but water dumps it into the sink. He then returns the jatr and tells her to go on to more important pieces. We then switch in a we have less than two hours and need to give the nitpickers something to complain about, a water pumping station were our rugged hero works. And in the interest of party his exarmy buddy giving us 4 pcs and thus military expert works. Becomes concerned with weird readings in the pipes. He becomes more concerned when the trouble is alwyas in a pipe leading to an area where a horribly mutilated body with bite marks is found by a faucet. Most cops find the faucets unimportant, but one begins to suspect something about them. He becomes pc #5 we have a party.

They get together when scientist gal translates the writing that the jar holds a captured Water Wierd, and since nobosdy else believes her goes to the water plant where she naturally runs into rugged hero. They start working together just in time for the cop to show up. They decide to trap the weird in a tank, and as required blow it up. This makes them look like terrorists, so a squad of police arrive just in time for the wierd to use the water in the tank to grow to 50 feet and start eating them. The tank is blown t, the weird, killed, and our heros cleared of all charges. All is well. Untill it rains. What's causing thouse strange ripples in the pool?

 

That was awsome!

 

The most recent movie I have seen, had one major Character (PC if you like) not only 1. leave her cell phone to go swimming, but also 2. Leave her cell phone behind while fleeing the creature. PLUS

1. Her boyfriend didn't bring his cell phone.

2. When they do get inside a building WITH a phone. It doesn't work!

 

By the time she actually GETS to a phone to call daddy (formerly overly protective bordering on jerk) for help, she's in too deep to back out. She's "got to see this through". Daddy, of course, save the day putting himself in danger.

 

Oh and by the way; in this movie. The monster in question was a dino skeleton (actually 3)

One was hit by a car, just to reassemble itself.

And 2 (a pterodactyl and a T-rex) was in fact destroyed by the some military, just to reassemble into one flying T-rex.

 

 

Only lightning (or a great electrical surge) can destroy it.

One main character was the shaman native American that not only brought the things to life but also brought the storm forward to destroy it.

[quozaxx]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

More and more I am considering on adding this game to Hero Central.

 

I'm still debating in my head whether I'd rather go with Skilled Normal or Competent Normal.

 

I want it to be challenging. Not too hard, not too easy. Which do you think would be more fitting with the genre?

[kahuna's bro]

Re: SyFy Television Movie Genre:

 

competent normal