Serenity: Why am I GMing this?

[SolitonMan]

I don't think that's an obstacle here for two reasons:

1) Merric here is a very imaginative guy. I'm not too afraid he'd be boxed in.

2) There's only about a dozen episodes to the show. There really isn't much setting material to begin with that he'd be forced to match. He has to make up setting and plot material on his own, whether or not he watches the show.

Why are you doig it, Merric? Because the genre is easy-peasy to work with. To first approximation it is a western... IN SPACE!

QFT.

I think that watching the show helps to provide the flavor of the setting, but because of its very limitations, it's just a taste, not the whole meat and potatoes...which leaves an imaginative person in a good position.

There are plenty of threads of plot that can be addressed in a game that are only briefly touched on in the show, and not at all in the movie. And it's just such an enjoyable show, watching is its own reward.

 

[guivre]

Regarding the FATE system, I don't know it myself, but I've heard some good things about it. Anyway, good luck running the show!

Neither of those systems are FATE.

FATE does provide an excellent replacement for Serenity RPG though, particularly as implemented by Diaspora. In fact, little tweaking at all is needed if you use Diaspora as the base.

Aspects just make it so easy to describe characters, especially cinematic oriented characters.

 

[BryonD]

I don't think that's an obstacle here for two reasons:

1) Merric here is a very imaginative guy. I'm not too afraid he'd be boxed in.

I don't doubt it. But that is a reason he can easily avoid the obstacle, not a reason it isn't an obstacle.

2) There's only about a dozen episodes to the show. There really isn't much setting material to begin with that he'd be forced to match. He has to make up setting and plot material on his own, whether or not he watches the show.

As I said, I think this makes it worse. Star Trek covered so much territory that anything fits. Twelve episodes doesn't offer as much variety to "match". Not that I think trying to match it is a good thing. To the contrary, having a free hand is far better. But the expectation can be there and create issues.

To be clear, I'm not saying Merric will have problems if he doesn't follow this advice. Input was requested. I'm simply offer thoughts that I suspect may help push "very good" into slightly better yet.

And frankly, moving the same characters and story into a system he actually likes is probably the best option.

 

[tyrlaan]

One real downside of games based on very specific material is it becomes to easy to start thinking the sessions need to match the material. It can be an obstacle to thinking outside the box. You don't have that issue.

Slight tangent, but this is my general issue with all game systems/settings based on some other media (Buffy, Star Wars, Babylon 5, etc.).

As open a mind I have (or like to think I have ), it's really hard to break past character concepts that aren't just reflections of the main characters and so on.

 

[diaglo]

So, now I'm running a game of Serenity, with a system I don't really like...

i judged Serenity for the 2006 ENnies.

i have nothing good to say about it. take that for what you will.

other than to say for at least this system i agree with you on the part i snipped from your first post.

good luck making a game out of that mess.

 

[Cam Banks]

Hi Merric!

First of all, love the Billy the Kid character. Very suitable. Although the movie downplayed a lot of the Western elements, Firefly itself was very much a synthesis of Westerns in the same way that a lot of D&D is, and I think that's one of the reasons the show (and our game) have such a strong following.

Do you have a copy of the Big Damn Heroes Handbook? Many of the quirks in the system from the core book got addressed, revised, or given options in the BDHH, and we included a lot of additional rules and background stuff that you might find useful.

I'm one of those game designer people who doesn't mind answering any and all questions about products, so shoot me an email at cam AT margaretweis DOT com if you want to know more, have issues with specific rules, or have any other concerns. I'm happy to help.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[MrGrenadine]

...if you want to know more, have issues with specific rules, or have any other concerns. I'm happy to help.

Wow, that's pretty damn cool.

I LOVE Firefly and Serenity, but never thought to pick up the game...until now!

 

[Mallus]

I'd definite watch the series now. Plot's not so important for Firefly, but dialog and overall tone is. Firefly just sounds a certain way... and you'd do well cribbing as much of that from the show as possible.

Also, I've only read it, but Spirit of the Century/FATE seems like a good match for Firefly (it's a system where "Big Damn Hero" can be one of your character attributes). There's a sci-fi version out now called Starblazer Adventures.

 

[rexartur]

Sorry, no help on the system, but my wife and I regularly re-watch the series and movie. The theme song is especially haunting.

Take my love, take my land
Take me where I cannot stand
I don't care, I'm still free
You can't take the sky from me
Take me out to the black
Tell them I ain't comin' back
Burn the land and boil the sea
You can't take the sky from me
There's no place I can be
Since I found Serenity
But you can't take the sky from me...

 

[Sadrik]

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Download this for free
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