25 year firefighter/medic here I used role-playing scenarios in a lot of training. A game would be great bit would have to.include a lot of technical detail. Roll medical skill or under to work a code would be boring as hell.

Quote from: rgrove0172;104706525 year firefighter/medic here I used role-playing scenarios in a lot of training. A game would be great bit would have to.include a lot of technical detail. Roll medical skill or under to work a code would be boring as hell.

I agree, for me the trick is to find the balance between technical and accessible. Ideally a person with actual hands on experience should be able to step in as a player and just do the job based on what they would do for real without worrying too much about mechanics. At the same time you can't very well put players without a background in fire / medicine through a fire academy before they can play the game.


This year is the start of 26 years in the fire service for me. The way I rate a firefighting game, computer, board or other is can I use my real world knowledge to advantage in the game. Obviously a game has to make some concessions, but I have found that a lot of the computer games do work well with real world tactics. On the other hand most of the board games seem to default to easy play and sacrifice reality which is a shame. I'd really like a game that is fun, but also educates. Something that gives a glimpse into what really happens in a smokey hallway, on the side of a mountain during a forest fire or at a vehicle accident.

Again I go back to the TV show Emergency! It stands out because it gave some concessions to create an entertaining TV show, but made a sincere effort to remain true to its subject matter. It is one of the only firefighter TV shows that receives praise from those doing the job.

Quote from: rgrove0172;104706525 year firefighter/medic here I used role-playing scenarios in a lot of training. A game would be great bit would have to.include a lot of technical detail. Roll medical skill or under to work a code would be boring as hell.

It sounds like you should be the one writing it.

Quote from: Turanil;1029266+1

I don't see any point in doing a "firefighters RPG". Rather enlist as a real-life, part-time firefighter, and do the real thing. On the other hand, there might be some potential in making a supplement for a sci-fi game that would deal with firefighters, medics, etc.,

I run crisis scenarios a lot in Traveller. It's part of the genre to me. They are more the "meltdowns and hull ruptures" variety, but it's rich ground for tense action in a hostile environment setting.

Usually those are "spacers trying to survive when shit goes wrong" scenarios, but I remember seeing a "rescue worker" class in Spacemaster and being fascinated by the concept.

Like Slaad mentions, the hostile environment or timed scenario often works well.  In a fantasy context, a powerful forest fire or an area of volcanic activity that has such on the periphery, a campaign overlay.

I liked the TV show Rescue Me pretty well most of the time.

Tangentially, I once ran an adventure campaign that took place completely on the plane of fire back in the day.  Efreet three dimensional dance clubs and all.

Quote from: Toadmaster;1047076I agree, for me the trick is to find the balance between technical and accessible. Ideally a person with actual hands on experience should be able to step in as a player and just do the job based on what they would do for real without worrying too much about mechanics. At the same time you can't very well put players without a background in fire / medicine through a fire academy before they can play the game.


This year is the start of 26 years in the fire service for me. The way I rate a firefighting game, computer, board or other is can I use my real world knowledge to advantage in the game. Obviously a game has to make some concessions, but I have found that a lot of the computer games do work well with real world tactics. On the other hand most of the board games seem to default to easy play and sacrifice reality which is a shame. I'd really like a game that is fun, but also educates. Something that gives a glimpse into what really happens in a smokey hallway, on the side of a mountain during a forest fire or at a vehicle accident.

Again I go back to the TV show Emergency! It stands out because it gave some concessions to create an entertaining TV show, but made a sincere effort to remain true to its subject matter. It is one of the only firefighter TV shows that receives praise from those doing the job.

Emergency was great that way. Thanks to both of you for your service.

Quote from: AsenRG;1046914Thank you, I hadn't noticed such a supplement exists:)! And I sure didn't know about the author's personal experience, which is always a bonus in my book!

I wasn't a firefighter for nearly as long as I would have liked. The OSHA doctor booted me due to epilepsy. I had it managed, disclosed it to the chiefs and went through the entire academy. In fact I'm now considered non-epileptic. Oh well.

Quote from: DiscoSoup;1047299I wasn't a firefighter for nearly as long as I would have liked. The OSHA doctor booted me due to epilepsy. I had it managed, disclosed it to the chiefs and went through the entire academy. In fact I'm now considered non-epileptic. Oh well.

Well, that sucks. I guess they were covering their own asses, but it sucks.
Still, that should be enough experience to write an RPG;).

Another issue is what do people expect from a non-combat focused RPG?

Sure a fire or medical emergency can be given a "combat system" of sorts, but the reality is most are pretty cut and dried, if this, then that. Fires can be tricky because of access or lack of resources / time constraints but despite media depictions fire is not an intelligent opponent that needs to be outwitted. It just comes down to locate, confine and extinguish.

Sure there are antics that can be played out, but I haven't seen many soap opera RPGs. Pretty sure playing pranks, scoring a date with the hot new ER nurse or getting a side job in construction wouldn't sustain a game for long. Playing out investigations is an option, but that is really getting more into a law enforcement style game.

Quote from: DiscoSoup;1047299I wasn't a firefighter for nearly as long as I would have liked. The OSHA doctor booted me due to epilepsy. I had it managed, disclosed it to the chiefs and went through the entire academy. In fact I'm now considered non-epileptic. Oh well.

Wow, that stinks. I can only imagine how disappointing to make it through all the testing, and the academy and then have it yanked away like that. I can certainly see their concern, but a shame that didn't come before all the effort.

Thanks, guys. This was just about 16 years ago. Worst part was telling my grandpa. He was a captain on the Pueblo department who served at the Central Block Building Fire back in 1953. Got to spend one night in the station and go out to one fire. Turned out not to be a fire. The months in the academy were some of the best.

Quote from: Toadmaster;1047422Another issue is what do people expect from a non-combat focused RPG?

Playing out investigations is an option, but that is really getting more into a law enforcement style game.

My thought was actually something closer to Firefighters Meet Cthulhu. When The Others appear on Earth, they release heat energy causing fires and creating a livable environment for themselves. So, you end up fighting the fire, investigating the cult, and fighting The Others and their Ancient Minions (maybe they are bullet proof but not axe and firehose proof?).

Quote from: DiscoSoup;1046876I was a firefighter. I wrote a book for Traveller called Rescue Ops. It's firefighting in the future, but it's firefighting.

Was this published?

Quote from: RPGPundit;1047860Was this published?

AFAICT, it's been published by Mongoose, for MgT 1e.

Hmm, interesting. I had no idea.