If pnp games are going to die

**Soft Serve** · 12-17-2008, 04:10 AM

Which genre will die first, and be the foreshadowing to the downfall of such a mostly beautiful, and elegant empire?

I like words...

Anyway in my opinion I'd say the dark future games would go first followed almost immediately by the horror genre.

**Etarnon** · 12-17-2008, 05:02 AM

nay, Westerns. Look around, The dark future is here, and horror is to come.

I don't think PNP games are dying any time soon.

**jade von delioch** · 12-17-2008, 10:52 AM

Westerns.. I have seen very few people play them to begin with.

**Webhead** · 12-17-2008, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by jade von delioch

Westerns.. I have seen very few people play them to begin with.

As much as I hate to admit it, I think "Westerns" would be on the hypothetical early chopping block in line right behind the "Pirate" genre and the "Spy" genre. All three are very niche markets and while I really like and will cling to my Western and Pirate games (not Spies so much...it's a tough sell to me), their audiences are probably but a fraction of a percent of the "Fantasy" genre in all its bloated, ponderous glory.

Oops...some cynicism escaped. Sorry about that. I like the Fantasy genre as much as anyone...as long as it has something "original" or exciting to offer and avoids the vanilla of the "Elfy McStab-n-Loot" games that are seemingly everywhere.

Life*Angel* · 12-17-2008, 11:15 AM

i love to be able to rub this in your face..... so give me a min to bask in my own glory

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now that i took care of that......

i knew horror was not 1st to go.... its still to modern day. besides.... you can never pass up a good scary rpg once in a while....

but i think i do agree with the westerns, that type of rpg just does not appeal to my senses

**Arch Lich Thoth-Amon** · 12-17-2008, 11:29 AM

I'd say 'westerns' and 'spy' rpgs would hit the chopping block first. I've never played 'western' rpgs, but have played quite a few 'Top Secret' games in my time.

All this being said, they will never truly die. Oh sure, they may stop publishing them, but that doesnt in any way mean that the loyal fans of said genre's wont keep them alive in their respective games. Let's use me as one example: i inject very dark and gritty horror in my WFRP campaigns when appropriate, which is pretty often. WFRP screams out horror at times, and there are always occasions for some good pirating adventures as well, it's just the way it's designed. I also inject horror and piracy, adding some flavor into my dnd campaigns, but not so much and not to such a degree as i would with WFRP.

In my Traveller games, i add elements of the 'spy' genre on frequent occasions, depending on the campaign, and it is practically required for space piracy to be found in any given campaign. It also be real easy to westernize it so as to have it resemble "Firefly."

**Webhead** · 12-17-2008, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Life*Angel*

...but i think i do agree with the westerns, that type of rpg just does not appeal to my senses

While "vanilla" Westerns don't have a lot of lasting appeal for me in an RPG campaign sense, the Western genre when spiced up with elements of fantasy, sci-fi or horror (or all three!) is a very fertile ground for fun games. Deadlands is the prime example. It is a Western, yes, but it is a fantasy-horror western that has so much more going for it than just saddles and six-guns...like zombies, wizards, automatic shotguns, flying machines and canibalistic doomsday cults!

I'm looking forward to picking up the Deadlands Reloaded core book so that I can start up another campaign hopefully in the near future. Deadlands is one of those games in which I have never heard of or experienced a single session that wasn't somehow instantly memorable. Some of our favorite moments to re-tell come from our limited time playing it. I'm ready for another go.

Oh, and one other genre that might quickly get the boot could include the Victorian/Steampunk genre.

**Edward** · 12-17-2008, 12:40 PM

The historical genre is increasing in popularity. I'd say Westerns (and Pirates as well) would be absorbed into it rather than dying altogether.

**Valdar** · 12-17-2008, 01:51 PM

I think the post-holocaust genre will die first, if it isn't already dead. The cold war that spawned it is long gone.

Life*Angel* · 12-17-2008, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Webhead

While "vanilla" Westerns don't have a lot of lasting appeal for me in an RPG campaign sense, the Western genre when spiced up with elements of fantasy, sci-fi or horror (or all three!) is a very fertile ground for fun games. Deadlands is the prime example. It is a Western, yes, but it is a fantasy-horror western that has so much more going for it than just saddles and six-guns...like zombies, wizards, automatic shotguns, flying machines and canibalistic doomsday cults!

I'm looking forward to picking up the Deadlands Reloaded core book so that I can start up another campaign hopefully in the near future. Deadlands is one of those games in which I have never heard of or experienced a single session that wasn't somehow instantly memorable. Some of our favorite moments to re-tell come from our limited time playing it. I'm ready for another go.

well......i suppose i had better actually try it before making my judgements

**Soft Serve** · 12-17-2008, 03:13 PM

I'm not so sure with westerns.

I've never even heard of the spy genre so your probably right there.

**Arch Lich Thoth-Amon** · 12-17-2008, 03:27 PM

I have some really great memories with the spy genre, that being the game 'Top Secret.' Has anyone else played it and would like to share their experiences with said game? I'll start:

Apparently, the cops were called and they had my description (something my character wasnt aware of at the time--i was sold out). Long story short, many, many cop cars were pulling up to me (i was crossing the street at the time), while in a panick to escape through a nearby sewer tunnel, i threw everything i had at them, many a bullet flew, and even a few grenades were thrown (i was on a mission so was well supplied, which consequently was why i 'had' to escape, for capture meant prison time which equated to death of a character in the game). In the end, i killed a few cops and even totaled a few police cars while trying desperately to escape, before being riddled with near fifty rounds of ammunition(over 50 hit me, more than twice that were shot at me, so i was a bloody mess). Yes, my character was a sociopathic assassin, and a high paid one at that. Through death, my character learned to never-ever leave anyone alive that can identify you later.

Ahh, good times.
--- Merged from Double Post ---

Originally Posted by Valdar

I think the post-holocaust genre will die first, if it isn't already dead. The cold war that spawned it is long gone.

Long live Gamma World!

**tesral** · 12-17-2008, 04:14 PM

The game evolves. It will change, it will not die.

Look up "Dream Park"

**Arch Lich Thoth-Amon** · 12-17-2008, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by Edward

The historical genre is increasing in popularity. I'd say Westerns (and Pirates as well) would be absorbed into it rather than dying altogether.

I'm finding historical genre/alternative history based rpgs like WFRP to be of great interest. In fact, my own rpg designs fall under this category, or sub category.