Perilous areas on a "bland" PA board?

[FramFramson]

Yes, more great ideas!

[Mr. Peabody]

Hmmm... I really like the 'downed power-lines'.  Will have to work on that one.

We have started playing with mobile perils, that move around randomly, just to make things a bit more challenging.

[d phipps]

This topic slipped over to the Pulp Alley forum as well, and RichardC had some points that are well worth sharing...

It’s worth bearing in mind that hazards need not be entirely physical and that loss of health suffered as a result of failing to overcome challenges may represent loss of determination or capability to function effectively for other reasons.

Thus an urban Perilous Area might perhaps, depending on your game’s genre, be centred on a little old lady who insists in engaging the character in conversation.

“Gee, Boss, I know I was meant to be keeping a look out but this old dame comes up to me and she’s going on about her lost cat and will I see if it’s stuck on the fire escape and...”.

Alternatively, Perilous Areas could be crowds of civilians who make it too risky to shoot either for fear of hitting them or for fear of attracting too much attention or who simply make running impossible because of their numbers.

Some other thoughts for urban Perilous Areas:
Beat cop
Bag-lady crossing the road with a trolley full of empty drinks cans (or period equivalent)
Argumentative wino
Pushy pimp
Members of the Sweet Jesus League Against Turpitude pushing leaflets into the hands of anyone who passes
Patches of dense fog/steam
Excitable Chinese cooks with meat cleavers
A Police Box that surely wasn’t there earlier?

[Kamandi]

How about something no one would expect?

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

I didn't expect that! Who makes those figures?

[Kamandi]

Victoria Miniatures.

[Etranger]

I didn't expect that! ...

No-one expects the Spanish Inquistion!

(Sorry, but the Monty Python reference is mandatory....  )

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

Victoria Miniatures.

Thanks. Quite pricey but I'm very tempted.

[pistolpete]

"...loss of determination or capability to function effectively for other reasons..."

[d phipps]

Exactly!

These ideas play into the fact that Health also represents a character's "willingness" to fight. Through distractions and tempations a character may go out of play without ever suffering any physical injury. This sort of stuff is easily resolved as a normal peril. For example...

The Candy Store -- "Ah-geez, Boss, I was only in there for a minute."
The Prostitute -- "Ah-geez, Boss, I was only in there for a minute."
...and so on.


HAVE FUN

[FramFramson]

For "G-Rated" and "GI-Rated" versions of Pulp Alley, respectively.