Dallas (role-playing game)

Dallas is a role-playing game published by Simulations Publications, Inc. in 1980.

Description

Dallas is a TV soap-opera/crime system in which the PCs are major characters from the Dallas series interacting in "plots."[1] Character abilities include power, persuasion, coercion, seduction, investigation, and luck; ability scores are compared and dice are rolled to determine the results of actions.[1] The game includes the "Rules of Play" (16 pages), "Major Characters" booklet (16 pages), and the "Scriptwriter's Guide" (16 pages) for the GM, plus dozens of minor characters on cut-apart cards.[1]

Publication history

Dallas was designed by James F. Dunnigan, with art by Redmond A. Simonsen, and published by Simulations Publications, Inc. in 1980 as a boxed set containing three 16-page books, two sheets of cards, and dice.[1]

In an attempt to expand its customer base even further beyond the "hobbyist" core, SPI entered into a much-publicized arrangement with Lorimar Productions to produce the Dallas role-playing game based on the soap opera Dallas in 1980.[2] Dallas: The Television Role-Playing Game was the first ever licensed role-playing game.[3]:99 The game proved to be an infamous failure, and Simonsen later remarked that the 80,000 copies printed were 79,999 too many.[2]

Reception

Lawrence Schick comments: "As much a card game as a role-playing game, it was widely loathed by SPI's devoted following of wargamers."[1]

Daniel Mackay, in his book The Fantasy Role-Playing Game: A New Performing Art, notes this game as an example of an unsuccessful licensed role-playing game.[4]

Reviews

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 262. ISBN 0-87975-653-5.
  2. 1 2 Simonsen, Redmond. "Why Did SPI Die".
  3. ↑ Shannon Appelcline (2011). Designers & Dragons. Mongoose Publishing. ISBN 978-1-907702-58-7.
  4. ↑ Mackay, Daniel (2001). The Fantasy Role-Playing Game: A New Performing Art. McFarland. ISBN 9780786408153.
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