Diving Deep into the Public Access Television World
The late 20th century marked a unique era in television history, a time when UHF stations battled for viewership against the rising tide of VHS tapes. This period, filled with forgotten movies, peculiar reruns, and bizarre local programming, provides the backdrop for Jason Cordova’s tabletop role-playing game, Public Access. The game explores the surreal and conspiratorial horror that can lurk within the static-filled world of public access television.
Public Access sets its premise in a double flashback. The player characters, known as the Latchkeys, are adults in the 2000s, haunted by memories of their childhood in Deep Lake, New Mexico during the 1980s and early 90s. Their shared obsession: uncovering the truth behind TV Odyssey, a strange low-power television station that vanished from the airwaves, leaving behind only scattered videotapes and unsettling rumors.
Public Access RPG Book Cover
The gameplay loop involves investigating strange occurrences in Deep Lake, acquiring increasingly bizarre videotapes, and deciphering their reality-bending contents. This cycle continues until the overarching mystery of TV Odyssey is solved or the players succumb to the unsettling forces at play. Fans of games like Brindlewood Bay will recognize the player-driven mystery solving and the Powered by the Apocalypse framework.
However, Public Access distinguishes itself with a darker tone and genre focus. Drawing inspiration from works like Videodrome, IT, Twin Peaks, The Ring, and Welcome to Night Vale, the game delves into modern horror tropes, such as isolated summer camps and role-playing games with dangerous secrets. The game’s artwork, filled with distorted images and cryptic screen grabs, further enhances the unsettling atmosphere. The mysteries presented in the game are designed to be solved collaboratively, with the Game Master providing clues and the players weaving them together to uncover the truth.
Unlike games with a single overarching mystery, Public Access features smaller, interconnected mysteries that must be solved in stages. For instance, players might need to decipher the secrets of an unmarked arcade cabinet before progressing to the next step. The central mystery of TV Odyssey also incorporates a dynamic element. When the Latchkeys watch a videotape, the GM describes its strange content but also poses questions to the players, prompting them to interpret the images and influence the narrative.
The game provides the GM with tools to manage the unfolding narrative, encouraging them to embrace ambiguity and avoid prematurely settling on a single explanation for the weirdness. This allows the story to evolve organically, adapting to player choices and interpretations. This collaborative storytelling element makes Public Access a unique experience within the Public Access Television World of the game.
Public Access offers a fresh take on horror, perfect for players seeking spooky stories rooted in the anxieties and strangeness of a bygone era of television. It’s a game that encourages collaborative storytelling and rewards creative problem-solving, making it a compelling choice for those looking to explore the darker side of the public access television world.
