Editing Toon (role-playing game)

{{Short description|1984 Cartoon tabletop role-playing game}}
{{Infobox RPG
|title= Toon
|subtitle=The Cartoon Roleplaying Game
|image=RPG_toon_cover.jpg
|caption=Cover by [[Kyle Miller (artist)|Kyle Miller]]
|designer= {{Unbulleted list|[[Greg Costikyan]]|[[Warren Spector]]}}
|publisher= [[Steve Jackson Games]]
|date= 1984
|genre= Comedy
|system= Custom
}}
'''''Toon''''' is a comedy [[tabletop role-playing game]] in which the players take the roles of cartoon characters.<ref name="GD">{{cite web| url=http://www.gamerdad.com/detail.cfm?itemID=2322| title=Unplugged #23: A Parental Guide to Role-playing Games III| last=Carlson| first=Matt| publisher=GamerDad | date=May 2005| access-date=2007-10-09| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080123144334/http://www.gamerdad.com/detail.cfm?itemID=2322| archive-date=2008-01-23}}</ref><ref name="HG">{{Cite book | contribution=Toon | title=[[Hobby Games: The 100 Best]] | last=Cook | first=Dave "Zeb" | author-link=David Cook (game designer) | editor-last=Lowder | editor-first=James | editor-link=James Lowder | publisher=[[Green Ronin Publishing]] | year=2007 | pages=327–330 | isbn=978-1-932442-96-0}}</ref> It is subtitled ''The [[Cartoon]] Roleplaying Game''.<ref name="RPGnet">{{cite web| url=http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_6560.html| title=Toon (Playtest Review)| last=de Oude| first=Jake|date=March 2002| publisher=[[RPGnet]]| access-date=2007-10-09}}</ref> ''Toon'' was designed by [[Greg Costikyan]] and developed by [[Warren Spector]], and first published in 1984 by [[Steve Jackson Games]].<ref name="HG"/><ref name="RPGnet"/>

== Development ==
[[Jeff Dee]] came up with the idea of creating a role-playing game based on cartoons when he and [[Greg Costikyan]] were talking with several other designers about genres that no one had designed game systems for; although they agreed that such a game would be impossible to design, Costikyan designed ''Toon'' a few years later as a full game with the assistance of [[Warren Spector]].<ref name="designers">{{Cite book|author=Shannon Appelcline|title=Designers & Dragons|publisher=Mongoose Publishing|year=2011| isbn= 978-1-907702-58-7|page=104}}</ref>

== Style ==
{{multiple image
 | align             = left
 | total_width       = 250
 | alt1              = 
 | image1            = Greg Costikyan.jpg
 | alt2              = 
 | image2            = Warren Spector GDC 2023 (cropped).jpg
 | footer            = [[Greg Costikyan]] designed ''Toon'' with help from [[Warren Spector]].
}}

Although ''Toon'' is a genuine role-playing game requiring the participation of players and a [[gamemaster|game master]] (called the "Animator"), it is designed with a tongue-in-cheek style that deliberately parodies many of the conventions of more standard, "serious" role-playing games.

In ''Toon'' the player characters never die.<ref name="GD"/>  As in many role-playing games, characters have [[hit point]]s, which are deducted when the character is injured (usually in combat, or by having anvils fall on them). When characters are reduced to zero hit points they do not die or fall unconscious, but fall down. Since cartoon characters never actually die, and always return in time for the next scene, a fallen down character returns to play a set time later, with all hit points restored.

This lack of true "character death" is also designed to encourage players to deliberately abandon the skills and reflexes they learned in other games, namely to have their characters able to solve problems and fight enemies while staying alive.<ref>{{cite journal| last =Staplehust| first =Graham| title =Open Box: Dungeon Modules| type = review| journal =[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]| issue = 63| pages =12| publisher =[[Games Workshop]]|date=March 1985| issn =0265-8712}}</ref>  According to the game's rules, the two prime directives for ''Toon'' players to follow are "Forget Everything You Know" and "Act Before You Think".<ref name="GD"/>

The game encourages players to have fun above all other considerations – even to the point of breaking the rules of the game.  If the players and the Animator agree that a players' actions in a game are funny and enjoyable, then that players' actions are allowed and encouraged.  This can be seen as a way for players to "[[fourth wall|break the fourth wall]]" in the game, in the same way that animated cartoons often ignore reality for the sake of laughs.

The game uses a very simple skill-based task resolution system based on a list of only 23 skills that cover all possible character actions. These are assigned to four controlling attributes, humorously named "Muscle" (strength), "Zip" (dexterity and speed), "Smarts" (intelligence) and "Chutzpah" (pushiness and self-confidence).<ref name="RPGnet"/> In addition, characters can have optional "Shticks", which give them unusual cartoon-like abilities, such as flying or invisibility.

The game was inspired by the classic [[Warner Bros.]] cartoons of the 1930s through the 1960s, and characters such as [[Bugs Bunny]] and [[Daffy Duck]], but Steve Jackson Games is careful to avoid any [[copyright]] violations.  For example, there is an "Ace Corporation" in ''Toon'' products (instead of the [[Acme Corporation]]), and the writers' guidelines for ''Toon'' prohibit the use of the word "[[wiktionary:toon|toon]]" to mean "a cartoon character".<ref>[http://www.sjgames.com/general/guidelines/authors/toon.html Writing For ''Toon'']</ref>

== ''Toon'' books ==

* ''Toon: The Cartoon Roleplaying Game''. {{cite book |last1=Spector |first1=Warren |last2=Costikyan |first2=Greg |title=Toon: The Cartoon Roleplaying Game |date=1984 |publisher=Steve Jackson Games |location=Austin TX, USA |isbn=978-1556341977}}
* ''Toon Silly Stuff'' (1985)
* ''Son of Toon'' (1985)
* ''[[Toon Strikes Again]]''. {{cite book |last1=Spector |first1=Warren |title=Toon Strikes Again |date=1985 |publisher=Steve Jackson Games |location=Austin TX, USA |isbn=88-86149-04-2}}
* ''Toon: The Cartoon Roleplaying Game (Deluxe Edition)'' (1991). Incorporates all material from the original edition, plus ''Toon Silly Stuff'', ''Son of Toon'', and ''Toon Strikes Again''.
* ''Tooniversal Tour Guide'' (1992)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/reviews/rev_3137.html| last=Waters |first=Evan|title=Tooniversal Tour Guide (Review)| publisher=[[RPGnet]]|date=June 2000| access-date=2007-10-09}}</ref>
* ''Toon Tales'' (1993)
* ''Toon Ace Catalog'' (1994)
* ''Toon Munchkin'' (2006)

==Reception==
In the December 1984 edition of ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' (Issue #92), [[Michael Dobson (author)|Michael Dobson]] commented that the game "appears at first glance to be an elaborate joke." But then he went on to say that "''Toon'' is a genuinely good idea – an original (if unlikely) concept in role-playing – that is enjoyable, fast-moving, and incredibly silly." Dobson liked the simplicity of the rules system, and concluded with a strong recommendation, saying, "Inspired silliness – the very heart of this game."<ref name=dragon92>{{cite journal|last=Dobson|first=Michael|author-link=Michael Dobson (author)|date=January 1984 |title=New Heights (?) in silliniess: For ''Toon'' players, failure is half the fun|journal=[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]|publisher=[[TSR (company)|TSR, Inc.]]|issue=92|pages=60}}</ref>

In the December 1984 edition of ''[[Imagine (AD&D magazine)|Imagine]]'' (Issue #21), Mike Lewis liked the game, stating, "Toon is a very refreshing change from the usual run-of-the-mill rpgs which have been appearing recently. The game very firmly puts a sense of humour back into rpgs. If you are interested in cartoons, then Toon is an essential purchase – but even if you aren't, try it for a change. I am very impressed with the ideas behind this game and hope that it gets more support than most minority RPGs have done in the past. It deserves it."<ref name="Imagine21">{{cite journal | last = Lewis |first = Mike | title =Notices | type = review | journal = [[Imagine (game magazine)|Imagine]] | issue = 21| pages =19| publisher = TSR Hobbies (UK), Ltd. |date=December 1984}}</ref>

In the January–February 1985 edition of ''[[Space Gamer]]'' (No. 72), [[Ray Greer|R.A. Greer]] gave a positive review, commenting, "''Toon'' is a quick cure for all your roleplaying ills, a fast-acting balm to be applied directly to your funny bone, speeding you back to those uncomplicated days of roleplaying when it was ''fun''!"<ref name="SG">{{cite journal|last=Greer |first=R.A. |author-link=Ray Greer |date=Jan–Feb 1985 |title=Featured Review: Toon|journal=[[Space Gamer]]|publisher=[[Steve Jackson Games]]|issue=72|pages=10–11}}</ref>

In the January–February 1985 edition of ''[[Different Worlds]]'' (Issue #38), [[Larry DiTillio]] found much to like and gave the game a solid three stars out of four. He called the character generation rules "dirt simple", and found that resolving skills "is even easier than generating characters." He also admired the writing style, saying "[Greg] Costikyan has clarity, wit, and the good sense to be brief, as well as an obvious love for cartoons. The rulebook not only reads quickly and easily, it makes you eager to play the game." DiTillio concluded "for a few hours of silliness, ''Toon'' can't be beat and is a refreshing change from the ofttimes leaden pace of other role-playing games. It's fast, it's fun, it's simple."<ref name="dw">{{cite journal|last=DiTillio|first=Larry | date=January–February 1985 |title=Game Reviews|journal=[[Different Worlds]]|publisher=[[Chaosium]]|issue=38|pages=26–27}}</ref>

In the March 1985 edition of ''[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]'' (Issue #63), Stephen Kyle gave the game an excellent overall rating of 9 out of 10, stating that "all of us have favourite cartoons or characters and ''Toon'' enables you to recreate them easily and with a lot of fun."<ref name="WD63">{{cite journal  | last =Kyle | first =Stephen | title =Open Box  | journal =[[White Dwarf (magazine)|White Dwarf]]  | issue = 63  | pages =11–12  | publisher =[[Games Workshop]]  | date = March 1985  }}</ref>

In the April 1989 edition of ''Dragon'' (Issue #144), [[Jim Bambra]] took a retrospective look at the then five-year old game, and called it "a classic – a game which deserves the attention of everyone looking for a dramatic change of pace and emphasis in their role-playing." Bambra complimented the easy rules and flexible system, and concluded, "I highly recommend it as an evening’s entertainment and as a cure to role-playing blues. Buy a copy if you are in a silly mood or need to be cheered up."<ref name=dragon144>{{cite journal|last=Bambra|first=Jim|author-link=Jim Bambra| date=April 1989 |title=Roleplaying Reviews|journal=[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]|publisher=[[TSR (company)|TSR, Inc.]]|issue=144|pages=39}}</ref>

In his 1990 book ''[[The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games]]'', game critic [[Rick Swan]] commented "If not the funniest RPG ... ''Toon'' is certainly the oddest ... It's a world of utter anarchy." Swan admired the creative list of skills and the Fifty Percent rule used by referees in ambiguous situations. However, Swan warned "Any game as freeform as ''Toon'' depends heavily on the improvisational skills of the referee, which is the game's major drawback." Despite this, Swan concluded by giving the game an excellent rating of 3.5 out of 4, saying, "In the hands of a witty referee and a group of receptive players, ''Toon'' can be hilarious, an excellent introductory game for novices, and a delightful change of pace for veterans."<ref name=swan>{{cite book | last =Swan  | first =Rick | author-link=Rick Swan |title =[[The Complete Guide to Role-Playing Games]] | publisher =St. Martin's Press | date =1990 | location =New York | pages =216–217}}</ref>

In his 2023 book ''Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground'', RPG historian Stu Horvath noted, "While other games had been funny before now, ''Toon'' was the first game entirely focused on comedy. More importantly, it was the first in a  wave of rules-light games that flew in the face of the accepted design doctrine that RPGs needed complex rules systems to be fun or satisfying."<ref name=mahg>{{cite book| last = Horvath| first = Stu| title = Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground| publisher = MIT Press| date = 2023| location = Cambridge, Massachusetts| pages = 130 | isbn =9780262048224 }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Cartoon]]
* [[Cartoon physics]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.sjgames.com/toon/ ''Toon: The Cartoon Roleplaying Game'']

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Comedy role-playing games]]
[[Category:Furry role-playing games]]
[[Category:Greg Costikyan games]]
[[Category:Role-playing games introduced in 1984]]
[[Category:Steve Jackson Games games]]
[[Category:Warren Spector games]]