[UA] UA Junior.

[Liam Routt]

Greg Stolze wrote:
> Someone earlier this month mentioned "UA Jr." and the idea that late
> childhood and early adulthood are really perfect times to tell UA stories.
> This dream has knocked me into thinking that might be a very strong idea.
> But how to work it?  A separate game in which all the PCs have to be kids?
> That would take some AWFULLY strong RP skills.  Or just a specialized
> scenario book?  Or is the whole idea just misguided?

A wonderful idea, and one I'm sure some of us have already explored in
slightly different settings before (I know my gaming groups have). UA is
well-suited to the sub-genre(s), though. And I think there are a variety
of ways to go, as people have said, and a lot to be gained from mixing
tones in single stories (something that begins with a light-hearted teen
romance feel, but builds to a heart-stopping occult horror climax - the
change in feel heightens the tension, of course).

One of the game settings I have never had time to write up was based
around a great dream I had one time which featured junior high kids
running around on trains and casting spells at one another. It was a sort
of melange of Dr Strange (my all-time favorite comic) and action films. In
the dream it became obvious that it was all done through a neat high-tech
toy that consisted of a glove and a sort of VR/SFX visor, like a sort of
souped-up version of laser tag (and man would I love to design a toy like
that, robust enough to be worn in anger by 13-16 year olds). And then the
kid appeared who didn't have a headset... but still could do the magic...
That dream inspired me for years!

But yeah, I think that kids of the right age are a wonderfully fertile
source for roleplaying. And now that its been brought back to my mind, I'm
sure my next UA game will be in that setting (not that my current one
looks to be in danger of ending). Kids seem at once more vulnrable, and
less constrained by reposibility and society, and perhaps more willing to
put things on the line when it seesm important. Its no accident that most
of the Werewolf characters in the local games are first year of college,
and many are younger - its a time people remember was full of strong
emotions and lots of activity.

For inspirational material, did I miss teh bit where someone said "Twin
Peaks"? And there is the deluge of serious adolescent anime (boy or girl
comes to terms with earth-shattering powers). But I'd definitely be
thinking of things like "Candyman", and the whole Urban Legends genre
(which seems to be full of necking couples and the like). And of course a
bunch of Stephen King stories...

My money would be on a combined sourcebook and scenario book. I think
you'd want at least a good article outlining the range of ways the topic
can be approached, and making recommendations for mechanics limits and
such, as well as for source material to explore. But I'd be inclined to
brand it as a separate product or sub-line, because I think that while you
will get UA people who think it is cool (and UA is the system I think
would suit it best), you'd also want to pick up other people who might not
know UA, or might think that UA is "too much" for some reason or another.
A different cover look, at least (and perhaps some US-lite rules inside,
with a reference to the UA rules and source material for those who want
more to draw upon).

I'd recommend a setting that, while it could contain the same elements as
the UA cannon, is less structured than UA itself. I'd skip the secret
socities and such, and provide a stripped-down and simplified version of
the cosmology to allow a GM to get by without the excess stuff. A game
about teenagers is a game *about* teenagers, whereas a game about adults
tends to be about things bigger than the adults. The bigger picture need
not be present for this sort of game/setting to work, and work well.


Heck, if by some amazing mischance Atlas were uninterested, I know my
company (incredibly small though we are) would absolutely leap at a game
like this. This *is* where its at, I reckon. Pure gold.

Take care,

Liam
--
Liam Routt                                               liam at routt.net
Darcsyde Productions                           http://www.darcsyde.org/

        -- still waiting for the Absolute Destiny Apocalypse --

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