MoonHunter

It is not that tough to overcome

The Dodge DCV bonus is fairly self correcting.

First: Use the Dodge to your own advantage. If your players are saving their arses. Let your NPCs do the exact same technique. It sounds like the play style and tactics that your group uses is making dodge more effective than it is in most campaigns. Eventually someone will try a different tactic or focus on offsensive levels to keep up with the defensive abilities found in the campaign. Eventually this will even out over the course of the campaign.

To help things along... think of the following.

While you are dodging, you are not attacking. Take advantage of these phases to move your NPCs and Mooks into better positions. A few people with ranged attacks (guns or throwing stars, can keep a team dodging, while a horde of NPCs come towards them. Eventually you have people on all sides of them, with those bonuses, and eventually someone will roll lucky and take down the massive DCV character.

A martial manuver and one or two levels (with their one specialized manuver) and they overcome the Dodge advantage. This is good for low level types, as they will not be generally great martial artists, but one trick pony's. (We have seen them in the movies the guy with this one attack they do over and over again).

Hmmm

That is one of the fuzzy grey moral areas....

alternate history

While this was done in Excalibur, most people missed that story arc.

The characters are not all that different, yet the world they are in is very different.

Imagine a world where The Axis included the US, instead of Japan. Your counterparts are a bit more storm trooper in their outlook, but are still heroic vigilantees in a fascist state.

Imagine a world where the Russians won the cold war in the early 80s. Your counterparts are heroes with the Russian flare, not opposing the Russians politically (perhaps even supporting them), but simply stopping (organized) crime

Imagine a world where today looks and feels a great deal like a fantasy King Arthur story. The knights of the realm tend to have super powers.

You get the idea. Find a world that you feel comfortable running.

He's a suicidal soccer-playing inventor with a secret

He's a suicidal soccer-playing inventor with a secret. He is a Charles Komwart, PHD. Introduce him many scenarios earlier when the character needs help with some wierd biology/ psycho chemical/ mind control technology. He is the local expert in these things. When in his lab, the players will notice the utter clutter and soccer posters, pictures, a screensaver, and an autographed Pele Ball. He will be a bit strange, but what do you expect about a specialist in wierd science of the mind.

That should be months ago, when this scenario starts.

In the intervening time, the Good Doctor will develop a brain tumor, related to all the psychowave energy these mind control and brain amplificiation devices give off. The tumor is only partially operatable and the prognosis from the chemo is not good. The pressure in his brain is providing him delusions and periodic psychic powers.

(Mental illusion and some kind of looker-esk stun blast, initially. Mind control abilities later.

He wants to be a member of the local professional soccer team. So he kidnaps the star and goes into the game in in his jersey. When he is not the soccer superstar, he begins to use his powers on the players and the crowd, creating a riot.

The local soccer star is hospitalized for a coma.

He will then start stealing money, so he can buy the team. A bank, a hot dog cart, a few muggings in the street, the diamond exchange, the chancellor of the local university's house.

He will attack the owner and buy the team under the force of his mental powers.

He will take the team hostage and say that the heroes will have to play him and the team or he will kill them all. What do the heroes do? If they just try to take him out, he will have them all kill themselves. So they are forced to play by the rules (modified for Dr. Komwart's powers). They can't hurt the players they are innocent and any attack requires them to take a red card. They have to win or out trick the mad doctor.

The De Ex Machina is the Good Dr dying of his tumor at an opportune time.

Challange: An aquatic scenario that does not have to do with Atlantis, water breathers, or mutated fish. It can not be on a ship either.

Goto the source

For info on the Mach 5 http://www.speedracer.com/

Control A: “Releases powerful jacks to boost the car so that Sparky, our mechanic, can quickly make any necessary repairs or adjustments.†Although designed for this practical function, the auto jacks have also been used to “leap†the car short distances at high speeds, as a wedge to prevent the car from toppling over a waterfall, as an alternative braking systems, and as a tool to crush cars in a car-wrestling match.

Superleap and gliding (gliding was added mid run, if memory serves)

Control B: Sprouts special grip tires for traction over any kind of terrain. At the same time, 5,000 horsepower is distributed equally to each wheel by auxiliary engines.†Definition of “any kind of terrainâ€: firm, icy, or unsteady ground; ocean floor; vertical mountainsides.

(clinging plus extra strength)

Control C: “For use traveling over heavily wooded terrain. Powerful rotary saws protrude from the front of the Mach 5 to slash and cut any and all obstacles.†The rotary saws have also been used as a means of self-defense.

(2d6 double ap HKA)

Control D: “Releases a powerful deflector which seals the cockpit into an air-conditioned, bullet- and crash-proof, and water-tight chamber. Inside it, I am completely isolated and shielded.†The deflector also protects against sleeping gas.

(Lifesupport plus either armor or forcewall.) Swimming was added late in the run, if memory serves.

Control E: “The control for special illumination which can be traversed singly or in tandem, and which enables me to see much farther and more clearly than with ordinary headlights. It’s invaluable in some weird and dangerous places that I race the Mach 5.†When used with the “night shades†attached to Speed’s helmet, his vision is enhanced with infrared light.

(IR vision/ UV vision, levels to perception)

Control F: “Used when the Mach 5 is under water. First, the cockpit is supplied with oxygen. Then, a periscope is raised to scan the surface of the water. Everything that is seen is relayed down to me by television.†The 100-pound auxiliary supply of oxygen is enough to last for thirty minutes.

(Lifesupport and 1" streching with limit only for periscope/ so you can see).

Control G: “Releases a homing robot from the front of the car. The homing robot can carry pictures or tape recorded messages to whomever or whenever I want to send them.†The robot also can carry handwritten messages, X-ray film, rope, and small Egyptian statues, and it has been used as a means of defense. The bird-like device is operated by a built-in remote control within the cockpit. A separate button sends the robot “home.â€

(This needs to be built as a robot... without INT)

There are dozens of ways

My personal take is instant change with a limit weapon only (-1/2), with perhaps some other limits about some form of concealment.

The weapon should be bought as an inde weapon, or focus, or just bought as per normal.

There is always the transform option, allowing you to create a sword (or transform it away)

Summoning is a personal favorite as well.

The local museum has been advertising heavilly their latest coup, a major travelling exhibit of Early Egyptian artifacts, including the mummy of Pharoh Taken-Ra. The local museum has an extensive collection of pre-dynastic and early dynastic Egyptian artifacts, so the show plays to its strengths. It should be a show stopper, brining in crowds.

The local museum has a terrible track record for security and safety (as all those museum heists the heroes foil or recover). They boast about improved security. If you actually read about it, it is security on a budget. The security will

formitable for normal criminals, but will only slow down a super villian.

The Heroes will either decide to watch the exhibit themselves, or were asked by local officials to do so. Word on the Super Hero grapevine is that there is nothing powerfully mystic or dangerous in this exhibit, now that The Black Pharoh has been captured (as he attempted to rob the exhibit the first day it was open). A local mystic type might be tapped to check it all out ahead of time. He should concur with the general opinion that this is all fairly harmless.

Have a day or so go by with it being a boring stake out. It will appear to be a total bust.

GM: Note- at the end of this day, the proctors will shift the exhibit around a little, changing the order to accomidate the increased viewer traffic.

That night, under the new moon, several minor mystic artifacts will influence each other, manifesting the Egyptian Gods as 350-450 points villians. If the PCs are not inside or have given up, they can catch this on video. They will appear in the exhibit, apparently confused, grab a few things of personal interest and disperse into the city... probably through a hole in the wall.

Most of the Manifestions of the Gods will be pretty simple and easy to find. Most have animal heads. They are not obviously hiding themselves and they have Godly needs for worship, goods, or to fight each other. (These are not THE GODs.. they are just avatars, minor manifestations of their powers.)

Consulting any mystic will generate a "Do'h" head slap. When they find out the Amulet of Horan-Ra was near the Receptical of the Gods, and exposed to the light of a new moon (via skylight), of course these immitation Gods would be released. Nobody thought they would do that, so of course the mystic would not have mentioned it earlier.

The solution is simple. Catch them all, bring them to the Receptical of the Gods, expose them all to moon light, and they all go away. It must be done in under 30 days, or the Gods will truly manifest upon the world once again.

So these God avatars will disperse and conflict. You will have RA fight it out with Anubis. Isis will take over the local university, looking for knowledge and a new priesthood. Insert any Egpytion spirit you want and make them cause some mischeif. This scenario can last as long as you want.

They should be easy to catch and keep. They are not expecting being as powerful as they are to be in the world. The local meta-holding facility should be brimming with these people.

Everyone is easy to catch, except one BAST. The Goddess of Cats is spending half her time as a beautiful black cat and the rest mystically transforms into an exotic beauty. She is working at the animal shelter protecting her charges or at a vetinary office. She is also taking in the night life, both human and feline. She is not trying to make the world over in her image. Of all of them, she realizes this is not their time and she is going to make the best of it.

Time will start running out as the museum exhbit will move on, or the manifestations are about to be sent off the StrongHold or some other locaiton.

Finding her will take great luck or great skill (both things a super group has in ample supplies). Once found, she will of course bolt, leading the heroes on a great chase. She can teleport to any place a cat can see, and can see through the eyes of every cat (watching where the heroes are).

She will then lead them on a chase, that should include being dogpiled (catpiled?) by every stray in the city, animating the large lion statues infront of the library, a trip to the zoo and the big cat cages, and at the end of a cliff or high place, a plaintive plea for the heroes to leave her alone and let her live. She does not want to be a spirit anymore.

What to do, what to do?

Challange: A series of sports related crimes are committed.

Wellll....

I would not say that, but it is a good game background.

Oh did you see the New Version on Nick or did they also show the original series from the late 70s?

Actually checking out TV shows from other countries is a great source of material for campaigns. (That is how I found Dr. Who when visiting Canada so many years ago). Foreign show sites and fan sites can be a great inspiration.

For example, Water Rats is a great Police Drama from Australia. It would make a great game.

"Water Rats" are the police who spend their days on Sydney Harbour and get paid for it! With the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, this show started life with a silver spoon in its mouth - or is that a silver badge? This series has all the drama of a land-based police show, with the splish-splash special effects that go with the "dangers lurking beneath the waves". "Water Rats" brings to cop shows what "Flipper" brought to animal shows - an added dimension! Add to this the already proven formula of police rescues, and you have the ingredients for success.

What comes to mind when you think of Sydney Harbour? Lazy days on the yacht? A barbecue at Mrs Macquarie’s chair? Lobster at Doyle’s or the Rocks? Catching the ferry to Manly? Yeah, yeah, it’s all beer and skittles, right? Well, not to the boys and girls of the water squad. "If it’s wet, it’s ours", they cry, and they’re not about to be fooled by all that turquoise tranquillity. For these guys the harbour is anything but - they know it’s a whirling vortex of soggy criminality, every bit as dangerous as the backstreets of King’s Cross, and maybe more so - after all, you can’t drown on a city street, can you (you may, of course, come face to face with a shark)? So next time you climb the rigging, unfurl the canvas and uncork the bubbly, spare a thought for the 70 men and women who have made the waters secure for yet another boozy sunset.

There’s certainly enough happening above and beneath the harbour to fill the production books for at least a few seasons. How many routes to a waterborne mystery can you think of? (tick, tick, tick…) Okay, there’s the high dive from the top of the Bridge; boating accidents; bodies dumped in gangland killings; bodies dumped in non-gangland killings; polluters spewing their evil garbage; oil spills from Panamanian tankers; drug smugglers from Colombia; drunken ferry captains; speeding speed boats; indecent sunbathers; theft from the wharves… you get the idea, thrills and spills galore (there’s even been a maniacal jet-skier intent on homicide whilst he’s on the jet ski!!). And there’s one thing that has to be said for water - the action can take place above and below, two worlds for the price of one. The boat rides the waves to the scene of the crime, the divers take us to the evidence below.

Get some Sidney Travel guides, put some Shrimp on the Barbie, tell everyone to put Crockadile Dundee out of their mind, and put together some 75+75 point police characters. The fun part is that you can rip of the series episode guide for scenarios, and the players will never know.

My Campaign...

There is approximately 50 public Meta level Super Heroes in North America, with 50 spread around Europe, Asia, and South America, 5 is Australia with one on living in the US.

There are 75 metal level Villians in North America and 100 or so in the rest of the world.

There are a little less than twice that many hero level metas (250-350 points) in the world who are not running around as heroes or villians. For an average population total 560 metas, given genesis and death/ destructs.

Now, paranormals... creatures and people with powers that are built on 75 base and 75-100 disads... These are our super athletes, psychics, magik users, androids, golems, dragons, werewolves, most vampires, ninjas, chi martial artists, and other paranormal gentes. That is in the 200,000 range North America and 1,000,000 more world wide, with a large concentration in the British Isles and HongKong. No true accurate rating is known.

This number exculdes those of the lost worlds, currently underhill, or living in Atlantis.

Giant Monsters... Population of 15 world wide. Two MegaHeroes and One Giant Robot make the world safe from big monsters.

AAACCCKKK

Hero system could play this... to a point (See the Cartoon Hero thread). This "game" requires more of a Toons use of mechanics rather than a realistic or cinemamatic mechanic systems. There are cartoon physics in the story, so it is not suited for anything that simulates reality (or some variation there of).

I am currently playing in a MegaTokyo PbP game, which is using freeform rules. That is working quite well for us.

GM involvement

Make the skills and abilities of your troupe work for you, rather than against you. I tend to pair up my "number crunchers" and my roleplayers. EAch one is supposed to "coach" the other in their specialty. This has resulted in a) less intraplayer conflict as the roleplaying natzi whine about the non roleplayers, improves the mechanics of the characters, so the roleplayers don't feel underpowered, and c) made everyone a better player all around.

Even with this, I think the GM needs to be involved in every aspect of the character, its design, and its development. I am not advocating GMs creating the character. I am advocating that the GM take into consideration, the campaign, the storylines, and who is playing the character, when approving a character or any EP expenditure.

The players need a good reason to buy new abilities and skills. They should have in game reasons (or be in the magikal list of things I should of had in the begining, but did not have enough points).

I approved one player a post ms. marvel Rogue character. After some tweaking to make it actually fit that level of conception, I let it in the game. Our power gamer complained that his characters get the 3rd degree and that I would never let him have a character like that.

I said, "That's right. I can trust her not to abuse the character's abilities and mangle the campaign. If I gave that character to you, that is exactly what would happen. You would suck down the entire team, swipe King Arthur's focus and take on the universe." He nodded.

Experience point expenditures need to be checked on. One of my players kept adding a point here and there... to take advantage of some roundings with limitations. When you did the raw math, you found out he was a few points short. You need to check these things.

Just some semi-random thoughts.

Hero works for those....

I would use it for any cartoon that did not require cartoon physics and tooniness. Tailspin is just a furry pulp adventure. Rescue Heros is an Agents level game. Any number of semi realistic cartoons, like HeMan, SilverHawks, ThunderCats, and the list continues, would be perfect Hero games.

Most of the WB and MGM cartoons with explosions and smashed head, they are toony and needs a game system like Toons.

Might I suggest...

I personally would start with a lower base and disad level 200 total). Experience should be "matched" by growth. Eventually these students will grow into their 350 point total hero forms. Each point of experience can be "matched" by either a point towards their base total OR points received by disadvantage. So a character has 5 experience points. They can then match them for 5 points of bonus OR take 5 points in a disad (bumping up their code vs killing for example). Matching ends when the character has a full base (150) and full disad totals (100): their total being 350+exp earned

In addition, I would allow characters who have not reached there maximimums yet (either in disad or base) to mutate their powers OR disadvantages at will, WITH PROPER STORY CAUSE. So a cocky, young hero becomes gun shy and with a serious protect innocent after a bad adventure. A young mutant wakes up one morning and become totally hairsuit... (puberty on overload), or after an appropriate scene with their power out of control, the character learns a new power level. What ever is appropriate.

Play by Post

There are many ways to play online. It is all about communication. The internet is just one big communication and reference tool. You just have to gear your play towards its strengths and everything works well.

Because I keep strange hours, play by post, has become the important one for me. I have been playing and running now for about 8 months. It has worked fairly well for me. You can run any game system in play by post. You can GM or Play. It really works. Of course it helps that the community of my PbP site is a good one (http://www.rpol.net), but that is true of any game.

If you are going to play by post, make sure the site supports editing and private messages. File posting is nice, but not required.

Play by Messanger can work. It is like playing live, but you just play by typing. You learn to type fast and have cue cards (bits of prepared flavor/ action texts) handy. Like a table top game, you have the time commitment thing. Unless you are all in the same time zone, you can have "matching" problems.

Play be eMail is like playing by post, except you use an email program instead of a browser. It is a comfort thing. If you are good with using email, then play an PbeM. If you are better with word processor and browser, play PbP. IMO, I find email games generate way too much chaff on the list.

No

Small change

The Modifier should be -1/4 Must spend half phase every 8 shots (or what ever the clip holds or the SPD of the character) to go through the motions of reloading. The wording is important. Otherwise, reloading requires you to have clips on your body (hence being naked except for the gun stops you) and these are magikally appearing clips, which just sort of "happen".

It seemed so simple....

20 STR, 40" flight and Desolidification (Not vs Animal Material or (2nd rendition) Living things). The trick was to grab the target and fly through a wall, leaving the target behind. A few levels in grab and a few walls, and he could dish out a huge amount of damage.

It works for Pavloff

Bonus Chips:

Pull out some poker chips. Whites are 1, Reds 5, and Blues 25.

Bonus chips have three functions in the game: 1) they are traded in to allow you to reroll a die roll, 2) they are traded in to allow you to dictate the result of a non dramatic roll, 3) they can be use to make an NPC reroll (if you the GM choose not to allow the reroll, they earn a chip), 4) they can be converted into experience (3 chips= 1 EP)

How do you earn bonus chips you ask?

Normally, You do something that is a bonus to the game. You roleplay a scene well, you come up with an ingenious plan, you contribute something to the overall campaign. (An optional one is bringing your GM Pizza or suitable food bribe).

In your case, you want to reward genre related activity. If a player performs an act that is notably "in the genre", they get a chip. Start small at first, for the first few sessions, reward any superheroic action. Then begin to "raise the bar", so the players begin to improve their activity.

You could even give them a sheet that lists "actions that could earn you bonus points". This would be a list of genre tropes that you want to reinforce.

The advantage of bonus chips is that they are immediate rewards for good roleplaying or in genre roleplaying, as well as superior play in other area. They are a teaching reward; a great pavolovian training device; an obvious reward for an immediate action. All of a sudden, like the rats looking for pellets, all the players will be trying to earn these things. (D&Ders especially, as they are pre-tested to wanting regular rewards as they play (can you say Levels and Boons?). They will begin to try harder to earn chips, sometimes putting in more effort than they are worth. Turn it into a competition on who can earn the most in a given night. Get their own "win" natures on your side.

I have a number of roleplay tips at http://www.openroleplaying.org/tools/tips/ Search for Player, Roleplay, all the world, and a few others that escape me right at the moment. Or just F5.... alot.

Long ago...

We played a Danger International game with codeword named para-military agents dealing with terrorists. The GM was thinking Mission Impossible, he got GiJoe. All around it was fun playing an agent level game with all the tropes of a super hero one. It was a fun game.

PS: All the DI lethality was there... we could hit the broad side of the barn, and that litle space between your eyes too.

Continuing...

Oh there is a great deal of skullduggery off the track. However, how many of those scene do we, as audience, see, that the PC character's don't? Unless you are using the "show the villians" storytelling option, most of the thing happening when the race is not on... won't be seen.

Now there will be action off track. Most of it will be of the soap opera vareity, but there will be other things as well. Non racer PCs require that lots of things occur off the track, so they get there moments of play and don't feel like they are perpetually second fiddles to the driver characters.

An aside: Is Racer X a PC or not? It is the old Aragorn question all over again. Is he the protagonist or just a supporting character? It is like he is playing a different campaign than Speed, and the two campaigns occasionally overlap. I personally would list him as a special NPC for Speed's game.

All well and good, but would you want to play Chim Chim and Spritle (Who I always counted as NPCs... but I could be wrong)?

And yes, It is Team America. My mistake.

Note: It is amazing how Marvel was desperate to make every title a Mutant title when everything with a mutant in it was hot. Namor became the first Mutant Hero. Spiderman became the NON Mutant SuperHero (as part of the mast head for a few issues). These people with a great origin tied to Hydra became mutants in one swoop.

I thought of some more

Faster play will help reduce the difference between combat time and time elapsed in the game. This will help you increase the fast paced cinematic feel of the combat.

You better be organized and ready to run the group. That means you need all your numbers, and the character's numbers at you fingertips.

State that you are not going to repeat. That specifically includes descriptions and initiative counts.

Push for speed. If on their initiative a player, who has had 15 minutes to figure out his next action, does not want to declare an action immediately... skip them until later in the count.

You should be running combat as fast as you humanly can... then go faster. If players realized that you are working really hard to make this go quickly, they will work with you.

Side conversations are forbidden at a volume over a whisper. This is a must in larger games, that are usually held in places that are too small.

Have players help other players with game mechanics and information. This relates to the whisper rule. If a player looks confused, stop, point at another player and tell them to help the confused one. Then move on.

Kill all distractions, that means the magic games (which can be put on hold), TV, CDs, and computers, must be in a neutral position and can not distract anyone.

Make sure everything is right there to be used.

Be prepared to give decription. Work with your own cue cards for your NPCS and Villians, so they can function well in the game.

Pre determine some general strategies before the game and try to impliment them.

Pay Attention and Play Faster

First, Answer very few questions as players need to pay attention. If the question has been asked before, and the player missed it because they were not paying attention, have them make PER DRs at minuses to notice. After all people miss things in times of crisis. This rule keeps people focused on the game.

Second, Get a 60 second Egg Timer. A person's DEX comes up, slap the timer. They have exactly that long to tell you their intent. Questions cut into their 60 second time. The time can be cut down as your players grow in skill. If they can't declare their intent, they are in a state of delay. If they are repeatedly slow, the character looses the phase for anything except defensive actions.

Note: We have two timers running, a 30 second clock (for intent) and 2 minute timer, for resolution.

Once your players get used to playing in HIGH GEAR, they will play faster, have their plans predetermined, and generally be more functional.

Third, character description gives MODS. It is a simple thing. Only describe an action by its game mechanics or by a flat statement, take a -1 MOD. If the action is described in a "cool" or cinematically appropriate way, +1 MOD. Now descriptions like this take time. This is where cue cards come in. Every player should write down important bits of description for their characters for fast use in play. [These are traditionally done on 3x5 cards] This includes and is not limited to: Catch phrases (Eat HOT Photons!), good one liners the character will deliver (important in a superhero game), bits of action description (Chang cocks his legs for a high kick, narrows his eyes, then throws his snap kick to you), or other descriptions that can be quickly added to any action (Jason leaned forward, with a disarming smile, says ). Any related game mechanics are usually included on the card. This allows you to have great ideas on how to play your character while not playing, and have them at your fingertips when you are. Cue cards can be used without the description mods.

Fourth, if you want cinematic action, you need to throw out the "realism" modifiers and penalties. There are very few of these in Hero system, but I thought I should mention it.

Fifth, Remember to reward Proper Cinematic/ Fast play with extra experience points or goodies. It worked for Pavlov and it will work with gamers.

Characters, Characters

I frequently use movie stills for my various characters, as well as ads, and other images I get from the internet.

I actually use actors and movie/ TV (and sometimes book) characters to round out my NPCs.

Compare:

You see a rumpled detective amble towards you VS Detective Colombo ambles up towards you.

The Amstar CEO is a slight, nervous man, VS, The Amstar CEO, played by Rodney McDowell, says....

Two officers, Ofc Abbot and Ofc Costello, are accompaning Capt Kirk of the Police Department, as he comes towards you. (Could of been TJ Hooker, but I needed a womanizing, confident hero type for this role.)

You get the idea. The character has an immediate hook for the players who have a pretty good idea about the character. It creates a sense of verisimilitude for the character, plus gives you ready made NPCs, complete with personalities and mini-history.

Sweet no?

The Race

Personally, I would never actually play out the entire race. In every race there are a few intense moments of drama. As the GM I would set those scenes up on the map, start everyone on segment 12, and go with it from there.

"Okay, On segment 12 the Ace Racer extends his wheel spike...."

"Okay, car 16 just failed his control roll in the curve. Draws Red and Yellow burning area on the battle mat. "Segment 12, what are you doing"

Not all setting adapt well

You will need to make sure everyone playing this game knows the vehicle rules, building and playing them.

The problem with a gaming troupe and playing a speed racer game, is that the format of the show does not lend itself to team play. Speed is the Hero, everyone else supports him. In a story, this is great. In a game.....

In a game, everyone likes to have the spotlight now and again. Everyone wants to be the hero for one story arc. The "Speed" Format limits that, as Speed's racing... and while a character might have an important subplot (Pop's Competition with another AutoCompany or his own Psych issues with Speed actually racing), Chim/Trixied stumbling into a nest of smugglers/ cheaters/ etc, and so on, Speed is the one that saves the day (well it is actually the Mach5, with speed driving... but you get the idea.)

So the Racing Genre is still a very rich environment. You get your tactical needs in the race, and roleplaying with a variety of cast, and there is always a place for self generated plots (Days of Thunder/ Crash Recovery, Overconfidence being overcome, fear of speed, fear of a technology, etc...). If I was going to run such a game, I would have a racing team, with several drivers (each a PC) and supporting staff (NPCs being run by PCs, as well as the GMs. This would give you all the thrills and chills, without the problems.

The Cartoon NASCAR RACERS did this format. It worked well for them. The old comic TEAM USA did it for motorcycle racing. Everyone gets a story arc, one person gets to be the "star" for that episode, and everyone is still involved because they are running the NPCs.