Really it writes itself, doesn’t it?
Setup
Draw a blob of an island on a blank sheet of paper. Break the island up into “zones” equal to the number of players, including the MC. On the island, everyone takes turns adding: headquarters, labs, training paddocks, living quarters, shops, garage, helipad. One per zone, then double up.
When the dinosaur/s break/s out (it’s a hard move), start it/them in a zone at random. Future hard moves take the dinosaurs into a new zone of the MC’s choosing. Any zone with a dinosaur is considered to have had the possibility of harm established.
Once everyone has picked a playbook and set their stats, follow them around the island for a while. Ask questions related to each character’s function.
Stats and Basic Moves
Honestly I think everything you’d ever do can be covered by three stats: Run (because nobody ever wins against the dinosaurs themselves), Authority (for dealing with other people) and Science (for learning as you go).
The usual moves because I don’t actually have all day to work on this:
* Tempt Fate (+ Run) — this is also how you move to a new zone on the map.
* Read a Sitch (+ Science)
* Boss Someone Around (+ Authority)
Do you need more than that? Probably not! Oh plus:
When you take harm from the environment, roll + Run. On a 10+ you’re fine, just scared. On a 7-9 pick one: you’re not crippled, you don’t lose a valuable piece of gear, you don’t attract the attention of more dinosaurs.
When you take harm from a dinosaur, you die.
Splat World Procedurals
* Make the island dark and dangerous wherever it is not developed
* Make the island bright and advanced wherever it is developed
* Be a fan of the survivors
* Eat the NPCs
* Be true to what you know about dinosaurs
* Make science scary and abuseable
Playbooks
Pick one stat set and a playbook: +2/0/-1, +1/0/0 or +1/+1/-1
The Scientist
Reveal something about a creature on the island (+ Science). On a 10+ pick all, on a 7-9 pick 1: a weakness, a strength, where they live, a zone they can’t reach.
The Executive
Assert control over any asset on the map. No roll, just walk in and use whatever it is.
When you need to show you’re the master of the island, roll + Authority. On a 10+ you add an asset to the map of the following type and in any zone you need: helicopter, additional security, secret passages, old ruins. On a 7-9 you can choose the asset or the zone but not both.
The Tourist
When you discover something completely amazing about the island, roll + anything. If you rolled + Run, add a safe place in the zone you’re in. If you rolled + Authority, add an NPC who will help you. If you rolled + Science, discover useful equipment (operating Jeep, a sensor, a radio, etc.)
The Trainer
When you try to control a dinosaur, roll + Science. On a 10+, take 3. On a 7-9, take 1: It doesn’t try to eat you, It understands what you want it to do, everyone with you is safe.
The Security
When you attempt to take on the monsters, roll + Run. On a 10+, take 3 hold, on a 7-9 take 1 hold. Spend hold as follows: summon additional security (they can attempt to take the monsters on again), get another character to safety, get yourself to safety.
Moves
Do harm as established
Release a dinosaur
Reveal a new kind of monster
Move the dinosaur/s to a new zone
Separate them
Put them together
Offer a hard choice
Mostly just offer lots of hard choices
I love the executive’s create an asset. Gosh, that’s elegant.
Oh thanks! I like that one too.
Okay, when’s the playtest? I’m in.
Needs a Kid playbook.
Isn’t distracting a dinosaur so other people can escape also a (dangerous) thing?
I guess that could just be ‘aid another on a run roll’, though.
Neat.
I’d make Security a +anything playbook too. You can roll +run to drive the dinosaurs away, roll +authority to get another character out of danger, and roll +science to identify the best way to get away unnoticed by a certain dinosaur.
#my2cents
I’d look to Ghost Lines for “advancement”. The end goal of GL is retirement and set intentionally far away where as here the end goal is escape from the island and should be 1-3 sessions away.
Oh right, advancement. Good idea! Agreed that that would be my preferred play window as well. Basically three acts in three seasons. First act, set up the relationship map and establish the park baselines. Second act, break everything. Third act, final survivors and either escape or die.
Additional setup, tied into advancement!
Everyone answers the following questions:
* What’s your favorite kind of dinosaur in the park? Place it in a zone.
* What’s the most dangerous dinosaur in the park? Place it in a zone.
* Who would you protect no matter what, and why? Could be a PC or NPC.
* Who do you hope gets eaten first, and why? Again, PC or NPC.
* What’s happening back in the real world that requires you be in the park today, of all days?
When your character makes a move because of one of these questions, gain a check. When you’ve gotten 3 checks, you advance. Erase all the checks.
No idea what the advances are yet but probably typical. Which means I’d need to cook up more moves of course.
Late to the party, but this is Frickin’ Awesome. 🙂
Final note: go buy some of those cheap tubes of tiny dinosaur toys, and use them to mark spawns, placement and movement on the map. It is exceptionally awesome!
/sub
Any news Paul Beakley? I’m really anxious for the conclusion \o/
News? What do you mean?
As in, gimme the damn game.
I gave it to you!
I mean there’s no fuckin’ way I’m negotiating actual licensing rights with Spielberg. Do you really think there’s enough juice here to do a lightly pirated “Dinosaur Funland” amusement park disaster game?
I super, super do.
YES!!!
Ehhh I dunno.
I’ll file it away in my to-do spreadsheet. Sorry! I’m just super skeptical it could go anywhere without landing me in hot water.
I’m talking about this excerpt: “No idea what the advances are yet but probably typical. Which means I’d need to cook up more moves of course.”
Have you cooked up any additional idea?
ARGH JEEZ PEOPLE.
Sigh. No I have not. It really is a neat little hack. Uh…give me a little white. Subscribe to this Collection Alisson Vitório so you see it when I post it.
How does one do that thing?
Click on Indie Game Reading Club in blue at the top. Takes you to the collection that you can then follow.
Since you were already in my circles, Joseph Le May , you got subscribed by default.
I don’t see that blue text on mobile. Bummer.
Yea, collections suck for us mobile folks.
Just chiming in to say this is a really neat hack. It captures something most Jurassic Park themed video games and rpgs I’ve played don’t: fighting the dinosaurs is not a wise move. Love it.