Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[warrenss2]

Okay. This has been cooking in my brain-pan for a while now.

About doing a Monster Hunters International type of game. I've read the books. I've been reading the comicbooks Spooks. I love the Men in Black (THANKS, DHRDawg!!) and Ghostbusters (THANKS, Jordan!!!) movies. I've got Rippers, Tour of Duty, Agents of Oblivion, the Fantasy Companion, Realm of Cthulhu, and the Book Of Unremitting Horror (THANKS, GVanMeter!!) for a bunch of monster ideas. I have a doo-doo load of monster/mutant/undead type miniatures to field on our gaming table.

So you can see I've been leaning toward that sort of game even if in a blatant sub-conscience sort of way.

It really should be easy to do. (famous last words)

I need special ammo -
Hollow-Point High Velocity Silver Jacked Depleted Uranium for were-creatures.
Hollow-Point High Velocity Silver Jacked Wooden Core for the blood-suckers.
etc...

Others to be made up as needed.

But I do not want it to deteriorate into a what-monster-gets-frag-tonight type of game. So I need to have the players go heavy into the investigations to find out what they're facing. I'll need to put them into a moral dilemma type of situations.

I really like steelbrok's (THANKS, Steelbrok!!) idea for handling curses and evil corruption and Darkside Force and such.

Now I got to sell the idea to my players.
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[Zadmar]

I'd strongly recommend picking up the Horror Companion. It has different type of gear (ghost traps, special cameras and goggles, etc), weapons (stake throwers, holy water grenades, etc) and ammo (silver nitrate bullets, UV bullets, etc). It also has some great edges and hindrances, sanity rules, and a whole load of "monster of the week" candidates.

The only part I wasn't too keen on was the rules for playing monsters, as the races aren't balanced for mixed groups. But overall I consider it one of the best SW books I own, packed with loads of excellent content.

[warrenss2]

D'Oh!!!

Forgot to mention that I have the Horror & Supers Companions also.

Sorry.
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[Other Mike]

Agents of Oblivion is a good match/mix for MHI. That's what I based my MHI Con games on. Granted, for a Con game, I kept it light and didn't get to detailed with different kinds of ammo. Some of the AoO Edges work very well in this sort of game. I also have borrowed critters from Realms of Cthulhu.

Agents of Oblivion is as much a toolkit as a setting. For reference, here is how I set up the MHI Agents of Oblivion Thematic Factors:

Alien Factor: None to Low
Aliens exist, but they have little to do with humanity, and alien activity is extremely rare. Only advanced governments and organizations even know of their existence.

Conspiracy Factor: Moderate
There are numerous conspiracies and secret societies, many managed by some sinister government or other agency. Normal citizens may or may not believe in the conspiracies, but they are in-depth and ongoing.

Horror Factor: Moderate
The supernatural and paranormal are everywhere, but most people live blissfully ignorant of it.

Occult Factor: Low
Some magic exists, but it is rare or weak and largely unknown.

Technology Factor: Low
Some high tech inventions are used by various agencies and nations, but they are rare and super-secret.


Other reference material: HERO Games (my favorite system before Savage Worlds came along) just completed a Kickstart of MHI, written by Steve Long and Larry Correia. I supported it, as I plan on "borrowing" material for future Savage Con games.
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My delusions of grandeur are way bigger than yours!

[Jonah Hex]

For general non-mechanical horror advice I'd also recommend GURPS Horror by the incomparable Ken Hite. Loads of good stuff in there.
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Playing: GURPS Pulp
Running DnD 4e War of the Burning Sky
Running Rippers
Working on GURPS Deadlands

[VonDan]

and for $1.50 at the local red box you can do futher research

Werewolf: The Beast Among Us

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1987028/
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http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h51/Vondan/

[warrenss2]

Oh, Lordy, VonDan.

Did as you suggested. Going to watch it in a few minutes. I could use a good laugh.
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[marshal kt]

I suggest reading the Dresden Files.. also the Dresden Files RPG. It's my 2nd favorite rpg system, behind Savage Worlds.
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"I'm Hotep"

[warrenss2]

[marshal kt]

you need to read at least half the books before you get the rpg.
it's written in 3 'voices'. 3 characters from the books.
1 of the characters is a GM for the weekly rpg game and decides to write his own system & world.
dresden and bob correct, add and question the primary writer. all 3 have different writing. 1 is typed and the other 2 are 'hand-written'.

all of the examples and drawings are from the novels.

the way the system is set up, it could be converted to star wars.

savage worlds is great for almost all genres and games, but I like fudge for dresden.
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"I'm Hotep"

[VonDan]

[Darq666]

Something pretty close to what you are going for is Third Eye Games Appocalypse Prevention Inc. Their web site seems hosed right now - but they just released a Savage Version.

[Mike Zebrowski]

I seem to recall a small press RPG in the late '90s, early 2000's that was almost identical to MHI. I pretty sure that I bought a copy and it is somewhere in my collection....

Anyways.... I think that the secret to a MHI campaign is identifying the elements that make MHI unique.

1) Monsters are a secret because the government wants them to be a secret. In general, monsters don't seem to care if they remain a secret or become know. So running into public will not cause a werewolf or vampire to stop chasing you.

2) You don't find the secret, the secret finds you. Almost every MHI character has a similar backstory: they survived a monster attack. It also means that the PCs can't go around telling folks about monsters unless they are in the middle of an attack.

3) The government is there to get in the way. From tax laws to gun laws, the MCB is a roadblock that can not be bypassed by blowing it up. Non-MCB government groups are also road blocks, like local law enforcement, as they may not like the PCs bringing heavy weapons.

4) Monster Hunting is a business. If the PCs are part of the MHI, then they really don't need to worry about stuff like money and gear, just getting chewed out by the boss when they screw up. If the PC's are running their own outfit, then they should also focus on recruitment, networking, etc... The Lodge rules in Rippers should be a good starting point for running a business.

5) Only monsters on the PUFF list are valid targets. Everything else falls under normal laws. As Monster Hunting is a business, the PCs are not "shadows in the night", but known to the government as troublemakers. Breaking and entering, destruction of property, and murder are things to be avoided. Human cultists are some of the most dangerous enemies as they are protected by human laws. Even after their affiliations become know, they are still not on the PUFF list.

6) Monster hunting is a competitive business. Cooperation between outfits is limited (though that changed after MHL) and mainly based on personal connections. Rival outfits vying for the same PUFF are not allowed to shoot at each other, but accidents do happen.....

[VonDan]

And of course we all know about the tv show "Special Unit 2" it was basicly Men In black but with monsters



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Unit_2

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268094/
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http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h51/Vondan/

[warrenss2]

@ Mike Zebrowski - It seems that you and I agree on a lot of the same ideas. I was thinking about having my MHI teams not only work on their own, but to be available to be hired to deal with things.

@ VonDan - I have the SU2 series on DVD.
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[VonDan]

[mad monkey]

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/herogames/the-monster-hunter-international-employees-handboo

MHI kickstarter.

[SeeleyOne]

[pfloyd]

Yep, I threw my contribution into the Kickstarter. Can't wait. Also met Larry Correia on his recent book tour for Monster Hunter Legion.

[Mike Zebrowski]