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InSpectres
'Fighting the forces of darkness so you don't have to.'
InSpectres is a game about the burgeoning supernatural investigation and elimination market. Start a company and try to stay afloat long enough to cash in those sweet, sweet stock options.
Interior illustrations by Jon Morris and Manning Krull.
Create and manage your own InSpectres franchise - can you keep it afloat?
Innovative mechanics make this investigation game actually fun to play.
Influence the game using "The Confessional" - a first in RPG history!
Rules for "weird agents" - play a vampire, zombie, werewolf and more!
InSpectres is a game about the burgeoning supernatural investigation and elimination market. Start a company and try to stay afloat long enough to cash in those sweet, sweet stock options.
Interior illustrations by Jon Morris and Manning Krull.
Create and manage your own InSpectres franchise - can you keep it afloat?
Innovative mechanics make this investigation game actually fun to play.
Influence the game using "The Confessional" - a first in RPG history!
Rules for "weird agents" - play a vampire, zombie, werewolf and more!
- GenresRole Playing Games
78 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 1, 2023
Uno de los primeros juegos de rol autodenominados como "indies" y que sigue la estela del conocido "Sorcerer" (Al que menciona un par de veces en el texto)
EL juego plantea a los jugadores trabajar en una franquicia de caza fantasmas y otras entidades sobrenaturales, con un sistema de juego muy sencillo, pero que permite a los jugadores obtener una autoridad narrativa mucho más amplia que en los juegos de rol tradicionales. Muy interesante, muy divertido y con algunas mecánicas que aún hoy en día siguen siendo innovadoras, como la del "Confesionario" Brillante y aún muy poco usada.
Interesantísimo a quien le guste la temática, quien quiera un juego casi 100% improvisado de horror y comedia y a quien le interese la evolución de los juegos de rol independientes
EL juego plantea a los jugadores trabajar en una franquicia de caza fantasmas y otras entidades sobrenaturales, con un sistema de juego muy sencillo, pero que permite a los jugadores obtener una autoridad narrativa mucho más amplia que en los juegos de rol tradicionales. Muy interesante, muy divertido y con algunas mecánicas que aún hoy en día siguen siendo innovadoras, como la del "Confesionario" Brillante y aún muy poco usada.
Interesantísimo a quien le guste la temática, quien quiera un juego casi 100% improvisado de horror y comedia y a quien le interese la evolución de los juegos de rol independientes
May 10, 2017
You do not have to look deep into the history of indie RPGS before you encounter praise for Jared Sorensen’s InSpectres. Sorensen was an active member on the Forge and it is clear that InSpectres was born from discussion and theorization happening there. Thankfully, the book is still in print, and I got my copy at the Burning Wheel table at GenCon last year. I finally got a chance to read it, and I can see, even without being able to play it yet, why it garnered so much attention from those in the field.
My copy has a publication date of 2007, but I see people referring to the game in old Forge posts in 2002 and 2003, so either I have a later edition or it was simply circulated among members and not turned into a published book until later. The book is a slender 80 page book but it gives you everything you need.
The game, according to the “Design Notes” in the Introduction was born from the desire to create a mystery RPG in which the players were not merely being led by the nose by the GM to learn the secrets of the mystery. That kind of game, Sorensen says, is dependent entirely upon the GM. InSpectres was designed to have the mystery evolve during play via the input of the players rather than via fiat by the GM. The main way it achieves that end is by a Skill Roll chart that allows the players a chance to describe the fictional outcome of their own actions. We are seeing more and more of this today (made most popular by Apocalypse World’s play-to-find-out approach), but I’ve heard several designers talk about how InSpectres greatly influenced their own thinking.
Characters are quick and easy to make with mechanical bones surrounded by a thick musculature of fiction. Characters develop but don’t improve in any classic sense (level up, gain experience, etc.). The thing that does improve is the franchise. In the game, your characters are ghost hunters (a la Ghostbusters) who are part of a business entity specializing in ghost hunting. Through the “jobs” (the unit of play and story in the game) the players build up financial gains for their business, which lets the business grow and expand. Playing for the advancement of the team as opposed to the individuals is clever and a fantastic idea.
The golden piece of tech that everyone refers to when talking about the game is the “Confessional.” Inspired by reality TV, the Confessional is a break in the active story during which one of the players sits in a special seat set aside for the purpose and talks to the other players as though they were a TV audience. The character in the Confessional can then reveal something about the scene that can change the present, past, or even predict the future. There are mechanical rewards and limitations to Confessionals. It is a simple and elegant mechanic.
Really, all the mechanics of the game are simple and elegant.
One of my favorite features is the random job creation table that allows the GM to whip up a starting situation for the characters to leap into. This kind of device was picked up in “Lasers & Feelings” and several other games made to allow for a no-prep RPG.
I’m hoping to get to play the game before long. But even if I don’t get to play it, I’m glad that I got to read it. It has given me a lot to think about as I study the way RPGs work.
My copy has a publication date of 2007, but I see people referring to the game in old Forge posts in 2002 and 2003, so either I have a later edition or it was simply circulated among members and not turned into a published book until later. The book is a slender 80 page book but it gives you everything you need.
The game, according to the “Design Notes” in the Introduction was born from the desire to create a mystery RPG in which the players were not merely being led by the nose by the GM to learn the secrets of the mystery. That kind of game, Sorensen says, is dependent entirely upon the GM. InSpectres was designed to have the mystery evolve during play via the input of the players rather than via fiat by the GM. The main way it achieves that end is by a Skill Roll chart that allows the players a chance to describe the fictional outcome of their own actions. We are seeing more and more of this today (made most popular by Apocalypse World’s play-to-find-out approach), but I’ve heard several designers talk about how InSpectres greatly influenced their own thinking.
Characters are quick and easy to make with mechanical bones surrounded by a thick musculature of fiction. Characters develop but don’t improve in any classic sense (level up, gain experience, etc.). The thing that does improve is the franchise. In the game, your characters are ghost hunters (a la Ghostbusters) who are part of a business entity specializing in ghost hunting. Through the “jobs” (the unit of play and story in the game) the players build up financial gains for their business, which lets the business grow and expand. Playing for the advancement of the team as opposed to the individuals is clever and a fantastic idea.
The golden piece of tech that everyone refers to when talking about the game is the “Confessional.” Inspired by reality TV, the Confessional is a break in the active story during which one of the players sits in a special seat set aside for the purpose and talks to the other players as though they were a TV audience. The character in the Confessional can then reveal something about the scene that can change the present, past, or even predict the future. There are mechanical rewards and limitations to Confessionals. It is a simple and elegant mechanic.
Really, all the mechanics of the game are simple and elegant.
One of my favorite features is the random job creation table that allows the GM to whip up a starting situation for the characters to leap into. This kind of device was picked up in “Lasers & Feelings” and several other games made to allow for a no-prep RPG.
I’m hoping to get to play the game before long. But even if I don’t get to play it, I’m glad that I got to read it. It has given me a lot to think about as I study the way RPGs work.
June 1, 2017
InSpectres es MUY divertido. Es un juego de rol que mezcla con buena mano dos conceptos que a simple vista podrían parecer antagónicos (la investigación y lucha contra fenómenos paranormales) con el reality show, algo que sobre el papel no pegaría ni con cola pero que cadenas como Discovery Max nos ha demostrado que si, ¡funciona!
Su mecánica funciona en base al "control narrativo", sus mecánicas son sencillas y fáciles de recordar y aplicar, tenemos ideas base desde la reunión con el inversor hasta las vacaciones... Es llevar lo que viene a ser una franquicia pequeña, un APP de barrio cambiando catálogos por reactores de ectoplasma desde lo más bajo hasta el éxito absoluto. Tiene su reparto de puestos, la posibilidad de meter agentes paranormales en el grupo (hola Hellboy), la dinámica del confesionario para cambiar detalles...
Siendo lo que es, un juego indie y una tontería en cuanto a extensión y características comparado con otros transatlánticos de los juegos de rol, parece sumamente degustable. Habrá que probarlo con calma, pero huele a la mejor manera de salvar el rato y divertirse sin grandes alardes.
Su mecánica funciona en base al "control narrativo", sus mecánicas son sencillas y fáciles de recordar y aplicar, tenemos ideas base desde la reunión con el inversor hasta las vacaciones... Es llevar lo que viene a ser una franquicia pequeña, un APP de barrio cambiando catálogos por reactores de ectoplasma desde lo más bajo hasta el éxito absoluto. Tiene su reparto de puestos, la posibilidad de meter agentes paranormales en el grupo (hola Hellboy), la dinámica del confesionario para cambiar detalles...
Siendo lo que es, un juego indie y una tontería en cuanto a extensión y características comparado con otros transatlánticos de los juegos de rol, parece sumamente degustable. Habrá que probarlo con calma, pero huele a la mejor manera de salvar el rato y divertirse sin grandes alardes.
October 19, 2022
Blatantly inspired by Ghostbusters (and its 1980s RPG), InSpectres puts the players in charge of a franchise of paranormal investigators. Much like Fate, this game is focused primarily on collaboratively creating a story, rather than players facing challenges set by the GM, but goes further than even Fate does. While an InSpectres GM sets up the initial premise of a session, the players' actions and rolls are what really decides the plot; with enough player successes, the final story might even be the opposite of what the GM intended.
The core mechanic is that any time there's a challenge, you roll a number of six-sided dice equal to your character's rank in one of four stats (plus any relevant extra dice), then pick the highest die result from 1 to 6. You compare the result to a table: a result of 4-6 means the player determines what happens, while a result of 1-3 means the GM determines the result. Especially high results provide franchise dice (more on that later), while lower results are progressively worse for the player.
Characters start from a concept (which should be a team player with a useful skill), then get dice divided between four skills, plus a freeform "talent" that adds a die when relevant. While normal humans with normal problems are preferred, one person in a group can be a "weird" character with paranormal abilities: examples provided include vampires, ghosts, and psychics. "Weird" characters can have better stats and special powers fueled by cool points (more on that later), but can't choose talents or earn franchise dice. Players in ongoing campaigns are encouraged to have a stable of characters to rotate in while others are on vacation - this also allows different players to be the single "weird" character.
Arguably more important to the game is the franchise itself, which is built by the entire group (and ideally, managed by the players). Much like a character, the franchise has dice divided between three "cards" (providing extra dice for specific skill checks when spent) and a "bank" of dice that can spent on any check (with a chance of gaining or losing extra dice when you do). While InSpectres characters don't get mechanical improvements, franchises do; building up the franchise is a major focus of the game, with franchise dice earned during the course of a job (unless you're a "weird" character). A franchise that runs out of dice risks going under, requiring players to start a new one from scratch.
Gameplay is highly structured, resembling the structure of a TV episode. Games start with an interview that establishes the characters and tone, then proceeds through specific plot stages. The goal of a given job is to hit a certain number of franchise dice, determined by the GM - once that goal is reached, the problem is solved and the job is complete.
When characters are subjected to stress during the game, they roll stress dice (determined by the GM) and take the lowest die result - high results earn cool points, but low results subtract from your skills. The effects of stress remain until cool points are spent to remove them, or the character goes on vacation after the game (which costs franchise dice).
Characters can also interrupt any scene once with a reality TV-style "confessional" that allows them to add plot elements, or even (once per game) impose a trait on another player character. (Although they can ignore this new trait, they gain an extra franchise die for playing along.) This particular mechanic might not be for everyone, but it's certainly an interesting inclusion, and key to the egalitarian style of the game.
While the book is a pleasure to read overall, one minor quibble is the organization. The book would have benefited from an early, consolidated rundown of the rules. Important details (like how franchise dice are earned and spent) are spread around the book, which means you have to piece the rules together as you go (and risks you missing key bits on your first read). An appendix condenses the rules together in a slightly better-organized format, but it's unfortunately harder to parse.
Quibbles aside, InSpectres is a well-crafted game that could be a lot of fun, assuming you have a group that buys in and plays along. (The book advises putting pressure on players who don't get it, but that doesn't seem practical.) If you're looking for a lightweight game focused on supernatural investigators for hire, this is an excellent choice and worth checking out. (A-)
The core mechanic is that any time there's a challenge, you roll a number of six-sided dice equal to your character's rank in one of four stats (plus any relevant extra dice), then pick the highest die result from 1 to 6. You compare the result to a table: a result of 4-6 means the player determines what happens, while a result of 1-3 means the GM determines the result. Especially high results provide franchise dice (more on that later), while lower results are progressively worse for the player.
Characters start from a concept (which should be a team player with a useful skill), then get dice divided between four skills, plus a freeform "talent" that adds a die when relevant. While normal humans with normal problems are preferred, one person in a group can be a "weird" character with paranormal abilities: examples provided include vampires, ghosts, and psychics. "Weird" characters can have better stats and special powers fueled by cool points (more on that later), but can't choose talents or earn franchise dice. Players in ongoing campaigns are encouraged to have a stable of characters to rotate in while others are on vacation - this also allows different players to be the single "weird" character.
Arguably more important to the game is the franchise itself, which is built by the entire group (and ideally, managed by the players). Much like a character, the franchise has dice divided between three "cards" (providing extra dice for specific skill checks when spent) and a "bank" of dice that can spent on any check (with a chance of gaining or losing extra dice when you do). While InSpectres characters don't get mechanical improvements, franchises do; building up the franchise is a major focus of the game, with franchise dice earned during the course of a job (unless you're a "weird" character). A franchise that runs out of dice risks going under, requiring players to start a new one from scratch.
Gameplay is highly structured, resembling the structure of a TV episode. Games start with an interview that establishes the characters and tone, then proceeds through specific plot stages. The goal of a given job is to hit a certain number of franchise dice, determined by the GM - once that goal is reached, the problem is solved and the job is complete.
When characters are subjected to stress during the game, they roll stress dice (determined by the GM) and take the lowest die result - high results earn cool points, but low results subtract from your skills. The effects of stress remain until cool points are spent to remove them, or the character goes on vacation after the game (which costs franchise dice).
Characters can also interrupt any scene once with a reality TV-style "confessional" that allows them to add plot elements, or even (once per game) impose a trait on another player character. (Although they can ignore this new trait, they gain an extra franchise die for playing along.) This particular mechanic might not be for everyone, but it's certainly an interesting inclusion, and key to the egalitarian style of the game.
While the book is a pleasure to read overall, one minor quibble is the organization. The book would have benefited from an early, consolidated rundown of the rules. Important details (like how franchise dice are earned and spent) are spread around the book, which means you have to piece the rules together as you go (and risks you missing key bits on your first read). An appendix condenses the rules together in a slightly better-organized format, but it's unfortunately harder to parse.
Quibbles aside, InSpectres is a well-crafted game that could be a lot of fun, assuming you have a group that buys in and plays along. (The book advises putting pressure on players who don't get it, but that doesn't seem practical.) If you're looking for a lightweight game focused on supernatural investigators for hire, this is an excellent choice and worth checking out. (A-)
March 25, 2024
Some good ideas of game design at work here, but the layout is honestly the best part:
Glossary is a one-page list on the second-to-last page.
Every chart necessary to play the game is available both in the relevant section and on the final page.
As a result, after you've broadly read the book, you can open to this two-page spread and refresh yourself on anything and everything you need in gameplay.
Glossary is a one-page list on the second-to-last page.
Every chart necessary to play the game is available both in the relevant section and on the final page.
As a result, after you've broadly read the book, you can open to this two-page spread and refresh yourself on anything and everything you need in gameplay.
July 13, 2017
Revolutionary in its time. Can't wait to try it out.
April 14, 2018
Straight-forward game. Promises to be very entertaining. I'm already contacting my mates to give it a go.
February 15, 2021
Corto, simple, fácil de entender y ultra fácil de comenzar a jugar. Mi grupo, aunque adora las tablas, estadísticas y dados, quedó fascinado.
November 11, 2016
Sorensen es, con toda seguridad, uno de los diseñadores de juegos de rol mas influyentes de los ultimos 10-15 años. No son pocos los creadores que han declarado como el estilo y las ideas del autor les han influido en su trabajo, y no pocos los jugadores que han descubierto nuevas formas de afrontar el genero gracias a ello.
Para mi esa influencia tuvo lugar cuando descubrí su otro gran juego octaNe. En este juego, publicado más o menos allá por el 2002, como InSpectres, el sistema de juego proponía un enfoque totalmente innovador y que rompió mis esquemas a la hora de jugar a rol.
Las tiradas ya no servían para determinar si tu personaje lograba o no hacer algo, sino que en realidad lo que establecían era el nivel de control narrativo que tu, como jugador, tenias sobre la escena que estabais jugando y los efectos de tu acción. Eso quería decir que si sacabas una buena tirada podías narrar el resultado como quisieras, sin que el master pudiera agregar nada. Si no era tan buena, el master ya tenia la opción de agregar detalles. Si la tirada era muy muy mala, el master narraba el resultado de la acción totalmente. Si solo era mala a secas, tu tenias la opción de agregar algún detalle.
De pronto todo mi concepto de los juegos de rol cambio. Siempre recordare con cierta decepción cuando mi personaje, criado en la selva, sacaba un fallo para saltar unos cuantos escalones para llegar hasta cierto trasto tecnológico antes que el enemigo. Algo que mi personaje, por definición conceptual debía hacer sin siquiera pensar, de pronto se convirtió en una prueba de habilidad y un fallo por una mala tirada.
O adaptando uno de los ejemplos que ponían en el propio octaNe: tu personaje, llamemosle... Angus... es un guitarrista de rock and roll legendario, y debe tocar ante el Rey de los Caníbales para evitar que le devoren a el y a sus compañeros de aventuras. Angus es una leyenda, y la guitarra es casi parte de el. Cuando toca, toca, y no falla un acorde nunca. Lo que la tirada determina es si el jugador decide que el Rey les libera y les deja marchar, alucinado como esta por el concierto, o si el Rey, alucinado por el concierto, decide que le gusta tanto que quiere tener conciertos todas las noches, así que encierra a Angus y sus amigos.
Es toda una filosofía diferente de juego.
InSpectres sigue esa misma filosofía, con algunas otras reglas muy orientadas a la manipulación de la narración y con una premisa que a todos nos resulta familiar. Es una ambientación mas accesible que la "America Post apocaliptica punk psicodelica" de octaNe, pero el espíritu del juego no dista mucho.
Aquí, ademas de la misma mecánica básica de tiradas que octaNe, tenemos el sistema de Confesionario, una especie de escenas intercaladas donde los personajes rompen la cuarta pared, como en series ahora populares como Modern Family, y establecen nuevos detalles de la trama que impulsan cambios y giros argumentales imprevistos, creados por los propios jugadores.
Estas reglas hacen que el narrador/master aquí sea más bien un moderador, captando las propuestas y cambios continuos propuestos por los jugadores y manteniendo una estructura adecuada para la historia.
El resultado son historias totalmente imprevisibles e hilarantes, donde todos los jugadores se convierten en autores, y el concepto de "railroad" o de aventuras lineales se vuelve imposible. A estos juegos vienes a descubrir que aventuras pueden generar las motores perpetuos y sin limite que son las mentes de los jugadores. Los caminos son enrevesados pero, con la gente adecuada, experiencias únicas.
La edición de NSR en castellano ha llegado en un momento estupendo. Es un juego que ya se puede considerar clásico, pero que definitivamente hacia falta en castellano. Trae consigo una sensibilidad y un estilo que a pesar del mucho material independiente publicado en España en los últimos años aún no habíamos podido descubrir. Y a la vuelta de la esquina tenemos la edición del nuevo 7º Mar, que ha visto su sistema de juego totalmente transformado por un Wick cuya filosofía sobre los juegos de rol ha sido muy influida por Sorensen desde que dejo AEG y los grandes juegos. El nuevo 7º Mar bebe mucho de InSpectres, octaNe y otros diseños de Sorensen, donde los propios jugadores se convierten en narradores cooperativos, y lo que importa no es si logras tocar bien la guitarra, sino el efecto que tiene la canción en la historia.
Para mi esa influencia tuvo lugar cuando descubrí su otro gran juego octaNe. En este juego, publicado más o menos allá por el 2002, como InSpectres, el sistema de juego proponía un enfoque totalmente innovador y que rompió mis esquemas a la hora de jugar a rol.
Las tiradas ya no servían para determinar si tu personaje lograba o no hacer algo, sino que en realidad lo que establecían era el nivel de control narrativo que tu, como jugador, tenias sobre la escena que estabais jugando y los efectos de tu acción. Eso quería decir que si sacabas una buena tirada podías narrar el resultado como quisieras, sin que el master pudiera agregar nada. Si no era tan buena, el master ya tenia la opción de agregar detalles. Si la tirada era muy muy mala, el master narraba el resultado de la acción totalmente. Si solo era mala a secas, tu tenias la opción de agregar algún detalle.
De pronto todo mi concepto de los juegos de rol cambio. Siempre recordare con cierta decepción cuando mi personaje, criado en la selva, sacaba un fallo para saltar unos cuantos escalones para llegar hasta cierto trasto tecnológico antes que el enemigo. Algo que mi personaje, por definición conceptual debía hacer sin siquiera pensar, de pronto se convirtió en una prueba de habilidad y un fallo por una mala tirada.
O adaptando uno de los ejemplos que ponían en el propio octaNe: tu personaje, llamemosle... Angus... es un guitarrista de rock and roll legendario, y debe tocar ante el Rey de los Caníbales para evitar que le devoren a el y a sus compañeros de aventuras. Angus es una leyenda, y la guitarra es casi parte de el. Cuando toca, toca, y no falla un acorde nunca. Lo que la tirada determina es si el jugador decide que el Rey les libera y les deja marchar, alucinado como esta por el concierto, o si el Rey, alucinado por el concierto, decide que le gusta tanto que quiere tener conciertos todas las noches, así que encierra a Angus y sus amigos.
Es toda una filosofía diferente de juego.
InSpectres sigue esa misma filosofía, con algunas otras reglas muy orientadas a la manipulación de la narración y con una premisa que a todos nos resulta familiar. Es una ambientación mas accesible que la "America Post apocaliptica punk psicodelica" de octaNe, pero el espíritu del juego no dista mucho.
Aquí, ademas de la misma mecánica básica de tiradas que octaNe, tenemos el sistema de Confesionario, una especie de escenas intercaladas donde los personajes rompen la cuarta pared, como en series ahora populares como Modern Family, y establecen nuevos detalles de la trama que impulsan cambios y giros argumentales imprevistos, creados por los propios jugadores.
Estas reglas hacen que el narrador/master aquí sea más bien un moderador, captando las propuestas y cambios continuos propuestos por los jugadores y manteniendo una estructura adecuada para la historia.
El resultado son historias totalmente imprevisibles e hilarantes, donde todos los jugadores se convierten en autores, y el concepto de "railroad" o de aventuras lineales se vuelve imposible. A estos juegos vienes a descubrir que aventuras pueden generar las motores perpetuos y sin limite que son las mentes de los jugadores. Los caminos son enrevesados pero, con la gente adecuada, experiencias únicas.
La edición de NSR en castellano ha llegado en un momento estupendo. Es un juego que ya se puede considerar clásico, pero que definitivamente hacia falta en castellano. Trae consigo una sensibilidad y un estilo que a pesar del mucho material independiente publicado en España en los últimos años aún no habíamos podido descubrir. Y a la vuelta de la esquina tenemos la edición del nuevo 7º Mar, que ha visto su sistema de juego totalmente transformado por un Wick cuya filosofía sobre los juegos de rol ha sido muy influida por Sorensen desde que dejo AEG y los grandes juegos. El nuevo 7º Mar bebe mucho de InSpectres, octaNe y otros diseños de Sorensen, donde los propios jugadores se convierten en narradores cooperativos, y lo que importa no es si logras tocar bien la guitarra, sino el efecto que tiene la canción en la historia.
January 10, 2016
Seems like a fun RPG system, full of that give-players-the-narrative-control stuff . The "confessional" mechanic sounds odd, but could be fun.
The only minus, for me at least, is the tone or voice of the writing. It's cheery and happy while being kind of dismissive of other types of RPG experiences (among other things). If it was a well written blog or forum post, it'd be fine, but as a book it annoys me. Doesn't detract from the system itself however.
The only minus, for me at least, is the tone or voice of the writing. It's cheery and happy while being kind of dismissive of other types of RPG experiences (among other things). If it was a well written blog or forum post, it'd be fine, but as a book it annoys me. Doesn't detract from the system itself however.
August 8, 2013
A nice easy read. Sounds like a lot of fun and easy to handle.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews