[RPG]: Panty Explosion, reviewed by Turbo (4/5)

http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/12/12472.phtml

Michael R Underwood's Summary:

Panty Explosion sets itself up to do one thing--Japanese schoolgirls vs. life and monsters--and does it well. The book is focused like a laser, filled with suggestions on how to tell stories of japanese school life, down to the little hatreds and innocent crushes. The thematics are supported from the setting description to the rules and back again.

Go to the full review for more information.

[Dan Davenport]

Nice job, Michael!

The game sounds like it could be amusing. I do have to wonder about a game about psychic schoolgirls that only offers two psychic powers, though.

[Destriarch]

I agree with Dan above in that it seems a little odd that a game that focuses on psychic Japanese schoolgirls has only two psychic powers. It doesn't seem like it should cover all of the facets of psychic ability, unless there's something you're not mentioning. Also, I can't help but wonder how abilities like 'Make Head Explode' and 'Levitate' can be considered broad in scope, unless they cover far more than their titles would seem to suggest. Try as I might, I can't think of a situation where 'make head explode' could be turned to any cause other than killing someone or at least giving them a really bad headache, and Levitate... well, I suppose you could stretch it to telekinesis as well as levitating yourself to achieve flight, but what else is there that could charitably be termed levitation?

Maybe I'm getting the wrong end of the stick here, maybe there are other psychic abilities but they use a different mechanism to the two specifically mentioned and so are classed as something else. Would someone care to clarify?

Ash

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by Dan Davenport

Nice job, Michael!

The game sounds like it could be amusing. I do have to wonder about a game about psychic schoolgirls that only offers two psychic powers, though.

Sorta like I gotta wonder about pitching a game to my group called "Panty Explosion"

I have an idea that they'd have some preconcieved notions...

[Jake Richmond]

When we developed Panty Explosion Matt and I decided that the psychic powers should be limited, as they are inmost examples of the genere. While psychic schoolgirl anime tends to offer a wider range of powers, the live action films we've mostly based this game on usually see the psychic girl limited in what she can do. Se can often levitate, and she can often lash out in anger, causing peoples heads to explode. Of course in Panty Explosion there’s more to Psychic powers then that. If you are a psychic you can use your powers to "enhance" your normal actions, which gives you a better chance at succeeding at your action. When you do this you are using your raw psychic power (as opposed to one of the two psychic abilities listed above), and the player who describes your action (either your best friend or rival, depending on whether you succeeded or failed) gets to describe how you use that power to accomplish your goal. If you use your power to try to stop another girl from running out the door, the description might include how the door slams in the girls face, or how she stops in her tracks overcome with fear, or how you simply appear behind her with your icy cold hand on her shoulder. We left the nature of the way the psychic phenomena is displayed up to the players.


Try it out. I think you'll like it.


Jake Richmond
atarashigames.com

[Destriarch]

Originally Posted by Jake Richmond

If you use your power to try to stop another girl from running out the door, the description might include how the door slams in the girls face, or how she stops in her tracks overcome with fear, or how you simply appear behind her with your icy cold hand on her shoulder. We left the nature of the way the psychic phenomena is displayed up to the players.

I thought there must be another mechanic involved somewhere. Mind you, it does raise the question 'why not use the same mechanic for levitation and head exploding'?

Ash

[Jake Richmond]

We decided that Levitation and Exploding Heads were very important to the genre, and that these should be powers (the only powers) that a psychic girl an envoke and control. We wanted these to be more specific and seperate from simply using raw psychic power. these are the bits that are important to us, so they get a little bit of flavorful attention. Theres actually nothing about either of these powers that couldn't be duplicated by using a psychic action. We just use these two powers as examples tat help define the game.


Jake Richmond
atarashigames.com

[chaosvoyager]

Good review, impressive game.

What sold me on PE was the rival/friend mechanic. It separates the WHAT from the HOW in a really cool way, and I've been looking for games that do this. I can even see this game being played without a superintendent, depending on the players.

The title though...

After looking at the art and the various posts and reviews of this game, it feels more like a Mai Psychic Girl kinda thing than a high kinetic panty comedy thing which is what I think of when I read the title.

[Helico]

I'd have to skip the game based on the name alone. I could just see explaining it to my wife.
Wife: "Panty Explosion? What is that about?
Me: "It's about young Japanese school girls with--" *SLAP*

Nope. I don't think I'll ever get this one.

[Jake Richmond]

I can even see this game being played without a superintendent, depending on the players.

If at least one of you is pretty familiar with the game its really easy to play without the Superintendent. Most of the Superintendents duties can be worked out among the players as the game progresses.

it feels more like a Mai Psychic Girl kinda thing than a high kinetic panty comedy thing which is what I think of when I read the title.

You can play the game so many different ways. we had intende it as a creepy and unsettling horror game, but we're currently playing it very much like Azumanga Daioh.

I'd have to skip the game based on the name alone. I could just see explaining it to my wife.
Wife: "Panty Explosion? What is that about?
Me: "It's about young Japanese school girls with--" *SLAP*

Nope. I don't think I'll ever get this one.

Thats to bad. Most women seem to get what the game i about immideatlyan really enjoy it. At Gencon we had a number of women run right over to the both and pick the game up and ask us about it or show it to their friends. Women dig the game and don't seem to mid the name. It seems more like its the guys who get hung up on it.

But you know your wife better then I do (I imagine).



Jake Richmond
atarashigames.com