Harry Potter RPG?

[PallidPatience]

I don't understand why you think I meant something other than the world of Harry Potter. I don't mean other stories about wizards. I mean other stories about wizards throughout the world she's already created. There are other schools, only two of which have even been mentioned. There are other governments. There are other organizations. There must be other dangers and heroes, as well. After all, the world is a large place.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I don't understand why you think I meant something other than the world of Harry Potter. I don't mean other stories about wizards. I mean other stories about wizards throughout the world she's already created.

I know exactly what you meant. I'm saying the Wizarding World is not what has sold the series into a monster. Hogwarts is.

The rest is nice, to be sure. But it is Hogwarts that has made it a runaway success. Take that away - it's is less than HP.

Telling the story in the wide world outside of Hogwarts necessarily does that.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think there's three schools that have been mentioned: the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Durmstrang Magical Institute and (possibly) the Salem Witches' Institute (only referenced with a banner at the Quidditch World Cup).

In any case, yeah, it's a big world with lots of room to sketch stuff in, if she was inclined to, or was inclined to let someone else do it.

Then again, nothing's stopping anyone from grabbing Mage: The Awakening and running a Harry Potter-inspired game with those rules.

(I'd say MtA has the edge here, because D&D's got the problem that the wizards all cast spells spontaneously but all seem to know a lot more spells than a sorcerer or warlock can. Redhurst just makes the students wizards and ignores this issue, which is as minor or major as you want it to be.)

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I know exactly what you meant. I'm saying the Wizarding World is not what has sold the series into a monster. Hogwarts is.

Several critics have specifically complained about this in re: HP7. We'll see what the public thinks over the next few months. I think JKR did a pretty good job of making the rest of the wizarding world pretty interesting, for all that I missed Hogwarts for most of the book.

 

[exile]

I think Redhurst would be an excellent place to start for a HP style campaign. Another thought would be to use gestalt characters, requiring everyone to have wizard (or perhaps sorcerer) as one of the classes.

Chad

 

[I'm A Banana]

The rest is nice, to be sure. But it is Hogwarts that has made it a runaway success. Take that away - it's is less than HP.

I'm not so convinced. Heck, half the final book

Spoiler

occurs outside of Hogwarts entirely

. I don't think you need Hogwarts, per se.

You probably would have to have *London* wizardry, though.

 

[der_kluge]

Mike Selinker (along with Teeuwynn Woodruff, I believe, and a few other folks) were on the WotC team to develop the first Harry Potter rpg. I seem to recall that Rowling was exceptionally reluctant to relinguish any sort of creative control whatsoever. For instance, she didn't want players to be able to become any of the main characters.

I admit to some interest as to whether this has changed now that the last book is out.

This is essentially what I've heard as well - from very reliable (read: inside WoTC) sources.

Thing is, apparently Rowling doesn't "get" the concept of a role-playing game -at all-, and basically told WoTC "You can do a role-playing game, but I want you to take the ability of people to actually play any characters in this world out of the game." Uh, so basically she wanted to remove the RP from the RPG.

 

[Steel_Wind]

I'm not so convinced. Heck, half the final book

Spoiler

occurs outside of Hogwarts entirely

. I don't think you need Hogwarts, per se.

You probably would have to have *London* wizardry, though.

Oh I agree.

I don't think you would need it at all to be entertaining. I don't think that it would be as charming or as popular - that's all.

 

[Frostmarrow]

I always thought JKR must have been familiar with RPGs because of the whole set up. I know she claims that she is ignorant to a lot of things but to me it looks like she's been inspired by D&D and D&D-inspired stuff. You play a kid a a wizard school and you get to chose which house you want to belong to. The house governs in some portion what your talents and skills are. I haven't read enough but I think Slytherin are the sly ones and Gryffindore the brave. I think chosing house is the most important thing in the beginning. So much the sorting hat ought to be on the cover of the Player's Handbook.

 

[Alnag]

I always thought JKR must have been familiar with RPGs because of the whole set up.

Right. That's why she hates them... her DM was cruel, she never made it higher than level 7 wizard.