Hey ladies and gentlemen,
I'm new here. Name's Benny Andersson (not affiliated to a certain pop band), and I run High Calibre Wizard, situated in Sweden. Previously I've been making some lesser known computer games. Used to write alot of books and boardgames in my youth, so I've decided to pick that up again.
I'm here to introduce my game to you: "Hell Space, or They Came from the Stars!"
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This is a tabletop RPG inspired by retro sci-fi and horror movies. It uses plenty of public domain footage from movies of this kind (40's to 80's), since it carries a certain aesthetic that pleases me. The setting is pseudo realistic, and very flexible, since the GM can set up the game in the past, the now, or the near future. Now of course there are some weaknesses with not having a world set in stone: it puts greater demand on the GM if you want to run a series of interconnected adventures. The idea is however to make a game play out as one of those old schlock B-movies. The beastiary includes things like meat eating, fire breathing, sentient plants from outer space (stolen from Super Mario), tentacle monstrosities from dimension XYZ, and brain munching parasites.
Game uses a newly designed D20 system: roll under or equal (nothing fancy but it works well). It's not very rule heavy, since it's designed to be fast and easy to learn. There are some optional rules if you want more detail.
The game is not published yet, but will be so digitally. If enough sales, it will be printed.
Anyone interested in taking the game for a whirl, and write something about it? Let me know here, or via email! highcalibrewizard[at]gmail.com
EDIT: One review in, here:
[video=youtube;22c0-AExWWk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22c0-AExWWk[/youtube]
Game is now on sale here:
https://www.drivethrurpg.com (https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/219886/They-Came-from-the-Stars-A-roleplaying-game)
Also happy to answer any questions you guys have.
Welcome to theRPGsite!
That sounds like a lot of fun and using public domain images from schlock cinema should only help enforce the desired mood much better than a lot of amateur artwork would do. I quite enjoy a good-bad B-movie.
Looks like fun will it come with an adventure to run?
So, are we talking "Call of Cthulhu" or "The Creature that Ate Sheboygan?"
Because the name makes me think of the former, but the look and description is more the latter. I'm just not clear, is all.
Yeah, the title isn't very good and doesn't really match up with the description. I'd go for something that shouts "B-grade Sci Fi Horror Schlockfest the RPG."
Maybe drop Hell Space, I duuno, but...
They Came From the Stars! (complete with exclamation point) did scream B-movie schlock to me.
Quote from: CRKrueger;979360Maybe drop Hell Space, I duuno, but...
They Came From the Stars! (complete with exclamation point) did scream B-movie schlock to me.
Yes, that part was pretty good and would make a better title than subtitle. But it really needs an adverb or adjective to make it more exciting.
Lose the "or".
Reminds me of Devil Girl From Mars, and Stranger from Venus.
Welcome!
I emailed you an invitation to do a Q&A in my chatroom. :)
Welcome aboard Varvarg!!
When thinking about publishing, you can offer print options to your customers via POD (print on demand) through both Amazon's Createspace and DriveThruRPG so you don't need to go the "boxes of books in the garage" unless you have a deal with a distributor.
Also, are you familiar with Z-Man games' Grave Robbers from Outer Space?
https://boardgamegeek.com/wiki/page/B-Movie_Series
It's a card game (part of a B-movie series) and touches on similar themes. Its a good game on its own, but considering what you're working on, it might be a great idea mine for developing adventures.
FYI, there is also a B-movie RPG adventure for Savage Worlds (from 2005).
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/18984/Savage-Features-03--They-Came-From-Beyond-Space?it=1
Quote from: Voros;979324Looks like fun will it come with an adventure to run?
It definitely should come with at least one adventure.
And a cool adventure generator!
Quote from: Dumarest;979320That sounds like a lot of fun and using public domain images from schlock cinema should only help enforce the desired mood much better than a lot of amateur artwork would do. I quite enjoy a good-bad B-movie.
Agreed. Public domain schlock images are a GREAT idea.
Varvarg, you may also want to check out foreign movie posters for films in the public domain. There is an art gallery in Chinatown in Los Angeles that had an exhibition of hand painted movie posters from small countries and provinces across India, Philippines, etc from the 1950s to 1980s to promote whatever they were showing in the local cinema. Some of the work looked like painted copies of the US posters, but most of them were weird to hysterical - misspelled titles, actors who looked nothing like themselves, bizarro scenes that may or may not have been in the movie, etc. I wonder if some of those images are in the public domain.
Here's posters from Ghana (mostly big movies definitely under copyright)
http://www.amusingplanet.com/2012/06/hand-painted-movie-posters-from-ghana.html
Quote from: CRKrueger;979360Maybe drop Hell Space, I duuno, but...
They Came From the Stars! (complete with exclamation point) did scream B-movie schlock to me.
Agreed, but partially because I've been working on a Hellspace RPG. :o
Thanks alot for the support and interest guys, :o
Quote from: Spinachcat;979433Agreed, but partially because I've been working on a Hellspace RPG. :o
LOL! But really, you guys have a point about the title. I might reconsider it before launch. Perhaps just keep the subtitle
Quote from: Voros;979324Looks like fun will it come with an adventure to run?
Yes! A very detailed adventure with lots of choice and consequence. No generator, but that could be amended
Quote from: Gronan of Simmerya;979327So, are we talking "Call of Cthulhu" or "The Creature that Ate Sheboygan?"
Because the name makes me think of the former, but the look and description is more the latter. I'm just not clear, is all.
I wanted some cheesy elements, together with the dark. The people I play with tend to mix it up. It is set in the middle you could say. The name... well it can possibly change
Quote from: Dan Davenport;979425Welcome!
I emailed you an invitation to do a Q&A in my chatroom. :)
Thanks mate!
Got some nice ideas from you guys. Keep the questions flowing, and I'll update the OP if I there are changes. And let me know if anyone want to do a quick review
just throwing this out there, and it's hardly original, but together with the subtitle it might just work
Invasion: They Came from the Stars!
like
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Quote from: Varvarg;979531just throwing this out there, and it's hardly original, but together with the subtitle it might just work
Invasion: They Came from the Stars!
like
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You still need an adverb or adjective, like THEY CAME GIBBERING FROM THE STARS! or THEY CAME FROM THE ELDRITCH STARS! or something, just to space it up.
Something else to consider...people shorthand "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" to "Body Snatchers." Maybe you should think of what you'd like people to shorthand yours to..."Invasion"? It's a little vague...thus the adjective or adverb.
Edit: consider my input the result of enthusiasm for your project as it sounds cool and I'd like to see it succeed as much as possible.
Hmm, no I dont mind. Believe me I'm used to a much tougher crowd.
I gotta think about this. Please feel free to leave more input if you want.
I figure I cant have the subtitle too long, it should be short and descriptive. They Came from the Stars is already borderline. Hell Space can be a bit misleading.
Thing is, I want to keep it a 'bit' generic, since it's not just about some reptiles that came from planet X, they can be from basically anywhere, any dimension even. But i'll include that in "space" or "stars", whatever
Invasion from Beyond
Invasion from the Stars
Invasion from X (X as in unknown)
Attack from Space
Invaders from planet X
Space invaders
Incursion from Space
Enemies from the Stars
Attack from Space, though? Simple, can fit many things (as it should for this game)
or
Invaders from Space!
Kinda like the exclamation mark ;)
FEEDBACK
I think They Came from the Stars! is fine. Recalls the last line of Howard Hawk's The Thing: 'Watch the Skies!'
you mean, skip Hell Space, and just do "They Came from the Stars!"
It does feel a bit long as main title. Any other takers on this? It sounds cool and stirs the imagination though, so it might make it memorable. Could be abbreviated as "They Came..." i guess?
intriguing.
I'll be contradictory and state that I like the 'Hellspace' title. It would grab my attention and I think it fits.
It doesn't sound like it's meant to be a comedy game... that it, like those old B movies, would take the subject matter fairly straight-faced (which, of course, is where the majority of the humor derives from).
I guess you could also combine it with the subtitle to get 'They Came From Hellspace!"... which is just the right sort of hyperbolic.
Quote from: Simlasa;979715I guess you could also combine it with the subtitle to get 'They Came From Hellspace!"... which is just the right sort of hyperbolic.
There you go, problem solved, distinct and evocative name found:
THEY CAME FROM HELLSPACE!
Seems there are many differing opinions about the matter.
I've decided to go with "They Came from the Stars! A roleplaying game (as subtitle)"
I appreciate all the suggestions, you have been most helpful all of you. Sometimes it's good to get ideas thrown at you
I've also made a simple adventure generator, with some common sci-fi/horror tropes. And some original ideas I hope. It's just a page though. You roll for location, mystery, villain, a possible solution, and a plot twist
We'll see what happens next. I've sent alot of inquiries to different media.
Made a facebook page bout the project: https://www.facebook.com/theycamefromthestars (https://www.facebook.com/theycamefromthestars)
Not that much information there, but i will update it and this thread when there's news
One suggestion I'd add: call it "ColdWarPunk". Look at how successful steam punk and cyberpunk are. I don't think I've ever seen the term coldwarpunk used, but if you're talking about 50's movies then it could be a good term for the genre.
"IT CAME FROM HELLSPACE! The coldwarpunk RRG."
Quote from: Varvarg;981271Made a facebook page bout the project: https://www.facebook.com/theycamefromthestars (https://www.facebook.com/theycamefromthestars)
Not that much information there, but i will update it and this thread when there's news
Please do.
Quote from: Schwartzwald;981591One suggestion I'd add: call it "ColdWarPunk". Look at how successful steam punk and cyberpunk are. I don't think I've ever seen the term coldwarpunk used, but if you're talking about 50's movies then it could be a good term for the genre.
"IT CAME FROM HELLSPACE! The coldwarpunk RRG."
It's original. Would be an interesting world no doubt. Perhaps aliens visited and gave mankind advanced tech, so you would see a mix of old and new technology.
The title is set in stone now though :)
Keep the title. The coldwarpunk RPG could be a subtitle. Plus you get to "invent" a new genre.
Quote from: Schwartzwald;981621Keep the title. The coldwarpunk RPG could be a subtitle. Plus you get to "invent" a new genre.
I prefer "atompunk". :)
Quote from: Dan Davenport;981626I prefer "atompunk". :)
Yeah? I don't give a fuck what a RPG.net mod thinks!
Ugh...can we stop adding -punk to everything as a meaningless suffix?
You already have a good title now anyway. If anything, -punk will just make you appear to be woefully behind the times while simultaneously hoping to appear edgy. Plus it might make me vomit all over the keyboard...
:eek:
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Quote from: Schwartzwald;981859Yeah? I don't give a fuck what a RPG.net mod thinks!
Good thing I'm not an RPG.net mod, huh, tough guy?
Quote from: Dan Davenport;981922Good thing I'm not an RPG.net mod, huh, tough guy?
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Quote from: Dan Davenport;981922Good thing I'm not an RPG.net mod, huh, tough guy?
You were.
Quote from: Schwartzwald;982522You were.
That's true. You might want to check Pundy's view on that subject.
Forum drama queens :rolleyes:
Quote from: Varvarg;983211Forum drama queens :rolleyes:
I have no patience these days for that sort of thing.
Quote from: Dan Davenport;983667I have no patience these days for that sort of thing.
That's strong of ya. I feel the same, but sometimes I fall into the troll trap
Anyways:
First review of the game, with 2 more incoming
[video=youtube;22c0-AExWWk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22c0-AExWWk[/youtube]
this guy has a mightly beard indeed :D