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Old 03-07-2020, 04:55 PM   #1
Stormcrow
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
Default Solo game for five year old

I'm looking for inspiration on what kind of role-playing game to run for my five-year-old son. I want it to be something that isn't too violent but which still has plenty of action.

A near-perfect game for him is Ghostbusters. He's obsessed with Ghostbusters, it's easy to play, and it's not too violent. But... I really don't want to run Ghostbusters. I want to avoid mission-based games, because he really likes playing in sandbox environments, and Ghostbusters done right really needs more than a solo player. I also think I want to avoid licensed properties, because he'll feel constrained to stick to what happens in those properties instead of coming up with his own stuff.

I also considered Toon, but Toon is geared toward Bugs Bunny-type cartoons, which isn't really what kids watch these days. I feel like he wouldn't enjoy that so much. I'd like to find something where the story matters a little more.

I don't want to take a violent game and just make it not violent. For instance, I don't want to take D&D and just make all the goblins and green slimes want to negotiate all the time.

I'm not asking for recommendations for rule sets. The kid will learn and play anything I offer. I'm looking for recommendations of genre or setting, or maybe whole games if the games have unique elements that would be good. Specific GURPS supplements that meet the criteria would also be useful.

Sorry it's kind of specific; I'm having a lot of trouble finding the perfect game.
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Old 03-07-2020, 05:08 PM   #2
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: Solo game for five year old

There is a FUDGE scenario in which the animal companions of a wizard go off to rescue the wizard when he gets into trouble. It looks kind of charming. I don't specifically assume you would use FUDGE, though it's a simple narrative system; the treatment is straightforward enough to be adapted to pretty much any rules system, I think.
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Old 03-07-2020, 05:32 PM   #3
Stormcrow
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
Default Re: Solo game for five year old

That's not a bad idea, though I'm not looking for "charming" so much as "not predominantly shooty-stabby." You wouldn't happen to know the name of the adventure?
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Old 03-07-2020, 05:40 PM   #4
Stormcrow
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Ronkonkoma, NY
Default Re: Solo game for five year old

Wait, I think I found it: "Another Fine Mess."
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Old 03-07-2020, 06:21 PM   #5
whswhs
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Lawrence, KS
Default Re: Solo game for five year old

Quote:
Originally Posted by Stormcrow View Post
Wait, I think I found it: "Another Fine Mess."
That sounds right. My copy is in one of nearly forty packed boxes of books, but the title is what I would have guessed. And if you do want to use FUDGE mechanics, it's all narrative, basically.
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Old 03-08-2020, 06:24 AM   #6
L.J.Steele
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Default Re: Solo game for five year old

Is he a cat person -- if yes, Magical Kitties Save the Day. Completed its Kickstarter and in progress to publishing. You can likely get the kickstarter release rules in pdf.

Secret Lives of Gingerbread Men -- snack and game. Animated Gingerbread cookies (why limit yourselves to people -- I have cookie cutouts for animals, Godzilla, etc.) have one night (Christmas Eve) to accomplish a goal (defined by the player). Beware the Hungry Dog! The cookies have powers based on the candies used to decorate them -- use a power, eat the candy. Take damage, eat a limb. I had worked up an adventure verse the Gingerdead men (gingerbread men with icing skeletons) and their master, the NECCOmancer.

Adapt Scoobie Doo or Ghostbusters (note that Playmobil has sets for both) to Fate Accelerated -- easy mechanics to remember and use -- to the extent one needs them.

Its not an RPG, but Happy Birthday, Robot! can be a lot of fun once the young'un can read reasonably well. Cooperative story-creating/improv. For that matter, Once Upon A Time is good for semi-cooperative story telling.
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