Traveller : Blakes 7

[celmive]

Working on a Star Trek variant at the moment for Traveller and that got me thinking about the "Older" TV series...

Now B7 is being redone for SKY I hear and it may be fun to do a Traveller version of it.

Any ideas from Mongooseland about this ? Anyone designed or run anything similar ?

Just wondering

Any ideas or comments very welcome

 

[Klaus Kipling]

The Secret Police and Politician careers in CB2 are very B7 inspired...

 

[Vile]

B7 remains my prime inspiration for Traveller games. Check out this thread, too:

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=39516&highlight=liberator

 

[Paladyn]

Funny thing, I thought of it some time ago while considering new s-f campaign . I did not know new version is going to be made but glad to hear it.

 

[Vile]

Is it really being redone? I can't count the number of times this was supposed to happen in the past, but nothing ever got off the ground. Mind you, The sheer volume of fear and hope* a remake would arouse in me would probably not be healthy! :shock:

*Fear that it will fail to capture the unique atmosphere and character interaction of the original, hope that the remake would be to B7 what new BSG was to old BSG.

 

[Astromancer]

Something deep in my gut keeps saying "it going to be the American RED DWARF all over again."

I hope not, but I fear so.

 

[BP]

... American RED DWARF ..."

Eh? Must google...

Wheh - just a crappy pilot and promo! Only get to catch this occassionally on PBS (Public Access Channel). But, like Faulty Towers, quite a Fan. Can't envision any way an American version could capture the uniquely British aspects that make them so great.

 

[celmive]

Okay here is a bit about the remake...

Things have been quiet about it for a while but these things tend to just "appear". May try to find out where they are on this..

Sky One Developing Reimagining of the Iconic British Science Fiction Series ‘Blake’s 7′
Sky One today (Thursday 24 April, 2008) announced that it has greenlit development on two scripts of the iconic British science fiction series BLAKE’S 7. Elaine Pyke, Commissioning Editor, Drama, Sky One, Two and Three is working alongside Andrew Mark Sewell at B7 Productions, a subsidiary of B7 Media, on an exciting reinvention of the iconic brand. Sky One has ordered 2 x 60′ scripts for a potential event series.

Pyke commented: “At a time when science fiction shows often discard good story-telling for overblown visual effects – and following the lead of Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica – the time is ripe for a revival of a show that represents the best traditions of the genre, not to mention one of the best-loved and most successful dramas of all time.”

BLAKE’S 7 presented to the world a vision of the future, a future where the galaxy is ruled by the iron fist of a galactic federation, in which freedom and justice are things of the past. Into this vision creator Terry Nation cast a small band of outlaws who find themselves in control of the most powerful space vessel in the galaxy, the Liberator. Led by the enigmatic Roj Blake, the group of rebels would strike at the very heart of the Federation, and change the face of science fiction television.

BLAKE’S 7 originally ran for four seasons between 1978 and 1981 and recently topped a British Film Institute poll to find the UK public’s favourite television show. The series has inspired the creators of such seminal series as Babylon 5 and Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and was sold in over 40 countries worldwide.

BLAKE’S 7 will form part of Sky One’s eight figure commitment to drama in 08/09; one of the largest from a UK broadcaster in original HD drama and the largest commitment to UK drama in the broadcaster’s history.

The development comes in addition to the already announced slate of adaptations of works by best-selling authors including Chris Ryan (Strike Back), David Almond (Skellig), Terry Pratchett (Going Postal) and Martina Cole (The Take and The Graft).

 

[Klaus Kipling]

17 months, a single press release, and no news whatsoever does not bode well for this. In fact, the B7 media website hasn't been updated in ages...

They butchered the classic Blake's 7 logo, too. That was great graphic design; the new one is just naff.

If the BBC still had the rights, we may have seen some movement. After Torchwood CoE, another adult sf property might be just the ticket.

 

[Vile]

Oh, that remake ... I'll be very surprised indeed if anything comes of it. I think the "08/09 commitment" has pretty much been missed unless they get to work rather quickly! :lol:

Never mind, it's back the B7 Traveller for us all, then! 8)

 

[andrew boulton]

The audio remake wasn't bad.

http://www.b7media.com/shop_rebel.html

 

[Jacqual]

Could this be the new Traveller setting that they havent said anything about yet? It could be but most likely wont be but we could hope right.

 

[Lord High Munchkin]

There needs to be a 'My Little Pony' remember....

 

[iainjcoleman]

Much as I love both Traveller and Blake's 7, I don't think they're a very good match. The core of B7 is virtues and vices of each character - the tension between these within each individual, and the interaction between these in different characters. So Blake is a natural leader with a strong sense of justice, and also a ruthless manipulator of questionable sanity. Vila is a first-class thief and a generally fun guy, but also a coward and an alcoholic. And so on.

A B7 game would have to put these aspects front and centre, with mechanics that encourage or compel the PCs to exhibit their vices as well as their virtues. You would have to make some significant changes to the Traveller rules in order to capture the feel of B7.

That said, the rich character history that comes out of Mongoose Traveller chargen would be effective in creating PCs whose life histories are as screwed up as those of the Liberator crew.

 

[kafka]

Much as I love both Traveller and Blake's 7, I don't think they're a very good match. The core of B7 is virtues and vices of each character - the tension between these within each individual, and the interaction between these in different characters. So Blake is a natural leader with a strong sense of justice, and also a ruthless manipulator of questionable sanity. Vila is a first-class thief and a generally fun guy, but also a coward and an alcoholic. And so on.

A B7 game would have to put these aspects front and centre, with mechanics that encourage or compel the PCs to exhibit their vices as well as their virtues. You would have to make some significant changes to the Traveller rules in order to capture the feel of B7.

That said, the rich character history that comes out of Mongoose Traveller chargen would be effective in creating PCs whose life histories are as screwed up as those of the Liberator crew.

Yes, it is almost Shakespearian. Traveller characters are still pretty two dimensional compared to B7. The essence would be to capture the First Season of a Space Opera where authority was black as night but only to find out that is what will save civilization bringing our heroes in the difficult situation of accepting that authority. Avoid some of the aliens that marked Season Two. And, forget about large parts of Season Three. So why not get Chris Boucher to provide some background notes on the B7 universe as I loved what he did with Kandor City...

Mongoose probably could not approval from the Beeb for all these properties (or I am reading the Beeb the wrong way).

 

[Paladyn]

On the other hand, Blake'7 can be great source of inspiration for adventures, especially when players surprise GM with sudden idea, completely out of blue (or black in case of space).

 

[Marchand]

A B7 game would have to put these aspects front and centre, with mechanics that encourage or compel the PCs to exhibit their vices as well as their virtues. You would have to make some significant changes to the Traveller rules in order to capture the feel of B7.

That said, the rich character history that comes out of Mongoose Traveller chargen would be effective in creating PCs whose life histories are as screwed up as those of the Liberator crew.

Isn't PC interaction called "role playing"?

I agree that MGT chargen gives an excellent basis for B7 style characters. What's needed are much darker, B7-themed career events and life history tables, and a gentleman's agreement that the resulting histories and flaws are to be brought to life in the game.

On a techie note, I recall characters quoting FTL drive speeds "Standard By One", "Standard By Two" etc. MGT warp drive should plug straight in.

One big difference in setting is B7's use of FTL communications, although requiring big infrastructure (strangely reminiscent of 1970s industrial chemical plants, IIRC) Would be something to bear in mind.

 

[Klaus Kipling]

On the other hand, Blake'7 can be great source of inspiration for adventures, especially when players surprise GM with sudden idea, completely out of blue (or black in case of space).

And names, if not costumes...

 

[iainjcoleman]

So why not get Chris Boucher to provide some background notes on the B7 universe as I loved what he did with Kandor City...

Mongoose probably could not approval from the Beeb for all these properties (or I am reading the Beeb the wrong way).

Background is the easy bit. There's lots of fan scholarship, most especially Neil Faulkner's B7 encyclopedia, that would be very suitable for use in gaming.

Intellectual property rights would be the stumbling block. As I understand it - and I could be wrong - the relevant rights are held by the Terry Nation estate, which has a very hard-nosed agent. The negotiations to use the Daleks in the revived series of Doctor Who went right down to the wire - I wouldn't be optimistic about getting a gaming license terribly easily. That said, it might be worth a try - you never know.

But yes, in the hypothetical case of a B7 game actually getting the go-ahead, Chris Boucher's involvement would be most welcome.

 

[iainjcoleman]

A B7 game would have to put these aspects front and centre, with mechanics that encourage or compel the PCs to exhibit their vices as well as their virtues. You would have to make some significant changes to the Traveller rules in order to capture the feel of B7.

That said, the rich character history that comes out of Mongoose Traveller chargen would be effective in creating PCs whose life histories are as screwed up as those of the Liberator crew.

Isn't PC interaction called "role playing"?

This misses the point, in my view. In B7, characters are defined principally through their psychological strengths and weaknesses. Indeed, this attention to psychology is what marks it out from other space opera shows. Stats and skills are secondary, and often subordinate to the plot. If a B7 game is to feel like B7, then the mechanics of the game have to reflect this. Otherwise you end up with something like ICE's Middle Earth Role Playing Game: a fine game in its own right, but an utter failure at capturing the flavour of Tolkien's work.

On a techie note, I recall characters quoting FTL drive speeds "Standard By One", "Standard By Two" etc. MGT warp drive should plug straight in.

One big difference in setting is B7's use of FTL communications, although requiring big infrastructure (strangely reminiscent of 1970s industrial chemical plants, IIRC) Would be something to bear in mind.

All good points. Instantaneous interstellar communication in particular has a big impact - not difficult to implement, but perhaps requiring something of a paradigm shift on the parts of the players and referee.