octaNe: free iNtro (chapter one)

[Jared A. Sorensen]

Chapter 1 is now available to all you psychotronic boys and ghouls...

It's a brief overview of the game, a few of the metagame "rules" (heh!) and a look at the four "theatrical modes" you can use to play the game. Of course, there's a hefty inspirado section.

http://www.memento-mori.com/octane/octane_intro.pdf

Again, special thanx to Rich Forest for his editing services and Matt Snyder for laying out this preview of the game-to-come. Whoop!

[Jürgen Mayer]

What can I say... the layout is cool and easy to read, the modes help focussing the game (every game should do this, methinks), and the law of rock'n'roll simply - uh... rocks.

[Seth L. Blumberg]

How can I wait for my friend to come back from GenCon with a copy of octaNe for me? I want it now! I want to play it now! Right now! Here at work! In front of all the attorneys in three-piece suits!

[Tim Denee]

So, Ron, since it's "sample chapter of eagerly-awaited new game" week, do we get to see a sample of Troll Babe? Pretty (as a troll) please?

[Bailywolf]

Only one thing to say:  give it to me.  

























You junkie dealer.

[Eddy Fate]

Good sample chapter.  It gives just enough to entice, without actually giving away anything of substance.  I personally like the various play types, although the last two seemed a bit further from the source (and I'm sure that was intended).  I specifically like the tie betweeen Deadlands and Feng Shui.

octaNe looks, basically, fun.  Something that's rare in RPG's these days.

[Jared A. Sorensen]

...the last two seemed a bit further from the source (and I'm sure that was intended).  I specifically like the tie betweeen Deadlands and Feng Shui.

octaNe looks, basically, fun.  Something that's rare in RPG's these days.

Yes, the first two modes are "hi-octaNe" (to coin a phrase) and the last two are..."lo-octaNe" (but Arthouse games can still be crazy or graphic...it's just that they're more "meaningful" as it were and less about "makin' stuff blow up real good" -- see Clinton's Under the Blood Sun for a setting that would work well with Arthouse octaNe).

The Cinema Verite mode is listed not because I think people will play in that mode (I'm guessing they won't)...it's meant to highlight the other modes. But hey, it's definitely do-able.

The Feng Shui connection is interesting -- I think Feng Shui is the quintessential Hong Kong movie game -- the time junctures, the style...it's pulp action but still very much in the spirit of HK action films. octaNe is the same way, but catering to American action films (leaning toward the weirder end of the spectrum), with the "modes' serving the same function as FS's junctures.

Deadlands...well, I threw that reference in not because I like Deadlands but because I think those who do would "get" octaNe.

[Eddy Fate]

The Cinema Verite mode is listed not because I think people will play in that mode (I'm guessing they won't)...it's meant to highlight the other modes. But hey, it's definitely do-able.

Hell, from what little I've seen, you could probably do "King Lear" in octaNe, with a bandit king and his three greedy children...  But yeah, I got the impression that Cinema Verite was offered only for contrast.

The Feng Shui connection is interesting -- I think Feng Shui is the quintessential Hong Kong movie game -- the time junctures, the style...it's pulp action but still very much in the spirit of HK action films. octaNe is the same way, but catering to American action films (leaning toward the weirder end of the spectrum), with the "modes' serving the same function as FS's junctures.

I always chuckle when Americans look at Hong Kong action films and say "That's goofy", and then think that something like "Demolition Man" is totally plausable...  I will admit that I've seen a few attempts at American action film games, but most of them have been a bit lackluster to me.  When I can scrape the $10 together, I'm interested in seeing how octaNe delivers.

Deadlands...well, I threw that reference in not because I like Deadlands but because I think those who do would "get" octaNe.

I just started running Deadlands, and I saw the analogy.

However, it is really just all about the monkies.

[Jared A. Sorensen]

Hell, from what little I've seen, you could probably do "King Lear" in octaNe, with a bandit king and his three greedy children...  But yeah, I got the impression that Cinema Verite was offered only for contrast.

When John Wick and I were developing Tooth & Claw, we wrote 36 "story seeds" -- several of these were ripped right out of Shakespeare. Shakespearean saurians, sure! :)

Getting back to CV mode, that's totally what Mad Max (the first movie) is all about...that's how I'd run the game.

I will admit that I've seen a few attempts at American action film games, but most of them have been a bit lackluster to me.  When I can scrape the $10 together, I'm interested in seeing how octaNe delivers.

The 30's cliffhanger supplement and the sword & sorcery supplement will handle other kinds of "pulp" entertainment but I was definitely going for "whacked-out psychotronic" with the main game. I *did* squeeze a bit of the '70's/'80's action flick feel into octaNe but I'd really like to expand upon it a bit more (one idea is to do a supplement based solely on 70's blaxploitation films -- my friend James (who did Pulp Era with me) created the name "Bad Muthas" -- I wanna use that title for something!).

I think I linked to this before but it bears repeating: http://www.evilracing.com/87cents/index.html

- J

[Eddy Fate]

When John Wick and I were developing Tooth & Claw, we wrote 36 "story seeds" -- several of these were ripped right out of Shakespeare. Shakespearean saurians, sure! :)

I tried to run a Shakespearian Star Wars game many moons ago... it would have been cool, if my players didn't just want to screw and shoot everything that moved.  *sigh*

Getting back to CV mode, that's totally what Mad Max (the first movie) is all about...that's how I'd run the game.

I'll admit that it's been years since I've seen Mad Max, but Cinema Verite wasn't the first thing that jumped in my mind for octaNe, so I was a bit surprised to see it there.  Now I have to watch Mad Max again.  :-)

The 30's cliffhanger supplement and the sword & sorcery supplement will handle other kinds of "pulp" entertainment but I was definitely going for "whacked-out psychotronic" with the main game.

Totally.  About the only psychotronic films I've seen really converted well to RPGs are slasher films and HK films.

I *did* squeeze a bit of the '70's/'80's action flick feel into octaNe but I'd really like to expand upon it a bit more (one idea is to do a supplement based solely on 70's blaxploitation films -- my friend James (who did Pulp Era with me) created the name "Bad Muthas" -- I wanna use that title for something!).

There seems to be a trend on that - just saw the Shadowfist expansion "Boom Shaka Laka".

Oh, and if you do research on blaxploitation, do NOT go see "Soul Vengence".  Really.  I mean this.  I'm still scarred.

I think I linked to this before but it bears repeating: http://www.evilracing.com/87cents/index.html

Damnable work firewall!

- Eddy

[Mike Holmes]

I tried to run a Shakespearian Star Wars game many moons ago... it would have been cool, if my players didn't just want to screw and shoot everything that moved.  *sigh*

Two words:

Titus Andronicus

Mike

[Eddy Fate]

Two words:

Titus Andronicus

Somehow, a vision of Princess Leia with her hands cut off and her tongue ripped out isn't sitting well with me...

[Mike Holmes]

Somehow, a vision of Princess Leia with her hands cut off and her tongue ripped out isn't sitting well with me...

Me neither. But it sounds like it would work for your players. And it worked for Bill. ;-)

More I was thinking of a shift in setting that would allow for a Titus Andronicus type plot, so that you could have your Shakespeare, and the players could have their violence.

In any case, I think that TA would make a great set up for a Grindhouse session of octaNe.

Mike

[Eddy Fate]

Me neither. But it sounds like it would work for your players. And it worked for Bill. ;-)

More I was thinking of a shift in setting that would allow for a Titus Andronicus type plot, so that you could have your Shakespeare, and the players could have their violence.

True.  If I knew now what I knew then...

In any case, I think that TA would make a great set up for a Grindhouse session of octaNe.

Totally.  That would rock.

- Eddy