I do have to agree entirely that the 'Modern' theme does look entirely cosmetic... i.e. it's just the figures that make it so. Otherwise it does seem to reflect the values and tropes of 1960's media representations, rather than those of the present.
The ideas of 'united purpose' in the face of an external threat to freedom and liberty you could lift straight from one of Kennedy's speeches. Morality is black and white and there is no inter-human conflict, no human collaboration with the enemy, or any of the other elements we would expect to see represented in a modern storyline.
The only common thread between the two is the concept of there being a technology gap between 'us' and 'them', which is a constant theme throughout sci-fi, on the basis that 'they' can travel from one planet to another, while 'we' can't.
Like Scurv, I wouldn't want to see any of these modern elements introduced, I quite like the old timee aspects for MA (to me it is what makes MA what it is), as they were the ones I saw depicted on TV and film back in the day. Gritty realism and 'modern' concerns I can get from something else.
Pretty much right through the KS, my intention was to swap out the modern elements for 'the originals', from what I saw of the rules, this was (and is) apparently an easy fix... short of actually finding the figures. Okay one or two of the character figures are no-go's, but they can be replaced... again it's a cosmetic change, which will apparently require no rule or scenario changes.
Seriously... what aspects of the game make it 'Modern', other than the figures that will be supplied with it?
I didn't back the kickstarter. I do not have the funds to be able to do so at the moment if I had the funds I would have done so. If you mean would I have been as likely to back it (funds willing) if it was set in the 60's then yes I would have.
That's fine, I just wanted to see if the 'setting' made a difference.
When did the original cards come out? 1960's/70's? I was born in the '80's and have zero interest in '60's us troopers.
I think this was the case with a lot of people backing the project and something those of us beating the retro drum should be appreciating. I sincerely doubt the KS would have been as successful if it had been based on the original cards.
Just because I would like retro, doesn't mean everyone would, or indeed that I am a vocal part of some silent majority that demands retro. Had the 'franchise' been as well known globally as 'War of the Worlds' for example, then perhaps things probably would have been different (at least judging by the KS based on that). As it is, outside of the US (and indeed, somewhat within it too) most people's experience of MA is through the movie. I lost count of the times I saw Alvin and others post "It's not based on the movie".
I wasn't aware of the cards myself until I came across them while researching 50's sci-fi, despite being an avid fan of the movie. I had previously thought the retro-styling of that was an homage to War of the Worlds and the other 50's classics.
31 October 2013, 08:28:21 PM