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After_These_Messages_Sitcom_RPG
After_These_Messages_Sitcom_RPG
DIGITAL EDITION
WRITTEN BY ROBERT EVANS
Layout by Nikki Yager
Art by Moss
(@x_moss_tarx)
Additional Art by
Bitter/stock.adobe.com
Davi-Sales/stock.adobe.com
okalinichenko/stock.adobe.com
n-on-ne-on/stock.adobe.com
Oleg/stock.adobe.com
To Michael Sands for creating Monster of the Week which showed me the flexibility of PbtA systems,
To Nick Tourville for creating Hometown Holiday and showing that games can be made about people living
their lives
And finally, a very special thanks to Nikki, Mary, Ash, Megan, Taylor, Blair, Rachel and the rest of the
2000Tales crew for playing in the many many games that lead to this book
Supporting Cast
When Not all groups are five plus people and while
Since this is a made up game with made up rules many sitcoms have a small number of main
your show doesn’t have to be made here and now. characters they are also defined by a cast of
The first step is for all the players to agree five or more reoccurring characters. If your
roughly when the show is being made. For example game has four or less Castmembers then the
a sitcom in the 80’s will likely have a lot more Director should feel encouraged to add a number
cheese catch phrases and bright sweaters while of named reoccurring NPCs to fill the minimum
the 90;s will have more “very special episodes” cast of five. Unlike other NPCs these named
and face social issues, and even more modern character will not cost Budget as described
shows might be “anti-sitcoms” where the later in this book.
characters learn all the wrong lessons by the
end of each episode. This also doesn’t have to
be when the show takes place, such as a western Key Sets
Your show doesn’t have an unlimited budget for
or sci-fi show, but when the show is being made.
sets and locations so the key ones need to be
figured out. Don’t worry too much though, the
Director will be able to take the show beyond
these locations, but it will cost them so your
key sets will see a lot of show time.
Collectively the group decides one three
locations that the show will take place in.
These locations are limited to a single room
such as the family Livingroom or a local bar and
possibly a small area just outside the room such
as a front door or hallway. IF players aren’t
sure about specifics with their characters yet
these locations can be kept broad, and details
can be added as the pilot is finalized.
Character Developments
Moves As your character gain’s an audience the shows
Moves are the special abilities that define your writers will spend more time developing your
trope in the show and often will break or change character. In game this is represented as
the normal rules in special circumstances just gaining improved attributes and additional moves
for you. by spending Audience points at the end of
episodes and typically costs 5 Audience. Each
Catchphrase Moves development can only be taken once which means
When creating a character, you automatically no character will likely ever have all the moves
have access to your playbook’s Catchphrase Move. from their playbook so choose wisely.
A character can only have a single catchphrase,
meaning if a character ever changes playbook
they must either give up their old playbook’s Advanced Developments
catchphrase for the new playbook benefits or Once a character has gained a big enough
chose not to gain the new playbook’s audience they can spread beyond their own
catchphrase. tropes. In game this means after your character
has locked at least five Character Developments
Locking Moves they can begin taking Advanced Developments.
At the beginning of each episode players get to These improvements will let characters more
pick a new move from their playbook to reflect customize their attributes, pick up more moves
how the current story will focus on them. from other playbooks and even leave the show or
Players can buy Character Developments to lock a start a spinoff series of their own.
certain number of these move to their character.
This is a reflection of the audience enjoying
the direction a character is going and keeping
that into future episodes. Moves that are not
locked must be replaced with a different
playbook move the following episode. Move can be
selected multiple times in this way, just not
two episodes in a row.
Character Developments
-Gain +1 Tears (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Intellect (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +3)
-Lock your newest Baby Move
-Lock your newest Baby Move
-Lock your newest Baby Move
-Gain a move from another playbook
-Gain another move from another playbook
Advanced Developments
(Must take 5 Character Developments from this
playbook before they can be selected)
Catchphrase Move
Gotta Love Me: Come up with a catch phase you
use when you're in trouble. Any time you fail a
Try Not to Mess Up check and say this phrase
afterwards you gain +1 Audience and no one
blames or punishes you for the disaster you
made.
Character Developments
-Gain +1 Tears (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Intellect (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +3)
-Lock your newest Cool Uncle Move
-Lock your newest Cool Uncle Move
-Lock your newest Cool Uncle Move
-Gain a move from another playbook
-Gain a move from another playbook
Starting Attributes (Pick One Set)
Tears: -1 Goofs: -1 Intellect: 0 Face: +2 Advanced Developments
Tears: 0 Goofs: +1 Intellect: -1 Face: +2
(Must take 5 Character Developments from this
Tears: +1 Goofs: 0 Intellect: -1 Face: +2
playbook before they can be selected)
-Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
Catchphrase Move -Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +4)
How You Do’n: Come up with a catch phrase your
character uses when flirting. If you use that -Unlock the Advanced Move for one of the Basic
phrase while flirting or being flirted with you Moves
gain +1 to the roll and +1 Audience. -Retire your character and introduce a new -
character to the show
-Spinoff: If no Castmember is currently -playing
the Parent playbook you can switch over to the
parent playbook resetting your attributes to the
Parent starting attributes but keeping any 4
moves you already have.
Character Developments
-Gain +1 Tears (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Intellect (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +3)
-Lock your newest Overgrown Child Move
-Lock your newest Overgrown Child Move
-Lock your newest Overgrown Child Move
-Gain a move from another playbook
-Gain a move from another playbook
Advanced Developments
(Must take 5 Character Developments from this
playbook before they can be selected)
-Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
Starting Attributes (Pick One Set) -Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +4)
Tears: 0 Goofs: +2 Intellect: -1 Face: +1
-Unlock the Advanced Move for one of the Basic
Tears: 0 Goofs: +2 Intellect: -1 Face: -1 Moves
Tears: -1 Goofs: +1 Intellect: +2 Face: 0 -Retire your character and introduce a new
character to the show
-Spinoff: If no Castmember is currently playing
the Parent playbook you can switch over to the
Catchphrase Move parent playbook resetting your attributes to the
Cut-It-Out: Come up with a catch phrase. Anytime Parent starting attributes but keeping any 4
you want to Break the Tension you can say this moves you already have.
phrase in place of anything else and gain +1 to
the check.
Character Developments
-Gain +1 Tears (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Intellect (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +3)
-Lock your newest Parent Move
-Lock your newest Parent Move
-Lock your newest Parent Move
Starting Attributes (Pick One Set) -Gain a move from another playbook
Tears: +2 Goofs: -1 Intellect: +1 Face: 0 -Gain another move from another playbook
Tears: +1 Goofs: 0 Intellect: +1 Face: 0
Tears: +1 Goofs: -1 Intellect: +2 Face: 0 Advanced Developments
(Must take 5 Character Developments from this
Catchphrase Move playbook before they can be selected)
-Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
Hug It Out: Come up with a catchphrase, any time
you resolve a conflict between two characters -Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
while using your catchphrase you gain +1 -Gain +1 Face (Max +4)
Audience -Unlock the Advanced Move for one of the Basic
Moves
-Gain another move from another playbook
-Gain another move from another playbook
-Retire your character and introduce a new
character to the show
Character Developments
-Gain +1 Tears (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Intellect (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +3)
-Lock your newest Responsible Move
-Lock your newest Responsible Move
-Lock your newest Responsible Move
-Gain a move from another playbook
-Gain another move from another playbook
Advanced Developments
(Must take 5 Character Developments from this
Starting Attributes (Pick One Set) playbook before they can be selected)
Tears: 0 Goofs: -1 Intellect: +2 Face: +1 -Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
Tears: +1 Goofs: -1 Intellect: +2 Face: 0 -Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
Tears: 0 Goofs: 0 Intellect: +1 Face: +1 -Gain +1 Tears (Max +4)
-Unlock the Advanced Move for one of the Basic
Moves
-Retire your character and introduce a new -
CATCHPHRASE Move character to the show
Good Grief!: Come up with a catch phrase you say -Spinoff: If no Castmember is currently playing
when things go wrong around you. Whenever the Parent playbook you can switch over to the
someone causes a disaster, you can say this parent playbook keeping all your Attributes, 2
phrase to gain +1 Audience. You also gain +1 to Responsible Moves you already have, and any
your next check if it is an attempt to fix the moves from other playbooks.
situation.
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Character Developments
-Gain +1 Tears (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Intellect (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +3)
-Lock your newest Troublemaker Move
-Lock your newest Troublemaker Move
-Lock your newest Troublemaker Move
-Lock your newest Troublemaker Move
-Gain a move from another playbook
-Gain another move from another playbook
Starting Attributes (Pick One Set)
Tears: -1 Goofs: +2 Intellect: 0 Face: +1 Advanced Developments
Tears: 0 Goofs: +1 Intellect: 0 Face: +1
(Must take 5 Character Developments from this
Tears: -1 Goofs: +2 Intellect: -1 Face: +2
playbook before they can be selected)
-Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
Catchphrase Move -Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
-Gain another move from another playbook
How Rude: Come up with a catch phrase you use
when things don’t go your way. When another -Unlock the Advanced Move for one of the Basic
Castmember successfully rolls a Convince Someone Moves
to try and get you to do something you can say -Retire your character and introduce At a new
your phrase to gain +1 Audience and reduce the character to the show
degree of success they rolled (12+ becomes 10+ -You grew up: You take a new playbook resetting
becomes 7-9 becomes 6) your attributes to the starting attributes of
your new playbook but keeping any 3 moves you
already have.
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Character Developments
-Gain +1 Tears (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Goofs (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Intellect (Max +3)
-Gain +1 Face (Max +3)
-Lock your newest Weirdo Move
-Lock your newest Weirdo Move
-Lock your newest Weirdo Move
-Lock your newest Weirdo Move
-Gain a move from another playbook
S tarting Attributes (Pick One Set) -Gain a move from another playbook
Tears: -1 Goofs: +2 Intellect: +2 Face: -1
Tears: 0 Goofs: +2 Intellect: +2 Face: -2 Advanced Developments
Tears: +1 Goofs: +1 Intellect: 0 Face: 0
(Must take 5 Character Developments from this
playbook before they can be selected)
-Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
-Gain +1 to any attribute (Max +3)
Catchphrase Move -Gain +1 Face (Max +4)
Did I Do That?: Come up with a catch phrase for -Unlock the Advanced Move for one of the Basic
when you screw things up for other people. Any Moves
time you create a disaster you can use this -Retire your character and introduce a new
phrase to gain +1 Audience but are then kicked character to the show
out of the scene by another Castmember or NPC.
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Dramatic Pause
When you want to make a point after a dramatic
or serious moment sometimes silence is the
loudest option with a dramatic pause; Roll
+Tears.
10 or Above You made your impact and then some.
Gain +1 Audience and gain +1 Forward on your
next check in the scene.
7-9 You made an impact. Gain +1 Forward on your
next check in the scene.
6 or Below You took too long and now it’s just
awkward. Lose 1 Audience or take -1 Ongoing for
the remainder of the scene.
ADVANCED MOVE
12 or Above You also give +1 Forward to another
player in the scene.
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Get Serious
Not everything is jokes and laughs, sometimes
things get serious and when they do this is how
it goes; Roll +Tears
10 or Above You do what you set out to do.
7-9 The Director either gives you a hard choice
or a price to pay to complete your goal.
6 or Below Things get worse
ADVANCED MOVE
12 or Above Your actions are so compelling that
you gain +1 Audience.
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Director Moves
While the Director might not use nay of the
moves the other players do this doesn’t mean
they don’t have moves of their own. These moves
however are fundamentally different as the
Director doesn’t roll dice to determine their
moves. For the Director moves simply happen and
it is then up to the Castmembers to react to
these events with their moves. Below are the
most common moves a Director will likely need.
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Item Cost
Spending Budget Before the Episode Returning Character 5 Budget
Becomes a Series
While writing the plot the Director spends
Regular
Budget points to things like extra locations and
Smalls Location 5 Budget
NPCs. See the character below for costs to add Becomes New Key Set
items before the episode has started. Big Location Becomes 10 Budget
New Key Set
Item Cost
Extras that don’t 0 Budget
speak Item Explanations
Speaking Nonplayable 1 Budget Speaking Nonplayable Character – Any NPC that
Character talks and interacts with the cast but isn’t a
Named Nonplayable 2 Budget full character such as a store clerk or cop.
Character Named Nonplayable Character – This is a
Returning Named 1 Budget character with a name and a personality beyond
Character just what their job or function in the story.
New Small Location 1 Budget Small Location – One room set like the Key Sets
New Big Location 2 Budget Big Location – Large rooms or open spaces like
Famous Location 3 Budget parks or an auditorium
Famous Location – Well known landmarks like Big
Ben or the Empire State Building.
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Plot Armor
No Budget Show Sometimes it’s hard to let popular characters
If the Director doesn’t want to have to track look like a fool. With this rule Castmembers can
Budget they can instead use this rule to run a spend Audience points to gain a bonus to their
show that it being made on little to no budget. checks. The bonus is equal to the number of
With this rule the Director no longer needs to Audience points spent.
spend Budget to add characters or locations but
at the cost of no knowing when it will all fall
apart. Any time a player rolls doubles on their Rapid Character Development
dice an even happens based on the list below. If your table is having issues regularly
reaching five Audience per Castmember or tend to
1. Injured Actor- The Castmember that rolls run shorter episodes this rule character the
this is injured for real in some way amount of Audience needed to buy a Character
making them have to leave the scene and Development or Advanced Development to three
no return for the next three scenes.
Audience instead of five.
2. Falling Set- A Piece of the set breaks
causing the scene to wrap as soon as
possible and the location cannot be used
for the rest of the episode.
Writer’s Room
After These Messages already assumes the
3. Footage Missing- The scene immediately
Director will be communicating with other
ends, and the Director sets up a new
players as needed for plot ideas, but this rule
scene where the end of the last scene is
obviously missing. makes planning episodes a collaborative process.
4. Missing Audio- Any move that uses a When using this rule every episode will now have
Catchphrase no longer works for the rest two phases. The first phase is the Writer’s Room
of the scene. where the entire table discusses the plot,
5. Missing Pages- The writers didn’t finish pitches locations, and collectively “writes” the
writing the scene meaning the actors episode. This count’s as “Before the Episode”
have to improvise. All Castmembers gain for Budget costs.
-1 to all checks for the rest of the
scene. While this method let’s all the players share in
6. Boom Mic- One of the Boom Mics falls developing the episode plots, the specific
into frame causing -1 to the next check details, especially those shifted by the dice,
in the scene. while adjust during the episode as everyone
adapts to the unexpected.
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Examples Background
Here a handful of known sitcoms of this type • Baby &Responsible One are siblings
will be listed. • & are childhood
friends.
• Troublemaker &Responsible One don’t like
Common Playbooks each other.
Here the common playbooks that appear in this • & are exes from a past
type of show will be listed along with how they relationship
typically fit into the show. Feel free to use • Parent &Overgrown Child are married.
these as guides or inspiration for your own
• & are in a “will they
characters or mix things up.
won’t they” romance.
• & are former college
Background roommates.
Here the Background questions will be listed and
prefilled in with the common playbooks that
would have these relationships. As with the
playbooks, feel free to use this as a guide or
inspiration but do not worry about keeping
everything exactly the same for your show.
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Examples Examples
Married With Children, Malcom in the Middle, Friends, New Girl, How I Met Your Mother,
Raising Hope Seinfeld
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Common Playbooks
Common Playbooks • The Responsible One: The half of the
• The Parent: The responsible one of the couple that cares about rules and order.
main married couple. • The Overgrown Child: The half of the
• The Overgrown Child: The less couple that hates rules.
responsible one of the main married • The Cool Uncle: The friend or family
couple. member with a frivolous lifestyle.
• The Troublemaker: The OVERGROWN CHILD’S • The Weirdo: The friend of the couple
best friend that typically makes situations worse.
• The Responsible One: Frequently the
TROUBLE MAKER’S spouse or love interest
• The Weirdo: The unmarried friend, Background
neighbor, or family member • & are siblings
• Responsible One &Cool Uncle are
childhood friends.
Background • Responsible One & Overgrown Child don’t
• & are siblings like each other.
• Overgrown Child & Trouble Maker are • & are exes from a past
childhood friends. relationship.
• Responsible One & Weirdo don’t like each • & are married.
other. • Overgrown Child & Weirdo are in a “will
• & are exes from a past they won’t they” romance.
relationship. • & are former college
• Parent & Overgrown Child are married. roommates.
• & are in a “will they
won’t they” romance.
• & are former college
roommates.
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The Troublemaker
Meddling Kid
The Weirdo
Did I Do That
Director
Buying a Special Effect
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