80's TV and RPG

[Ayre el KaBeer]

With the advent of DVD box sets I've been re-introduduced to the tv shows of my youth, such as Knight Rider, The A-Team and my personal favorite MacGuyver (Mac eps are just as good as when they were aired back in the day).

Essentially these shows all have a secret agent of some kind (even if it's a high school science teacher), defending some kind of liberty, stopping terrorists, saving old war buddies, and all the while the main characters being all 'round nice guys. The characters are often charismatic always have to investigate and usually get the girl, ahh television.

It's occured to me that these shows really do go along the lines of many games run today, similar cheesy lines (we've all experienced this) some kitchen chemistry "If you add lemon juice to that mix you could start a chain reaction that will...", and let's not forget all the cool gizmo's and highly unrealistic situation and survival factor.

Now to the point of this thread, with nostalgia being only part of it, I'd like to hear some game ideas using similar formula's to those shows that had our parents telling us off to go to bed back in the days.

I don't think system matters but if I were goign to have to choose I'd say a liberal mix of all 3 continuum games WW or D20, it shouldn't make too much of a difference. Characters would probably fit more in line with adventure types especially dare devils but I don't see why super's and psych's should be left out.

[Nullifier]

I like the idea of an A-Team type group, maybe "stealth" abbies or adventure types, old war buddies from the 90's or even the early equatorial wars. They were all wrongly imprisoned and escaped together, now they do jobs to help people who don't have anywhere else to turn. Could have a 'Face' type pc, with the mega-socials, etc. Might be fun. ::biggrin

[Bahamut810]

How about Transformers?

Aberrant rules so that you can customise your robot how you want. Everyone would have a modified "Dorm" that says that you can keep certian attributes in your normal form (like Q-bolt).

Setup: The PCs are robots from outtersapce. Can they deal with the culture shock and make new friend while defending the world (and their powersource) from their ancient enemies?

Thundercats!

Thats a low~med powered aberrant game if I ever saw one.

Setup: The PCs have barley just escaped from their planet that just blew up under their feet. They find the closest habitable planet and land. Can they make this new planet their home (and play nice with their new neighbors, one of whome is the embodyment of evil)?

Silverhawks.

They all pretty much the same...but still.

Setup: The PCs are intergalactic police! They use their individual special skills to help keep the peace through out the galaxy. However, there is an evil entity on a moon who can transform into a monsterous beast ready to dash everything into so much spacedust.

Sailor Moon.

I know, I know. But Dorm works wonderfully here. It would probably be lower powered/low taint. Fun!

Setup: The PCs are all reincarnations of powerful figures of royalty from a powerful kingdom from the past. They all awaken to find that their former enemy is preparing to take another go at it!

Akira.

Using the A! rules.

Setup: The PCs are all normal (and slightly special) bike kids. However, one of their own is kidnapped and instilled with godly powers! Can the PCs save the world from the (former) friend?

Megaman.

In all its various incarnations.

Setup: The PCs are all mechanised creations from a scientist dedicated to bettering the world. His assistant steals some of his plans and makes his own robots in order to dominate it! Can the PCs use their innate powers (and a few souped up ones from the prof himself) in order to stop them?

Astroboy.

boo ya! Can be used for Cyborg 009 and such.

Setup: The PCs are all experimental law enforcement androids (or just experiements). Can the save the world from rival forces?

Captian Harlock/Galaxy Express 999.

I dont care what other people say...I liked this 999.

Setup: The PCs are intergalactic pirates! It is their mission to plunder, pillage and keep themselves from stepping on certian other pirates toes.

Ronin Warriors.

Awesome series.

Setup: The PCs are all warriors of the (insert thing here). Can they defeat the evil magic emperior and his own minions? Can they convert the minions?

I wanna see all of it again!!

[madcat82]

Bahamut, sometimes I wonder if you are a genius or insaine. Then I remember your cakes, and know that you are insaine ::tongue ::tongue ::tongue

[Gryffen]

aaah...80s TV...most of my favourite shows were aired in that decade.

One that many may not remember though (since it only aired for 2 series) was "Cover Up".

Using this show as a premise for a game offers the opportunity to combine the international intrigue of a spy like problem solvers with the media orientated luvvies of the modelling industry.

(essentially the show was about a charismatic super spy problem solver who works as a handyman with an international modelling group - they get around to lots of different countries by having photo shoots in those countries).

The first series was pretty good (it had the theme tune of "holding out for a hero" by bonnie tyler), but the second series just didn;t match up to the first - the main star managed to accidentally kill himself with a blank firing revolver and his replacement just wasn't up to scratch.

(in case you're wondering...yes it is possible to kill yourself with a blank firing revolver - revolvers do not vent the gasses out the top of the barrel like semi-autos do).

A team of nova model/superspies would not necessarily have to be able to stealth their nova-ness, just mask the true extent of their abilities and keep their alternate role secret.