Review of National Treasure: Edge of History

Two weeks ago we saw the season finale for National Treasure: Edge of History. It came at a busy time for me, just before consecutive weeks with a professional conference and a gaming convention. Now that those have passed, however, I've decided to share my thoughts on the series. 

-Nate

Thoughts on Season 1 of National Treasure: Edge of History 

• First and foremost, I enjoyed this show. 
• Yes, it had a lot of early-twenty-something relationship drama. I remember what it was like to be in my early twenties, however, and there was certainly relationship drama happening in my life. We should remember, though that, if relationship drama is an element that the players want to explore, then the GM should let them do so. 
• I like how the series used Agent Sadusky in Episode 1 to introduce the main plot elements. This connected it to the two movies, while giving it some room to follow its own path. 
• In Episode 2 we find our young protagonists in over their heads, with one of their number captured. I like how that takes talented, but inexperienced, characters and throws them into the action. 
• The scene at Graceland in Episode 3, with Liam playing guitar and singing, is a great example of how the GM should let the players be creative. You want to distract everyone with a song? Give me a Performance check!
• Episode 4 introduce a couple of plot elements that expand the possibilities for the setting, with  Sadusky's treasure room--awesome--and the "board of directors for a mysterious organization. That is good campaign planning! 
• The action at the Governor's ball in Episode 5 reminds me of times when the GM lets the players take the ball and run with it, which has allowed for interesting character development and created some memorable moments. 
• Episode 6, then, puts Jess into a position where she is separated from her friends, and needs to work with her enemy. This would be hard to do in an RPG session, but is certainly intriguing. 
• In Episode 7 we have a great moment that mirrors the movies. While Ben Gates made such dramatic statements as "I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence" and "I'm going to kidnap the president," Jess is given her own such moment.  
• I am reminded that in Episode 8 we see more of the NPC, Agent Ross, who both helps and hinders the heroes. That seems like just the kind of element a GM would want to add to a campaign. 
• Episode 9, as the session before the finale, does just what it should. There are discoveries and revelations, important decisions and betrayals. It sets up the finale, of course. 
• Finally, Episode 10 is the finale. It provides some closure, while leaving open other plot hooks. This reminds of many RPG campaign finales, which are often a mixed bag. Sometimes they are epic and resolve all of the story, while at other times they leave me wanting more. The latter is the case here, where I want to see what more lies ahead for these characters. 

Campaign Pacing 

If I were running this as a Treasure Hunter Adventures campaign, then I think I would award four Advances throughout these adventures. One comes after the finale, of course, when the heroes become Seasoned characters; the others would happen after Episodes 3, 5 and 7. 

Watching Again: The National Treasure Movies

While I've been waiting for each episode of National Treasure: Edge of History--which I've been enjoying, but that is for another post--I've also been watching the two films again. I previously posted about how they could serve as examples of pacing for a Treasure Hunter Adventures campaign,  and how to use downtime between adventures during a campaign, but here are a few thoughts that struck me this time around. 

One Way to Pace a Treasure Hunter Adventures Campaign

Book of Secrets—Using Downtime to Customize Adventures

-Nate 

Watching Again: The National Treasure Movies

Here are my thoughts.

1. Just as happens with the characters in the film, too many puzzles can become frustrating for everyone involved. As a GM, I need to keep that in mind.

2. With that in mind, knowledge truly is power for these scenarios. If the Player Characters themselves are not skilled in that way, then they need to have an ally who can assist them. In fact, that provides a good opportunity

3. Give the NPCs—even minor ones—some personality. Sean, one of Ian's enforcers, is a good example of that. When Ben kisses Abigail before a dangerous moment, Sean asks, “Why doesn't that ever happen to me?”

4. The premise for these scenarios is preposterous, but fun. The scope and scale of the adventure is set when Ben announces, “I'm going to steal the Declaration of Independence.”

5. Once Gates and his allies start planning their heist, and Ian does the same with his henchmen, we have a good example of how to approach a problem in different ways. Gates takes a more subtle approach, and the making of a duplicate fingerprint is inspired. A good GM would hear that suggestion and say, “Okay, here are the skill checks I need you to make.” Ian, on the other hand, resorts to good old-fashioned smash-and-grab, and that works for that group, too.

6. A good set-piece for an encounter can be a lot of fun. This includes the wooden stairs and lift mechanism from the first movie, and the stone mechanism—including the balancing platform—from the second. I should think more about creating such situation in my scenarios.

7. On the subject of Cibola, we have a good reminder that there should be multiple paths for the heroes to follow while exploring locations. When Emily and Patrick become separated from the rest of the party, they can follow a whole different route and still meet up with the others.

8. There's also a good example of how one scenario can introduce plot hooks for future ones. Just what is on page 47 of the President's Book?

9. Finally, both of these films reflect the play style that I prefer for Treasure Hunter Adventures. The heroes can handle themselves in a fight, but that is not their first instinct or primary tactic. The NPCs present a legitimate danger, and there isn't the expectation—typical for other RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons—that they should always be able to handle combat.

Trailer and Release Date for National Treasure: Edge of History

It seems that the final trailer was released, and the release date for the series announced, at D23 over the weekend. Here are my thoughts.

• It's cool to see more of Harvey Keitel's character, Peter Sadusky. I always suspected that he knew more than what he was telling.

• The reference to “daughters of the plumed serpent,” spoken by the character played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, seems to imply to the Mesoamerican mythical figure Quetzalcoatl.

• It also seems that the late father of the main character—Jess Valenzuela, played by Lisette Olivera—will play an important part in the story.

• Indeed, later footage implies that Sadusky knew Jess's dad.

• It looks like we might see a full-on treasure room, possibly filled with items found by Benjamin Franklin Gates (played, of course, by Nic Cage in the movies).

• Finally, the two-episode premiere is scheduled for Wednesday, December 14^th. If the suggestion of 10 episodes from IMDb.com is accurate, then it should run until February 8^th.

More Developments for the National Treasure TV Series

 I missed this featurette until today; it has me even more excited for the new series. 

-Nate

More Developments for the National Treasure TV Series

Disney released a new featurette that provides a longer look at the forthcoming series National Treasure: Edge of History. I have a few thoughts about it.

• Early in the featurette we see the glasses with multiple lenses from National Treasure; later we see the carved pipe from that movie, and the engraved wooden plank from the sequel. Could this be some kind of museum where relics from those discoveries are put on display?

• We also see that Agent Peter Sadusky will be around for some of this action! His character was an intriguing element of the first film, a person who definitely wasn't telling everything that he knows. I'm curious to see how he fits into this new story.

• We also have our first look at the villain, Billie Pearce, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones. She brings some serious chops to that role, which should make for an interesting character.

• In an interview, Justin Bartha says that “exploring American history was a lot different twenty years ago. It'll be interesting to see how this series brings such a different lens to the story.

Developments for the National Treasure TV Series

While the development by Disney of a TV series based on the National Treasure movies (2004 and 2007) is not news, I think a couple of recent developments are noteworthy. For one, Disney recently released a first image of the cast members, who seem to have run into some legal trouble.

A second bit of news is that actor Justin Bartha will be reprising his role as Riley Poole from the films.

This certainly helps create continuity between them and the TV series. What is more, the fact that his Poole wrote a book, The Templar Treasure and Other Myths That Are True, begins to open up a whole world of possible adventures. Such a book would definitely be a useful plot device for an RPG campaign. It will be interesting to see how the series develops that world, using the long-form pacing that is possible on TV as opposed to the big screen.

-Nate