Tie-In RPG's: The "Good," The RAD, and The Fugly.

by Michael Holmes

Hi Everyone,
Welcome to the first of some new pieces of content we’ll be adding to the
GWNP site. It’s nice to see you!

Today’s topic? The Tie-In.

One of the greatest things about the state of the TTRPG industry at this
point in its lifecycle is the sheer depth and breadth of material that’s
available out there. Chances are super good that if there’s a universe you
want to play in or an intellectual property that makes your heart sing,
someone’s added a dice mechanic to it. However when it comes to actually
crafting a quality gaming experience, well…

In the immortal words of Dr. Ian Malcolm, some designers and publishers
“were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop
to think if they should.”

We’ve already featured a few tie-in games since the inception of the
podcast, and while we’re not exactly ranking them in this piece, we are
discussing their relative merits. So let’s jump in, shall we?

Let’s start with an example of a really, really awesome tie-in game. Ours
is the late, great “Ghostbusters” game from West End Games. The game
manages to capture the tone of the movies perfectly and is an amazingly
simple entry point to TTRPG’s with its simple d6 mechanic. One of the
drawbacks here is that it’s almost out-of-the-box designed for one-shots or
con games, as extended campaign-style play doesn’t really mesh with the way
the game is set up. Once you roll a character up, while you can advance,
they’re pretty much as good as they’re going to be. Still, this one was/is
a solid package that combines ease of play with the quality presentation,
and is definitely worth your while and your money should you find a used
copy.

Article by Michael Holmes
Cover Photo by Jay Africa

Hi Everyone,
Welcome to the first of some new pieces of content we’ll be adding to the GWNP site. It’s nice to see you!

Today’s topic? The Tie-In. 

One of the greatest things about the state of the TTRPG industry at this point in its lifecycle is the sheer depth and breadth of material that’s available out there. Chances are super good that if there’s a universe you want to play in or an intellectual property that makes your heart sing, someone’s added a dice mechanic to it. However when it comes to actually crafting a quality gaming experience, well…

In the immortal words of Dr. Ian Malcolm, some designers and publishers “were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should.”

We’ve already featured a few tie-in games since the inception of the podcast, and while we’re not exactly ranking them in this piece, we are discussing their relative merits. So let’s jump in, shall we?

Let’s start with an example of a really, really awesome tie-in game. Ours is the late, great “Ghostbusters” game from West End Games. The game manages to capture the tone of the movies perfectly and is an amazingly simple entry point to TTRPG’s with its simple d6 mechanic. One of the drawbacks here is that it’s almost out-of-the-box designed for one-shots or con games, as extended campaign-style play doesn’t really mesh with the way the game is set up. Once you roll a character up, while you can advance, they’re pretty much as good as they’re going to be. Still, this one was/is a solid package that combines ease of play with the quality presentation, and is definitely worth your while and your money should you find a used copy.

The Game Manages to Capture the Tone of the Movies Perfectly…

Speaking of West End’s system, that brings us to  “The Star Wars Roleplaying Game.” West End released three (well, 2.5) versions of this system in the ’80s and ’90s and there is a TON of supplemental material to support it. All of your favorite Star Wars tropes, characters, planets, and gear are there, and this particular iteration of the license is notable for introducing some of the first real Expanded Universe content for SW fans at a time when the brand was having a bit of a rest. Same basic d6 mechanic, but allowing for more extended campaign-style play. Fantasy Flight re-released the original core books in 2018, though we would be remiss if we didn’t stop a moment to talk about FF’s own take on the SWRPG.

All of your favorite Star Wars tropes, characters, planets, and gear are there…

So using this iteration of the SWRPG as an example, let’s focus on a tie-in that’s just so-so. Fantasy Flight makes a great looking product, no debate there. However, their few dips into the TTRPG arena have been a bit of a mixed blessing. Relying on, shall we say, non-traditional dice mechanics to resolve combat and skill checks, the learning curve can be a bit steep for even seasoned players. While FF’s reverence for the Star Wars franchise is remarkable, it’s not exactly noob-friendly, and might actively turn some away. Also, there are three core books (oh depending on what kind of campaign you want to run (GRRRRRR!), but the sheer amount of material and lore they’ve created guarantees you’ll be able to play exactly the game you want.  This game’s future is in a bit of limbo at the moment, so who knows what awaits this line in its’ current form. Still, if you want some shelf candy, you couldn’t do much better.

So, that brings us to “The Witcher RPG” from R. Talsorian Games. Or: what not to do with a tie-in game.R. Talsorian is best known for their iconic “Cyberpunk” series of games, which are the inspiration of course for this year’s “Cyberpunk 2077.” So you’d think with this pedigree and the rich source material of “The Witcher,” this would be a slam dunk for a roleplaying game, right? Sadly, we don’t feel quite that way. The game swings and misses on everything from character generation, combat, magic, and the disproportionate power of the actual Witcher class compared to any of the others available. Our friend Kimi from Happy Jack’s RPG summed it best: “take the lore from this book, and reskin another system with it.” 

Maybe don’t toss a coin to this particular Witcher.

Your mileage may vary of course, and most tie-ins are built with the collector and fan in mind. Still, finding that system that makes your heart sing and your sword swing is the goal of all gamers, and those especially passionate about a particular franchise deserve the best that they can find. There are scores more out there, but we’re out of space in this particular post! We’re covering Modiphus’ “Star Trek Adventures” RPG in the near future, and we hope you’ll engage us when we make it so. In the meantime, check out our past episodes on our landing page or wherever you download your podcasts and tune in to the Saving Throw YouTube channel to see our “Ghostbusters” shenanigans.