"Mecha RPG": Anyone interested?

[mike954]

I ordered a copy of Chris Perrin's Mecha RPG the other day and it should be here in a couple of weeks or so. It's a mecha-anime influenced system, so it should be great for character development and stories alongside epic action. I was wondering if there was any general interest in participating in a mecha rpg.

The idea:
I was thinking of starting off with a short adventure, which could be played on an All Day Sunday or on Monday night club evenings, according to players' preference and commitments. Each episode using this system should take no more than 30min, so we should get a decent amount of adventure packed into a session.

The setting:
This could be either:

• a more realistic type of military setting (not that you need to be familiar with examples, but if you are, then like Patlabor, Bubblegum Crisis, Gasaraki, Armored Trooper VOTOMS and Gundam 08th MS), mixing in hard sci-fi in the vein of Ghost in the Shell or
  
• a classic Gundam style experience (again, not that it's important, but like say Gundam 00), or
  
• missions set in the WH40k universe starring a unit of Tau Crisis and Broadside suit pilots on the verge of going renegade as vigilantes ala Cdr O'Shovah/ Cdr Farsight
  

More information about Mecha RPG:
The setting itself is not a problem to portray using Mecha RPG as it can handle more realistic military mecha all the way through to magically powered stone behemoths with human pilots and all sorts in between including steampunk, pulp, etc. (See 101+ settings for Mecha RPG linked at the bottom of this post.)

The key thing is that regardless of setting it'll feel like an anime series. This is probably helped by the way characters each get a chance to grab the spotlight and develop alongside the battles. Also, the quick play time of "episodes" at 30min means players can develop the story quite a bit in a single session of play.

The system is rules-light and flexible, and is focused on users' freedom of choice and decision making. Players each get personal scenes in addition to mecha battles where they get a chance to earn bonuses or have character development. Scenes can be of various sorts, eg. social, field ops, repair.

Battle maneuvers are handled on a small three-ringed bullseye shaped grid so you can be battling in space, on land or while spiralling around a collapsing orbital elevator and the combat flows smoothly while players break out the crazy mecha piloting moves.

Various links:
Cover art: i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb249/NotchedSpear/mecharpg.png

Review from an RPG blog, a nice read:www.stargazersworld.com/2010/09/07/review-mecha/

Review on rpg.net: www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/15/15200.phtml

Publisher's site and player utilities: www.myheroicjourney.com/our-catalog/

Author/ publisher's blog: www.myheroicjourney.com/category/mecha/

101+ settings for Mecha RPG: forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?559565-101-Mecha-Settings

[John]

Sounds interesting Mike. I'd be happy to give it a go if the dates fit with my schedule.

I'm expecting the current 'arc' of the Deathwatch campaign to go on for another 3-5 sessions. That means it would complete around the end of October. I think I'll stop there, or at least have a break depending on whether the group would like to continue at a later date.

[Stephen Mawson]

If the Deathwatch campaign is going to end in October, I would definately be interesting in giving this a go at that point.

I actually watch quite a bit of Anime, although it's not all Mecha focused, so I'm pretty sure I'd really enjoy this.

I think I'd mildly be more interested in the more realistic setting. Partly as I actually really like Patlabor and Ghost in the Shell, but also because the mech's would be a little less overwhelmingly powerful compared to say Gundam. Also it gives you the option of fighting non mecha opposition at least some of the time as with either Robot/Cyborgs alla Bubblegum Crisis, or Tanks, Planes, Helicopers like with Full Metal Panic.

Not that it probably wouldn't be fun to be walking around in something that can destroy space stations and whole towns single handed.

[Elle]

Does sound interesting, I'd considering doing a campaign similar to your third example before with another system but decided against it but all three examples appeal in different ways, the first two moreso and grants far less restriction with storyline/plot/opponents.

I've little knowledge of the ruleset (tho from how you describe it sounds nice), so a little dependant on that and of course when as currently set to join other games with friends every other monday.

[mike954]

Nice to hear you are interested guys. I'd be happy to get something together for November onwards, uptake and player availability permitting.

Full Metal Panic is one of my favourite series, Steve - great call, I recently re-watched series one. Bubblegum Crisis is on my list of series to re-watch as well. In fact I'll add these to the original post!

Continuing on the theme of realistic mecha, here's some eye candy from my favourite mecha videogame: Steel Battalion. With an experience even grittier than anime like Gasaraki, the mecha live up to their moniker of Vertical Tanks:

Vertical Tanks (VTs) on urban operations (Note human figures at bottom left.)
i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb249/NotchedSpear/800x600_04.jpg

2nd generation VT cockpit view
i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb249/NotchedSpear/loc_screen.jpg

Edit 1 & 2: Mecha scale
Another aspect of the setting I'm thinking about is the scale of the mecha. For instance, AT: VOTOMS and Bubblegum Crisis use smaller mecha by comparison with other series:i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb249/NotchedSpear/bubblegumcrisis002qh0.jpg Thinking about it, the scale in each series is linked closely to the story, locale and characters, so I am looking forward to getting stuck into the planning once the book turns up. I'm drafting some general ideas for the setting in anticipation though.

[stuwhitfield]

Hi Mike,

Sounds really interesting and would very much like to join in - I remember playing a mechwarrior RPG many moons ago which I really enjoyed and like Stephen I'm a massive Anime geek!

Will catch up with you at the club to discuss?

-Stu-

[mike954]

Sure thing, I'm at the club most Monday evenings. At the moment, I'm just doing some thinking about the potential setting and watching as much relevant anime as I can. Once the Mecha rpg book turns up in the post I'll bring it along so anyone who wants to can take a look.

[mike954]

As I mentioned at the club this evening, here are some brief 90 second intro clips from Gundam 00:

youtu.be/PxcI_l4iIRo
youtu.be/jsf0TqiQpWg

On the marginally more realistic front there is Full Metal Panic:
youtu.be/ICn_pmfU3SE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9if4nG4Z5Yw&feature=related

A quick one shot adventure might be a fun way to test the waters of Mecha RPG and get some feedback before going further.

[neuromancer]

Sept 19, 2011 22:39:34 GMT mike954 said:

As I mentioned at the club this evening, here are some brief 90 second intro clips from Gundam 00:

youtu.be/PxcI_l4iIRo
youtu.be/jsf0TqiQpWg
youtu.be/xC7-B9VRdXs

On the marginally more realistic front there is Full Metal Panic:
youtu.be/ICn_pmfU3SE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9if4nG4Z5Yw&feature=related

A quick one shot adventure might be a fun way to test the waters of Mecha RPG and get some feedback before going further.

Here's a "bonus": Giant Robo! youtu.be/__EJi5V1Wok

Ok, ok, just kidding, here's a fan-made action clip from Gundam 00, a bit longer at 4min 29sec:
youtu.be/dCgU0RHSFdE

and is imentioned cat nuts one www.youtube.com/watch?v=33XmEMzZc1c

[mike954]

I think it would be possible to give everyone an idea of the Mecha RPG rules in a regular Monday night session. If interested we can start to narrow down dates to a night that works for everybody.