What IP would you like to see as an RPG?

[Undrave]

You'd think so - but the big thing in a mystery scenario is gathering clues. And in most mysteries of this style the clues come from people, not just from searching. So unless you want to just wing it (which is a choice, but turns it into less of a game and more of a structured improv session - not that there's anything wrong with that) a game like that needs some decent social mechanics to determine when and how your witnesses/suspects/cops are going to give up or withhold information, how they react to a pushy detective, etc.

Ah yeah... I can see your point. Hmm... A sort of social combat system where you try to get the suspect to crack before they stonewall you?

 

[payn]

Ah yeah... I can see your point. Hmm... A sort of social combat system where you try to get the suspect to crack before they stonewall you?

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. A battle of wits to crack the suspect and get the info/confession. Though, the suspect could stonewall, or even deceive with disinformation sending the detective on a wild goose chase. That would be very interesting to me.

 

[Mezuka]

I've been thinking about this and after three days my answer is: none at this time. I can't think of any IP I like enough, to want an rpg about it, that doesn't already have one.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Sheer number. IIRC, 0.3% of humankind didn't succumb to the virus in the 48 hours or so of the outbreak. In a city like L.A., some 12,000 people found themselves trapped by 3,988,000 walkers in the span of 2 days. That's a lot of biting. Combine that to the fact no-one knew what the hell was happening (no Z films in that universe, and, in all honesty, we're just badly prepared for such scenario) and a lot of biting did happened in those first couple of days. Perhaps 2,400 people in said L.A. would survive the outbreak: virus, bites, and chaos combined. Close to 4 million walkers looking for a snack: you.

Initially yes. After 1 month the surprise factor dies away.
I mean if I introduced a whole bunch of shambling zombies wailing at a prison gate complex, the PCs would "clear them"
They wouldn't be out there as a threat for days, even weeks, like the silly show depicted.

The fear of the zombies becomes very much background noise for the real dystopian dangers - such as other humans and resource shortage. At that point you may as well play any other dystopian RPG which has a better narrative and supernatural threat.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

Beyond the Wall may not be official but the Chronicles of Prydain series was a major inspiration. The Heroes Young and Old expansion even includes playbooks for 'The Assistant Beast Keeper' and 'The Nobleman's Wild Daughter' - very Taran and Eilonwy! There's a nice interview with the creators at Summer Special: Beyond the Wall | fictoplasm

I didn’t know that exists! Thank you!

 

[AverageMojito]

Initially yes. After 1 month the surprise factor dies away.
I mean if I introduced a whole bunch of shambling zombies wailing at a prison gate complex, the PCs would "clear them"
They wouldn't be out there as a threat for days, even weeks, like the silly show depicted.

The fear of the zombies becomes very much background noise for the real dystopian dangers - such as other humans and resource shortage. At that point you may as well play any other dystopian RPG which has a better narrative and supernatural threat.

Oh, I agree there are problems with the show. Granted, I've only watched the first two seasons and I'm aware of its story from third-party accounts from friends. I also think that Zombie games can only go so far, and when you enter the dystopian aspects, its becomes a broad genre, with many other options, sure. But for a simple Z-Apocalypse game, the setting of The Walking Dead is as good as any if you don't want to go with super/mutated zombies.

There's one aspect to a Zombie world, though, I find is often overlooked: how hard it is to go for days without proper sleep, food, and water, and how badly prepared modern folks are to survive without electricity and other utilities. After a month, when the surprise factor would be well over, as you said, most people would be so tired that the shambling horde would catch up. One month in and we're talking less than 0.005% of humans alive. This is only shown when it's convenient to the story, of course, and what we mostly see in the movies is the characters emerging seasoned veterans.

Anyway, we'll probably keep disagreeing with each other about Walkers as a threat. As for the intent of the OP and the post you originally quoted, given how much noise TWD made in its first years, it could've been a RPG, just maybe a not very successful one, I guess.

 

[payn]

Oh, I agree there are problems with the show. Granted, I've only watched the first two seasons and I'm aware of its story from third-party accounts from friends. I also think that Zombie games can only go so far, and when you enter the dystopian aspects, its becomes a broad genre, with many other options, sure. But for a simple Z-Apocalypse game, the setting of The Walking Dead is as good as any if you don't want to go with super/mutated zombies.

There's one aspect to a Zombie world, though, I find is often overlooked: how hard it is to go for days without proper sleep, food, and water, and how badly prepared modern folks are to survive without electricity and other utilities. After a month, when the surprise factor would be well over, as you said, most people would be so tired that the shambling horde would catch up. One month in and we're talking less than 0.005% of humans alive. This is only shown when it's convenient to the story, of course, and what we mostly see in the movies is the characters emerging seasoned veterans.

Anyway, we'll probably keep disagreeing with each other about Walkers as a threat. As for the intent of the OP and the post you originally quoted, given how much noise TWD made in its first years, it could've been a RPG, just maybe a not very successful one, I guess.

I think the Dead of Winter series of board games are about as good as it gets for zombie genre. I mean, you could RPG it, but I think DoW does it best with its crossroads story mechanic. It also focuses on surviving hellish conditions, fighting off zombies, and finding enough supplies all at the same time. What more could an RPG offer?

 

[Undrave]

I also think that Zombie games can only go so far,

I think the Dead of Winter series of board games are about as good as it gets for zombie genre. I mean, you could RPG it, but I think DoW does it best with its crossroads story mechanic. It also focuses on surviving hellish conditions, fighting off zombies, and finding enough supplies all at the same time. What more could an RPG offer?

I got tired of zombie boardgames after Zombicide first came out

 

[payn]

I got tired of zombie boardgames after Zombicide first came out

I think DoW is much better, but yeah I get the sentiment.

 

[Undrave]

I think DoW is much better, but yeah I get the sentiment.

Me and friends had played multiple game of 'ZOMBIES!!!' and probably something else? Anyway, it felt like an overload of zombies...