Quote from: boulet;450822i haven't watched ulysses 31 in ages, so i'm not quite sure what level of cheeziness i should attribute to the show. But i can picture quite well a more adult version of the story played at a rpg table. Not sure what game system i would use for that though. It would need a group of players really in the mood to play good pcs because the show's topic was often about a dilemna between doing the right thing (save people typically) and finding a way home.

Hellas, Worlds of Sun & Stone?

Wasn't the D&D cartoon basically a rehash of the "Land of the lost" concept?

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Quote from: Simlasa;450750I've always liked The Herculoids... despite the actual show being not much more than repetitive set-ups for the team to fight off some new batch of invaders. As far as I know the show never goes beyond that basic formula... doesn't expand the setting or characters or anything.

Here are a bunch of Herculoids write-ups for AD&D.

I'm not familiar with this but wow, there are some pretty cool creatures usable for any pulp (sci-fi) or space opera setting there. Pity I don't play D&D. Can someone convert these to 2FT?

I'm still trying to figure out something to do with LOST.

Quote from: RPGPundit;451050Wasn't the D&D cartoon basically a rehash of the "Land of the lost" concept?

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They both share the Trapped in Another World trope. Land of the Lost had a Speculative Fiction hollow earth vibe, Dungeons and Dragons covered a more High Fantasy territory. Probably the biggest difference was the kids in D&D seemed to have some sort of destiny.

I thought of doing a VtR spin on Ashes to Ashes.

"I had an accident and woke up in 1983. Am I mad? In torpor? Or really back in time?"

Quote from: J Arcane;451169I'm still trying to figure out something to do with LOST.

The problem there is that the entire mystique of the series is dependent on no one ever asking questions when they have a chance or insisting on clear answers, something PCs almost always do IME.

Quote from: jgants;451190The problem there is that the entire mystique of the series is dependent on no one ever asking questions when they have a chance or insisting on clear answers, something PCs almost always do IME.

For me the problem seems to be that you can't use any of the material from the show because if the players are already familiar with it, then the setup just leads to a useless resolution.

I could stick the players on the Island, and maybe have a grand old time of it for a while if I make things mysterious enough and suitably cryptic that it's not obvious where they are at first, but I'm not sure how long that can be maintained, and besides, once they figure it out they'll likely be pretty cheesed.

Plus, depending on the period I'm not sure how much can be done in the setting.  It's implied strongly that post-finale the Island is a lot more pleasant place, so that doesn't work.

I think the best way is just to take it on inspiration and make something inspired by it, but then you risk just being cheap pastiche.  

I dunno, I think the whole thing, cool as it is, may be basically unplayable as an RPG.

I have successfully turned some 80s toy/cartoon properties into fun campaigns or one-shots.

Thundercats, using TMNT/Palladium Fantasy

M.A.S.K., using Top Secret/S.I.

Visionaries : Knights of the Magical Light, using Palladium Fantasy

Air Raiders using D6 System

  Oh, and I've cribbed notes for Star Command : The US Space Force.  All of these were run "straight", no cheese, just a setting adapted to be less kiddie and more gritty.  They all worked rather well.

I agree that Land of the Lost had potential, mainly in the Sleestaks and Pylons. Couldn't stand to watch the show, though. Believe me, I tried, but that annoying monkey-boy made me want to kill my TV.

FYI, Thundarr has an unofficial RPG, using an adaptation of Over the Edge: http://www.rpglibrary.org/settings/thundarr/

Also, by the time it aired, I was too old for He-man (and I still don't see the appeal). Filmation did a series called Blackstar a little earlier, though, and I remember liking that one.

Quote from: hanszurcher;451173They both share the Trapped in Another World trope. Land of the Lost had a Speculative Fiction hollow earth vibe, Dungeons and Dragons covered a more High Fantasy territory. Probably the biggest difference was the kids in D&D seemed to have some sort of destiny.

Good point. I guess that's what made it a D&D cartoon!

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