At Fastaval, there was a bit of talk about how Danish RPG’s are actually quite good, and how we ought to translate some of them, so that people abroad can get to play them, and see what the hype is all about.
Well, someone did more than talk about it. Lusia Carbonelli started the project “Gnavpotveksler,” which is going to translate Danish games from Fastaval into English. When I heard about this project, I was quick to sign up.
I have often thought it would be a good idea to translate Danish Games into English, and when I was in Wales recently on an Erasmus exchange, I really wanted to play a Danish game with my British (and one American) roleplaying friends. In the end, I translated the characters from Tropical Zombies, and played that with them. We had a blast – I hardly had to do anything as a GM, the players were making so much fun (the game is about a zombie B-movie, and my players quickly added personalities to the actors of their characters that where quite different from the characters). However, it was not like playing a proper Fastaval game.
Now, when I go back there to visit, I will most likely be able to bring a game or two in my bag for us to play. And it will be awesome.
What we are translating
At the top of the list at Gnavpotveksler are the winners of the Ottos at this years Fastaval. The Otto is a gilded plaster penguin, given to the best games at a Fastaval in certain categories – best narrative, characters, play-creating techniques (virkemidler – hvordan oversætter man det?), communication, overall best, audience favorite and the Jury’s Special Award.
This year’s winners include The Empire (an anthology of 10(?) games, one for each province in Warhammer’s “The Empire”), Reservoir Elves (Reservoir Dogs, but with elves in Waterdeep), and the quite spectacular No home – a thousand stars (three games – one larp and two tabletop games – run as one game, with the players of the tabletop games acting as npcs in the larp). And then Emily Care Boss won the audience award for Under My Skin, but seeing how that was written English, Gnavpotveksler doesn’t need to care about that game :).
The first game done is likely to be The Empire – we’re already working on that.
Oh and if you’re wondering about the name of the project: the Gnavpotveksler means “Grumpyhead changer” and refers to a tiny creature from the comics “Valerian and Laureline.” The Gnavpotveksler can reproduce anything of value, as long as it can swallow it – though it does require lots of energy, with which it must be supplied.
Filemonia 