Creating Abrams-like Doctor Who game?

Flares, lots of flares!

Ok, seriously now... Just because players don't know much about the history doesn't mean you need to change the world. I guess you're going to use the Doctor, because all new characters have to learn everything from scratch anyway and need introductions to any new concept, alien or character. Characters learn the history as they make it, sort of thing (this is what happened with my group who was really only conversant with the new series).

So how much of a revamp is it? Do Daleks still look like Daleks? Might they have completely different origins? Are you willing to use the fact that your players don't know about the history to completely rewrite it?

In any case, I think almost any old monster or story could work in a reboot environment. You can change the ones that had problems, and keep the ones that were awesome. For younger gamers, I think Ice Warriors (reptilian Martians!) could be a nice addition (come on, new series!), and stories like Invasion of the Dinosaurs or Terror of the Zygons (with the Loch Ness monster) would be pretty cool. You can NEVER go wrong with dinosaurs! I'd do away with UNIT and have the third Doctor stories happen on whatever visit to Earth. Inferno, where the companions can meet their evil selves would be cool, but the Primords need a fix (maybe make them some Silurian plot instead).

And don't forget the historicals. I'd throw a pure one in from time to time based on the gamers' interests. Something I've done is asked the players to have a conversation around the console like "Anywhere in history? The Wild West? The Pyramids? The time of the Samurai?" and see what they come up with, then use it.

I've once wanted to do a series that goes through all the classic stories in order, but revamped and modernized. It could be a fun experiment.

It's also a fun idea (which I've done for a James Bond RPG) to have episode viewing sessions at some point allowing your players to watch how other characters dealt with similar situations. They could see the original timeline, so to speak. Makes them discover old treasures and at the same time get to go "I'm way braver than Susan!" or "That's me! I did that too!"

I've had that sequel idea too, but as a (perhaps complicated) series where your TARDIS is somehow locked onto the Doctor's, but you always arrive after the Doctor's left and have to deal with the consequences of his actions.

The series sort of did this in 2005, of course. Sure, the Doctor is the Ninth to begin with and he knows who the Daleks are, but equally he knows who the Judoon and Weeping Angels are in their first appearances, and the Cybermen get a new origin, while the Time Lords are swept away.

But anyways, plenty of things could be shaved off.

You could go more radical, and look at the series that might have been in the 90s before it was locked as being the Eighth Doctor - he was just the Doctor, and had a new half-human origin with the Master being his all-Gallifreyan half-brother, meeting the spider-y Daleks at their creation, and possibly having adventures adapted from previous series (although they were apparently examples of the kinds of stories that could be told with the format rather than real plans to remake episodes).

Or look at the movies, where the Doctor is the apparently human Doctor Who and Susan is about eight or nine, as discussed, along with other reboot notions, at Bigger On The Inside.

Certainly look to Rose for a guide, and compare the Eighth Doctor's pilot for an example of not rebooting but showing off continuity too heavily for a potential new audience.

I'd keep the TARDIS always recognisable as a blue box rather than something like A Door, the Daleks Dalek-y if the potential audience have any fondness for the show, the Time Lords absent or distant unless someone wants to play another one, and then get to raiding.

One change I'd definitely consider would be to make the Doctor or equivalent less mighty compared to the other potential PCs, as play balance may well matter more than fealty to the series.

I'd do a latter day EDA game. One of the Doctor's companions is Compassion. That would be "thinking outside the box"

It sounds a good idea to me as it can be intimidating to play the Doctor a certain way and expressing certain mannerisms. Ok I will add my views here..

I wouldn't even classify the doctor. It's just.....the Doctor. His regenerative number is unspecified because it doesn't matter in game. He is who he is. That way, you avoid canon and running out of regenerations etc. whilst also allowing the players to create new uniforms and mannerisms for him. Much fun

As for classic bad guys, well... everyone loves the staple ones like Daleks, Cybermen, Ice Warriors, Sea Devils etc.

I would obviously use them but if you wanted true radical change, then I would think about the concept behind the baddies and try to re-imagine them. For example, the Daleks have underpinning theme of totalitarian regimes and racial purity. Cybermen about conformity and uniformity. I'm sure lots of fun could be had delving into those concepts and re-imagining them!

Which one's would I skip? Hmmm not so sure there are that many that deserve skipping. Part of the love for classic 60's dr who's (and even later than that) is in looking past the special effects. I suppose the only one that sticks out massively is the Quarks!

Having recently watched the Unearthly Child, I think it's as great today as it ever has been! What a story! Plenty of character interaction and problem solving and not an alien in sight!

I think the Silurians is also another good story to do, but it takes a bit of work to come up with better reasons to ignore the doctors advice, other than blind stupidity

Sounds a good idea to me anyway and if they EVER get around to releasing specific Doctor themed campaign sets running through the various incarnations adventures, it's a concept I'm sure many people here would love to explore.

Let us know how you get along with it.

Some interesting ideas here. Some may well find their way to a future campaign of mine.