Hey, campers!
This is the last week of our Camp Tenderpeak Kickstarter! To celebrate, let’s continue through the last two animated inspirations of Camp Tenderpeak!
Summer Camp Island
Summer Camp Island tells the story of Oscar and Hedgehog, a pair of best friends spending their summer at a magical summer camp (sound familiar?) run by Susie, an ancient grump trapped in the body of a teenage witch.
The episodes are light fare by the standards of the other cartoons on my inspiration list, but they’re incredibly charming and explore the awkwardness of becoming your own person. Oscar, a anxious young elephant that initially has trouble being separated from his parents, is an excellent counter to his best friend Hedgehog, a young hedgehog (shock!) who is very outgoing and adventurous. Their differences in personality fuel many of their 12-minute adventures.
Camp Tenderpeak as a summer camp was directly inspired by Summer Camp Island, which may shock you! Take your time… I’ll wait for you to regain your composure. This seems like a pretty superficial connection, but it actually was a very important connection. The whole premise behind the Heroes of Radness is to have young heroes going on heroic adventures, doing heroic things… heroically. However, when you give a twelve year old super powers, you could end up with a lot of ability with little responsibility. You know: super-powered farts with little motivation to help others.
While farts are great, it doesn’t leave much guidance towards becoming a hero. These kids need a structure to base their call to heroism on. On the other side, I wanted to give them ample independence. I wanted to give them role models, but I didn’t want to give them authority figures. I wanted a balance of guidance and free-form adventuring. That’s when it hit me: summer camp!
Summer camp gives them the freedom to choose their own path, the guidance of counselors and directors, and a wild backyard to explore — especially when that backyard is an infinite pocket dimension.
Summer Camp Island also inspired me with a great method to motivate progressing — merit badges! In one episode, Oscar discovered an ancient camp law that involved earning merit badges that you could turn in for rewards — including the ability to be head counselor for the day! When I watched the kids earning merit badges, it clicked! Merit badges would be a great way to explore characters “leveling up!”
Steven Universe
This show is simply amazing. It is a “feels” engine if ever there was one. My introduction to Steven Universe came about four years ago as I was packing to move into a new apartment. I had finished Gravity Falls (another amazing series) and had heard about Steven Universe. I popped it on Hulu and caught it as I packed. Soon, I found myself watching the show more than I was packing. It wasn’t helpful in that sense, but I’m still glad I decided to watch.
Steven Universe focuses on the titular character: Steven Universe. He is the child of Rose Quartz, a Crystal Gem, and Greg Universe, a beach bum ex-rocker. This makes him part human and part gem. That is where the story begins. Without going into too much detail (because there is a lot!), Steven lives the Crystal Gems — his guardians and friends. He’s learning what it is to be a gem and a human boy.
The world of Steven Universe is epic in scope and universal in its emotional content. It draws inspiration from anime — especially a lot of Studio Ghibli. Most episodes have a very cozy tone but the emotional content is brutally honest. Episodes explore very timely topics such as acceptance, discovering who you are, and the importance of boundaries. The whole final season explores trauma in a very empathic way that hit me in the gut. I could write pages about the emotional depth of this series and it still wouldn’t do the show justice.
An important aspect in the game design of Camp Tenderpeak, similar to Home by Dark, is how relationships affect characters. I enjoy emotional engagement and interaction in my systems. Building complex dynamics not only makes for great storytelling opportunities, but it also enhances the roleplaying experience. Steven Universe shows how deep relationships that are built on emotional cornerstones and shared experiences help heighten the drama. Many of the interaction systems for Camp Tenderpeak attempt to do the same. While the relationship system in Camp Tenderpeak isn’t nearly as emotionally cathartic as the entirety of Steven Universe, the goal is to heighten the emotional attachment of characters with their experiences and common bonds.
—-
And that is the end of my walk through some of the inspirations for Heroes of Radness: Camp Tenderpeak! I hope you enjoyed this little meander! If you did, please back the zine before time runs out!
Until next time, stay safe!
— Jason