Noir type game

Started by RedEve, December 07, 2014, 09:29:53 AM

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RedEve

Would there be people interested in a small group game in a noir setting?

I'm thinking 1940s, shortly after the war.

The exact plot details can be discussed, but as far as characters are concerned, I'm thinking private investigators, sassy and smart secretaries, femme fatales, gangsters, coppers (both dirty and honest ones), perhaps an idealistic female newspaper gal (trying to break the glass ceiling), ...

Or any other archetype which would fit into such a setting.

I would like a lengthy and collaborative brain-storming session in terms of the actual plot before I get started. Naturally, I would need some interested parties before I can start with that.

So feel free to state your interest in here (as well as possibly what character archetype would most interest you).

If you want to know what atmosphere I am hoping for, then think of these features: "Double Indemnity", "The Naked City", "Where the sidewalk ends", ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3wjJcuGsVE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfH3aY-Qy6I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA4mk1ecGs8




CS template

[float=right][img width=400 padding=20]http://(enter character image URL here)[/img][/float]
[b]Name:[/b]
[b]Age:[/b]
[b]Role:[/b] (a short description of the basic character archetype, e.g. "weathered detective", "night club chanteuse", "gangster moll", etc.)
[b]Background:[/b] (a short bio of your character, I would like at least two paragraphs, somewhere in the 300-400 word range. More is allowed. Just give us enough to get a feel of who the character is supposed to be.)


Some extra info: I would start this game in the Spring of 1946. The war is over, though many G.I.s only recently returned from the conflict. Conversely, many Rosie the Riveters only recently (and some quite reluctantly) went back to their lives as stay-at-home housewives and/or mothers. In terms of the Los Angeles crime scene, Bugsy Siegel is still alive (though he would only be around for another year at this point).

Please send your character sheets to my PM inbox for approval prior to posting them in this topic. Thanks!
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Lynnette

I'm interested, probably in some secretary-esque role :)
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Beguile's Mistress

Made me think of a Lauren Bacall as a lounge singer in a dim and smokey jazz club. :-)

RedEve

"I don't have a dirty mind, I have a sexy imagination."
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Beguile's Mistress

*nods*

The joint grows dim.  Cigaret smoke drifts toward the ceiling in ghostly wisps.  Deep in the shadows the bands instruments shoot of sparks of light.  Suddenly the spotlight beams and a pair of smokey eyes looks out across the crowded tables.

:-)

RedEve

Quote from: Blinkin on December 07, 2014, 10:29:24 AM
I'm interested, although I would feel more at home in the mid to late 30's. It seems a little grettier and more in line with the type of characters that you seem to be looking for than post war era. *shrugs* But, still posting an early interest... if only there was room for a barn-storming pilot. ;)

Ooh, there certainly is. :P
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RedEve

Well noir encapsulates more than the interbellum.

e.g. "The Big Heat" and "Kiss me deadly" are both considered classics of the genre as well, yet they were both released in the 50s.

The reason why I like the post-war era is that it might be used in some way in the plot (war contraband/war criminal hiding in the US/valuable item or art piece linked to the conflict as the MacGuffin).
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Beguile's Mistress

While there are certainly some movies from the 30s that could be a remarkable depiction of the genre the actual "film noir" era began in the 40s with movies like 1941s "The Maltese Falcon" and continued through to 1958 with Orson Welles "Touch of Evil."  The mood was recognized as one that set a tone for the telling of a darker, seamier story.

Those of us who want to know more about this mood can check out this site.  I found it most interesting.


RedEve

I believe noir had its origins in German Expressionism (visually anyway).
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AndyZ

Personally, I (and I may be alone) consider the first two Max Payne games and the Dresden Files books to fit into the Noir style.  Keeping an eye on this but dunno what I'd play.  I could probably pull off a detective but it may be overdone, but then, having one in the setting would help cement things I'd think.
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Beguile's Mistress

One of my favorite noir movies is "Laura" with Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews.  One reason I like it is that I found each character to be believable in its own quirky way.  The police detective played by Dana Andrews was very well done.

Lynnette

Quote from: AndyZ on December 07, 2014, 11:08:15 AM
Personally, I (and I may be alone) consider the first two Max Payne games and the Dresden Files books to fit into the Noir style.  Keeping an eye on this but dunno what I'd play.  I could probably pull off a detective but it may be overdone, but then, having one in the setting would help cement things I'd think.

The storytelling does take a lot of inspiration from the original noir genre, I'd say it stretches on to the third game as well, in the way that the story is told.
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Foxy DeVille

I could be down for this, maybe as the trophy wife of a disreputable sort (gangster/greedy businessman/corrupt politician).

Ontan

You’ve got your alcoholic widower detective right here. World weary, self-destructive and fundamentally damaged goods, his slow demise seems set in stone until he stumbles upon that one case that cuts through the gin-soaked fog, sharp and bright as a razor's edge.

... So yes, I'm interested.

Quote from: AndyZ on December 07, 2014, 11:08:15 AM
I could probably pull off a detective but it may be overdone, but then, having one in the setting would help cement things I'd think.

I’m pretty sure it’s mandatory to have one or two. I’m happy to share the role: they can be partners, or if you’re more of a lone wolf type, we can have one police detective and one P.I..


Scribbles

This is a lovely setting but one which will probably have a few hurdles squeezing in so many roleplayers, it doesn't exactly lend itself to the idea of having three grizzled detectives and three femme-fatales shuffling about together, gathering clues...

It might work with a storyteller, a villain/ess, playing the actors involved like so many puppets. You could have three seemingly separate cases at the start with each leading their respective detectives to a single location, a place which could become a meeting point between the group where all involved can mingle, relax and discuss clues before heading out in their separate directions to chase the next lead. It might make the story a little linear but it would open up the setting to more roleplayers. Mind you, this is just an idea and a pretty convoluted one, there might be better options for making this work...

I'm going to throw in some tentative interest, if that's alright, mostly because I need to see how another game I've expressed interest in develops...
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GnothiSeauton

Very interested here.

Thinking about a detective character.
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AndyZ

Quote from: Ontan on December 07, 2014, 07:18:33 PM
I’m pretty sure it’s mandatory to have one or two. I’m happy to share the role: they can be partners, or if you’re more of a lone wolf type, we can have one police detective and one P.I..

If you're looking at it, I can think on something else ^_^

Wonder if I should look into being the owner of some sort of shady joint, maybe a casino, maybe just a bar.  I need to look into various laws for specific time periods.
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There were sometimes restaurants and dance clubs that were open to the public and fronts for illegal gambling.  People knew what was going on but did acknowledge it and payoffs often kept the police raids down to a minimum or someone within the police department was paid, threatened or blackmailed to pass on information if a raid was planned.

Ontan

Quote from: Scribbles on December 07, 2014, 07:57:55 PM
This is a lovely setting but one which will probably have a few hurdles squeezing in so many roleplayers, it doesn't exactly lend itself to the idea of having three grizzled detectives and three femme-fatales shuffling about together, gathering clues...

I think the trick would be to have several ‘interested parties’ with a common goal (or common enemy) rather than lumping everyone together in the same task force.

Classic example: sex workers are disappearing off the streets, and their bodies are showing up a few days later. You could easily have several allied factions: the police are trying to find the murder(s) responsible, the sex workers are trying to survive, a P.I. has been hired to find one of the missing women before it’s too late, and a freelance journalist thinks the story is going to be her big break. All four factions have their own path to follow, but there’s plenty of scope of communication and interaction between the groups. 

Just a thought.

RedEve

The idea was always for the narrative to be a combination of several loosely interwoven threads.
So the players would meet each other, but not all of them would interact with each other all the time. :)
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Foxy DeVille

That sounds good. I hope this gets rolling because I've been thing more about ideas for my trophy wife/mistress character and she could be a lot of fun to play... especially with a properly ruthless significant other...  ;)

Robelwell202

Call me very interested!   I'd love to do a cop or a PI.  :D

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ABV0331

Very interested and for some reason all I can think of is mickey Cohen played by Sean Penn as the perfect character for this. So if you need a common enemy...count me as a volunteer to be evil lol.
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RedEve

I guess we should start discussing plot ideas then? And possibly a setting?
"I don't have a dirty mind, I have a sexy imagination."
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Robelwell202

My favorite Noir flick, 'Laura', has my favorite Noir-type cop detective, Dana Andrews as Mark McPherson. 

Setting?  I'd say a big city, just past war-time (1946+?). Plot?  Murder should come into play, but is it the primary thing, or secondary to some other nefarious plot?  (Thinking of The Maltese Falcon, in this sense.)

Just my thoughts...  ;)
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