Crossing genres

[fmitchell]

One of the advantages of a generic system is that you can cross-pollinate genres, or slam them together, without too much trouble.

For example, lately I've been mulling some sort of "Lost World" campaign, where characters from a far-future world (including androids and cyborgs) end up in a Stone Age, Bronze Age, or even High Fantasy setting. Characters would have to struggle to survive in this different world ... and maintain their shiny toys with only a few tools. Hardly original, I know.

Another would be to create a "fantasy" world which in fact accomplishes its miracles using trickery and fragments of super-science. Again, not original: Jack Vance, Gene Wolfe, Michael Moorcock, and Michael Swanwick have been there before. I'm thinking of setting it in a Hollow World ... or perhaps a Dyson Sphere.

Anyone leverage "generic" or multi-genre rules in more innovative ways?

[Brian Vilarino]

I generally try to stay away from Cross-Genre games. Especially when I'm running it. I'm not that good at it, and, for the most part, neither have the GM's that I've played with. I personally tend to find them cheesy and all together cliche. A modern Hollow World might actually be fun though. That was one of the first games I've ever played in way back in the day.

[Moritz]

Nope, I'm with Brian on this one. I rarely ever cross genres. Don't cross dress either.

[InfoStorm]

The only thing I've done close to crossing a genre is the Dragonstar game setting, which is 100% NORMAL D&D rules shifted into a fully modern setting and a pile of Futurstic rules, equipment and setting info.

[Moritz]

I had a GM do that to us once. The GM was running a Fantasy Hero game and then shifted the party into a modern setting. Totally couldn't relate to the world.

And in another game, another GM entirely was running a Sci Fi game. The first session he tossed them onto a low tech planet, broke all their sci fi stuff, and it turned into a high fantasy game.

Bla and bla on both.

[fmitchell]

I had a GM do that to us once. The GM was running a Fantasy Hero game and then shifted the party into a modern setting. Totally couldn't relate to the world.

And in another game, another GM entirely was running a Sci Fi game. The first session he tossed them onto a low tech planet, broke all their sci fi stuff, and it turned into a high fantasy game.

Bla and bla on both.

Well, yeah, a GM who changes the entire game on you without warning is a bad GM.

I'd tell the players what they're getting into. For example, I'd say "In this game, everybody believes in magic, but it's really a mixture of superstition, fraud, and remnants of super-science"; it tips the gaff, but I don't want players who want to be awesome wizards disappointed when all they know is Knowledge (Esoterica), Bluff and Sleight-of-Hand. OK, maybe I'd say "explainable phenomena" instead of "super science", to leave some mystery ... and to keep players from asking when they get ray guns and personal force fields.

Don't forget, "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" was a popular module in its day.

[Skunkape]

I've done post apoc worlds where technology has fallen so far as to become a fantasy based world, but there were pockets of high technology still around. It worked out pretty well because I used the Runequest core system for the game.

Currently I'm developing a western game the idea of which came from a Dragon's Landing podcast, where you have dwarves and elves in a western setting. My history concept so far is as follows.

Prior to the Age of Enlightenment, the fantastic creatures (elves, dwarves, centaurs, etc) and magic existed in the world. Once mankind moved into the Age, the fantasy creatures and magic faded from our world. But, during the Civil War, while the U.S. and Confederate governments were busy fighting each other, a number of different tribes of American Indians began working together to perform the Ghost Dance ritual. The timing of when they could perform the ritual just happed to coincide with the end of the Civil War.

Upon completion of the Ghost Dance, the world changed and the fantastic creatures and magic returned to the world.

I haven't decided about whether the Ghost Dance also caused mankind to perceive that this is normal, or if they'll have problems with the change, but I'm not going to be running the game for another few months, so I'll decide then.

I'm pretty confident that it'll be a fun if not different game, but whether my players share that view or not will be seen when we start playing it.

[Moritz]

Don't forget, "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" was a popular module in its day.

I totally had that Module. But never used it.

[Brian Vilarino]

I totally had that Module. But never used it.

I totally still have that module. Still haven't used it either

The only cross genre game that I played in, wasn't really cross genre as much as it was cross game worlds. I had a GM that ran a seperate robotech and a rifts game and when both sides lost players to attrition, he combined both games. I don't remember all the details, but I remember liking that game a lot.

As for Skunkape's idea, I think that's totally awsome and I would actually like to play in that. I haven't played in a western game in a looong time. I think the last time was a Deadlands game. I've had sort of the same idea but for a modern game. I was going to put together a Modern Forgotten Realms campaign, just didn't have the time to really work on it.

[Skunkape]

As for Skunkape's idea, I think that's totally awsome and I would actually like to play in that. I haven't played in a western game in a looong time. I think the last time was a Deadlands game. I've had sort of the same idea but for a modern game. I was going to put together a Modern Forgotten Realms campaign, just didn't have the time to really work on it.

Thanks. I'm not sure whether we'll ever play more than just the Deadlands one shot game or not, as everyone likes the fantasy games we have going, but I might be able to run it as a pick up game when one of the other GMs can't make it.

At the minimum, it'll give me something to run when I'm at conventions and hopefully, will be one of those games that people look forward to every year!

[fmitchell]

Prior to the Age of Enlightenment, the fantastic creatures (elves, dwarves, centaurs, etc) and magic existed in the world. Once mankind moved into the Age, the fantasy creatures and magic faded from our world. But, during the Civil War, while the U.S. and Confederate governments were busy fighting each other, a number of different tribes of American Indians began working together to perform the Ghost Dance ritual. The timing of when they could perform the ritual just happed to coincide with the end of the Civil War.

Upon completion of the Ghost Dance, the world changed and the fantastic creatures and magic returned to the world.

This sounds pretty interesting, but the one thing that irks me is that the magical creatures are Western mythological creatures, specifically Tolkien/D&D. It would be more interesting if the creatures that came back were at least somewhat Native American: ancestor spirits, shapechangers, talking animals. Some tribes have tales of little people similar to leprechauns. And there's also the Sioux White Buffalo Woman. I just did a few quick Google searches; I'm sure there's plenty of interesting stuff if you dig a bit.

I guess I just get sick of seeing elves, dwarVes (it's dwarfs!), orcs, and the rest in every bloody fantasy game.

[Moritz]

dwarf /dwɔrf/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[dwawrf] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, plural dwarfs, dwarves, adjective, verb –noun 1.a person of abnormally small stature owing to a pathological condition, esp. one suffering from cretinism or some other disease that produces disproportion or deformation of features and limbs. 2.an animal or plant much smaller than the average of its kind or species. 3.(in folklore) a being in the form of a small, often misshapen and ugly, man, usually having magic powers. 4.Astronomy. dwarf star. –adjective 5.of unusually small stature or size; diminutive. –verb (used with object) 6.to cause to appear or seem small in size, extent, character, etc., as by being much larger or better: He dwarfed all his rivals in athletic ability. 7.to make dwarf or dwarfish; prevent the due development of. –verb (used without object) 8.to become stunted or smaller.

[fmitchell]

Moritz, you get the Frank Mitchell Award for useless pedantry.

To claim it back, I'll add that Tolkien coined the plural "dwarves" to indicate his creatures weren't merely short humans, but a distinct humanoid species, based loosely on Norse myth. (He sometimes called them "dwarrows".) C. S. Lewis and Terry Pratchett use "dwarfs" for similar creatures in their respective worlds.

BTW, Mongoose started using the plural "elfs" (instead of elves) for Glorantha's Aldryami, who are motile human-shaped plants rather than humanoids. Ron Edwards also has a game called "Elfs", about pointy-eared creatures as far from Tolkien's wise elders as possible.

[Moritz]

Yeah, I have a lot of 'pedantry'. Now quit making me look up words.

But thanks anyway. I like clarification on my attempts of clarification. It's always good to know the root of a word; so you can grab it and rip it out of the ground to replant it in the urban dictionary.

[rabkala]

I rarely ever cross genres. Don't cross dress either.

Not even to get into character!?! How about we call it a kilt and a man bag?

Don't forget, "Expedition to the Barrier Peaks" was a popular module in its day

I played in it when it was new, I loved it. I have run several versions of it.

Dragonstar game setting, which is 100% NORMAL D&D rules shifted into a fully modern setting and a pile of Futurstic rules, equipment and setting info.

Love it! I used a lot of this in my last D20 future game.

I haven't decided about whether the Ghost Dance also caused mankind to perceive that this is normal, or if they'll have problems with the change, but I'm not going to be running the game for another few months, so I'll decide then.

I'm pretty confident that it'll be a fun if not different game, but whether my players share that view or not will be seen when we start playing it.

So where's the update, what happened? Have you started yet?