[Season 17/The Show] The Pilot

[ZenDog]

I'm not really ready to start work on this game yet; it was just one of those ideas that you get in a flash, then bubble about in your head, and won't go away, then this thread...

game design and psychology

...coinciding with me just having written down the basic idea, got me thinking about it in more detail. I'm not sure how far I'll be able to take this idea we shall see. I think initially a short but sweet PDF.

Anyway 'Season 17' or 'The Show' (both working titles) is a game about creating Television shows.

So what do the players do?

Well first, they create the show. They decide on the type of TV show that it will be (Sitcom, soap, drama etc). On the format (three act episode or three act with teaser etc) then any hooks or gimmicks (Ally McBeal dream-sequences or Wonder Years type narration for instance).

Then they cast the show. This involves casting on the level of, what type of cast does this show need, (a hero or an ensemble cast or equal stars like Friends or one single star of the show etc). Then chargen where they make characters that will be the actors/characters in the show. Then the auditions where the players try out for the various parts and choose a director.

Once the players have made all their decisions about the type of show and cast etc then they can make their pilot.

The Pilot show will be the same format of the latter regular game session of playing out each week's episode. The main difference being with the Pilot afterwards the players play out a focus groups/critics/network executives session and adjust the show getting rid of characters they didn't like adding new ones, changing elements of the show to their liking.

If all the players agree the pilot sucked, then the show gets axed, and they go back to the drawing board and create a new show.

So, if the Pilot is a success (with or without changes) then the players can settle into a regular schedule of weekly episodes.

Here is how a game session will go the first-half will be a scriptwriting session where all the players decide what will happen in 'tonight's episode' they will plan out how many acts will be in the show, what will happen which characters will appear, locations etc. Once this is done they then shoot the episode and play it out.

Finally* they roleplay some off screen time for the actual stars (characters) allowing them to indulge the characters bloated celebrity egos. This might include occasional scandals that end a promising star's career before it starts.

Every so often, there will be more focus groups, or bad/good review from TV critics and the chance to change the cast, bring in new director's etc.

Then once the show has jumped the shark and the ratings bottom out (or become a cult success) then it can get axed.

I think there is some potential for fun in this idea. As I've said I don't really know GNS but I think this sounds like it should be designed with Narr design principles in mind so I'll go and start reading the GNS articles (the Glossary is really the only article I've read so far).

If just got Sorcerer, and Sorcerer and Sword (they just arrived this morning, which was nice) so that will be my first experience of a Narr game.

If anyone can point out any threads about designing mechanics/system with Narr mind that would be helpful. Any feedback on the actual idea would be welcomed.

*This idea just popped up whilst typing this post.

Another idea that's just popped into my head is starting the actor-characters out as unknowns and the more successful the show becomes as decided by the players, possibly the mechanics too? The more famous the actor-characters become, the more famous they become the more power and control they get over the show, but they become more obnoxious and loose control in their personal lives until no one wants to work with them and they become z-list bums. Hmm not sure about that excuse my ramblings.