TRoS: Japan (samurais and ninjas), this would really make...

[bergh]

TRoS: Japan (samurais and ninjas), this would really make TRoS a popular game i think, until now i think that the systems used for these warriors don't function very well, its usual a high-magic world and level systems and such.

Generaly i just wanna say that i think that it would give so much to the TRoS marketing, and attact new players. ie. bigger sales.
and really define TRoS as maybe the ultimate Medieval style fighting system.

[Fleinhoy]

Why are everyone so bloody obsessed with ancient Japan these days?
The "European-like" setting is just as interesting, but to many people Japan has this rather bizarre air of mystery.

Feudal Japan was one of the most corrupt societies the world has ever seen, they had very high ideals, but practically no-one actually lived by these. Possibly the best example of this is the samurai: their moral code and ideals were extremely strict and noble on the paper, but in real life they were as corrupt as any other upper class with complete exeption from the law and the freedom to do exactly what they wanted to people of a lower rank.

Warrior Samurai were nothing but state endorced psycopaths who have been glorified through time and the modern movie and gaming industry.

[Sneaky Git]

Warrior Samurai were nothing but state endorced psycopaths who have been glorified through time and the modern movie and gaming industry.

Well.  Tell us how you really feel.  ;p

Whereas I agree with your earlier statements pertaining to the increase in popularity/interest in (and the glorification of) many things Japanese, I fail to see as to how your characterization of the samurai does much to paint an accurate picture of the warrior caste in Japan.  True, some were most likely psychopaths...and the same could be said about any group of people, anywhere, anytime.

Some were also artists (painters, poets, etc.) of noteworthy talent.  Many were devout, whether we are looking at pre-Buddhist animists (Shinto), Buddhists, or Christians (and yes, I understand that religion is oftentimes used as a reason for bloodshed).  And a few, no doubt, were remarkable soldiers.

My point, I guess, is that I can't help but feel that stereotypes and generalizations (in any direction) only tend to detract from our overall understanding.

Chris

[MonkeyWrench]

I think like alot of things it holds an air of mystery about it.  I certainly don't hold Feudal Japan up on a pedestal but at the same time I don't despise it because some other people like it.

A Japanese supplement for TRoS may very well bring in new players, but so would ones about Dynastic China, Ancient Greece, Pre-Roman occupation Britian, etc...

As far as I know though there is a Feudal Japanese supplement for TRoS in the works.

[MikeJW]

The good thing about TRoS is that you can make it work in a lot of settings with a little work. If you want to do a feudal Japan game I suggest buying a copy of Sengoku from Gold Rush Games. It's a game set in 16th century Japan using the fuzion system but the rule book has so much historical detail it makes a great supplement for any Japan based game.

[Turin]

I think the "dueling" feel of TROS would translate well to a Feudal Japan styled game.  Japan also made even more of the sword than western europe did, so it fits there as well, and Japan was probably one of the countries that used shields the least, also rendering itself well to TROS.

I think it would work great.  On interesting idea would be to make Samurai as part of their SA's have some mandatory Code of Bushido as part of it.  Maybe they always have to keep at least x in a few areas, and they don't adhere to very aspect of the code but at least a few mandatory ones or choices.

Starts me thinking of Bushido, an old RPG set in feudal Japan that was pretty good.

[Caz]

"On interesting idea would be to make Samurai as part of their SA's have some mandatory Code of Bushido as part of it."

I've considered doing that with both chivalry for knight type characters and bushido for samurai types, but it's too broad.  It makes a good character philosophy, and aspects of it do well as SA's, but having a chivalry or bushido SA would be far too powerful, as either code covers all aspects of the warriors life and combat.

[casinormal]

Why is there a craze for Japanese stuff?
Well, for one, what is foreign to us often seems exotic... I think that is a lot of the reason as to why ancient Japanese and other Asian cultures seem fascinating to modern Americans (no offense to non-Americans...I've only lived in certain parts of North and South America and can't speak for others).  As I understand from friends who have lived in some of those "fascinating" Asian countries, Western culture is often to them portrayed as just as mystical as ninja are to us.
I agree that ancient Japan (just as any large society, modern or ancient) had a good deal of corruption to it, but is that not part of what would in theory make it an interesting TROS setting?  As I understand it, TROS glorifies grittyness (is that a word?) not just in combat, but in people, and oftentimes the focus is on playing "realistic" characters, not goody-two-shoes heroes who always do the right thing (even though the latter is certainly possible).
Any setting, whether it's Japanese, Eastern European, or Native American, can be fun if it's done well.

"Let the saints be joyful in glory:
let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
and a twoedged sword in their hand"

-Psalms 149: 5-6

[Fleinhoy]

If you noticed my post it says "warrior samurai", samurai was an entire social class and people there were as individual and diverse as in any other.

I readily admit that my post was rather extreme, but it was largely a vent for my annoyance at the modern entertainment industry's tendency to glorify feudal japan to a ridiculous extent.
It was no better or worse than similar periods in other parts of the world, so why should TRoS fall on the bandwagon and make a separate setting for it?
Apart from this it could indeed be an interesting setting to play, with intrigue and bloodshed aplenty, just read up on some decent historical sources and design the world yourself.
That's half the fun of GMing anyway, isn't it...

[Eamon]

I readily admit that my post was rather extreme, but it was largely a vent for my annoyance at the modern entertainment industry's tendency to glorify feudal japan to a ridiculous extent.

What a second...

...are you saying that 'The Last Samurai' isn't true?

That perhaps the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 was the last gasp of radicals who want to get back their rights to ride into villages and do whatever they wanted with the girls and kill the men for protesting?  That perhaps the Samurai didn't care what happened to 'the people'?

Next you'll be saying that a katana can't cut through tank armor!  LOL!

Seriously though, I love running games in the Sengoku Jidai (warring states period).  Its great stuff if you do it right and TROS is the perfect game system for it.  You've got a Code of Honor you can talk about while betraying your master in typical period fashion, or better yet, as a Samurai you get to lord over the commoners.  Its sort of like playing Knights in Europe, but with the added advantage of more religions and the use of gunpowder to kill that pesky swordmaster.  I love my players to live in worlds filled with hypocrisy (which is really anywhere), and fuedal Japan is a handy setting for drama.  If done right, the mixing of Japanese with European culture is awesome.

In a game I just ran the players had to rescue a Daimyo's heir from his errant aunt.  The Daimyo knew they were outclassed, and so the shifty ronin of the group suggesting getting help from the Protuguese tradepost around 1550-60.  In return for a deal that screwed the Daimyo over later, they got teppo (firearms), cannon, and clamshell armor (European forged breastplates).  The deal?  Convert to Christianity!  Then, sadly for the Daimyo, his neighbors attacked out of a little xenophobia and more out of concern for the Daimyo's new use of firearms.  Everyone died in the end, in glorious but brutal fashion, just like in a good Samurai flick.

The best part?  When near the end a player decided to go and kill a Portuguese ship captain who carried a cut-and-thrust sword.  To simplify matters, I had made the katana equal to TROS longswords.  The result was a great duel then ended with the Samurai getting run through.

Awesome!

[Malechi]

while not Sengoku Jidai based, Katanapunk addresses an era of Japan often overlooked in RPGs.  Edo-era gritty city-based adventures is what we're looking at.  Corruption, greed, murder, intrigue and down-and-dirty business is the mainstay of the game.  Yakuza, Crazy Kabukimono Gangs, assassins, scruffy ronin and hungry sword saints.  Not your grand-daddies samurai game!

The game is still alive and in playtesting as we speak, apologies to those we haven't gotten back to, Real-life has gotten in the way somewhat (Exam Resits :(   )

cheers

Jason King
Madt3ch Games

[Eamon]

while not Sengoku Jidai based, Katanapunk addresses an era of Japan often overlooked in RPGs.  Edo-era gritty city-based adventures is what we're looking at.  Corruption, greed, murder, intrigue and down-and-dirty business is the mainstay of the game.  Yakuza, Crazy Kabukimono Gangs, assassins, scruffy ronin and hungry sword saints.  Not your grand-daddies samurai game!

Grand-daddy samurai game?  You whippersnapper, you don't know anything!  I didn't watch Platoon in the cinema just to have a young punk like you tell me that my game is for Grandpa!

Yor knowledge of the Sengoku Jidai is tainted by too many Ninja worshipping sessions.  The Sengoku Jidai was all about corruption, greed, murder, intrigue and down-and-dirty business!  It just didn't have paved streets, concrete, constant rain and sunglasses worn at night.

LOL!

Katanapunk is tres kewl.  Hurry up and finish!