Setting Design Challenge: Further Thoughts
Submitted by Malcolm Craig on Thu, 23/11/2006 - 18:33.
So after mulling over the concepts behind the Transatlantic Setting Design challenge, I need to sit down a collect some serious thoughts on the matter.
Firstly, my adaptation of Contenders will take the basic system and, instead of it being about boxers, it will be about revolutionaries striving to promote their own agendas and make waves in political circles. The essential structure of the Contenders game will remain the same, with a rotating series of scenes. However the scene will, due to the nature of the setting, be appended with slighly different names. Instead of fight scenes we will have 'Rally Scenes', which can be anything from a debate in a beer cellar to a mass rally in the streets. Promotion scenes will now be 'Propaganda Scenes', where you attempt to gather a crowd for the Rally Scene, see if you can get money from backers for the the event and so forth. These are just sample of some fo the textural changes that will take place in the system.
As for the setting itself, it's something of a cross between Weimar Germany, Revolutionary Paris and the Italian city-states. A city-state that is only a few years out of a devastating war (of which it was the losing side), burdened by reparations and seething with political instability. The previous absolute monarchy was disolved after the war and a committee of corrupt politicians now sits in charge of affairs. How can the characters change this? Can they change this? What will be the outcome?
More on this in the near future. But for now, just think of Weimar Germany meets Revolutionary Paris meets the Italian city-states. But with wooden automata, windmill powered railways and traction engines with demons in the fireboxes.
Cheers
Malcolm
Cool!
Submitted by tonyd on Mon, 27/11/2006 - 20:04.
SO COOL! I am really thrilled to see someone doing a Contenders setting. I played a Contenders one-shot with my group during a break from our Burning Empires campaign. Comparing the scene economy in the two games was a revelation to me. Contenders is one of the smoothest games ever. I'll be watching your entry for the contest (I'm also secretly glad that your steam-punk alternate history Europe setting has such different goals from my steam-punk alternate history Europe) :)
That sounds awesome Malcolm!
Submitted by Andrew Kenrick on Wed, 29/11/2006 - 23:08.
That sounds awesome Malcolm! Love the idea of twisting it and using it for politics and revolution - the parallels are very evident.
And I missed the setting concept at first glance - I skipped right over the wooden automata and windmill powered railways, which is a shame because it really sings to me.
Can't wait to see more.