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Author Topic: VSF Gritty or Whimsical  (Read 3462 times)

Offline The Gray Ghost

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VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« on: March 17, 2013, 03:04:29 PM »
I have always had trouble deciding if my vsf games should be gritty or whimsical
I used to be with it, but then they changed what it was. Now what I'm with isn't it anymore and what is it seems weird and scary.

Offline fastolfrus

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2013, 03:12:19 PM »
Depends where you are playing and who you play against?
Gary, Glynis, and Alasdair (there are three of us, but we are too mean to have more than one login)

Offline Dewbakuk

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2013, 03:56:39 PM »
A bit of whimsy is fine but I much prefer a more 'sensible' game.
So many projects..... so little time.......

Offline Red Orc

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2013, 05:12:10 PM »
In trying to define my approach to VSF I coined the expression 'rivets and whimsy'.

They sounded like characters so I started thinking about 'The Improbable Adventures of Rivets McGurk and Whimsy Pootling'. He's an aeronef mechanic, she's a big-game hunting aristo.

In short - gritty and whimsical.

Offline answer_is_42

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2013, 05:41:01 PM »
Yes, both, as long as one remains in period. I suggest having a good read through some VSF itself. The usual emphasis of Victorian and Edwardian fiction is rather more to the 'gritty' Social-Darwinist side, though not entirely.

At the one end we have Wells' The Land Ironclads (1903):

Quote
And he was much too good a journalist to spoil his contrast by remarking that the half-dozen comparatively slender young men in blue pajamas who were standing about their victorious land ironclad, drinking coffee and eating biscuits, had also in their eyes and carriage something not altogether degraded below the level of a man.
http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks06/0604041h.html

And at the other end Robida's La Guerre au Vingtiéme Siécle (1887):

Quote
Business is business! Nowadays, in civilized countries, commercial treaties are imposed by gunfire. 'Well, well!' Molinas thought 'I only hope that it will not ruin my bathing holiday.' As he was finishing his cigarette, an announcement came through on the telephonograph.
Mobilization Orders
M. Molinas Fabius is assigned as Gunner, 2nd Class, to the Territorial Section, 6th Squadron. Today, at five o'clock, he will rejoin the aircraft Épervier at 3,200 metres above Pontoise.

'Damn it!' exclaimed Molinas, as he leapt to his feet. 'It's almost 1.00pm!...I've only just got time...I won't be going to the sea-side this year!'
(afraid I can't find an online copy of this)
I told you so. You damned fools.
 - H.G. Wells

Offline Ramshackle_Curtis

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2013, 06:16:25 PM »

Gritty verses Whimsical?

Offline KevinH

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2013, 06:24:56 PM »
I like Witty and Grimsical!

Offline Sterling Moose

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2013, 06:38:13 PM »
Quote
A bit of whimsy is fine but I much prefer a more 'sensible' game.


+1, though my whimsy never includes daft names for places or characters   >:(
'I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.'

Offline Yankeepedlar01

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2013, 06:55:37 PM »
Well, I'd vote for whimsey every time, and daft names.  :D
"There is no point in being stupid unless you show it!"

http://talesfromghq.blogspot.co.uk/

Offline OSHIROmodels

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2013, 07:13:14 PM »
Well, I'd vote for whimsey every time, and daft names.  :D

This, with a healthy helping of double entendre mixed in for good measure  :D

cheers

James
cheers

James

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Offline thebinmann

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2013, 07:33:49 PM »
I have always had trouble deciding if my vsf games should be gritty or whimsical

Have a look here, I think it's a good starting point

http://www.forgottenfutures.com/

And in particular here:

http://www.forgottenfutures.com/game/index.htm

And whimsy here:

http://www.forgottenfutures.com/game/ff8/

Olus throughout the books there are some great names and era art...
« Last Edit: March 17, 2013, 07:39:07 PM by thebinmann »

Offline KevinH

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2013, 08:44:31 PM »
This, with a healthy helping of double entendre mixed in for good measure  :D

cheers

James

I too like to slip in a double entendre whenever possible.

Offline Froggy the Great

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2013, 10:27:13 PM »
I knew of a guy on an old BBS whose screename was "Doug L. Entendre".  French agent, anyone?

I tried gritty, then went so far out the other side of whimsical and ahistorical that I struggle to regain steampunk, much less VSF.
You, sir, are not allowed to attempt a takeover of the solar system until your octopus sobers up.

Offline Dewbakuk

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2013, 10:32:59 PM »
I too like to slip in a double entendre whenever possible.

She said to the vicar!  lol

Offline The_Beast

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Re: VSF Gritty or Whimsical
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2013, 02:24:20 AM »
Probably don't have the right sense of 'whimsical', but seems a bit light and fluffy. I'm all for tongue-in-cheek, but daft names work best when they seem the kind of daft you know blindsides you in reality.

On the other hand, reality for the historical period, in the main, was grim enough that I'm figuring any gaming I do counts as 'whimsical'.

I mean, good gosh, lye soap? Tincture of arsenic? *shudder*

Doug

 

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