RPR Archive The Game Designers Guild

If we are making a humourous RPG, then it must be in a world without spaceships. Something more medieval and/or Renaissance-y

Why?

To joke about something, I usually have to know a lot about a subject, and if you want it to be funny to others, you need a reasonable chance that they know stuff about the subject matter too.
You could make a Renaissance crack so funny that you leave a damp patch on your chair, but which means nothing to other readers.
The one thing we all have in common is Star Wars, so that would seem like the logical place to start.

In the Star Wars...007 series, and when some of the MI5 characters moonlighted in Where the frag is Carmen Sandiego, we've had players interspersing their posts with highly humourous Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and Baldur's Gate references and jokes.
Humourous to the posters at least. We didn't even notice them, until they sulked about it months after.

Another point , I feel, is if you are doing a Humour RPG, I would recommend NOT putting a limit on OOC usage, as some GMs are wont to do.
Like Fanfic writers, comedians need feedback, preferably in the pucblic eye, so PMs would be unsuitable.
Writing I regard as funny and coming back the next day to find a laughing smiley relating to my post cheers me up no end.

 

That's actually a pretty good point.

I just find that Sci-Fi humour ends up being a massive spoof, witht the rare exception of DNA (RIP).

 

Alright, DNA is...?

 

Douglas Noel Adams, the Hitchhiker's Guide author

 

RIP.

 

I would like to join this copacetic guild, if the Master would be inclined to accede.

 

Ooooh-Kay folks...

First: Valorous - Welcome! Be sure to put some mention of the GDG in your Sig or Bio, and I'll be sure to add you on for the next update...

As to the rest of yous:

So what do we all have?

Humor RPG Ideas
-Generic Sci-Fi Spoof
-Star Wars
-Monty Python
-Indiana Jones

I think Indy is a very fertile RPG idea. Though the actual franchise would be hard to adapt, perhaps an expedition type idea?

Some Journey into East Borneo!

Like Jungle Cruise!

Or something...

Very intriguing...

Any other ideas folks?

-I_H

 

"I think Indy is a very fertile RPG idea. Though the actual franchise would be hard to adapt, perhaps an expedition type idea?"

That could work, just use IJ as a rough basis for it.


Another thought could be a Pirates of the Carribean RPG (or just generic Pirate RPG), it would be easy to stick in tons of humor and there would also be adventures enough to go around.

 

Pirates, I find, would be far more lucrative in the long run.

Really, they're just ready for the humour factor. Peg legs, eye patches, they spend their days on boats surrounded by other men...

 

Many thanks, I_H.

Group-made RPGs? Very nice idea, one that I think is sure to be successful. With so many game masters, it is apt to be mercurial.

A comedic pirates RPG has an immense amount of aptitude for burlesques. I'm all for it.

 

just popping in to say that i think the pirate RPG would definitly rock, especially when you have any kind of focus being placed on humor.

 

I must say I liked Prenn's idea of the SW standup RP. I can just picture myself playing a Dave Chapelle-esque Twi'lek or something along those lines.

Pirates could work. That's about all I got to contribute to this discussion thus far.


Wait, I=5, you PM scripts to fellow RPers? Is that how you and DVC are always so fragging hilarious in Podracer? I assumed you guys were just on the same wavelength all along.

And, if I may go back in time a bit to the discussion I missed while on vacation, I've read some hilarious scripts and screenplays in the past (Picasso at the Lapin Agile, anyone?). Perhaps a humorous RP could be reformatted from a disjointed narrative to a script of some sort....I dunno, just a thought I had while reading what I missed.

 

I just thought of something that may or may not have humorous potential. It's not quite an RP in the typical sense, but I think there would be RPing involved.

So, we have the Holonet RP news in the SWRPF, following me so far? Well, think about the RL news-spoofery that exists: The Onion, the Daily Show with John Stewart (and the Colbert report), WeekendUpdate on SNL. Perhaps something like that could be established, using the other RPs as news fodder.

 

Hey guys....

Soooo haven't forgetten about you alls....

Just really really busy...

A GDG Update is definitely near the top of my lists for posts tomorrow.... or.... in the near future...

So hang in there... and keep on batting around ideas....

And look for my post soon enough!

-I_H

 

having thought about it i would actually like to join this guild as well. i have had a few ideas for rpg's that i haven't really had a chance to do. hopefully i'll be able to learn from the best that i've seen, and maybe give some ideas that'll be useful as well.

 

SephyClone15 wrote Wait, I=5, you PM scripts to fellow RPers? Is that how you and DVC are always so fragging hilarious in Podracer? I assumed you guys were just on the same wavelength all along.

What?

Edit: Oh, I see. Had to scroll back to see what you were on about?
No, I don't send scripts to people.
I don't know if DVC is on the same wavelength as me; he might be. I do know that at times, Livi-Wan and I have been. Scarily so sometimes.

My reference to scripts is that some players, especially those who like to think they are funny, assume that if they know something, that the rest of the world will know it too.

If you throw a joke out there, and don't worry if no-one gets it, like I do, fine.

But if you are a second year medical student, and come across a medical joke and work it into your post somehow, don't gripe if the rest of us who might not be medical professionals, don't get it.
The example is a bit extreme, but I am finding players assuming that everyone will share their knowledge and interests outside SW enough to understand their humour, and getting mopey if that doesn't happen.

 

That just made me think of the classic joke with the two scientists or doctors or what-have-you where the punchline is "That's not a (insert sciency-sounding thing here). That's my wife."

Yeah, if your mind is anything like mine, I guess I can see why you'd be frightened to have people on the same wavelength as you.

 

Not 'hide behind the sofa' scary; just 'step up from wierd' scary.

 

Let me throw in my two cents to the humor discussion

I think the problem with a "humor" rpg is that when you try to be funny, it quite often fails. Humor is something that to be most effective needs to flow naturally. Often times, the times I laugh longest at one of my posts are when I reread them and see something that wasn't intended to be funny, but just came out naturally into my character. (This is especially true in Haunted Mansion).

I therefore think this would be the hardest obstacle to overcome in a "humor" rpg. However, I have been doing a small brainstorming session on an SNL RPG. I don't know that any game will actually ever come out of it, but I think some good pockets of information for myself will be gained.


Oh, and sorry for posting here without officially joining first. Just thought my $0.02 might be helpful.

 

Well, DI, 1st, I think you should join, 2nd, I didn't even realize until you pointed it out that you weren't a member, 3rd, I'd be interested to know what exactly you were thinking of doing for an SNL RPG. Players portraying SNL legends? Participating in long-running series of sketches (like WeekendUpdate or Celebrity Jeopardy), or were you thinking an SWRPF twist on SNL? "Live from Coruscant it's Saturday Night!"

 

Wait, I-5, you PM scripts to fellow RPers? Is that how you and DVC are always so fragging hilarious in Podracer? I assumed you guys were just on the same wavelength all along.

Of Course not. We just happen to have the same sense of humor most of the time. (I'm particularly proud of the Monty Python's Astral Circus bit myself.)


On the subject of SNL.

I don't think you could work a SW SNL...but you could definatly do a real world one. Especialy if you do it with current events, and get some good comedians, it would work...sorta...

 

I don't know about a SNL game, but I think a MONY PYTHONesqe game would be amazing!
A satyrical RPG!
There is a mission and a story arc, but all along the way halarity ensues!

 

Such a game would be cool, but it depends on if the players and GM are in sync or not, or if they're even funny. But if you can get a good crew, it could work out really well.

That said, your misspelling of the word "satirical" created the most unintentionally hilarious game idea I've seen all week.

 

*Smirks*
Yea, I totally did that on purpose. (NOT!)

I am actually an atrocious speller.

 

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v734/Imperial_Hammer/Prosperitythroughendeavor.jpg]

***Game Designers Guild News***
Volume 1: Number 5

---

[hl=darkblue][color=yellow][b][u]***Full Roster***[/u][/b][/color][/hl]

[u][b]Full Members[/b][/u]
- DarthSeti5
- Winged_Jedi
- YoungAngus
- Penguinator-176
- Dark-Enigma
- BLemelisk
- MASTERPRENN
- SephyCloneNo15
- darth_nemisis
- Darth_Vaders_cousin
- agap_afima
- dontlookatmethatway
- Despised1
- Rayson
- Jango10
- Trimaj

[i]And Still Accepting Membership!!![/i]

[hr]
[color=#990099][b][u]***Agenda***[/u][/b][/color]

[u]Now[/u]
- Formative Genre Discussion: Humorous RPGs

[u]Next[/u]
- Yearly Competition Number 1: *Topic to be Announced*

[u]Later[/u]
- Gaming Mechanism Discussion: The Mathematics of Role Playing
- Specific Game Discussion: SephyCloneNo15 - Brainstorming on how to Create a Divine/Gods RPG
- General Genre Discussion: Romance RPGs

[hr]
[color=red][b][u]News[/u][/b][/color]
- The GDG survived its first period of Guildmaster Inactivity! Hurrah!

- The Guildmaster reports that he hopefully is back on duty and will continue moving the GDG along its agenda

- SephyCloneNo15 has requested that the next Specific Game Discussion revolve around trying to create a Black & White esque RPG. Although the genera was meant to be for specific games, exceptions can and will be made. However, we will not be flushing this concept out as thouroughly as we would Genre Discussions.

- Also our next mechanics discussion has been set... namely on creating a structure for point allocation for Force User Games

[hr]
[color=#0000bb][b][u]***The Quest Continues***[/u][/b][/color]

[u]Humor RPG Ideas[/u]
-Generic Sci-Fi Spoof
-Star Wars
-Monty Python
-Indiana Jones
-Pirates of the Carribean
-SNL

Alright, now that we got some ideas, its time we start whittling then down...

Unless anyone has ultra-super objections, I think, taking into consideration their popularity and probably of success with a mass forum, we can drop the list down to

- Star Wars
- Indiana Jones / Exotic Adventure
- Pirates

No? Generic and SNL seems to me to be alot of work, both in execution and design, and Python is limited in its scope to fans. I for one know I am not a big follower of kooky British Humor...

Now within these three, what is the consensus?

Which one of these would you all think has the best chance of drawing a crowd.... being executed.... and succeeding?

Consider this almost an informal vote. :)

-I_H