THE SCANNERS MOVIES, WHAT ARE THEY?
“ 10 seconds, excruciating ache.
15 seconds, arrested respiration.
20 seconds, mind hearth. ”
– From the Scanners film novelization by Leon Whiteson primarily based on the unique screenplay by David Cronenberg
The 5 Scanners-related movies are divided into two sequence: Scanners and the spin-off sequence Scanner Cop. Every story is rooted in a fictional drug, ephemerol. Administered to expectant moms, the negative effects of the drug leads to the beginning of scanners, psychics that may override the nervous techniques of people and sure sorts of electronics. Scanners are usually not inherently good or evil, however their extraordinary perceptions and connections make their interactions with the world totally different, usually painfully because of the sensory overload of the psychological “voices” inundating them. Nonetheless, when handled with a particular drug, or fierce adherence to strict psychological self-discipline, they will perform in our world. When a scanner is in charge of their powers, their talents current powers few can resist starting from thoughts management to creating heads explode.
The films ranged from the unique physique horror cult traditional to low-budget IP exploitation. Every focuses on the horror of the powers by way of their bloody particular results.
DVDs and blu-rays of the movies can be found through The Criterion Assortment (Scanners), Shout Manufacturing unit (Scanners II and III), and Vinegar Syndrome (Scanner Cop I and II). Scanners and Scanners II had novelizations primarily based on their screenplays. The books are usually not at present in print. Nonetheless, on Youtube, you may stream an unofficial fan studying of the primary novelization written by Leon Whiteson primarily based on David Cronenberg’s screenplay. An abridged model of the audiobook for Scanners II: The New Order written by Janus Kimball and narrated by Roddy McDowall of Planet of the Apes fame is out there on Audible.
Regardless of the movies and novels, there aren’t any official TTRPGs primarily based on the sequence. Although, there’s a sturdy homage that I’ll get to after we talk about homebrew hopes.
THE HOMEBREW DISCUSSION
On this article sequence, I’ve checked out The Beastmaster and Deathstalker. These films exemplified Eighties sword-and-sorcery tropes, that means their tales could possibly be recreated utilizing quite a few tabletop roleplaying video games, particularly that period’s editions of Dungeons & Dragons. The Scanners sequence is science fiction coping with psychic powers, medication, males in costume fits inflicting heads to blow up, and the then trendy Eighties and Nineties. I’m about to commit heresy and recommend that Gary’s recreation isn’t ultimate for a specific property, however Scanners isn’t going to make for the most effective D&D homebrew. Admittedly, D&D has offered psionic choices since 1976’s Dungeons & Dragons Complement III: Eldritch Wizardry making it potential to create Dungeons & Scanners. However contemplating the fiction of the Scanners story, would the D&D ruleset make for a great recreation of this property? Whereas mileage could fluctuate, I feel it’d be suboptimal, however be happy to disagree and state your case within the feedback.
Trying on the broad vary of TTRPGs from the Nineteen Seventies, Eighties, and early Nineties, few supply the best concentrate on telepathic management, isolation, drug abuse, and the varied ways in which energy corrupts. The concept behind this world is internalized challenges, extra private struggles. Any recreation model of this setting must account for the powers of this world as a lot because the tone and setting itself, which is a world… of darkness.
SCANNING FOR AN EXISTING RPG SYSTEM
Scanners’ fiction facilities on powers, medication, and emotions. Relying on the participant, a hypothetical recreation primarily based on the Scanners movies is likely to be a spy-esque story of combat-centric motion or a narrative of attempting to make your means when you may’t shut out the ideas of others, each good and sick. Whereas psionic powers have been a part of TTRPGs from nearly the start, they weren’t all the time the main target. Tales contain psychological violation and brainwashing as scanners transfer the NPCs across the board like a recreation of chess during which they management everybody they meet, setting them in the direction of any job together with fight. Different avid gamers would possibly look in the direction of the interpersonal conflicts that these tales current and gravitate in the direction of character feelings and the wild states of thoughts as a lot as psychic powers. What recreation engine is correct for this world? That can rely upon who you need on the gaming desk. Since these films dropped within the Eighties and Nineties, it’s affordable to count on the films’ followers to be avid gamers accustomed to that period of gaming, however do video games from that point do justice to Cronenberg’s imaginative and prescient?
Nonetheless, many techniques offered guidelines and, in some circumstances, complete settings for this one set of powers. GURPS, Hero System, Traveller, and TORG have psionic choices whereas The twenty third Letter, 2nd Version, PSI World, Psi*Run by Meguey and Vincent Baker, and World of Darkness/Chronicles of Darkness show a point of affect from Scanners and, to a sure extent, Stephen King’s Firestarter and Carrie. In different phrases, all of these techniques have a contact of psychic powers amongst their influences.
SCAN YOU LATER
Of these many choices, there are two Scanners-influenced video games that I’ll highlight within the subsequent article. Tune in then to study a few of the potential psionic choices and an inventory of Canadian publishers.
Egg Embry participates within the OneBookShelf Affiliate Program, Noble Knight Video games’ Affiliate Program, Kobold Press Affiliate Program, and is an Amazon Affiliate. These applications present promoting charges by linking to DriveThruRPG, Noble Knight Video games, Kobold Press, and Amazon.
