InSpectres
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''InSpectres'' is a humorous
paranormal investigation Ghost hunting is the process of investigating locations that are reported to be haunted by ghosts. Typically, a ghost-hunting team will attempt to collect evidence supporting the existence of paranormal activity. Ghost hunters use a variety of e ...
-themed
role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within ...
created by
Jared Sorensen Jared A. Sorensen is an indie role-playing game designer whose works include ''InSpectres'', '' octaNe'', and ''Lacuna Part I.'' Career Jared Sorensen was a member of the website The Forge, and later became an indie publisher. Sorensen designed ...
and independently published by
Memento Mori Theatricks Memento Mori Theatricks is an American game company that produces role-playing games and game supplements. History Jared Sorensen first expanded his ideas for a LARP into his first public rule set, the ''Memento Mori Theatricks'' (1996) LARP for ...
.The game's story line follows the player's work in a supernatural investigation and elimination company.


History

''InSpectres'' is a humorous role-playing game by
Jared Sorensen Jared A. Sorensen is an indie role-playing game designer whose works include ''InSpectres'', '' octaNe'', and ''Lacuna Part I.'' Career Jared Sorensen was a member of the website The Forge, and later became an indie publisher. Sorensen designed ...
about ghost-busting. Jay Little listed ''InSpectres'' as one of several narrative driven games that influenced his work as designer of the third edition of ''
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay ''Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay'' or ''Warhammer Fantasy Role-Play'' (abbreviated to ''WFRP'' or ''WHFRP'') is a role-playing game set in the ''Warhammer Fantasy'' setting, published by Games Workshop or its licensees. The first edition of ''WFR ...
'' (2009).


System

''InSpectres'' is written as a solution to the problems in classic
whodunit A ''whodunit'' or ''whodunnit'' (a colloquial elision of "Who asdone it?") is a complex plot-driven variety of detective fiction in which the puzzle regarding who committed the crime is the main focus. The reader or viewer is provided with the cl ...
role-playing games. In any kind of investigative adventure, the players follows a series of clues provided by the game master, which eventually enables the players to find out what happened and "who done it". Managing the injection of clues into such a game can be quite difficult; if the clues come too fast or are too easy, the players will get bored or simply sit back and enjoy the game master unrolling the plot for them. If the clues are too hard to find, the players will become frustrated and spend their energy following dead ends. ''InSpectres'' deals with this problem by allowing the players to invent their own clues. The game mechanics regulate the flow of clues to give the players time to develop their ideas and come up with an interesting story. ''InSpectres'' uses an
adversarial system The adversarial system or adversary system is a legal system used in the common law countries where two advocates represent their parties' case or position before an impartial person or group of people, usually a judge or jury, who attempt to det ...
, in which the player describes what happens if the dice roll is successful and the
game master A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, or storyteller) is a person who acts as an organizer, officiant for regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer role-playing game. They are ...
decides if the dice roll is bad. However, like most role playing games, the game has a method of conflict resolution using dice. If the player succeeds, they earn a "franchise die," and when enough are collected, the current case is solved. Players can, at any time, use "confessionals," in the style of
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
, to add traits to other players' characters or steer events their way.{{cite web, url=http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/10/10735.phtml, title=Review of InSpectres, date=2004-10-11, last=Davenport, first=Dan, publisher=
RPGnet RPGnet is a role-playing game website. It includes sections on wargaming, wargames, tabletop games and video games, as well as columns on gaming topics. RPGnet was founded in 1996 by Emma and Sandy Antunes, Shawn Althouse ( etrigan) and Brian Dav ...


Setting

The
player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...
s have just started a
franchise Franchise may refer to: Business and law * Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees * Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
in the supernatural investigation and elimination company, InSpectres. They investigate paranormal phenomena, hunt ghosts and kill vampires, depending on their company's niche.


Supplements

Three pdf supplements (termed 'micro-supplements') have been released which present alternative settings for the InSpectres game. All three micro supplements are available for free download.


InSpeckers

With this supplement, you'll be able to run In-Speckers: a series of adventures where grade-schoolers across the country fight the forces of darkness in their homes, schools and neighborhoods.


UnSpeakable

An InSpectres micro-supplement of horror, madness, and mystery. This micro-supplement is written to accommodate weird tales of horror, madness and woe in the vein of H.P. Lovecraft. The basic play structure is that of InSpectres except flavored with a 1920s setting. Rather than agents working out of a company, the characters are people who have been called together to investigate the unknown.


InSpace

This supplement lets you explore the mysteries of space and play games in the style of 2001: A Space Odyssey,
Solaris Solaris may refer to: Arts and entertainment Literature, television and film * ''Solaris'' (novel), a 1961 science fiction novel by Stanisław Lem ** ''Solaris'' (1968 film), directed by Boris Nirenburg ** ''Solaris'' (1972 film), directed by ...
,
Contact Contact may refer to: Interaction Physical interaction * Contact (geology), a common geological feature * Contact lens or contact, a lens placed on the eye * Contact sport, a sport in which players make contact with other players or objects * ...
,
Ringworld ''Ringworld'' is a 1970 science fiction novel by Larry Niven, set in his Known Space universe and considered a classic of science fiction literature. ''Ringworld'' tells the story of Louis Wu and his companions on a mission to the Ringworld, a ...
, or
Forbidden Planet ''Forbidden Planet'' is a 1956 American science fiction film from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, produced by Nicholas Nayfack, and directed by Fred M. Wilcox (director), Fred M. Wilcox from a script by Cyril Hume that was based on an original film story ...
.


Other media

''InSpectres'' inspired a feature-length film from Reactor 88 Studios. The official release date was September 6, 2013, with the film premiering at an initial theatrical release by