Settings That Need a Game: Dinotopia
I’m not sure how many of you out there read Dinotopia as a kid (or even as an adult!) but it was a phenomenal book about a couple of people who, at the turn of the century, washed up on the shores of a mysterious and lost island populated by dinosaurs who never went extinct. Humans who, in years past, washed up on shore have founded an entire society to interact with these beasts, and have created a culture of perfect sybiosis.
The books didn’t have an enormous plot. They were mainly just an excuse for the author to go nuts with gorgeous paintings and has an enormous dearth of background information and flavor. It’s like a campaign guide without the mechanical rules for a campaign.
So, what system would be best for something like this? Initially, I thought something like D&D 3.5 with its rules for dinosaurs, but I think Savage Worlds would probably be best. What do you think?
I’m frankly simply surprised there’s not an official RPG for this.
I remember reading these books as a kid and being in awe of the grandeur and majesty. It made me want to find this fantastic place and live there.
I would definitely advise picking this book up if for nothing else than the amazing art. You can get it here at Amazon. The official website is here.
Primetime Adventures could handle the setting and disparities, and has a good handle on social and non-violent conflicts. That’s probably where I’d start.
I love those books! So much so, that my homebrew 4e D&D world is based (loosely) on them. Oddly enough, my next planned post is about a sentient race of hybrid dinosaurs from there.
4e works for me and I haven’t had much experience with Savage Worlds, but based on what I do know about it, I’d have to say SW should be a good fit. However, I do think there may be a problem with mechanics and game balance with playing a dinosaur. It would be an interesting design challenge though.
That’s fantastic. So do you just use rules for Dragonborn for anyone who wants to be a dinosaur?
The short answer is no, as I do have dragonborn in my game. The actual dinosaurs are (generally) of normal intelligence. The domesticated ones have been enhanced a bit to give them a slightly higher intellect and therefore are more easily trainable. If your walk into a city in my game world, you will see dinosaurs pulling huge wagons or chariots or being used as mounts. For a look at the few playable dinosaur types I have, check out my latest post.
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