[Obsolete Simulations Roundup] "It Came From The Late, Late, Late Show" -- A Retrospective Of B-Movie Roleplaying

Welcome boys and "ghouls" to another eerie episode of "The Midnight Mortuary." As always, I'm your horrific host, "Dr. Phil Mel DeHyde." Tonight's awful offering is that 1962 classic, "The Brain That Ate Des Moines." So sit back on the slab right here, let me get my autopsy tools, and we'll be back after this word from our sponsor!

For anyone who stayed up late on Saturday night to watch a piece of cinematic dreck on UHF hosted by the local station's horror host, have I got an RPG for you to check out. "It Came From The Late, Late, Late Show" by Stellar Games (abbreviated as LLLS from here on out) is role-playing in the world of cheesy, awful B-movies. Whereas other genres encourage the players to "play it straight," LLLS encourages (and rewards) cliched dialogue, insipid plotlines, and "acting appropriately stupid." ("The blood trail leads into the basement? Well, I can't wait for the others. I'll follow it alone.")

It's MST3K: The RPG, and it's a hoot. A sense of humor and an ability to "metagame" are vital for this RPG.

It's tough to discuss the basic gameplay of LLLS without initially addressing one bit of  inspired metagaming: The character you roll up is an ACTOR who is, in turn, cast in the role you'll be playing in the movie. So when you roll up your PC, you'd be rolling up the stats for Rip Studdington, well-known Hollywood B-list actor. But when you sit down at the table to play that night's adventure, your character, "Rip," could be cast in the role of Dr. Phil Horowitz, PhD, in "I Was A Teenage Gillman" or maybe General Buzz Howitzer in "The Thing From Uranus." Follow me thus far?

OK, the game's mechanics are very simple, using a set of d%s for almost all rolls. The PCs have four basic stats: Build (your strength), Brains (your smarts), Dexterity (your agility), and Looks (your good-looking-ness), and each is initially generated on 4d10 (giving you 4 to 40 for your stats). After rolling your stats, you then get to choose 20 Talents (aka Skills) on your sheet, and add 1d10 to the base score for each chosen one. If you want Archaeology, your'd add 1d10 to the base score (your Brains stat) to get the Talent score. And so on. And that's the general gist of your stats and scores -- with one exception: your Fame score.

As you recall, you're an actor playing a role. And regardless of what happens in the game, it's still "only a movie." So your Fame score actually comes into play in several optional ways:

• Actors with the best Fame get the best roles, so your Director (GM) could let the PC with the highest Fame pick the role he wants to play, and so on until the PC with the lowest Fame score ends up playing one of the extras, "Old Coot, the banjo playing comic relief."
• Actors can use their Fame as a degree of Luck, rolling versus it to see if they catch a lucky break on screen due to their "film presence."
• The props (equipment) you start with hinges on your Fame score. So famous actors get their pick of the equipment trailer, whereas unfamous nobodies are assigned shoddy weapons, meager equipment, and non-functioning props. (Why won't this Geiger counter work?)
• Famous actors are notoriously ego-centric. If you (as a player) don't like the way a scene is panning out, you can "Walk Off The Set." If you successfully roll versus your Fame score, you can have the Director "rewrite" the scene to your liking. Think the monster is too tough? Demand a rewrite so it turns out it's Old Man Jenkins in a rubber mask. But if you miss your Fame roll, the Director is perfectly within his rights to "punish" your prima-donna tantrum!
• If the PCs decide to "burn" their Fame points, they can cause a "Film Break." The action "skips over" the fight or obstacle that was stymieing the party. ("Oh no! It's the Flying Brain from Arcurus! We don't have a chance!" ***BREAK*** "Wow! That was a tough fight! Good thing I happened to remember my Flying Brain Karate Training from my days in Tibet!"
• Your Fame score is also a measurement of how unflappable you are, so anytime you're surprised or frightened, you roll against your Fame to see how you react.

Other metagaming gameplay that might surface: Calling for a "Stunt Double" brings in someone else to take damage for you during a fight or other injurious scene. (But once they've been beaten up, you're back on the set to take your own damage.) If you request to "Refresh Make-up" between scenes, you heal up a few points of damage. (It's amazing what a bit of flesh-tone base can cover up!) And, since you're an actor, you're not locked into any one genre. Your PC could be in a survival horror film one week, then fighting ninjas in a chop-socky epic the next, before trying to fight off invaders from Dimension Q the next.

The original rules (and two supplements) gave the Director four primary "movie sets" (or genres) with which to set their movies:

• "The Late, Late, Late Show" -- The core setting of bad horror movies.
• "Fortune Cookie Theatre" -- The world of badly dubbed martial arts movies.
• "Sagebrush Cinema" -- The land of spaghetti westerns.
• "Tyrannosaurus Tex" -- A bizarre cross-genre world of dinosaur-riding cowboys.

However, the original core rules gives you stats and advice on running bad slasher movies, bad Japanese monster movies, bad sci-fi invasion movies, and other B-grade cinema flotsam. Amongst the three books, there were also seven full movies (adventures) for you to run your actors through.

• You'll THRILL to "The Invasion of the Undead Scuba-Diving Zombies at Bikini Beach"!
• You'll GASP at "The Iron Fist of Shao-Lin vs. The Dragon Ninjas"!
• You'll CHEER at "Showdown at Dry Gulch Station"!
• You'll SWOON at "Tyrannosaurus Tex"!
• You'll CHILL during "Bjorn on the Bayou"!
• You'll CRINGE to "Mummy Dearest"!
• You'll SCREAM during "Ga-May-Rah vs. The Space Asparagus"!

When your Actor loses enough "Survival Points," they're taken out of the movie and off-set. But if they are able to get to the end of the film, they'll be rewarded with more Fame points, better roles, better props, and the chance to better their stats and Talent scores. Inane dialogue, audience asides, fade-to-black, and character flashbacks are also discussed in the rules and encouraged. (And whenever the action gets interesting or right before a major reveal, be sure to cut to a commercial break. It'll drive your PCs nuts.)

When I run LLLS, I do one thing very differently: I'm not a big fan of the "GM as Director of a Movie" role. When I run LLLS, I see the GM in more of a "midnight movie horror host" role. That way, the GM can have a role of his own to play during the game! Ghoulardi, Zacherley,  Svengoolie, Vampira, and, of course, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, are good examples. (I'm partial to SCTV's "Count Floyd" as portrayed by Joe Flaherty though.) So if you ever game with me, you'll be under the leering eye of "Dr. Phil Mel DeHyde," host of "The Midnight Mortuary," airing at 1 a.m. on UHF Channel 62!

And here's a little something I've cobbled together for your own LLLS games. Nowadays, if you want to see modern-day B-movies, you can always turn on SyFy and see what they have up for grabs. ("Axe Giant," "Piranhaconda," and, of course, "Sharknado" are shining examples.) So, with that as inspiration, I hammered out this quick "SyFy Channel B-Movie Title Generator". Roll 2d10 (one for each column)  for your own SyFy B-movie title:

1. Shark       1. --nado

2. Piranha     2. --quake

3. Arachna     3. --mageddon

4. Ice            4. --alanche

5. Viper        5. --typhoon

6. Gator       6. --storm

7. Fire          7. --planet

8. Robo        8. --horror

9. Demon     9. --island

10. Dino      10. --swarm

"It Came From The Late, Late, Late Show" and its supplements are not available on PDF, but you can usually find copies on eBay and Amazon. In fact, Noble Knight now carries a "starter kit" of the first two books for $19.95. (One note:  There were originally three books released for the game -- the core rules and two supplements, pictured above -- that were later recombined into two larger books, pictured below. So you may have to do some checking as to which ones you're purchasing. The only difference I've found is that one of the adventures -- "Ga-May-Rah vs. The Space Asparagus" -- was dropped when the books were reduced from three volumes to two.) 

Well, my little ghoulunatics, I see that it's quitting time once again here at the mortuary. While I tidy up a bit after the autopsy of that rather gruesome cinematic offering, why don't you let yourselves out? Thanks again for your help in the mortuary and for keeping me company tonight, and stop back next week for "Return of The Radioactive Wombat"! Until we meet again, this is Dr. Phil Mel DeHyde saying, "Whether walking on two feet or brought in on four wheels, everyone eventually ends up here at The Midnight Mortuary!"

Sign Up For The Obsolete Simulations Roundup On Dec. 29!

Hey gang, time is running out if you want to participate in the inaugural Obsolete Simulations Roundup on December 29! The games folks have chosen so far represent an interesting cross-section of long-forgotten gaming goodness. Some I haven't thought about in years, and others I've never heard of at all! But there are still more classic role-playing games gathering dust on shelves or in the backs of closets that need to be remembered again! What's your favorite forgotten classic? Tell us about it!

If you'd like to be a part of this in a few days, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and, if you've decided, the game you plan to support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. Feel free to grab the banner at the top for your own use. And I look forward to hearing about your forgotten favorites!

SPI's Dawn Of The Dead Boardgame; Old School Zombie Killin'

As I discussed yesterday, in my eyes, "Old School Recreation" doesn’t just encompass RPGs. Many classic board games and wargames fall squarely under the OSR umbrella. Game companies like Avalon Hill, SPI, and Task Force Games – although not primarily ID’ed as RPG manufacturers – are nonetheless thought of as “old school” by most of us, I’d venture. And with that introduction out of the way…

The “zombie survival” genre is at its peak of popularity right now, especially with an explosion of zombie-related boardgames filling game store shelves. But long before we had Zombies!, Zombicide, Last Night on Earth, or Maul of America, we were playing SPI’s Dawn of the Dead board game.

I purchased my own copy of SPI’s DotD board game at a small local game store known as The Tin Soldier back in 1982. I was never much of a wargamer – moving those little cardboard chits around was tedious. But a horror boardgame based on one of my favorite films? It was a “no-brainer.” (Ha! See what I did there?)

Up to 4 players fight their way through a shopping mall overrun with zombies. The goal is to seal the four main entrances to the mall, then clear out the infestation before the players are overrun and eaten by the horde. There are a lot of deep gameplay choices too. Players can either stick with their cobbled-together, ineffective weapons, or they can try to fight their way to the gun shop for better weapons. Some zombies are randomly “hidden” in the mall, and they can ambush the unwary player during play. Infected players can become “super zombies” who then turn on their teammates. Heck, there’s even rules for solo play! When my DotD box fell apart from overuse, I taped the whole thing up in clear packing tape to extend its longevity. But, at some point in the past, I either misplaced it or threw it away or gave it to a friend. Kind of regret that, as it’s a great game.

But the Internet once again comes to the rescue!

Over on Homepage of the Dead – a celebration and collection of all things “Romero-esque” – they have taken this classic game, scanned everything (map, counters, rules), and posted the parts in a free “print and play” format. Want to play one of my favorite games?  Click here to download, then print, cut out the pieces, and play this classic 35-year-old zombie board game!

And, if YOU have a gaming blog and want to discuss YOUR favorite Ye Olde Wargamme (or RPG or boardgame or whatever), be sure to sign up to participate in the Obsolete Simulations Roundup on December 29! Bring those musty, dusty favorites out where we can all see and appreciate them!

[Ghostbusters RPG] Two Free Adventures To Prep You For The Obsolete Simulations Roundup In 10 Days!

We're only 10 days away from the Obsolete Simulations Roundup -- a blog-wide celebration of  forgotten, obscure, but well-loved RPGs! If you have a gaming blog and you'd like to join in the fun, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and, if you've decided, the game you plan to discuss and support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. (Check out the ever-growing list at the bottom of this post!)

To get everyone in the mood for some not-your-usual gaming fare, I thought I'd share some stuff I've written for one of my favorite RPGs -- West End Games' Ghostbusters.

Ghostbusters broke a lot of ground when it came out back in 1986. It was a forerunner to the D6 System, later made popular by WEG's Star Wars RPG. It was a humorous RPG that was actually both fun and funny. The ghost die mechanic made for memorable random events during the game. And everyone is at least passingly familiar with the movies (and cartoons and comic books and video games), so there's no long-winded setting explanations needed. Strap on a proton pack and get to work!

Here, I've posted links to two Ghostbusters RPG adventures I've run at both Gen Con and Gary Con. Both are a bit unpolished, but you should be able to run your players through both with ease. In "How Dry I Am," the Ghostbusters are thrown into a crisis of "Olympian proportions" as all of the world's alcohol is consumed by malevolent spirits. And in "The Shadow Over Yonkers," a badly translated version of the Necronomicon is stolen from Miskotonic University (Yonkers Branch) by a group of immature Deep Ones.

Greek Gods? Lovecraftian Great Old Ones? How will your team of fledgling Ghostbusters cope? (Click the covers to download each one!)

More Participants Signed Up for The Obsolete Simulations Roundup On Dec. 29! (How About You?)

We have our first handful of participants signed up for the Obsolete Simulations Roundup on December 29! Here's a visual map of the games chosen so far that folks will be discussing, supporting, praising and/or reviewing:

Lots of variation and interesting games so far, and we're just getting started! I'm really excited by some of these choices, as some of them I haven't thought about since they were first released, and others I've NEVER heard of! So what's your favorite game no one else seems to recall? It's time to shout its praises to the mountaintops!

If you'd like to be a part of this in two weeks, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and , if you've decided, the game you plan to support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. Feel free to grab the banner at the top for your own use. And I look forward to hearing about your forgotten favorites!

[Late, Late, Late Show] Random B Movie Title Generator

I believe my RPG of choice for the upcoming "Obsolete Simulations Roundup" will be It Came From the Late, Late, Late Show by Stellar Games.  (Role-playing in the world of cheesy B-movies!) While doing a bit of research, I stumbled across the Random B Movie Titler at Seventh Sanctum.  Not only is this PERFECT for a cheesy movie RPG, the titles it churns out is great fodder for your horror/sci fi adventures. Wouldn't YOU like to play in an adventure titled:


Annie Oakley versus The Bees

Battle Beyond Uranus

Dreadful Journey to Hyboria

Drought!, Part III

Lancelot and Aladdin versus The Ravager
Labyrinth of Satan

Mission of Bloodthirst
Plague Breaker

Ravager Attack, The Return

The Depraved Emperess Miller

The Destruction of De Sade

The Disease Breed

The Evil Case of The Heart Controller

The Eye Healer, The Final Chapter

The Minotaur from The Future

The Moscow Evil

The Paris Damnation

The Sensual Mystery of The Radioactive Eternity

Sniderman encourages you to check this nifty tool out. A bazillion inspirations await!

Sign Up For The "Obsolete Simulations Roundup" Blogfest - December 29, 2013!

Earlier today, I found myself scanning my nearby RPG bookshelves. My eyes skipped over my usual role-playing fare and instead landed on those games I love, yet never play. The ones gathering dust, yet I'll never part with them.  I'm sure you too have several RPOs (role-playing orphans) that hold a special place in your heart and on the shelf.

Come to think of it, it's rare to see anyone blogging about these forgotten classics. Oh sure, some of the fantasy rarities are unearthed and discussed, but when was the last time you saw someone post a new scenario for Timeship? Or new races for Ralph Bakshi's Wizards RPG? Or wax nostalgic for It Came From The Late, Late Show? Where is the love for Mercenaries, Spies, & Private Eyes and The Price of Freedom? Flashing Blades? Bushido? Justice Inc.? TOON?

Well, I think it's time we give these neglected and ignored game systems their moment in the sun. So join me in 19 days for the...

I'd like to gather up as many RPG bloggers as possible who would like to trumpet the praises of their favorite, forgotten, classic RPGs. Any RPG can be picked from any year of any genre, but it should be an RPG that no one seems to remember or appreciate...except for you. And, on December 29, show your support and appreciation for your orphaned RPG by telling us all about it. Why is it special, what makes it fun, and why should folks start searching for their own copies of this classic? And, if you're so inclined, offer up some supplemental material for it. Tell us of your house rules, or create a new creature. Describe a scenario for it, or flesh out an NPC. Give your game the attention it merits on that day!

If you'd like to be a part of this, please send an email to gameagain at gmail period com with your blog name and URL and , if you've decided, the game you plan to support that day. I'll keep a running list of blogs that are participating as well as the game you plan to spotlight. Feel free to grab the banner above for your own use. And I look forward to hearing about your forgotten favorites!

EDITED TO ADD:

And we have our first participants and the games they'll be covering! Want to be a part of this retro-role-playing flashback? Drop me an email!

1. Polar Bear Dreams and Stranger Things -- Freedom Fighters (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1986)
2. Strange Stones -- Droids (Integral Games, 1982)
3. Free SF Reader and Not Free SF Reader -- Super Squadron (Adventure Simulations, 1983) or Villains and Vigilantes (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1979)
4. The Eye of Joyful Sitting Amongst Friends --  Chivalry & Sorcery (Fantasy Games Unlimited, 1977)
5. A Field Guide to Doomsday --  Nightlife (Stellar Games, 1990)
6. The Haunted Spookshow of Channel X -- Lost Souls (Marquee Press, 1992)
7. Chronicles of Ganth -- Alternity (TSR, 1999)