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Post by savagedaddy on Sept 17, 2012 13:30:23 GMT -8
Long time listener... new to the forum.
So there is a local mini-convention here in Las Vegas and I've become the go-to Savage Worlds GM (Yeah!). For the October sessions, I've decided to run a Scooby-Doo con game in Savage Worlds. I want this to have the feel of the original Saturday Morning cartoon from the 70s; cut my teeth on that shit... So, Realms of Cthulhu or any similar setting is out!
I'm converting some of the concepts from the TOON rpg to Savage Worlds to recreate the general feel. But here's the problem; and I'd appreciate some advice.
The biggest and only combat in Scooby Doo is the wildly elaborate traps created by the gang (usually with Scooby as bait) that leads to the unmasking moment and the "And I would've gotten away with it too. If it weren't for you meddling' kids and your dog".
I need a simple, fun, and memorable mechanic!!! I would like to use dominoes with a combination of 'item cards' (fan, toilet plunger, old trunk, rope, shower curtain, etc). I think it would be awesome to put the players through a notice roll in the room where they want to set the trap and hand out improvised items, build a trap, and then actually randomize the event when the villain steps into it.
Any thoughts?
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Post by stork on Sept 17, 2012 15:00:22 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2012 15:22:05 GMT -8
I could definitely see Mouse Trap working, though most people know those parts so well and it limits them to the layout of the game to make the trap work.
I like the Domino idea, you could paste images of various parts on them and then let the players set up the dominoes in what ever order they come up with for the trap once you get to that part, then knock them down as it all goes off. You'd need a fairly elaborate, ie at least 20 or dominoes, to really get the cool effect from them toppling I'd think.
I would let notice rolls in each room/scene let them find both clues and prospective trap parts. Remember to split the party as well:)
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Post by shadrack on Sept 18, 2012 11:51:28 GMT -8
You can use the 'Dramatic Tasks' as a guideline.
Have them roll appropriate skills to accumulate successes: Survival (trap making); knowledge engineering (rube goldberg trap making); notice (put it in place); stealth (hide it), etc. Whatever feels appropriate, and whatever they can justify. Have some levels of success in your mind, but don't tell your PCs.
1 success per PC = it works but the villain might escape (especially if it's too early to catch him/her) 2 success per PC = you get the whole Scooby ending.
I do like the Domino idea, you can put a domino out for each success, and hope the trap doesn't get 'sprung' by an errant die. That would be shame (translated: awesome!)
Then you get to RP out the persuasion to trick the bad guy into the trap, work in any complications you see fit, etc.
For this type of game, I'd probably switch the damage to a more fatigue type track Basically these attacks and chases and frights just wear your character out. But after a nights rest, or a good meal, (or a scooby snack) hey, you feel fine! This will make getting captured (classic ploy in the scooby verse) not a big deal.
I'd spread the fleet-footed around a bit (Shaggy and Scooby at least)
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Post by savagedaddy on Sept 19, 2012 15:04:33 GMT -8
Thanks for all of the support and suggestions! I will post more as I work it out and play test it.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2012 17:12:00 GMT -8
This is so odd. I'm going to be running a Scooby Doo game at our next Con in Denver. It was written by one of the guys on the PEG forums. Link at bottom. It has all the gang already stated out. The issue I'm having is who to add as a 6th character. www.peginc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37876Chris "Savage Mommy" Fuchs
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HyveMynd
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Post by HyveMynd on Sept 24, 2012 3:50:21 GMT -8
Yeah, I'm going to agree with Stork here. Use the pieces from the Mousetrap game. This is a situation where the metagame can actually help you, and you should use that to your advantage. Dread has been mentioned on the podcast before. You know, the horror game that uses a wooden block *cough Jenga *cough* tower as a task resolution mechanic. Part of the reason why that game works is because everyone knows that you could screw up the pull, knock over the tower, and have you character get taken out (dead, trapped, insane, etc.) It's not scary for the characters, it's scary for the players, and as JiB has said before (and he's right), that's what you're going for - to affect the players. I would apply that principle to the MouseTrap pieces. When the characters discover a clue or solve a puzzle in the game, hand the players a piece of the MouseTrap contraption. If they're familiar with the board game (and who isn't), they'll immediately catch on to what they have to do. Hopefully they'll have their characters go off, get into trouble, search for clues, and get deeper into the adventure. Plus, the trap only works when you have all of the MouseTrap pieces, which will give the players incentive to go after every piece.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2012 13:51:36 GMT -8
Yeah, I'm going to agree with Stork here. Use the pieces from the Mousetrap game. This is a situation where the metagame can actually help you, and you should use that to your advantage. Dread has been mentioned on the podcast before. You know, the horror game that uses a wooden block *cough Jenga *cough* tower as a task resolution mechanic. Part of the reason why that game works is because everyone knows that you could screw up the pull, knock over the tower, and have you character get taken out (dead, trapped, insane, etc.) It's not scary for the characters, it's scary for the players, and as JiB has said before (and he's right), that's what you're going for - to affect the players. I would apply that principle to the MouseTrap pieces. When the characters discover a clue or solve a puzzle in the game, hand the players a piece of the MouseTrap contraption. If they're familiar with the board game (and who isn't), they'll immediately catch on to what they have to do. Hopefully they'll have their characters go off, get into trouble, search for clues, and get deeper into the adventure. Plus, the trap only works when you have all of the MouseTrap pieces, which will give the players incentive to go after every piece. The problem I'd have with that though it stops being a mystery adventure and turns into a Pokemonesk gotta collect them all affair. The metagame takes over, plus you are limiting the parties imagination in making the trap, which is essentially the big final setpeice of the game. Taking away player choice by handing them their trap like that would annoy the hell out of me even as the huge Mousetrap fan I am.
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Post by savagedaddy on Sept 25, 2012 1:07:18 GMT -8
This is so odd. I'm going to be running a Scooby Doo game at our next Con in Denver. It was written by one of the guys on the PEG forums. Link at bottom. It has all the gang already stated out. The issue I'm having is who to add as a 6th character. www.peginc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37876Chris "Savage Mommy" Fuchs Hands down, the 6th character HAS TO BE Scrappy-Doo! . If not, then it should be a guest star such as Batman or the Harlem Globetrotters. The Scooby Doo formula was so commonly re-used (Captain Cave Man and the Teen Angels, Jabber Jaw, Speed Buggy, Dyno-mut, etc) that you could pull really any character from the Hanna Barbara Universe. If I were to add a 6th character I would use one of the many characters from the Scooby Doo family tree www.scoobyaddicts.com/FamilyTree.aspx?name=Scooby&FamilyID=1Regarding the pre-generated main characters, I disagree with almost every versions I've found in forums. For example, with the exception of Scrappy Doo, none of the Scooby Gang should have the Fighting skill. Fred is the only one in my opinion who should have Driving
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Post by savagedaddy on Sept 25, 2012 1:50:09 GMT -8
Had a second thought about the 6th character www.peginc.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37876If you're totally against Scrappy-Doo (which I understand) I'd suggest taking a page from the latest iteration of Cartoon Network's Scooby Doo; Mystery Inc. and use the Sheriff as the sixth character. This maintains the 'cannon' quality of the original 70s cartoon because the Sheriff inevitably appears without explanation during the unmasking of every episode. I'd make him wildly stupid and incompetent with an over abundant amount of swagger -- think Barney Fife meets Dirty Harry! As far as his role in the party, he should be less concerned with solving the actual mystery than keeping things quite so he can get re-elected and enforcing the law. For example, he could stop a 'classic chase scene' to give the ghost a speeding ticket.
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Post by shadrack on Sept 25, 2012 6:22:21 GMT -8
Fred is the only one in my opinion who should have Driving I've seen Scooby behind the wheel a few times. Actually, the only times I've seen him behind the wheel. It's been the really hazardous, off-road, through the trees, fitting through tight spots driving. And typically the Mystery Machine is okay afterward. clearly Scooby gets a d10, and Fred can get by with a d6 or d4.
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Post by jazzisblues on Sept 25, 2012 6:36:33 GMT -8
Fred is the only one in my opinion who should have Driving I've seen Scooby behind the wheel a few times. Actually, the only times I've seen him behind the wheel. It's been the really hazardous, off-road, through the trees, fitting through tight spots driving. And typically the Mystery Machine is okay afterward. clearly Scooby gets a d10, and Fred can get by with a d6 or d4. Nah Scoob has a d4 in driving, but he has the luck and greater luck edges which give him LOTS of bennies for when things go haywire. JiB
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Post by shadrack on Sept 25, 2012 8:12:59 GMT -8
to Jib => That seems fair.
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Post by savagedaddy on Sept 28, 2012 20:56:10 GMT -8
I think I've figured out the final trap solution... During the game session, as characters make Notice rolls, I will randomly hand out Item cards with point values from 1-6 (e.g. Piano 6, Shower Curtain 3, Candelabra 1). Then, using the Dramatic Tasks guidelines (thanks shadrack). When it’s time to make the trap, each player will make a series of appropriate skill roll to create the trap. Each success allows a player to choose an item and draw a domino with an equal number of pips to the point value of the item. Odd numbered dominoes must be placed Vertically. Even numbered dominoes must be placed Horizontally. The item cards and matching dominoes are placed on the table and the players explain how the trap works in character. Then the trigger is role-played as a Trick or Taunt against the Ghost/Monster. And the line of vertically/horizontally stacked dominoes is pushed over. If more than half of them are toppled, voila, the villain is captured. If less than half fall, the villain escapes (and probably kidnaps Daphne in the process ).
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Post by jazzisblues on Sept 29, 2012 4:32:37 GMT -8
I think I've figured out the final trap solution... During the game session, as characters make Notice rolls, I will randomly hand out Item cards with point values from 1-6 (e.g. Piano 6, Shower Curtain 3, Candelabra 1). Then, using the Dramatic Tasks guidelines (thanks shadrack). When it’s time to make the trap, each player will make a series of appropriate skill roll to create the trap. Each success allows a player to choose an item and draw a domino with an equal number of pips to the point value of the item. Odd numbered dominoes must be placed Vertically. Even numbered dominoes must be placed Horizontally. The item cards and matching dominoes are placed on the table and the players explain how the trap works in character. Then the trigger is role-played as a Trick or Taunt against the Ghost/Monster. And the line of vertically/horizontally stacked dominoes is pushed over. If more than half of them are toppled, voila, the villain is captured. If less than half fall, the villain escapes (and probably kidnaps Daphne in the process ). Sounds very interesting. I will be curious to see how this plays out. JiB
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