DriveThruRPG.com
Browse Categories
$ to $















Back
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
 
$7.19 $2.49
Average Rating:4.6 / 5
Ratings Reviews Total
17 6
8 2
2 0
0 0
0 0
Tropicana
Click to view
You must be logged in to rate this
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Steven S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/25/2019 21:07:44

Stumbled on this by accident and picked it up just for the subject matter, within a few weeks had run a one shot for our regular D&D group and now I have a table of Savage World converts on my hands. I liked it so much I even went and bought the physical book on Amazon.

The setting is just what it promises, a call back to the adventure movies and TV shows that mixed action with cool--be it the laid back vibe of Magnum, the crisp stylish edge of Miami Vice, or the shout out to period pulp like Indiana Jones. It has a flexibility of play that means it can fit just about any style of modern game or even all of them. Teamed with Savage World's flexibility is making this a joy to prepare and run. I can't wait to see anything else that gets added to the product line up.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Olivier S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 01/18/2018 09:19:23

"Tropicana" is a hundred pages long RPG setting written by Mauro Longo and Giuseppe Rotondo for the Savage Worlds ruleset. This books describes the metropolis of San José and gives plenty of gamemastering material. San José is an independent city-state of Latin America, clustered on a peinisula at the foot of an extinct volcano, the rest of the territory being an impenetrable jungle. Once founded by the Conquistadores under the name of "Nueva Zamora" (lol !), this former pirate outpost managed in the last decades to turn itself into a global hub of offshore finance and entertainment. Imagine Miami mixed with Monaco, Havana and Singapore. So, this is the perfect setting for all kinds of adventures, whether you like James Bond, Indiana Jones or Miami Vice; and I'm quite sure you can adapt it to any other universe, even fantasy, with a little imagination.

Chapter I gives a lengthy insight into San José's history, criminal groups and major factions. I especially liked the description of "El Banco" and of the services it can provide. No map - even a basic one - is given; this seems to be a tradition among Italian authors working for Gramel :-) OK, a map is not always required but here, since this book is about a sprawling city, a mere plan laying out the locations of the various quarters is indispensable in my view for the GM (so, I had to peruse the book for drawing my own...). Chapter II starts with the description of interesting archetypes : I do regret that many of them are not found back in the "Bestiary" of Chapter VII, especially when I see the good list of new edges and hindrances, which allows to turn many tropes of TV action series into (N)PCs. Chapters III, IV and V are respectively for Gear, Agencies (which you can run) and GM Setting Rules : most of those game mechanics are rudimentary but efficient and perfect for this kind of setting. I think I see the positive influence of U.Pignatelli there ("Beasts & Barbarians"), as for instance in the "After the Adventure Events table". Chapter VI is the Game Master's Guide with tables for Agency Management, Secrets, as well as plenty of advice for running adventures in San José, described as a mix of "Action, Adventure and Mystery".

In conclusion, "Tropicana" is the best and most interesting setting I have ever seen for a modern city; only its minor flaws - which could have been prevented in my opinion - keep me from giving it five stars. But if you're looking for a city of sea, sun, pleasure and intrigues, don't hesitate !



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Creator Reply:
Dear Olivier, can you shoot me at piotr@fajnerpg.pl with flaws? We are working on Companion for Tropicana (will be on Indiegogo this spring/summer) and we will offer printed version of Tropicana with any corrections we can give. Thanks in advance!
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Patrick S. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/17/2016 15:12:06

After already reading many GRAmel products and never being dissappointed with any of them, Tropicana came around and pushed every button there is.

Maybe it's my age. I grew up with shows like Tales of the golden monkey, Magnum, The A-Team, Riptide and many others. Or maybe it's the tight way this book is written: Tropicana really catches the spirit of Savage Worlds. Every sentence and table is packed with useful information. The setting specific Edges, Hindrances and rules are crisp, to the point and absolutely fitting. The Tropicana Jukebox alone is gold. But maybe it's the fun you can feel the good people from GRAmel must have had while writing this little gem. The setting is sparkling with great ideas, interesting NPCs, cool locations and endless possibilities. Maybe it's the way modern stuff like Narcos, Uncharted (4) or Tomb Raider smoothly flow into the vibe of those old shows i loved as a kid. Or it's the way this setting is rather open and can be played in all kinds of directions: chasing gangsters; climbing the criminal ladder to the top; searching for lost treasures, relics & ruins; fighting the good fight along the rebels in the jungle; discovering forgotten and maybe horrible secrets; investigating this evil Calibana cult; heisting into the vault of El Banco; spying on hostile agents ... or a colourful mixture of parts of it or everything.

All in all this is one of the best Savage Worlds products i have ever seen and i have seen, played and hosted a lot of them. Besides some minor errors, surely coming from not having native speakers as writers, i can find nothing which i don't like here. The only thing really missing here is a map of San Jose, but this will be dealt with in the upcoming companion as i was told.

Get this.

Disclaimer: A) We are playing with our own unofficial Ubiquity conversion. Just a matter of taste. B) A free PDF of Tropicana was kindly given to me, but did not in any way influence my opinion. My stupidity in thinking that reviews are only possible as a certified buyer, was my and only my fault.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Richard B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 12/25/2015 13:00:37

This is a well-constructed Savage Worlds setting. The new edges, hindrances, and character backgrounds are really inventive. I can't wait to run it in the new year. I also can't wait for the upcoming adventures and supplemental material.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Creator Reply:
Thank you!
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Ian F. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/30/2015 13:07:20

This is a great buy for the price. The setting has a colorful Miami-Vice-meets-Indiana-Jones vibe to it, with room for an X-Files episode here and there. If it were a video game it would be called "Grand Theft Auto: Tropicana". I give this setting book four out of five stars. Let's start with the weaknesses then get to what's good about Tropicana.

I'm not giving Tropicana five stars because it's missing some elements that one expects in a fully-fleshed out Savage Worlds setting. I hasten to add, however, that if the authors had provided these missing elements it would have justified adding another $10 to the price at least, so you're still getting a good value for the money - you just need to be aware that the book does not include some things you might be expecting, such as:

1) Pre-written adventures. The book does include a single one-sheet adventure, also available as a free download, and it's actually pretty good for a new group getting started in the world of Tropicana, but to adventure further you will have to create your own adventures, at least until more Tropicana products come out. And since there is only one adventure that means there is no...

2) Plot point campaign. I expect this will be a future product as well, but for now you're on your own to create a series of adventures linked by a common plot line.

3) Pre-generated characters. Granted, creating PCs in Savage Worlds isn't hard, but some players (like mine) happen to dislike the detailed work of creating a PC; they don't want to work on fiddly character details, they want to adventure right now! Including pre-gens in the setting book would make the game much easier for a group to "just pick up and play".

4) No map of the world. The authors have stated they will provide this in a future supplement, but really, when was the last time you picked up a world book that did not include a map of the world? I'm of mixed thoughts on this. The authors did state the map omission was intentional and I respect that "theater of the mind" design choice, but I still think a map would help draw the GM and players more deeply into the world.

5) Little or no magic/weird science. This world is nearly magic-free, except for some hoodoo-chanting natives in the jungles surrounding the capital city of San Jose. That isn't bad, necessarily, and there is room for the PCs to encounter the occasional alien artifact or cursed jungle totem, but if you like your game to have a strong occult/magic/weird science flavor this isn't for you. The magic/weirdness in Tropicana is more subtle and rare, like a sprinkling of spice rather than a primary flavor.

So what do you get that's good? Wow, how about:

a) Lots of opposing factions, each with a unique flavor. In addition to the expected criminal elements in Tropicana you also have university researchers studying strange anomalies at the bottom of the sea just off the coast, that is, when they aren't busy exploring the jungle interior which no civilized man has yet seen and is rumored to be littered with ruins of lost civilizations. You have your rebel band that wants to overthrow the government in San Jose, opposed by the San Jose's military, so you can wage military jungle campaigns if you want to. You have crooked politicians at the top and honest but tough cops of the Guardia Civil at the bottom who try to keep the lid on crime despite the overwhelming odds. Spies, soldiers of fortune, jet-setting socialites, surf bums, lonely authors - they're all around you in Tropicana!

b) Competition rules. The world of Tropicana is very macho and characters are always competing to out-macho the other guy. You can have a dance-off to see which character has the most rockin' moves on the dance floor, line up a row of shot glasses filled with the local fire water and have a drink-off against your main nemesis, or play baccarat against a foreign spy while dressed in black tie at one of San Jose's infamous casinos. Oh, and car races...you can have lots of those because they're very popular in San Jose. All these competitions, and any you can make up yourself, are handled by a single set of simple and fun rules.

c) Seduction rules! Okay, think James Bond here. The ability to succeed in the world of Tropicana often turns on how well your character can Persuade (as in the Savage World rules) members of the opposite sex (or otherwise I suppose) in what is essentially a card-based mini-game. Cool fun for those players mature enough to handle it (or not, which can be fun too).

d) Disguise rules. Moving around in Tropicana disguised as someone else gets a well-fleshed-out treatment. This gives Players (as opposed to PCs) an opportunity to stretch their acting skills if they're so inclined, by having their PC pose as someone else for a while and attempting to avoid discovery, just like you've seen in those Mission Impossible episodes.

e) Rules for Shadowing that dangerous suspect around the streets of San Jose. Shadowing is another mini-game that turns what would be a simple dice roll into something more detailed and fun.

d) The Tropicana Jukebox. Some game groups will like this, others not, I expect. The idea is that each player and the GM contributes four songs to a mix tape/file (so a group of four players and one GM would contribute 5 x 4 = 20 songs). When action occurs in-game, the GM plays a random song (using the shuffle setting on his computer or boom box) and whichever PC has his/her song play (any of the four songs that player contributed) is the star of that scene and gets a free Benny, playable only for the duration of that song. Okay, I can see this being fun the first few times you do it, but after a four-hour session I think the novelty might wear thin. Or maybe not; I haven't tried it yet. The people who have actually gamed it and have written about it seem to love it.

And there's more to the setting of course, but the above gives you a gist of the world flavor. So, if you like a world filled with bling, booze, and babes, where you drive fast sports cars, shoot your pocket Uzi at thugs, make money on the edge of the law and move your wealth around in secret bank accounts, then this is for you. Just be prepared to wait for follow-on products unless you have the time and energy to develop the adventures yourself.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Creator Reply:
Thank you :) Two things: Map - we may prepare it for a companion, but lack of it was intentional. Pregenerated characters, campaing and more adventures coming soon :) Really :) We are working on them right now.
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Neal H. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/28/2015 14:34:46

If for no other reason, you should buy this book for the optional rules for disguise, seduction, and the Tropicana Jukebox. However, Tropicana has lots more to offer, as the best modern low FX settings out there. In addition, the agency creation and maintenence rules allow heroes to feel like they create something that grows and changes with them.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Creator Reply:
Thank you very much :)
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Dennis B. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/28/2015 07:59:48

An interesting modern setting for Savage Worlds, of which I have found few that are suitable. It has a great mix of styles incorporated, with the criminal, espionage, and pulp themes working nicely if a GM wants a more subdued or outlandish feel. I think for more inexperienced GM's a few more plot points could have been added, which seems to be the Savage standard at the moment, but in general I am very impressed with this book.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Creator Reply:
Dear Dennis, Thank you for your review. We are happy that you like Tropicana :) About plot point - we are going to update the book with an adventure soon (one sheet). We also plan to publish a short campaing soon.
pixel_trans.gif
Tropicana
Publisher: GRAmel
by Brian R. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 11/27/2015 18:48:16

As usual, GRAmel has outdone itself with Tropicana, a pitch-perfect setting for adventure, mystery, and action in a tropical banana republic. Set in the tiny, fictional state of San José, Tropicana weaves a complex setting suitable for a wide variety of games, drawing from a huge body of inspiration.

Geographically, San José is located near Guatemala on the Caribbean side of Central America. The mainland portion of San José is made up of dense jungles, a brown tropical river, a range of mountains featuring an active volcano, and numerous ancient Mesoamerican ruins and abandoned Spanish mines and other sites. Extending into the Caribbean is a peninsula where most of San José's population lives in small towns and the sprawling city after which the country is named. One part Rio de Janeiro, one part Cartegena, one part Miami, the city is a playground for drug runners, movie stars, spies, treasure hunters, gangsters, surfers, and low lifes. Numerous islands dot the sea near the peninsula, some converted into high-class resorts, others owned by billionaires, while others are empty or used for other purposes.

Part One ("Bienvenido a San José") is the largest individual chapter, discussing at great length the history of this little country, starting from its mysterious origins with the indigenous peoples and their strange practices, to waves of conquistadors and colonizers, to its struggles with piracy, to the modern era of drugs and politics. It also introduces the reader to a dossier of major players and organizations in San José, providing more than enough enemies and possible confederates for a long-running campaign.

Part Two ("From Tropicana With Love") explains how to make a character for use in this setting using the Savage Worlds core rules. It explains which skills, Hindrances, and Edges are disallowed or modified, and introduces some new ones. Here is also one of Tropicana's most interesting and flavorful additions, the selection of a type of music that represents your character, a vital part of your character's identity when used in conjunction with the "Tropicana Jukebox" rule described later in the book.

Part Three ("Hot Stuff") discusses suitable gear, introduces some new gear options, and has a quick method to determine availability. It also has a quick system for creating customized gear and vehicles.

Part Four ("They're Beautiful, They're Brilliant, and They Work for Me") details rules for creating your own agency -- a formal group of characters who can be hired to undertake various kinds of work. These groups can engage in private investigation, salvage and recovery, transport, protection, you name it. These rules have guidelines for creating headquarters, managing operations, and even determining hirelings, income, and renown.

Part Five ("Pulp, Action, and Weird") are the setting rules for Tropicana. There are a few new subsystems here -- really more like refinements of existing systems so the GM doesn't have to puzzle his or her way through it. This includes a system for handling competitions, disguises, events between adventures, gambling, seduction, shadowing, and the innovative "Tropicana Jukebox." The latter involves a player-created soundtrack for the game, where a randomized song at the start of each combat provides benefits for the character whose song comes up first.

Part Six ("Como Puede Ser Verdad?") is the Gamemaster's section, designed to help GMs put together possible adventures in this setting. It goes over different genre approaches, from horror to espionage to exploration. It also gives suggestions for types of characters and how to get them involved, expands on the Agency rules, explores possible opponents, and steps back to look at San José's role in international politics.

Part Seven ("Live and Let Die") is a Bestiary, starting off with typical animals one might encounter, such as giant leeches, monkeys, jaguars, and different kinds of swarms. Next is a long list of human opponents, giving stats for the henchmen and bosses of all the numerous gangs, militias, para-military organizations, and so on.

If you're a fan of any of the following, you'll enjoy this setting: • James Bond movies • Just Cause (videogame) • Clive Cussler novels • Grand Theft Auto • Burn Notice • Romancing the Stone • Scarface • Uncharted (videogame) • Mission: Impossible • Spring Breakers • Miami Vice • City of God

I was actually surprised to not find a list of inspirational sources in the Gamemaster's section, but pretty much any movie in a tropical setting, featuring spies or jungle mysteries or drug trafficking, and rife with action and adventure would be perfect.

One other flaw was the absence of a map, even a crude one, of the Republic of San José. I'm a visual guy, and knowing where things are relative to one another would be very helpful in piecing together a full understanding of this setting. It's still fully functional, of course -- and some might prefer a more fluid geography -- but for me a setting like this is deeply rooted in its geography. In fact, a player's map would also be very helpful. The creators mentioned a possible gazetteer in the future, which would be wonderful. But even barring that, I'd love to see a simple b&w PDF map, even better if lots of locations are on a layer than can be turned off and printed for a player's map.

Being a fan of explosive action, dark mysteries, and wild action, I love this setting and can't wait to run it!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
pixel_trans.gif
Creator Reply:
Thank you :) Lack of map is intentional. But if our clients will require it, in campaign we will put the map.
pixel_trans.gif
Displaying 1 to 8 (of 8 reviews) Result Pages:  1 
pixel_trans.gif
pixel_trans.gif Back pixel_trans.gif
0 items
 Gift Certificates