Cinematic or realism?

[Blue Ghost]

Another lul in posting activity. Too bad.

But, to my topic. Do you prefer action packed "sound in space" cinematic settings, or do you prefer 2001-ish / Apollo Documentary style atmosphere for your gaming sessions?

Don't hold back.

 

[GrayPennell]

Anyone who have read my post know I go with cinematic all the way. But players have a lot to say in this too by the way the describe their characters' action.

 

[aramis]

Neither. I prefer Errol Flynn in Space.

 

[Supplement Four]

Depends on my mood.

 

[Blue Ghost]

Hmm.

This; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvVBY8oO3jc

Or this; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z02kJf559DM

 

[Murphy]

The tech in my games is skewed to manual control as opposed to "realistic" automation and robotics. Other than that, they're as realistic as I can make them without taking away the fun. Think Firefly.

Actually, I'll even let them have automation if they want, just postulate it as very expensive.

Edit: Hell, my engines still require reaction mass. Granted, the acceleration of that mass is gravitics-based, but it's still not "magic Traveller engines".
Pure gravitic "hover" engines are avaliable but they require a nearby surface and won't work in free space. In fact, all gravitics IMTU work that way: creating a gravity field between two surfaces. Think electric field in a capacitor.

 

[ShapeShifter]

CT: gritty, quasi-realistic (pre-Star Wars) SciFi. E.g. Dumarest, Silent Running, Outland, etc.

WEG SW d6: that satisfies my hunger for pulpy, cinematic actioner SciFi. With mods, I can do Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, Star Trek: TOS, Battlestar Galactica (1970s), and anything else in a similar vein.

 

[Spinward Scout]

I'll play both. On one hand, the rayguns make it more fantastic and futuristic, and some days I'm up for that. And some days I want the 'no anti-gravity', 'no sound in space', maybe even 'no FTL' game.

 

[Shonner]

Another lul in posting activity. Too bad.

But, to my topic. Do you prefer action packed "sound in space" cinematic settings, or do you prefer 2001-ish / Apollo Documentary style atmosphere for your gaming sessions?

Don't hold back.

I'll be in a Mongoose game this Friday where I'm told it will be cinematic style combat with realistic role-playing of wounds though. So lots of fireballs chasing people down hallways. Lots of noise in space. Lots of rooftop jumping. Lots of horsing around until someone gets hurt. No one is allowed to have gutshot and still be walking around like it's no problem (just a flesh wound).

 

[SpaceBadger]

I offered my players four levels along the continuum of Realistic->Cinematic for my SBRD game. They chose Level Two: Light Cinematic.

These levels were address mostly to the levels of skill, luck, and heroic stature of the players versus other people in the universe; not so much to the tech levels available, as those were fairly well set in place by my choice of setting (OTU towards the end of the Long Night).

 

[grondak]

I'm in for cinematic. The theme music crescendos when the interesting rolls happen!

 

[Chuck Anumia]

I offered my players four levels along the continuum of Realistic->Cinematic for my SBRD game. They chose Level Two: Light Cinematic.

These levels were address mostly to the levels of skill, luck, and heroic stature of the players versus other people in the universe; not so much to the tech levels available, as those were fairly well set in place by my choice of setting (OTU towards the end of the Long Night).

That link is a great breakdown of the continuum between reality and pure sci-fi.

I also normally lean heavily towards option two and the preposition that the players are average "Joes" who practice doing above average things and have the stats and drama points to accomplish what most normal people would not think of trying to do.

 

[robject]

Neither. I prefer Errol Flynn in Space.

This.

 

[Hemdian]

i like the Light Cinematic approach. The PCs are basically just regular joes and there is a lack of magical toys (no lightsabres or tricorders). On the other hand m-drives are reactionless thrusters with no need to calculate fuel burns or any of that stuff. A fusion of Outland and new BSG, with a dash of high noble families (ala David Lynch's Dune without the magic/religious stuff), and a nod to Star Trek TNG attitudes. No cyberpunk. I like it to seem believable for non-scientists and non-engineers, and not have the story bogged down with minutia.

 

[HG_B]

But, to my topic. Do you prefer action packed "sound in space" cinematic settings, or do you prefer 2001-ish / Apollo Documentary style atmosphere for your gaming sessions?

Neither. "Cinematic" doesn't require it to be painfully dumbed down to a 7 yr old level. One can have cinematic action that is true to the environment. Which is what we like to play.

 

[simonh]

Neither. "Cinematic" doesn't require it to be painfully dumbed down to a 7 yr old level. One can have cinematic action that is true to the environment. Which is what we like to play.

Spot on. I know it's not SF, but just look at Game of Thrones. Gritty, realistic blood and guts faux-historical fiction, except with strong fantasy elements and as cinematic as anything on the big screen.

Have your cake, eat it and look good while you're doing it.

Simon Hibbs

 

[jwmarsh1962@gmail.com]

I looked at the reference. I guess I like Light Cinematic. I always finding myself drifting back to the Keith brothers Classics and they were very cinematic-were they not?

When I was in a realistic mood I would play Twilight 2000 1st edition.

 

[robject]

"The play's the thing" for my group. A good story, with enough room for their antics to effect their environment, is what they're looking for.

 

[Sifu Blackirish]

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

Do you prefer action packed "sound in space" cinematic settings, or do you prefer 2001-ish / Apollo Documentary style atmosphere for your gaming sessions?

I definitely run my games, back when I did so and plan to do again, in a pretty cinematic style. When playing at TRAVELLER I can be a gearhead at times, but that is just for me to know what can happens when it breaks. All that crap should be in the background and pretty invisible unless the players push you in that direction.

At least for me, I get the most enjoyment out of seeing ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Given that most 'average' people might die immediately from a typical deadly TRAVELLER encounter, it takes an exceptional person to survive. That is what our characters are for!

I reward good roleplaying, convincing technobabble, and audacity, of course. It seems that is where my TRAVELLER inspired writing went as well. If you keep things moving unless the players themselves slow it down, they will not have time to be bored.