What licenses are left?

[Willie the Duck]

That sounds perfect for people who want low power, dark and gritty play and stories. I'm sure lots of people would run a game like that! It could do numbers if pitched at an OSR audience.

Despite the grim-ness of the scenario, I don't know that the analogy holds up.

OSR gaming (at least the D&D variety) is highly predicated on agency and your decisions impacting the outcome. You enter the dungeon and immediately start making choices (yes, tough ones, often with very little power, and often with dark and gritty outcomes in the offer) -- most notably when to take on a challenge and when to retreat/leave with your acquired loot (or losses).

The M*A*S*H scenario does not let you leave when you feel you cannot take on the latest wave of casualties. Nor do your decisions dictate what challenges you will face. They may influence the outcome (commit to surgery and save the leg, but lose the other 3 patients waiting), but oftentimes the outcome is determined simply by how competent you are -- with everyone but Burns being some variety of just-that-good; and everyone but the guest star of the week (or occasionally Hawkeye, in a Sidney episode) being able to handle the mental burden.

 

[haakon1]

It seems to me that a M*A*S*H rpg and a The Pitt rpg might be similar, but less “roll for insurance” in MASH and less “save versus incoming” in The Pitt.

 

[chuckdee]

Looking at this it feels unlicensed, though obviously using some of the IP.

It's also TINY. There's only one style of play allowed, and that doesn't capture the feeling of 90% of the books.

It wasn't marketed by Brust that I can see. Although he's kind of anti marketing and anti licensing, maybe that's it.

A bit more on it, going back to the Kickstarter and communications:

In March 2015, the Blades in the Dark Kickstarter campaign announced a new playset that would adapt the game to the criminal underworld of Adrilankha from Brust’s Khaavren Romances series. The project was described as a “stretch goal playset” that would provide setting info, character types, crew types, equipment, magic rules, locations, NPCs, and factions for running Blades in the Dark in Brust’s world. The playset was written supposed to be written by Harper with oversight from Brust, but things blew up and Harper was pulled in multiple directions so Daniel Hiatt took over.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2080350433/blades-in-the-dark/posts/1184476

 

[Cordwainer Fish]

It seems to me that a M*A*S*H rpg and a The Pitt rpg might be similar, but less “roll for insurance” in MASH and less “save versus incoming” in The Pitt.

Don't play The Pitt with the optional Full Moon rule. Just... don't.

 

[abazaba]

It seems to me that a M*A*S*H rpg and a The Pitt rpg might be similar, but less “roll for insurance” in MASH and less “save versus incoming” in The Pitt.

The 'P.I.T.T.' ? Do you mean this guy, from the image comics ?

 

[haakon1]

The 'P.I.T.T.' ? Do you mean this guy, from the image comics ?

As Dr. Robbie might say, “I do not.”

 

[abazaba]

As Dr. Robbie might say, “I do not.”

Ah. Guess you then meant this series (on streaming through HBO Max) ?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31938062/

 

[Hand of Evil]

Big Trouble in Little China
Escape from New York
The Thing

 

[abazaba]

Big Trouble in Little China
Escape from New York
The Thing

Agreed. I recent-ish mentioned 'Escape from New York' and 'Big Trouble in Little China' as well :
What licenses are left?

And 'The Thing' would be great too, I think.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Big Trouble in Little China
Escape from New York
The Thing

The Big Thing in Little China Escapes from New York RPG!