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Messages - EUOL

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3676
Role-Playing Games / Re: TWG RPG
« on: November 16, 2002, 05:02:43 PM »
Hum.  That's a very interesting suggestion.  We were thinking about low-hp characters ourselves, and using some sort of fate system to help out the PC's.  I like your idea of different people using different dice--I'll have to think about that some more.  Thanks.

3677
CCGs / Re: Onslaught
« on: November 15, 2002, 08:11:00 PM »
I really like Overkill.  Of course, I love coming up with new magic varients.  Onslaught looks fun, from the few cards I've seen.  We'll have to playtest it more.  Hey Fell, any luck at getting us some boosters?

3678
Role-Playing Games / Re: TWG RPG
« on: November 15, 2002, 08:04:24 PM »
Hah.

To Entropy:  When I said 'New Fantasy' I meant to imply that we're after something less traditional.  It will still be High Fantasy in the epic sense, but it will not include any races, magic systems, or worlds that you have seen before.  

To Isimir:  Fellfrosh overdid it.  What he should have said is, "Elves are fine in a pulpy medium, such as games.  They're an important part of the genre; we have grown up with them, and enjoy emulating what we have seen.  However, in a truly original work, it's often better to work with one's own races and creations.  That's what Tolkein did.  Rather than just copying him, a better work will come when one learns from him."

Therefore, there probably won't be any elves or dwarves in this RPG.  

What I was asking all of you for were suggestions on game mechanics and such.  What kinds of things do you like in RPG's?  What do you hate?  I know that some people really dislike the concept of DnD hit points.  Others don't like Armor Class.  What is the opinon of the masses here?

--Oh, and this will be completly different from the forum game.  Maybe if the paper-RPG takes off, we can decide to build the game around it.  However, for now, they're separate.

3679
Video Games / Re: To Spriggan and Fellfrosch
« on: November 15, 2002, 07:59:06 PM »
Aw, thanks.  I feel so hated.  Makes me all tingly inside.

3680
Role-Playing Games / TWG RPG
« on: November 15, 2002, 07:03:12 AM »
Okay, folks, as a "Wecome Me Back" present, Morag and I are working on a free RPG (paper based) to start doing updates for on the TWG.  That's right, we're going to write an RPG--or attempt it, at least.  So, here's my question for you all:  What do you want to see?  It's going to be fantasy, but New Fantasy (IE, Robert Jordan as opposed to Terry Brooks--fantasy buffs will know the difference.)

Let me know what kind of things you think should be part of a good RPG, and what we certainly shouldn't include.

3681
Movies and TV / Re: Lord of the Rings Special DVD
« on: November 15, 2002, 06:59:30 AM »
Tage and Sprig can attest to the fact that the UHF (Wierd Al's Movie) audio commentary is quite the riot.

3682
Video Games / Re: To Spriggan and Fellfrosch
« on: November 15, 2002, 06:56:39 AM »
Man, I feel sad.  I've been out of the loop so long, I didn't get yelled at like everyone else.  <Snif.>

3683
Books / Re: So...what's everyone reading?
« on: November 13, 2002, 12:28:04 AM »
I'm reading 100 Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and I just finished Game of Thrones and intend to read Assassin's Apprentice, by Robin Hobb, next.

3684
Books / Re: An attack on fantasy fiction
« on: September 16, 2002, 01:39:42 AM »
Ah, what a delightful topic.  I find this concept very interesting, as well I should, since it is my intention to publish in fantasy.

His article makes a surprising number of good points.  I have noticed that in fantasy, there is as much an internal division between 'literary' works and 'non-literary works' as there is in mainstream fiction.  It's actually an interesting subset, since fantasy (along with SF) is currently engaged in a lengthy battle for relevancy when regarded by the mainstream fiction world.  Many in mainstream fiction tend to dismiss anything genre-related.  SF and Fantasy, however, argue that they can be literary, and try and remove themselves as much as possible from their cousins romance, western, and mystery.

SF has been far more successful in its argument than fantasy.  Fantasy's main problem is the one that Mieville explains in the beginning of his essay--the fact that it is caught in so many redundancies.  Re-exploration of the heroic ideal has become the overused weed of fantasy writers, used because its easy, and because it sells so well (as Sprig pointed out.)

The literary fantasy writers get annoyed by this, as they have right to be.  I postulate that it might go back to how difficult it is to write a successful fantasy book without falling into the stereotypes.  I've tried it myself, and found that the book I wrote that used the heroic ideals was far better received than the one I considered original.  In addition, the bulk of the material on the shelves keeps the minority of the clever fantasy from being noticed by the mainstream world.

However, both of these problems are something of an exaggeration.  I have met many sf and fantasy editors.  They seem to genuinely like original, interesting work.  They come back to one simple theme--if you write a good book, it will sell.  I think fantasy is in a transition period.  In the decades following tolkien, Fantasy and SF were regulated to the pulps, where their escapist natures were a necessary part of their ability to sell.  This 'Lifeline' for writers was a necessary part of their stories.  They needed to include these ideas, and play off of Tolkien and Lewis because the world just wasn't ready to support serious professional fantasy yet.  (Tolkien and Lewis were both professors, and didn't have to live off the sales of their books.)

A generation passed, and the Fantasy 'renaissance' came into existence.  This began with people like Silverburg, McCaffery, and (yes) Eddings, who were willing to explore a little bit more.  Look at Eddings, for instance.  No elves, no dwarves.  Yes, there was the same heroic plot, but many of the cliches were getting abandoned.  

Yet, at this same time, it was very hard to abandon this old feeling of what fantasy was.  The 'New Pulps' of TSR and its clones began churning out fantasy reminiscent of the old days, and as the younger generation--the first ones to really experience fantasy as a pervasive professional genre--read, they became indoctrinated.

Only now are we beginning to get tired of these ideas.  The newest fantasy is becoming more and more exploratory, and is being more and more well-received.  Just as SF escaped its buck-Rogers/Asmiov Robots trend, so Fantasy will overcome its roots--it just may take a few more decades.


Now, as for the core of the escapist argument, I don't believe it holds very well.  Arguing that Tolkien and Lewis weren't interested in other issues implies that things such as exploring culture, history, and folklore are not worthy literary goals.  In the very least, Tolkien's work is an excellent look at mythology and how people use and create it.  There is also the issue of the ring and Frodo's growing dependence upon it.  Yes, there is a neat tie-up of an ending, but reading is as much about the experience as it is about the conclusion.


3685
Everything Else / Re: Music Industry Wows
« on: August 24, 2002, 01:37:07 PM »
Nah, the true root of all evil is Marilyn Manson playing a video game about the Bible.

3686
Everything Else / Re: Music Industry Wows
« on: August 22, 2002, 11:43:54 AM »
Don't you know, Sprig?  Video games are the root of all of society's problems.

3687
Movies and TV / Re: Interesting Movie Facts and Rumors
« on: August 18, 2002, 05:41:23 AM »
lol.  Well, I guess that solves it, then.  

Still, I guess I can see his point.  It'd be tough to let a movie come out with pieces you don't approve of in it.

3688
Movies and TV / Re: Interesting Movie Facts and Rumors
« on: August 16, 2002, 05:13:34 AM »
As I understand things, Scott has a bit of...trouble getting along with most of the SF community.  I have a suspicion he has similar hindrances when working with Hollywood.

3689
Movies and TV / Re: Interesting Movie Facts and Rumors
« on: August 14, 2002, 11:47:17 AM »
The Ender's Game movie has been in the works for over a decade.  As I understand it, Card has sold himself the movie rights in some odd little deal to give himself complete creative control, and is having trouble finding someone to actually do the movie his way.

Of course, it doesn't help that the first draft of the script absolutly stunk.  I've got a copy of it, if you ever want to have a look.

3690
Webcomics & Free Stuff / Re: Flash GAMES
« on: August 06, 2002, 12:12:04 PM »
Yeah, that's a good idea.  It'll keep you fresh.

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