Fudge Feng Shui

[sinanju]

Those of you who pay close attention (and if you don't, shame on you!) may recall my post about ideas for a Feng Shui-style game.  Well, I ran the inaugural session Saturday evening with more than a little trepidation.  It's been a long time since I sat behind the GM's screen* and I was running a game for two entirely new-to-me players as well.  What if they don't like it?  What if they think it's stupid?

The gaming group coalesced around three pre-designed characters.  Joey the Werewolf (White Wolf-style Garou, hold the angst), a Cyborg Orangutan (computer implants to give him human-level intelligence and various computer-related advantages), and Allan Quatermain (of King Solomon's Mines fame).  In addition, three other characters were created on the fly, including Naruto (boy ninja, allegedly from some anime cartoon I've never heard of), a human-sized living Barbie (yes, Barbie!), and Rex the talking Black Lab (a Terminator robot in the shape of a dog).

So...how to get this rather...eclectic group together?  Have them all wake up in freeze tubes (courtesy of Futurama!) in Warehouse 23, which is currently under attack (which is why the freeze tubes have malfunctioned) by TERMINATORS!  This served to give the player characters a reason to cooperate--survival and escape--and give the players a chance to grasp the (fairly simple) mechanics of the Fudge system.  They overcame several Terminators, interrogated a hapless white-coated warehouse lab assistant, and eventually escaped Warehouse 23 to the melodious sound of Computer Voice announcing "You have three minutes to reach minimum safe distance..."

The PCs burst out the exit and into the rocky, mysteriously well illuminated tunnels of the Netherworld and fled far enough to avoid the destruction of Warehouse 23.  Which didn't, as it happen, so much explode as just...vanish.  After a day's wandering thru the netherworld, they found their way to an exit that led to the beach/boardwalk/amusement park of Santa Carla.  Which is where I left it until the next time.

Everyone said they had fun, but I had my doubts.  I always worry that the players are just humoring me.  Especially new players.  But my lovely and talented wife snippy said she very much enjoyed it and I believe her.  And both dtaylor and copperwise posted that they had fun, so I guess I have to believe them too.  Yay me!

What to do for an encore, though?  Well, after having watched Kung Fu Hustle Sunday evening at the Laurelhurst theatre, I think it's time for hordes of barehanded Kung Fu fighters in one form or another.  We'll see.

*An entirely metaphorical GM's Screen, that is.  I don't use them.

Comments

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

Naruto (boy ninja, allegedly from some anime cartoon I've never heard of)

Okay, it's late I'm tired, are you serious or joking?

[copperwise.livejournal.com]

Quite serious. My husband played as Naruto and I played as Barbie. It has been many years since I did any RP so I'm a bit rusty, but it was a complete blast and sinanju is a great GM. :)

[tanuki-green.livejournal.com]

Completely serious. I played Naruto! It was a total blast! There was much fun to be had by all.

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

I'm serious, though I'm not sure what you're so shocked by? That I don't know who Naruto is? That he turned up in the game?

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

Heh, I kind of got that I wasn't clear enough about what I was shocked by. It wasn't Naruto turning up in game. Actually, I wouldn't go so far as to call it shocked. I'd have just said surprised. It was that you don't know who Naruto is. I mean I kind of live out in the boonies when it comes to hearing about manga/anime, at least physically. Online I can hang out in better informed space. But, I've seen Naruto in Shonen Jump at Walmart. The anime will debut in September on the Cartoon Network. I expect more people will know about Naruto after the series debuts. :)

[sinanju.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, I thought that might be it. The thing is, I'm not an anime fan. After unwilling (and lengthy and tedious) exposure to Dragonball Z, Pokemon, and various other loud, screechy, grating anime cartoon shows...what little taste for anime I might once have had (I liked Akira) was ground out of me. So aside from having him introduced into my game, I simply wasn't going to have stumbled across him.

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

The thing is, I'm not an anime fan.

*Nods.* I didn't know how you felt about anime. I mean I know you've got an Invader Zim and a Venture Bros. icon, but I don't actually know if you watch them. I just thought if you did, you might venture into places where you'd hear about a manga/anime series before it was a full scale mania.

After unwilling (and lengthy and tedious) exposure to Dragonball Z, Pokemon, and various other loud, screechy, grating anime cartoon shows

Ouch. I think Amand-r has said Dragonball Z makes no sense to anyone, including the Japanese. Course I think she's also said she HATES Naruto. *Wonders how long ago that post of hers was.* Me, inspite of growing up in rural Maine, I've been hooked on anime pretty much since the womb. My folks loved Star Blazers and Captain Harlock when I was little. As a kid I had memberships in Voltron and Transformer fan clubs, along with buying Robotech comic books from Comico.

what little taste for anime I might once have had (I liked Akira) was ground out of me

*Nods again.* My brother adores the movie. I don't know if he's ever gotten to read any of the manga. Akira isn't one of my favorites. Of course Fushigi Yugi is the first series where I'm getting to actually read the manga then watch the cartoon series.

So aside from having him introduced into my game, I simply wasn't going to have stumbled across him.

Well, if you're Naruto didn't mention it, you now know if you are ever curious about what the character you let in to the game looks or acts like canonically the English translation of the manga is being published by Viz in their Shonen Jump, and the cartoon series starts on the Cartoon Network in September. ;)

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

It sounds like it was a lot of fun! I had faith that sinanju could make it work. :) I haven't had time to look for Fudge, but I learned something new when I first saw him talking about it here.