I have just finished watching one of my favourite films Ice Station Zebra. Released in 1968 and directed by John Sturges, this twice Oscar Nominated film is a loose adaptation of the Alistair MacLean cold war novel of the same name.

The Journey is filled with intrigue, sabotage, a journey beneath the polar ice and a cold war standoff above it. This film has it all as far as I am concerned; iconic actors; a tense tightly written script; kick-ass special effects that still look good in the CGI age; and a really simple but strong story.
But today I was watching it from a gamers perspective and thinking to myself what great material the story is. I know I'm not the only person to have had a similar idea as this games table from last years Salute clearly shows. 

So what sort of games could be derived from this iconic film? Here are a few ideas:
- Find the Saboteur. The players characters are on board the submarine Tigerfish and must discover which one is the saboteur before he destroys the vessel. (RPG)
- Beat the Russians to the Pole. Playing on a map of the arctic can you get your Submarine to the Ice Station before the Russians can exploit the weather fronts and land Paratroopers? (Strategic Wargame)
- Outnumbered on the Ice. 100 Russian paratroopers V's 20 Marines and a dozen ships crew. The marines have better weapons and the advantage of cover, but would it be enough to win? (Skirmish Wargame)
...or you could go for something a little more 'alternative' and mix this story with a Lovecraftian theme and come up with a variation on the story At the Mountains of Madness.
If you haven't seen this film before I implore you to keep an eye out for it on TV or buy a copy on DVD. You won't be sorry and you may even get a few game ideas from it yourself.
This is so freakin' cool!
ReplyDeleteLove the movie,
and this is the next logical progression.
Outstanding!!!