ÑóẊîöʼn
6th November 2012, 15:41
OK, so I came across Misspent Youth (http://misspentyouthgame.com/), a role-playing game which can be downloaded for free off the website. It looks like fun so I thought I'd share. Reading the PDF, I was struck with an idea.
In this game the players create and control a Clique of rebellious 12-17 year olds, a bunch of misfit friends who set themselves in rebellion against The Authority, using whatever Exploits they can to circumvent various Systems of Control the Authority have put in place that sap the freedom and spirit out of the setting. You're a bunch of idealistic teenage rebels who basically want to change the world by fighting The Authority. Will you be able to stick to your Convictions or will you end up Selling Out?
My idea involves adapting this game (it's meant to flexible in terms of play setting so don't worry) to my own science fiction setting of Nova Mundi (http://omniverseone.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=30). The setting idea for this game that I was struck with follows below:
The Authority
Name: The Russian Federation (Year 20XX) My first idea for who to take the Authority role. I've been meaning to elaborate on the whole "fascist Russia" situation in Nova Mundi and it seems like this game could be an interesting and novel way of exploring that aspect of the setting.
Description: A neo-fascist government Think Putinism on steroids, with lashings of Orthodox fundamentalism (or at least a willingness to use it as a tool of control), and all the bullshit baggage concerning religious, racial/ethnic and phenotypical purity that such a worldview creates.
Vice: Fear The underlying motivation of the Russian Federation is fear. This Authority is afraid of what might happen when people are allowed to control their spiritual, social and biological destiny.
Victim: Progress The times they are a-changin', and the Russian Federation don't like it one bit, and will do everything in their power to stamp out and/or pervert the fruits of what many are seeing as a progressive era. With revolutionary rumblings in neighbouring Europe and elsewhere in the world, radical and easy bodymods/augments becoming cheaper/more widely available, and the opening up of the Solar system to colonisation, there is much to fear for a controlling and authoritarian system seeking self-preservation.
Visage: State The Russian Federation is of course a state entity, making it a formidable opponent.
Need: The Russian Federation has a need to curtail the spread of radical body modification and revolutionary sentiment in order to justify and secure their own continued existence. However, the Clique of Youthful Offenders present a threat to this agenda and must be terminated.
The Dystopia
Rating: 18 Like film ratings. I'm expecting violence, so...
Systems of Control: [this is where the players are supposed come in with ideas] but to get us started, I'll suggest surveillance drones, legal control of transhumanist/bodymod tech, and state-run/organised youth clubs which kids are "encouraged" to join, to start with.
Exploits: Holes/flaws in the above Systems of Control. In this case, geopolitical tensions with Revolutionary Europe should provide plenty of opportunities for the Clique, by dividing and occupying the attentions of the Authority. The Russian Federation has external enemies (and possibly other internal enemies?) to deal with that at least look a hell of a lot more dangerous than a bunch of rebellious kids. Whether this assessment is correct or not is down to the players. Other Exploits are possible.
Clique: Who is this group of Youthful Offenders? In the game this is something the players have a hand in creating, and I'd like to encourage some imaginative character creation. My suggestion in this case would be to think along the lines of who would be the disadvantaged in this situation - immigrant kids, orphans and runaways, hybrid pups and recently-built mechanoids, and youth subcultures The Authority hates - but the important thing is that the YOs have a reason to regularly hang out.
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I'm probably not explaining it too well, so I recommend checking out the the PDF on the site and the above will make more sense. Thoughts?
In this game the players create and control a Clique of rebellious 12-17 year olds, a bunch of misfit friends who set themselves in rebellion against The Authority, using whatever Exploits they can to circumvent various Systems of Control the Authority have put in place that sap the freedom and spirit out of the setting. You're a bunch of idealistic teenage rebels who basically want to change the world by fighting The Authority. Will you be able to stick to your Convictions or will you end up Selling Out?
My idea involves adapting this game (it's meant to flexible in terms of play setting so don't worry) to my own science fiction setting of Nova Mundi (http://omniverseone.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=30). The setting idea for this game that I was struck with follows below:
The Authority
Name: The Russian Federation (Year 20XX) My first idea for who to take the Authority role. I've been meaning to elaborate on the whole "fascist Russia" situation in Nova Mundi and it seems like this game could be an interesting and novel way of exploring that aspect of the setting.
Description: A neo-fascist government Think Putinism on steroids, with lashings of Orthodox fundamentalism (or at least a willingness to use it as a tool of control), and all the bullshit baggage concerning religious, racial/ethnic and phenotypical purity that such a worldview creates.
Vice: Fear The underlying motivation of the Russian Federation is fear. This Authority is afraid of what might happen when people are allowed to control their spiritual, social and biological destiny.
Victim: Progress The times they are a-changin', and the Russian Federation don't like it one bit, and will do everything in their power to stamp out and/or pervert the fruits of what many are seeing as a progressive era. With revolutionary rumblings in neighbouring Europe and elsewhere in the world, radical and easy bodymods/augments becoming cheaper/more widely available, and the opening up of the Solar system to colonisation, there is much to fear for a controlling and authoritarian system seeking self-preservation.
Visage: State The Russian Federation is of course a state entity, making it a formidable opponent.
Need: The Russian Federation has a need to curtail the spread of radical body modification and revolutionary sentiment in order to justify and secure their own continued existence. However, the Clique of Youthful Offenders present a threat to this agenda and must be terminated.
The Dystopia
Rating: 18 Like film ratings. I'm expecting violence, so...
Systems of Control: [this is where the players are supposed come in with ideas] but to get us started, I'll suggest surveillance drones, legal control of transhumanist/bodymod tech, and state-run/organised youth clubs which kids are "encouraged" to join, to start with.
Exploits: Holes/flaws in the above Systems of Control. In this case, geopolitical tensions with Revolutionary Europe should provide plenty of opportunities for the Clique, by dividing and occupying the attentions of the Authority. The Russian Federation has external enemies (and possibly other internal enemies?) to deal with that at least look a hell of a lot more dangerous than a bunch of rebellious kids. Whether this assessment is correct or not is down to the players. Other Exploits are possible.
Clique: Who is this group of Youthful Offenders? In the game this is something the players have a hand in creating, and I'd like to encourage some imaginative character creation. My suggestion in this case would be to think along the lines of who would be the disadvantaged in this situation - immigrant kids, orphans and runaways, hybrid pups and recently-built mechanoids, and youth subcultures The Authority hates - but the important thing is that the YOs have a reason to regularly hang out.
---
I'm probably not explaining it too well, so I recommend checking out the the PDF on the site and the above will make more sense. Thoughts?