Comments on: Johnny’s Five – Five Movies/TV Shows That Might As Well Have Been Written As An RPG Campaign http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign The Game Mastering Blog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:00:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: DocRyder http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8929 DocRyder Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:21:44 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8929 <a href='#comment-8928' rel="nofollow">@DocRyder</a> - Should have read that completely before commenting. Me = Dumbass.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8929','DocRyder'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @DocRyder – Should have read that completely before commenting. Me = Dumbass.
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]]> By: DocRyder http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8928 DocRyder Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:15:17 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8928 Kindred the Embarassed, I mean "Embraced," was based on Vampire the Masquerade. In fact, Mark Rein•Hagen (Creator of the Storyteller system and VtM) was a creative consultant on the show.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8928','DocRyder'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Kindred the Embarassed, I mean “Embraced,” was based on Vampire the Masquerade. In fact, Mark Rein•Hagen (Creator of the Storyteller system and VtM) was a creative consultant on the show.
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]]> By: peter http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8894 peter Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:26:10 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8894 torchwood<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8894','peter'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> torchwood
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]]> By: BalorX http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8845 BalorX Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:03:20 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8845 Tin Man. Sci Fi channels take on the Wizard of Oz. The Dorothy character is, unbeknownst to her at the start, a sorceress. The Tin Man is a former cop. The cowardly lion is from a race of empaths, basically psionicists that use their heart instead of their mind. The scarecrow is the character I thought most interesting to play. He has had his brain removed by the BBEG. His knowledge and abilities are revealed to his own surprise over the 3 episodes. Telling much more gives up the plot so I'll leave off. Watched it because I thought my wife would enjoy it. Then it sucked me in too.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8845','BalorX'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Tin Man. Sci Fi channels take on the Wizard of Oz. The Dorothy character is, unbeknownst to her at the start, a sorceress. The Tin Man is a former cop. The cowardly lion is from a race of empaths, basically psionicists that use their heart instead of their mind. The scarecrow is the character I thought most interesting to play. He has had his brain removed by the BBEG. His knowledge and abilities are revealed to his own surprise over the 3 episodes.

Telling much more gives up the plot so I’ll leave off. Watched it because I thought my wife would enjoy it. Then it sucked me in too.

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]]> By: Godspiel http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8841 Godspiel Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:13:40 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8841 Farscape, for most of its run, felt like it was based on an actual campaign that somebody ran. Random Average recently analyzed it in terms of player dynamics: <a href="http://random-average.com/index.php/2010/01/farscape-as-gaming-group/" rel="nofollow">Farscape as gaming group </a><div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8841','Godspiel'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Farscape, for most of its run, felt like it was based on an actual campaign that somebody ran.

Random Average recently analyzed it in terms of player dynamics: Farscape as gaming group

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]]> By: whateley23 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8823 whateley23 Fri, 05 Feb 2010 04:57:27 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8823 The two movies I always use as the "go-to" examples when trying to describe what gaming is like to other people are <i>Tremors</i> and <i>The Chronicles of Riddick</i>. Of course, <i>…Riddick</i> could very well be based loosely on Vin Diesel's campaigns, so I'll set that one aside. <i>Tremors</i> includes some excellent scenes of the characters engaging in problem-solving of the sort I associate with gaming. They pole-vault from rock to rock to avoid the monster, they develop a fairly intricate plan to get the survivalists and everyone out of the valley (of course, it fails, but that's hardly the point), and so on. The characters are generally the types I'd expect to see in a game with that described background (the survivalists are the most obvious example, but the handymen are pretty generic "modern setting" character types). The monsters are pretty easily dispatched, <i>except for the last one</i> (and that last one is the one who has a distinguishing characteristic), once the characters figure out what's what. Clearly, the people who wrote that script were gamers, or else they had a similar analytical perspective.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8823','whateley23'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> The two movies I always use as the “go-to” examples when trying to describe what gaming is like to other people are Tremors and The Chronicles of Riddick. Of course, …Riddick could very well be based loosely on Vin Diesel’s campaigns, so I’ll set that one aside.

Tremors includes some excellent scenes of the characters engaging in problem-solving of the sort I associate with gaming. They pole-vault from rock to rock to avoid the monster, they develop a fairly intricate plan to get the survivalists and everyone out of the valley (of course, it fails, but that’s hardly the point), and so on. The characters are generally the types I’d expect to see in a game with that described background (the survivalists are the most obvious example, but the handymen are pretty generic “modern setting” character types). The monsters are pretty easily dispatched, except for the last one (and that last one is the one who has a distinguishing characteristic), once the characters figure out what’s what.

Clearly, the people who wrote that script were gamers, or else they had a similar analytical perspective.

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]]> By: BryanB http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8821 BryanB Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:38:58 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8821 I always thought that Le Femme Nikita played out like a great espionage campaign, similar to what I used to strive for with Top Secret SI. Alias was also another show that had a gamer vibe to it. But Firefly is probably the epitome of "This show was written by role-players." And I mean that in a good way! :D<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8821','BryanB'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I always thought that Le Femme Nikita played out like a great espionage campaign, similar to what I used to strive for with Top Secret SI. Alias was also another show that had a gamer vibe to it.

But Firefly is probably the epitome of “This show was written by role-players.” And I mean that in a good way! :D

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]]> By: John Arcadian http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8819 John Arcadian Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:24:31 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8819 Great comments everyone! There are a lot of great game-movies out there. <a href='#comment-8799' rel="nofollow">@TwoShedsJackson</a> - Yipes, it was indeed Buffy, and I was well aware of that. That is a bigger typo than I normally make. Though I can see Jayne being the surprise roleplay heavy player in the group. I've fixed it now. Thanks for pointing it out. Your official <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_prize/' rel="nofollow">No-Prize</a> is in the mail. <a href='#comment-8804' rel="nofollow">@Kurt "Telas" Schneider</a> - I just caught the last few episodes of Dollhouse and totally want to see the game based on it. <a href='#comment-8798' rel="nofollow">@Russ</a> - Absolutely, plus it is just a good show. Can't wait for the live action movie to come out. That one is the Avatar that I've been waiting to see. <a href='#comment-8807' rel="nofollow">@drow</a> - Yes it was! I always remember thinking that, then I saw a book out with translated game notes from it. Lodoss is a great world setting to me. While it was definitely a D&D game, it felt so much more epic. <a href='#comment-8814' rel="nofollow">@Jacob Seene</a> - I've seen that movie and made that comparison too. I think I've even got an article somewhere inspired from it. Nice one!<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8819','John Arcadian'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Great comments everyone! There are a lot of great game-movies out there.

@TwoShedsJackson – Yipes, it was indeed Buffy, and I was well aware of that. That is a bigger typo than I normally make. Though I can see Jayne being the surprise roleplay heavy player in the group.

I’ve fixed it now. Thanks for pointing it out. Your official No-Prize is in the mail.

@Kurt “Telas” Schneider – I just caught the last few episodes of Dollhouse and totally want to see the game based on it.

@Russ – Absolutely, plus it is just a good show. Can’t wait for the live action movie to come out. That one is the Avatar that I’ve been waiting to see.

@drow – Yes it was! I always remember thinking that, then I saw a book out with translated game notes from it. Lodoss is a great world setting to me. While it was definitely a D&D game, it felt so much more epic.

@Jacob Seene – I’ve seen that movie and made that comparison too. I think I’ve even got an article somewhere inspired from it. Nice one!

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]]> By: rocketlettuce http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8816 rocketlettuce Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:34:00 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8816 I'm gonna have to go with: Anything good.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8816','rocketlettuce'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> I’m gonna have to go with: Anything good.
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]]> By: Katana_Geldar http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8815 Katana_Geldar Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:53:50 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8815 That episode of Buffy with D&D is the last episode of Season 8, "Chosen". "Could it possibly get uglier? I used to be a highly respected watcher, and now I'm a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily. I just wish I could sleep." Here is a script I found: http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/buffy/season7/buffy-722.htm<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8815','Katana_Geldar'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> That episode of Buffy with D&D is the last episode of Season 8, “Chosen”.

“Could it possibly get uglier? I used to be a highly respected watcher, and now I’m a wounded dwarf with the mystical strength of a doily. I just wish I could sleep.”

Here is a script I found: http://www.twiztv.com/scripts/buffy/season7/buffy-722.htm

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]]> By: Jacob Seene http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8814 Jacob Seene Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:27:01 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8814 For a modern espionage game (such as Spycraft), I've found that the Italian Job is an excellent example. The movie shows how a complex "job" might be planned and shows how a team of specialists should interact with minimal overlap. It also does a decent job of walking the line between cinematic and believable.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8814','Jacob Seene'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> For a modern espionage game (such as Spycraft), I’ve found that the Italian Job is an excellent example. The movie shows how a complex “job” might be planned and shows how a team of specialists should interact with minimal overlap. It also does a decent job of walking the line between cinematic and believable.
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]]> By: sage http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8811 sage Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:49:36 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8811 Firefly is indeed a great gaming movie/series, but Serenity the game was more then a little bland. The game itself had nothing to do with Firefly, it was just window dressing on a generic system. Lady Blackbird (http://www.onesevendesign.com/ladyblackbird/) pulls of Firefly a lot better (without actually being Firefly, copyright and all that).<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8811','sage'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> Firefly is indeed a great gaming movie/series, but Serenity the game was more then a little bland. The game itself had nothing to do with Firefly, it was just window dressing on a generic system. Lady Blackbird (http://www.onesevendesign.com/ladyblackbird/) pulls of Firefly a lot better (without actually being Firefly, copyright and all that).
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]]> By: Lee Hanna http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8810 Lee Hanna Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:47:11 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8810 IIRC, the first of the recent "Mummy" movies (the ones with Brendan Fraser) appeared in the same year as the "Dungeons and Dragons" movie. I walked out of the former FAR more jazzed about playing a game than the so-called D&D movie.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8810','Lee Hanna'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> IIRC, the first of the recent “Mummy” movies (the ones with Brendan Fraser) appeared in the same year as the “Dungeons and Dragons” movie. I walked out of the former FAR more jazzed about playing a game than the so-called D&D movie.
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]]> By: DNAphil http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8808 DNAphil Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:42:57 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8808 <a href='#comment-8798' rel="nofollow">@Russ</a> - I knew it! I told my wife over and over that Leverage was made by gamers. There are so many tropes in it that the writers would have had to have seen a gaming table. After a little research, EN world's jonrog, is John Rodgers who is one of the writers of Leverage, and as exciting of the Global Frequency pilot that was done in 2005. He writes on the Kung Fu Monkey blog: http://www.kfmonkey.blogspot.com/ and can be found on Twitter @jonrog1 Awesome!<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8808','DNAphil'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> @Russ – I knew it! I told my wife over and over that Leverage was made by gamers. There are so many tropes in it that the writers would have had to have seen a gaming table.

After a little research, EN world’s jonrog, is John Rodgers who is one of the writers of Leverage, and as exciting of the Global Frequency pilot that was done in 2005. He writes on the Kung Fu Monkey blog: http://www.kfmonkey.blogspot.com/ and can be found on Twitter @jonrog1

Awesome!

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]]> By: drow http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign/comment-page-1#comment-8807 drow Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:38:39 +0000 http://www.gnomestew.com/johnnys-five/johnnys-five-five-moviestv-shows-that-might-as-well-have-been-written-as-an-rpg-campaign#comment-8807 record of lodoss war! wait, nevermind. that really was someone's RPG campaign.<div class="comment-remix-meta"><a href="#" class="replyto" onclick="replyto('8807','drow'); return false;">Reply</a> </div> record of lodoss war! wait, nevermind. that really was someone’s RPG campaign.
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