Monday, February 20, 2012

Saints Row 2 and Vampire: the Masquerade

I've been playing Saints Row 2 for Xbox 360 for some time now. It is an awesome game with more GTA styled crazy fun than GTA IV has. Basically I'd say Saints Row 2 is more GTA than newest GTA is. Anyways, point of the game is gang wars and growing your turf and being The gang of the city getting rid of other gangs. In addition there is many smaller tasks and quests to do.

Anyways, when I play a videogame, watch a movie or read a book I usually think about them how they would suit for a roleplaying game, what inspiration they can give and so on. As a roleplayer I think like a roleplayer. Playing Saints Row 2 I started to think about Vampire: the Masquerade.

For V:tM there would be this city. City is in a struggle of who will be the leading clan. Each clan has their own area (or areas) and influence and power. And they want more. This would not be your average Masquerade campaign's Camarilla city struggling against Sabbat, or Anarch city trying to remain independent from general politics. This would be more like a mini setting.

Each clan would have their leader or leaders. Those are most powerful vampires in the city. Elders and Primogen. There would be also lieutnants which would be important and the rest are "troops." Those who do the dirty work, attack, protect and maintain more or less.

For example clan Lasombra would have Primogen of Lasombra clan as a leader. But his right arm I would see as Tzimische warlord. Lasombra would be all about politics and Tzimische about combat and protection. Troops would be few neonates or even ancillae but most of them are just shovelheads. Not that powerful compared to others but they are many.

Brujah would be your average biker gang who rule by power and Ventrue would own small personal army but are more into politics than raw power.

All clans, their turfs and members and description of troops would be roughly written and then player(s) could choose in what clan (gang) they would like their character to belong. My first example with Lasombra showed that not everyone in a clan (gang) must be of same clan. So clan Toreador's protection executive could well be Ventrue, for example (why would a Ventrue not be with his own clan?). Also not every clan necessarily has their influence in the city, but they could be "support" clans for bigger cause. Would clan Tremere have their individual influence or are they support clan for a bigger clan? Clan Ravnos necessarily doesn't have interest in political struggle but an individual might work for a clan.

I do own Prince of the City board game based on Vampire: the Requiem but haven't played it. I have to check it out how it handles the political aspect as a light strategic game. I think that the political and influence map of Vampire: the Saints Row should be a bit more strategic than just Storytelling method. So influence and actions actually have some other impact than just make-believe.

No comments: