I totally blame oneironaut

[kiya]

My dreams have been reasonably intense and vivid of late, full of all kinds of randomness.

A selection of last night's randomness was an RPG in which character generation was done out of TVTropes.

I may have to design some version of this to make my brain stop.

Whitney pokes Tesla [oneironaut].
Tesla says, "Ow."
Whitney says, "I dreamed last night that there existed an RPG chargen system based on TVTropes. I blame you."
Tesla cracks up.
Tesla says, "That's ... actually not the worst idea ever, even. Like, you start by picking two entries from the Character As Device index...."
Whitney says, "I thought you might like it. ;)"
Tesla looks at that again. "Not the worst idea ever indeed. I really need to learn to reign in that unleavened praise, I'll give you a big head."
Whitney says, "My subconscious thanks you for your kindness."
Whitney says, "It is pleased to know that its ravings are better than, say, FATAL. ;)"
Tesla says, "Yes, well done! ;)"

Comments

[ibnfirnas.livejournal.com]

God, the Five Man Band is like a party *template*.

...now I want to map TVTropes onto Overland, because it was so self-contained. Lordy, who's who?
I mean, Wren's The Chick, of course, and her young man's The Strong Guy...James was on his way to an Awesome Moment of Crowning, but is...I dunno, the Lancer?

[kiya]

James is the Smart Guy.

I don't think we had a The Hero, per se.

Dee might make a Lancer, just because he riffed on *everyone*. Mel is probably Sixth Ranger (typoed 'Sith Ranger') / Strong Guy.

[oneironaut.livejournal.com]

The idea of a Lancer with no Hero amuses the hell out of me. Now that I think about it, Overland would never have worked as a show because there was no boring straight white guy running things. Our ratings would have sucked.

They were probably all the Deadpan Snarker.

James is also an Insufferable Genius, with a side of Jerkass Stu.

[ibnfirnas.livejournal.com]

Except Mel. Mel had no deadpan, no poker face, and no discretion. She couldn't hide an emotional reaction with a camouflage tarp and a secret basement handy. It's sort of like her passive-aggressiveness. It came without the "passive."

...I dunno, Christian was Straight White Guy enough, but him as The Hero is...kinda silly. We were too much of an ensemble cast to really be marketable, it's true.
I think maybe Severian's a little Sixth Ranger, too...hm.

[ibnfirnas.livejournal.com]

Oh! Oh!
Leaving aside the all-chicks part of the trope, which we shouldn't because it's funny, Dee, James, and Mel as a trio fit the Beauty, Brains, and Brawn trope pretty well.
Which is splendid.
Also I'm noticing that when trying to Tropeify the group, tropes for villains work way better than tropes for heroes. Unseelie for the win.

[oneironaut.livejournal.com]

These things are both incredibly true. And I'm sure James and Dee have both been women at some point. James, definitely.

[kiya]

Dee just, in my head, put on something filmy and gauzy and lounged amiably on a rock by a stream.

... he then went on to explain that in that life he had a thriving business making ceramic sex toys. And adds, "What? They wouldn't let women hit things with hammers!"

[ibnfirnas.livejournal.com]

See? Perfect.

Also...oh, Dee.

[ibnfirnas.livejournal.com]

This also clarifies certain dynamics whereby Dee being the boy Mel was dating was maybe the only reason she didn't lose it for having no girls to hit on. (Because hitting on Wren would have been wrong.)

[oneironaut.livejournal.com]

Dee just, in my head, put on something filmy and gauzy and lounged amiably on a rock by a stream.

What does that have to do with him having been a woman?

*ducks*

[kiya]

Mel is also a Cute Bruiser.

[ibnfirnas.livejournal.com]

And a Cute Monster Girl, I'm forced to admit.