RetroQuest Inspirations

Stuff I Think Is Awesome

Part of my design goals with RetroQuest was to create a print on demand product that was more visually appealing than anything I’d previously published. I wanted a full color game with a real unified sense of identity. That’s why, except for the chapter header pages, all of the interior art is done by one man (the amazing Rick Hershey). Everything in the book except for one image is stock art, but I went through probably a thousand pieces of stock art and selected pieces that truly evoked the vibe I was going for with the game.

The draft is now 100% complete and stands at 96,000 words. The last thing to be added were my inspirations. I feel like every major product I write needs to include inspirations so that people playing the game can get an understanding of the “vibe” the game is going for. I wanted to talk about those inspirations for a second.

Literature

Not a lot of literature here because RetroQuest is inspired primarily by visual and aural sources. I realize this is strange, given that RPGs are a medium that requires no music and no art to stand as their own creation. Nevertheless, this list remains short.

• The Amber Series, by Robert Zelazny: I remember reading the original Amber novels in my 20s and recalling how strange it was. The political intrigue between the siblings was curtailed by their archetypal and Shakespearean nature without a lot of nuance found in other political intrigue fantasy novels. This is why Amber made the list - because it’s not subtle even when it is personal. It’s larger than life in every way and that revelation is what Corwin struggles with - especially in the first novel.

• The Barsoom Series, by Edgar Rice Burroughs: John Carter and his many adventures across the Red Planet of Barsoom that we call Mars are an absolute perfect blend of pulp, fantasy, and science fiction. Everything is bigger than life. The heroes, the villains, the fate of the world - it’s just white knuckle ridiculousness and it never stops to consider itself because Captain Carter is too busy carving a path of bloody heroism in the name of the people of Helium. I love that John Carter is exactly what it says on the tin and unashamedly dives headlong into its own premise, whether you as the reader care or not.

  

• Beowulf: Any story that starts with the equivalent of someone yelling “Listen up, loser!” and tells the story of a hero who rips apart monsters with his bare hands belongs on this list. Beowulf is pure bravado and that’s why it’s endured for a thousand years.

• The Conan Series, by Robert E. Howard: I mean, c’mon. Do you have to ask why this is an inspiration? Conan is pulp sword and sorcery. From the moment I read my first Conan story, the world before the rise of the Sons of Arias is one that has haunted me and lingered in my mind - even if I personally preferred to return to Middle-earth more often.

• The Crystal Shard, by R.A. Salvatore: Drizzt Do’Urden is beloved by thousands of fans and good for them. But before he was an overdone fantasy icon and cash cow, he was a grinning, swashbuckling, dragon-slaying sidekick with a badass magic panther. That’s the Drizzt I fell in love with and the one who disappeared before the decade was over. The Crystal Shard is one of the best pulp fantasy stories I’ve ever read and I’ll die on that hill.

• The Lankhmar Series, by Fritz Lieber: More than anything, the sheer zest for life that Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser have is absolutely charming. It’s like they know they’re in a pulp story and are having the time of their lives. That’s the kind of gusto I want to see in player characters for RetroQuest.

Comics

• Flash Gordon (1934-2003): Long before Sam Jones defined Flash for a generation, the Alex Raymond comics introduced us to larger than life heroes, buckles waiting to be swashed, lion men, and the amazing Ming the Merciless. The image of Flash Gordon and Ming crossing swords in the comics still burns brightly in my mind and that swashbuckling sci-fi adventure has a huge influence on RetroQuest.

• Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth (1972-1978): This comic was introduced to me by the amazing Jim Wampler of Mudpuppy Games. Not intentionally, but hearing him speak passionately about it. The influence on RetroQuest comes in the ties between Kamandi and his grandfather and the landscapes. My god, the post apocalyptic landscapes of this comic are just beautiful.

• Masters of the Universe (1981-1987): More than any other single source, the mini-comics and early comics of this franchise left their mark on RetroQuest. From the larger than life creatures, the landscape with epic fortresses, the horizon always seeming to be in perpetual neon sunset, and the endless blend of sci-fi and fantasy. There isn’t a single part of my game that isn’t touched by this franchise.

• Savage Sword of Conan (1974-1983): The art of these comics, both the amazing covers and the strong black and white line work featured on the interior is just so bold, so striking. It demands your attention and is riddled with tension of impending action - as if at any moment a legendary deed might occur. It’s the closest to the REH stories in any medium beyond the original pulps.

  

• The Star Wars (2013-2014): True pulp serial sci-fi. Star Wars before it became what we knew it was today. This comic, based on the second draft of the original 1977 film, is just two-fisted, laser-blasting fun. While it’s not fantasy in the traditional sense, the larger than life good vs. evil of it all along side things like jungle dwelling sasquatch savage wookiees flying space ships is just too cool not to fire the imagination. Oh, and a giant fish man Han Solo is cool too.

Television

• Conan the Adventurer (1992): I’ve heard this dismissed as sanitized Conan, and I think that’s a tad unfair. I watched this one as a kid and absolutely loved it. It was an introductory to pulp fantasy before I knew what pulp fantasy was and it has a place in my heart.

• Dungeons & Dragons (1983): Remember when D&D was strange? Yeah. Me too. Wasn’t that cool?

• He-Man & the Masters of the Universe (1983): My first love. Yes it was cheesy. Yes, He-Man never actually used his sword. Yes, the plots were bad. But go back and look at the landscapes and the backgrounds and the character design. Man, that’s some straight up RetroQuest right there.

• He-Man & the Masters of the Universe (2002): The animate infusion into the franchise found here is a welcome modernization. It’s slicker, faster, and bolder than the original incarnation with deeper lore and more characterization. Still, it’s just as over-the-top as the original and I love it.

• Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995): Muscle-bound heroes wandering a mythic landscape and quipping with allies and enemies alike as we watch those gloriously bad 1990s TV special effects. Just good, stupid fun.

• Pirates of Dark Water (1991): Pirates are cool. This show mixed in a pastel and neon palette that’s oh so early 90s and a world on the edge of apocalypse. Sign me right the hell up.

• Record of Lodoss War (1988-1993): Classic fantasy with that anime ridiculousness and a heavy dose of melodrama. Man, this was so good when I first saw it and it still holds up when I went back over a decade later.

• Thundarr the Barbarian (1980): You knew it was going to be on the list, do you even have to ask?

• ThunderCats (1985): Again, a wonderful blend of sci-fi and fantasy with a strong dose of horror with Mumm-Ra. Plus, who didn’t want sight beyond sight? I know I did.

• Xena: Warrior Princess (1995): See Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Films

• Beastmaster (1982): The first fantasy film I ever saw as a kid. I must’ve been… 4? Waaay too young, to be sure. But the idea of a sword-wielding nomad with a giant cat sidekick stuck with me. Plus, remember that cool triple blade throwing thing? Man, that was awesome. And who doesn’t want an evil cult led by Rip Torn in their campaign? I know I do.

• Conan the Barbarian (1982): It’s a classic for a reason. James Earl Jones owns every scene he’s in. This is practically a silent film or an opera and if you get a chance, watch it with an isolated soundtrack. It’s an amazing experience.

• Conan the Destroyer (1984): This is Barbarian’s goofier, younger cousin - but RetroQuest is intentionally a tad goofy. This is a game with monsters like Hoglins and Martians alongside Dragons and Giants. So, this film and its unabashed 80s cheese, has a special place in my heart and might have a bigger influence on the game than it’s older, more brooding predecessor.

• Dragonslayer (1981): Dragonslayer is a film where the world is dirty and the magic is strange. You can almost smell it. The people are dirty, petty, and selfish. It’s an unforgiving place and Galen stands out as weak and naive. Nevertheless, he proves himself against the entire world, its people, and even a dragon.

• Fire and Ice (1983): I didn’t watch this one until recently and again it’s just so… of its time. It’s got a strange enchanted quality about it that’s both rough and beautiful. Again, the landscapes and backgrounds are particularly fantastic.

• John Carter (2012): Disney tanked this buried gem of a film. While it doesn’t exactly mirror the plot of A Princess of Mars, it captures that over-the-top sci-fantasy action of Burroughs’ Barsoom Series perfectly. If watching Carter fight the White Apes or make a suicidal stand to protect the escape of Dejah Thoris doesn’t get you hype, I don’t know what to tell you.

• Krull (1983): The Glaive. It’s all about the Glaive. IYKYK.

• Kung Fury (2015): This might seem like a strange film to have on a list for a fantasy roleplaying game. It’s a modern sci-fi martial arts flick - but it’s absolutely and intentionally ridiculous and it has no shame about that. It’s an embodiment of the machismo of the 1980s.

• Masters of the Universe (1987): Hate it all you want, but I unashamedly love this very, very bad film. Especially the torn apart badlands interpretation of Eternia and that absolutely badass external shot of Castle Grayskull.

  

• Red Sonja (1985): All the same reasons Conan the Destroyer is on this list, but all the ridiculousness turned up another notch.

• The Lord of the Rings (1978): The sillouette prelude. The acid-trip inducing rotoscoped Nazgul, and the warrior-hippie Riders of Rohan - this film is just pure psychedelia and I am 100% here for it. Also, someone please get Aragorn some pants. He’s giving He-Man a run for his money.

• Thor (2011): The glossy, almost plastic fantasy shine of Asgard in this film is pure RetroQuest.

• Thor: Ragnarok (2017): The glossy, almost plastic sci-fi shine of… well… everything in this film is pure RetroQuest.

• Time Bandits (1981): The pure whimsy and David Warner’s turn as the aptly named The Evil Genius is Skeletorian levels of over the top villainy and I absolutely love it.

• Transformers: The Movie (1986): Again, the background plates in this film are amazing and the soundtrack (both the hair metal and Vince DiCola’s snyth symphony) are the soundtrack for RetroQuest.

• Wonder Woman (2017): The Themyscira scenes in this film and the amazingly epic “No Man’s Land/Battle of Veld” scene are pure comic book fantasy and just totally and completely kick ass. Oh, and the theme (“Is She With You?,” by Hans Zimmer) is perfection.

Musical Artists

Music played such a huge part in the making of this game. Every song mention was played during the writing of the game is exactly what I imagine being echoing in the background as the game is being played.

• Angus McSixx: Master of the Universe, Sixcalibur.

• Battleborn: Dragonheart

• Dio: Holy Diver.

• Dragonforce: Through Fire and Flames.

• Fellowship: Until the Fires Die.

• Gloryhammer: Hootsforce.

• Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills, The Trooper.

• Led Zeppelin: Immigrant Song.

• Rhapsody: Emerald Sword

• Sabaton: Winged Hassars.

• Wind Rose: Diggy Diggy Hole (especially the Dance Remix)