Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - it's PC gone mad!
Saw POTC3 on Sunday. It was much as I'd expected. I felt there was a half-way decent supernatural pirate film buried inside it somewhere, but overall it reminded me of nothing more than a roleplaying campaign which has become the victim of its own success.
First film - a pirate game, with some supernatural elements. The PCs are Will Turner and Jack Sparrow, along with Elizabeth Swann (who's probably the GM's girlfriend and wants to have a go at this gaming hobby he's into). They also have Gibbs and the pirate crew as associated NPCs, but at this point the PCs don't pay them much heed. The GM gives up his attempt to set up Anamaria as a potential romantic interest for Jack, and writes her out of future scenarios.
Second film - the first game was great fun, and more people want to play now. Elizabeth's player sulks 'cos she didn't get to take part in all the fights and swashbuckling last time, so she gets a huge XP bonus to rebuild her character at the same level as Jack and Will. Norrington is rewritten, and given to a new player as a PC. Another player wants to join the campaign, but insists on playing a magic-user of some sort. So Tia Dalma gets written into the action. The pirate crew start getting more time in the spotlight, as the GM starts to enjoy hamming it up as Pintel and Regatti, and squawking like the parrot etc. Finally, the GM's old buddy comes back from college - he's always loved pirates, and he's mad keen to play. So, at the end of the last session, he gets introduced as Barbossa, back from the dead.
Third film - Norrington's player is too busy to play, but does get to make one game session to play his character's exit scene. Will, Jack, Elizabeth, Barbossa and Tia Dalma are now joined by Sao Feng ("I want to play - but I want to be a kung fu martial artist!"; "OK, Dave - you can be a Chinese pirate lord!"). But he doesn't like the campaign and leaves, so the GM kills his character off hastily. The assorted pirate NPCs are now joined by a Chinese pirate crew, the marines from film one, plus seven assorted pirate lords and their crews. The GM also wastes far too much time playing out the humorus antics of Jack the monkey and Cotton's parrot. Time drags on, the whole thing's getting totally out of hand and over-plotted - GM starts winging it like mad. "Er, Tia, you're really the sea-goddess Calypso in human form and the pirates are going to release you now!". Barbossa's player nearly leaves at this point - he just wanted a big f***-off sea battle with proper combat rules and everything, not some love story magicfest. In the confusion of the final mad battle, Will's character's dying because of an unexpected critical hit. GM can only think of one way to save him and the campaign, and gives him the Dutchman. Thankfully, the player loves the idea. As Becket's ship is about to be sunk by the Black Pearl, three different PCs, each thinking that they're the captain, shout "Fire!" simultaneously. The GM plays out the final post-credits closure scene of Will and Elizabeth on shore, but by this stage Jack and Barbossa's players have already gone to the pub.
First film - a pirate game, with some supernatural elements. The PCs are Will Turner and Jack Sparrow, along with Elizabeth Swann (who's probably the GM's girlfriend and wants to have a go at this gaming hobby he's into). They also have Gibbs and the pirate crew as associated NPCs, but at this point the PCs don't pay them much heed. The GM gives up his attempt to set up Anamaria as a potential romantic interest for Jack, and writes her out of future scenarios.
Second film - the first game was great fun, and more people want to play now. Elizabeth's player sulks 'cos she didn't get to take part in all the fights and swashbuckling last time, so she gets a huge XP bonus to rebuild her character at the same level as Jack and Will. Norrington is rewritten, and given to a new player as a PC. Another player wants to join the campaign, but insists on playing a magic-user of some sort. So Tia Dalma gets written into the action. The pirate crew start getting more time in the spotlight, as the GM starts to enjoy hamming it up as Pintel and Regatti, and squawking like the parrot etc. Finally, the GM's old buddy comes back from college - he's always loved pirates, and he's mad keen to play. So, at the end of the last session, he gets introduced as Barbossa, back from the dead.
Third film - Norrington's player is too busy to play, but does get to make one game session to play his character's exit scene. Will, Jack, Elizabeth, Barbossa and Tia Dalma are now joined by Sao Feng ("I want to play - but I want to be a kung fu martial artist!"; "OK, Dave - you can be a Chinese pirate lord!"). But he doesn't like the campaign and leaves, so the GM kills his character off hastily. The assorted pirate NPCs are now joined by a Chinese pirate crew, the marines from film one, plus seven assorted pirate lords and their crews. The GM also wastes far too much time playing out the humorus antics of Jack the monkey and Cotton's parrot. Time drags on, the whole thing's getting totally out of hand and over-plotted - GM starts winging it like mad. "Er, Tia, you're really the sea-goddess Calypso in human form and the pirates are going to release you now!". Barbossa's player nearly leaves at this point - he just wanted a big f***-off sea battle with proper combat rules and everything, not some love story magicfest. In the confusion of the final mad battle, Will's character's dying because of an unexpected critical hit. GM can only think of one way to save him and the campaign, and gives him the Dutchman. Thankfully, the player loves the idea. As Becket's ship is about to be sunk by the Black Pearl, three different PCs, each thinking that they're the captain, shout "Fire!" simultaneously. The GM plays out the final post-credits closure scene of Will and Elizabeth on shore, but by this stage Jack and Barbossa's players have already gone to the pub.