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By hobvias sudoneighm (https://www.flickr.com/photos/striatic/1629269/) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

This is post number 13 in the series “31 Days of Ghostbusters,” a celebration of the franchise’s return to the big screen.

I’m following a fine tradition here. The Ghostbusters Operations Manual contained 21 adventure ideas. Ghostbusters International added 19 more. Well, I’m not being paid for this, so I’m only giving you five. Today, anyway.

1. “The Deck of Magic Cards.” A deck of cards from the game Magic: The Gathering (or another card game of your choosing) has been accidentally enchanted, and several cards come to life during a game at a hobby store. The Ghostbusters must subdue the cards, confiscate the deck to keep other cards from coming to life, and locate the source of the enchantment—which as the characters arrive is already working its mojo on something even more heinous and dangerous. Perhaps the cards are enchanted by an Egyptian playing card box (in the form of a little bitty sarcophagus), and the owner of the box awakens, too. The owner wants to play with his cards, which are an ancient Egyptian version of the same game from the beginning of this story—and they cast even more deadly spells. (Do the Ghostbusters have any of those enchanted Magic cards left? If so, they can use them to fight the Big Guy.)
2. “The Acupuncturist.” An Exorcist rip-off parody. Begins with an American-born Chinese man visiting the Ghostbusters offices to tell the team about his possessed mother. The client produces a jar full of green puke as evidence. After the Ghostbusters visit and verify that there is indeed a possession going on (and serve as the targets of the foulest language imaginable), they realize that standard ghostbusting won’t work in this case—they need an exorcism. But not just any exorcism will do; because of the host’s belief system, a Catholic exorcist won’t work—they need an acupuncturist. The Ghostbusters can call one in or try it themselves (if they have an appropriate Talent, or even an almost appropriate Talent, or even the flimsiest excuse for a related Talent, such as Poker).
3. “In Containment.” The tables are turned as the Ghostbusters find themselves trapped inside their own containment grid. Whether they’re victims of an experimental upgrade that made their grid overzealous, or something has happened to the team to turn them incorporeal and trap them, the Ghostbusters now have the “opportunity” to explore their ecto-prison from the inside. And while they’re working on escaping the grid, they also have to contend with all the spooks they’ve incarcerated here–and some of them aren’t too happy to see our heroes.
4. “Lil’ Ghostbusters.” A paranormal effect turns the Ghostbusters into kids while they’re on a mission. And maybe not all at the same time, so adult Ghostbusters have to keep the little ones out of trouble. (Brownie Point awards to kid ‘busters who “act out” appropriately.) The effect could be caused by a ghost, or it might be localized property generated by a special building or landmark.
5. “Gotta Bust ‘em All.” A new augmented-reality smartphone game lets people pretend to capture cartoon creatures they “see” in the real world. Problem is, something is making the game TOO real—in one part of town the monsters people capture are manifesting physically and causing all kinds of havoc. What kind of nearby force or entity is causing ectoplasmic energy to coalesce into cheerful, colorful gremlins?

This is post number 12 in the series “31 Days of Ghostbusters,” a celebration of the franchise’s return to the big screen.

The (natural) assumption in the Ghostbusters RPG is that your Ghostbusters will be running around modern-day (or close enough) Earth zapping ghosts for money. But that’s not all you can do with Ghostbusters! Join me in my time-and-space-machine and we’ll take a look at a few alternate options to use when building a new Ghostbusters campaign.

Alternate Time Periods

Many other games assume that the action will be set in the modern day, and that’s not a bad way to run Ghostbusters. This is arguably the way that the Ghostbusters RPG is intended to be used—at the time it was written, everything in the game was either modern or even a little bit futuristic. That’s great and all, but let’s see what kind of fun we can have busting spooks in other times!

Classic Era (1980s)

The Ghostbusters films were made in the 80s, and both editions of the game were made in the 80s, so it’s not a stretch to figure someone is going to want to have their game set in the same decade. You get to describe the fashions! Play the background music! Act out the celebrity guest stars! And you don’t have to worry about ubiquitous technological nuisances like smartphones and email short-circuiting your ghost story.

Other Past Eras

One way to set a game in the past—before the founding of the Ghostbusters in the 1980s, I mean—is to start the team in the present and then strand the in the past after some kind of temporal accident. Another way would be to have your players take on the roles of a team of Ghostbusters that history forgot—pioneers who were busting ghosts using charmingly low-tech solutions, such as steam-powered proton packs or tesla coil ghost traps. Either route could give your Ghostbusters the opportunity to bust ghosts in the Wild West, ancient Rome, or the caveman era. (Probably best not to stay too long in that last one, since there will probably only be a handful of ghosts!) Note that setting a game in the 1920s will let you use your Call of Cthulhu background material (and maybe throw some Lovecraftian horrors at the team).

The Future

Getting your Ghostbusters into the future can happen the same as it would for the past: send them there, or start them there. (It looks like the upcoming animated series Ghostbusters: Ecto Force will do the latter.) What differs is the flavor of their adventures as they operate in a world of cold fusion power, flying cars, and cyberspace. What is it like to be a Ghostbuster in an age when the line between a ghost and a human intelligence stored in the cloud becomes blurred. Something else to consider about busting ghosts in the future is that the spooks the players encounter could be people who are still alive today!

Paranormal Ghostbusters

Who says Ghostbusters have to be humans…or mortals? You might base a campaign on the premise that one or more of the player characters are non-human entities. Maybe psychics turn out to be excellent Ghostbusters. Or maybe Ghostbusters, Inc. rolls out a work release program with the goal of transitioning some of the more well-behaved spectres into productive afterlives by employing them as probationary Ghostbusters. In a campaign set in the future, players might be alien Ghostbusters, or robotic ones. (InSpectres, an excellent spiritual successor to Ghostbusters, contains a whole chapter on this topic. More about InSpectres is coming soon.)

Exotic Settings

Not only can we leave New York City for our ghost-busting adventures, we can leave the United States entirely. The Ghostbusters are fully capable of causing property damage on a global scale—and beyond!

Other Countries

If the Ghostmaster in question already lives somewhere other than the U.S., then this option is a no-brainer, and will be “domestic” rather than “exotic.” But either way, setting a Ghostbusters game in another country can bring new, unique elements into play. Irish Ghostbusters will probably get sick of dealing with banshees, while Middle Eastern Ghostbusters battle genies. All while dealing with their country’s internal politics, of course.

Other Worlds

Probably best tied with a far-future setting, basing the Ghostbusters on another planet would provide numerous ways to change up a game. If it’s an alien planet, consider whether the ghosts of these aliens even behave remotely similar to human ghosts—they may not even behave similar to the aliens that are still alive. What happens when an alien ghost possesses a human? Can ghosts travel between planets? Do aliens make good Ghostbusters? Is there a star empire made up entirely of alien spirits?

Other Realities

If you want to be REALLY far out, establish a franchise in another dimension, such as an alternate Earth. Perhaps on this Earth, the Ghostbusters are all superheroes and don’t need special equipment to fight ghosts. Or ghosts and mortals live side by side and the job of the Ghostbusters (or “Ghost Department”) is to act as police officers and keep the peace. Or everything is the same as on our Earth except that the PCs have goatees. (Yep, even the women.)

Got a campaign idea to share with me? On at least one Earth, I’m all ears!

This is post number 11 in the series “31 Days of Ghostbusters,” a celebration of the franchise’s return to the big screen.

I feel like I’m not being completely fair in rating both this album and the original Ghostbusters soundtrack, because while I’ve listened to the original movie’s music lots and lots of times since I was a teenager, I only got around to trying out Ghostbusters II a few years ago. Some of the tracks from Ghostbusters get a pass from me for the sole reason that I’ve been listening to them since childhood. That won’t be true of any tracks below.

Listen. I didn’t love this movie. And I didn’t love this soundtrack. But I’m gonna power through and see if there’s anything worth mining out of it for a Ghostbusters game. Let’s get this over with.

The Ghostbusters II soundtrack was released in 1989. Where the Ghostbusters soundtrack at least had two tracks pulled from the film score, this one did not; it contained only pop and rap songs, most (but not all) of which were used in the movie. The album tracks are:

1. On Our Own by Bobby Brown. Average. It IS a Ghostbusters-specific song, as much as, say, “Cleanin’ Up the Town” from Ghostbusters, in that it mentions the Ghostbusters. It just doesn’t scream “ghost-busting” to me like that song does.
2. Supernatural by New Edition. Skippable. Has nothing to do with the movie. File with Air Supply in Ghostbusters.
3. The Promised Land by J. T. Taylor. Same as above.
4. We’re Back by Bobby Brown. Like “On Our Own,” this track does feel specifically related to the Ghostbusters, so that’s a plus. The only way I could see it applying to an in-game scene is if your player characters are returning to ghostbusting after a long absence.
5. Spirit by Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew. If you or your players are fans of ’80s rap, then this track might work. Like the Bobby Brown tracks, this is a Ghostbusters-specific song, and could accompany an action scene or a montage.
6. Ghostbusters by Run D.M.C. As Ghostbusters theme songs go, this one is the second. Still, it is sort of a tribute to the original song, and if you’re in a rap mood, it gets the job done. Use it to start a session when your players are tired of the original, or nostalgic for Ghostbusters II.
7. Flesh ‘N Blood by Oingo Boingo. As a song, this one works for me more than any of the others on this album. As music for a Ghostbusters game, not so much. Still, if your game has a need for a new wave sound, you might pair this one with another appropriate Oingo Boingo song, “Dead Man’s Party.”
8. Love is a Cannibal by Elton John. I’m an Elton John fan. I own Elton John albums. This is an okay Elton John song, but not for Ghostbusters. Skip it.
9. Flip City by Glenn Frey. Next. Oh, that’s the last track? Good.

This is post number 10 in the series “31 Days of Ghostbusters,” a celebration of the franchise’s return to the big screen.

The New York City setting was a big part of the look and feel of Ghostbusters. In additon to the visual component on screen, New York also influenced the presentation of elements like character attitudes, location details, dramatic situations, and ghost types.

Setting your game in a different city will similarly change the feel of your campaign. Let’s take a look at a few places that might inspire local-flavored spectral activity. I’ll start with my own town as an example, since (conveniently enough) that’s where I set my most recent game.

Memphis

I’ll be honest: I didn’t choose to set a campaign in Memphis because of any special features; I chose Memphis because that’s where my players and I live. But that’s a fine place to start! Researching your own town to figure out what kind of “haunted history” it might have—as well as where the Ghostbusters themselves will set up shop—can give you a new appreciation for where you live. As it turns out, Memphis has:

• Cool HQ Options: the Pyramid, Mud Island, Beale Street
• Haunted Hot Spots: the Orpheum Theatre, Graceland, Sun Studio, Peabody Hotel
• Special Ghost Types: yellow fever victims, Civil War soldiers, Peabody ducks
• Unique Phenomena: Memphis suffered multiple yellow fever epidemics in the 19th Century, resulting in thousands of deaths. Yellow fever ghosts might haunt mass burial sites, old buildings that served as makeshift hospitals, or even a spectral steamboat that was not allowed to dock due to its infectious passengers. (Also, surely Elvis is still around.)

Las Vegas

One of the perks of being a Vegas Ghostbuster is having plenty of things to do during one’s down time. Unfortunately, it’s harder to do the job when flashing lights and casino sounds interfere with your PKE readings, and hauling a proton pack around in desert temperatures can challenge even the Ghostbuster with the highest Cool rating. (In fact, your Ghostbusters will probably want to wear uniforms more suited to the warmer climate.)

• Cool HQ Options: on the Las Vegas Strip, or near Hoover Dam for extra power
• Haunted Hot Spots: Golden Gate Casino, Moulin Rouge Hotel, Nevada Test Site, Old Mormon Fort
• Special Ghost Types: casino ghosts, radiation monsters, desert spirits
• Unique Phenomena: You’ll see two common types of casino ghosts in Vegas: those who lost it all and committed suicide, and those who won big but died before they could enjoy it (whether from accident, heart attack, or criminal action). (Also, surely Elvis is still around.)

New Orleans

In a city that’s home to Mardi Gras, jazz music, ancient crypts, and voodoo, a team of Ghostbusters running around won’t seem that unusual. As the supply of fancy cemeteries hints, the likelihood of finding enough work to keep a Ghostbusting franchise in business is high. If your Ghostbusters really get into the spirit of New Orleans, perhaps they’d like to use a streetcar as their Ectomobile! Sure, it’s not at all practical, being on a track and all, but that’s a problem for R&D to solve!

• Cool HQ Options: Bourbon Street, an 18th Century crypt, a jazz club, anywhere near a streetcar line
• Haunted Hot Spots: Saint Louis Cathedral, Saint Louis Cemetery
• Special Ghost Types: War of 1812 soldiers (American and British), Civil War era slaves, Hurricane Katrina victims
• Unique Phenomena: Being the site of multiple wars, natural disasters, diseases, and even voodoo practices, New Orleans is an ectoplasmic melting pot. The city’s famous crypts have proven strangely difficult to keep ghost-free.

London

A city as old as London is bound to have a lot of ghosts in the pantry (is that the phrase?). Just keeping all the museums in London spectre-free would probably be a full-time job! And in addition to simply having a large number of ghosts, London would also have more than its share of FAMOUS ghosts. What will the London Ghostbusters do if they encounter the ghost of a famous figure such as William Shakespeare or Anne Boleyn (carrying her own head)? Will they zap and trap the old soul just like any other job? Will they talk to the spirit and try to get it to move on peacefully? Or will they find a way to put the contained spook on display and charge admission to the public?

• Cool HQ Options: Big Ben, London Dungeon, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, or in the London Underground
• Haunted Hot Spots: the Tower of London, the Natural History Museum, Madame Tussauds, Globe Theatre, Royal Albert Hall
• Special Ghost Types: historical figures, especially royalty; Black Death victims; Great Plague victims; Great Fire victims
• Unique Phenomena: London’s spiritual history goes all the way back to its founding by Romans in 43 AD. In addition to encountering English ghosts, you might also be slimed by Romans, Anglo-Saxons, and Vikings.

Washington, D.C.

Ghostbusters operating in the United States capital should be extra careful to mind their targets; the Secret Service doesn’t have a sense of humor about stray shots hitting the White House. But there’s good news, too: just like a Washington prostitute, many of the Ghostbusters’ clients will be rich and powerful!

• Cool HQ Options: Library of Congress, Old Patent Office Building, Watergate complex, Washington Monument, the White House (picture the Ghostbusters working in the halls of power, West Wing style!)
• Haunted Hot Spots: Ford’s Theatre, Smithsonian Institution, any of the war memorials
• Special Ghost Types: Politicians, veterans
• Unique Phenomena: It’s possible that memorial sites such as the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the numerous veterans’ memorials somehow collect spiritual energy which draws certain ghosts to them, perhaps from far away. For example, maybe it’s the the ghosts of veterans, and any soldiers who fought (and died) in any country and in any time period might find themselves wandering the National Mall looking for an enemy to fight.

Have you set a Ghostbusters game somewhere other than New York? Was it your town? I want to hear about it!

This is post number 9 in the series “31 Days of Ghostbusters,” a celebration of the franchise’s return to the big screen.

As the original film showed us, the Ghostbusters aren’t limited to supernatural enemies. In that movie, the Environmental Protection Agency, in the form of Walter Peck, served as a great foil for the team. It’s good to occasionally give the Ghostbusters an enemy other than ectoplasmic entities to fight. For one thing, spending time on conflicts other than ghosts can highlight how strange and scary the spooks are when it’s busting time again. For another, having an adversary with a human face and personality can be a refreshing change from scene after scene of shooting proton beams at slimers.

However, we don’t want to reuse old material too much, so we might want to retire the EPA as the bureaucratic bad guy. Luckily, the mortal world has no shortage of sources for authoritative asshattery. Sources such as:

Local Police

“Those ghost-chasers have it so easy. No regulations to follow, no Miranda rights to read, a fraction of the arrests that we make, yet people LOVE them! They even have a cooler car!”

Police officers might resent a number of things about the Ghostbusters: their cavalier attitude toward authority, the attention they get from the public, the damage they do to the city, even the traffic laws they break on the way to a job. So maybe the PCs finish a bust and find a parking boot on the Ectomobile. Or they find themselves arrested for trapping a ghost that was related to an officer—or a judge. Getting on the bad side of the local police could cause constant trouble for the team, unless they take steps to make peace. (I won’t list any solutions here in case your players are reading, but I’ll give you a hint about one: it rhymes with “shmo-nuts.”)

Ecto Rights Activists

“Incorporeal Americans are a living, breathing (well, not so much living and breathing) part of our national heritage, a part of our past! We must learn to coexist with them, not blast them with nuclear guns and stick them in some kind of ghost jail!”

Could zapping a spook into a trap be considered a hate crime? The members of a new group, the Ecto Rights Activists, sure think so. (They don’t like the use of the epithet “spook,” either.) ERA members are not above forming a human barrier to keep the Ghostbusters away from the scene of a haunting. Our heroes will need to deal with this problem with care to avoid looking like jerks to the public, even though most citizens don’t agree with the ERA.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

“We acknowledge that these non-cohesive organisms exist; what we have yet to confirm is whether they can carry infectious agents from their habitat to ours.”

Some CDC personnel are concerned that the increase in ghost sightings is caused by a disease, perhaps spread by ectoplasm. Armed with that theory, they can be overzealous in inviting themselves to various Ghostbusters headquarters to take samples from the premises (and the Ghostbusters) to look for evidence of otherworldly infection. Smart Ghostbusters don’t let them in, but it’s more difficult to stop them from showing up at a job site, where they excel at both getting in the way and overreacting. (If you imagine a CDC lab worker in a hazmat suit chasing a slime-coated Ghostbuster so she can take him back to the lab for analysis, you’re not far off.)

Department of Homeland Security

“It was bad enough when these dead illegals were just taking up space in our graveyards…now they’re occupying our nation’s finest high-tech containment grids! Let’s send these spooks back where they came from!”

Many Americans, the DHS says, don’t like the idea of the Ghostbusters storing captured non-native ghosts on American territory. (Most of these Americans work for the DHS.) One especially gung ho DHC director is attempting to acquire funding to recreate the Ghostbusters’ equipment, with the goal of creating a new Office of Ecto-Immigration. (This director is not above engaging in industrial espionage to achieve that goal.) If this office does form, it will focus on identifying and trapping the ghosts of illegal immigrants, then storing them in special deportation traps.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF)

“You say your training is in parapsychology, correct? Would you mind telling me exactly how that qualifies you to operate a weaponized positron collider?”

Some groups—such as police organizations, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Democratic Party—are demanding legislation that would require the Ghostbusters to register their weapons and license their operators. ATF is now actively looking into these options by interviewing witnesses, studying records of Ghostbuster operations, and analyzing scenes of protonic collateral damage. Because of this, individual Ghostbusters may find themselves called to Washington to give testimony about their activities. Ghostbusters R&D is against the idea of regulation, fearing that it would slow their process of releasing new equipment for the franchises to test. Ghostbusters Legal, on the other hand, is proactively developing a training and licensing program (before one is required by the government), and plans to try it out soon on a few test markets. Will this new program add a point or two of the Talent “Fire Proton Pack” for trained and licensed Ghostbusters—or will it instead take away their proton pack privileges until they pass a grueling multi-session training course?

(Thanks to Delta Green for its comprehensive list of federal agencies.)