that rpg games have become too coarse and gross-out and the worst sort of pulp silliness
They have devolved into battle and gore fests of who can outpower who
while much action is needed the state of rpg video gaming is too conflict oriented
and gross-out, most base, basic, and appealing far too often to the shocking, disturbing, and most visually underwhelming overwhelm.
there is little room for real role playing, that left the barn a long time ago to implement real role playing would be a challenge.
time to join the human race gamers
with the cold war dynamic gone there are no longer nation states but corporate and super empowered individuals
a few groups make efforts but the Supermarkets are defining all of us.
what are some of things said about pulp stories of the 20’s to 50’s?
The pulp writers birthed horror, crime stories, and film noir. Of course they did 😛
exactly the kind of fantasy to lure back readers, like myself, who want great writing and great storytelling, not an endless parade of fight sequences.
that is where gaming is at. books are easier to change direction on but games can be taken in that direction too
what does a game look like with no combat? but still recognizable as traditional fantasy and science fiction?
and the many creative ways to solve problems without combat?
perhaps it is such the physics of worlds are no problem, interacting in that world becomes a problem
as far as physical battles go games and game engines are great.
i think in the interaction of avatars and obstacles that are not physical that the problem occurs.
One solution is to implement psychological models. Take your favorite psychologist and layer the game world’s residents with the mental makeups that determine avatars fates.
Breaking the physical rules of a game should be allowed as well as breaking the psychological rules.
what do the psychological rules of a game look like?
beyond mere puzzles though there should be puzzles present.
and dinky puzzles either, psychological puzzles and not just one psychologist or group of psychologists but the interplay of the psychologies and the game world. similar to the real world but far away from it.
in helping people realize their dreams and wants and needs in a game setting.
i think the game would pass from the realm of pulp gaming to serious gaming but in a much more light hearted way.
Cause what we have is pulp gaming, gaming noir. must be other words for it.
film noir as defined by oxford dictionaries
A style or genre of cinematographic film marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace.
describes rpg and first person shooter games today perfectly.
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_noir
The characters in film noir movies are often motivated by greed, jealousy, or revenge. The characters in film noir movies are often private detectives or police officers who are investigating crimes committed by bad criminals and gang members
such as murder, gambling or prostitution. In film noir movies, there are often stories about robberies, heists, extortion of money (which is called “blackmail”), or murder.
so to balance the opposites of those motivations are needed.
for opposite of greed, benevolence, charitable, generous.
odd way to do this is treasure gathered from obstacles goes to hero’s home town and only awards experience once given away
another opposite is liberal but not in the can of worms political sense.
in the liberal sense as in liberal application of salt on french fries and mashed potatoes.
the liberal application of garlic in many world cuisines.
where the players have the traditional classes just played in different ways than hack n’slash.
Abstemious rewards would be odd. players get rewarded for not doing things.
this would end up as a background sorta accumulating without real player action needed though it would have some noticeable effects once thresholds are reached. the granting of a power and/or item.
opposite of jealousy becomes calm, content, unworriered, confident, satisfied, trusting.
how that plays out as central to a game becomes in a fantasy setting, the accumulation of experiences
what mechanic allows experience rewards for creating those good attributes?
the orc party (deadly turtles) instead of guarding the kidnapped princess are convinced to give her back in exchange for one of their prisoners. a cold war nod but there. paying the orcs to return the princess is also an option. but no loots from killing the vicious and broke orcs. they get money in coins and gems but are ill able to hold onto the goods even when they get them. the treasures are gathered by their stalwart and horrific leaders who waste
and lose their ill gotten goods.
if the orcs can be convinced by offers and deliveries of food and shelters they return the princess.
though orcs are deeply evil they still need things.
the psychological models to use includes Maslow’s hierarchies and maybe some Freud and even some Jung. BF Skinner ought to make an appearance too.
What do orcs dream of? Can entire evil societies be reformed? what if orcs were turned back to good from the long
ago split when they were also elves.
Does it make sense to strike out all evils?
hmm, tough one as balance is needed but requires evil.
what does a good layered orcish society look like?
if the outer place of orcdom was infused or entranced with layers of good such as tainted calm, tainted content,
a generosity of orcish leaders and that much of their power lies in a tainted generosity but still generous.
then up to the players to create that. similar to the gradations of elemental planes where one crosses the other
fire to water having steam and vapor where orcs would have peace and plenty with might sure but tainted evils to each other
still tempered by magic and layers of good emotions. why not dwell in those fringes where forces meet and make them primary to story and gameplay.
ok, so thats a start of where i would like to take some things.
what is on the other side of this? i sure dont know but its going to be an awesome ride trying.
stellarrocketgaming 