The "I Didn't Comment in Another Thread" Thread

[Wofano Wotanto]

I pretty much have browser no tracking settings set to the point where they break some sites, have the ghostery plugin active, and a VPN active nearly all the time I'm online. I usually do not even see adds. I feel like I'm missing out on frequent little doses of unintentional humor.

You really are. The last time I used a less secure computer I was saturated with ads so daft I was sure they were parodies at first. Do the Onion writers moonlight in the advertising industry or something?

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

...which led to antivaxxers getting a huge boost in numbers.

That last element should be somewhat self-correcting over time. Diseases don't care about beliefs, and ignorance won't help one bit against measles, polio, etc.

Hmm. A fantasy setting where diseases do, in fact, care very much about your beliefs could be interesting. Kind of already how Glorantha works, although a D&D-ish world where clerical curative magics only work on the devout and even the "good" deities hand out plagues to the unbelievers would be more explicit about things. I suppose the antivaxxer equivalent in such a setting would be determined proponents of outlandish theories about microbial infections and viruses rather than disease spirits and messengers of divine wrath.

 

[MNblockhead]

Sudden insight into a publishing opportunity: so nearly as I can tell, all actually existing LitRPG fiction presumes a very directly D&D-like system running the world. So there’s an obvious opening for LitRPG stories where the system is Burning Wheel-like, or Apocalypse World-like, or GURPS-like, or Fate-like, or Synibarr-like. Go forth ye writing masses and conquer.

Yeah! If only someone would write Warhammer fiction--oh, wait.

Actually, trying to thing what fiction based on a TTRPG would have enough novelty for me to give it a read.

TTRPGs created to support, and tightly crafted to support, a body of existing literature (i.e., Call of Cthulhu) is out. I mean, not that I wouldn't read new fiction written in the Cthulhu universe, but it would more an expansion on the literature more so than new literature based on a TTRPG.

Anything based on a fantasy TTRPG would likely not feel much different than a D&D novel or just another fantasy novel that doesn't feel like the TTRPG it is based off of matters. Maybe Numenera?

Sci Fi TTRPGs seem like they would kinda suffer from the same issue, but not as bad as fantasy.

Now I'm seriously curious. Can anyone recommend a novel that tells a good story, but has a strong feel of being based on a TTRPG, yet has a very distinct flavor from other novels from the same genre?

 

[MNblockhead]

The closest example I can think of is The Game at Carousel, which is set in a parallel universe of horror movies where the players/characters all have Fate-like Aspects they can select to use. All the character also have a "class" corresponding to horror movie tropes (The Athlete, The Final Girl, the Comedian, etc.). Not a direct conversion of an existing game, but definitely running on a narrative game type engine.

Interesting. I've put it on my Amazon to-read list.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

Now I'm seriously curious. Can anyone recommend a novel that tells a good story, but has a strong feel of being based on a TTRPG, yet has a very distinct flavor from other novels from the same genre?

Well, Norton's Quag Keep is so early in D&D history that it manages to be a D&D novel that feels like it was written by someone who'd heard of the game and written their own version. Also sort of a reverse isekai before that was a popular term, FWIW.

Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series has a pretty strong not-D&D-but-close feel in the first few books, then grows into more of its own thing with an anti-slavery message. And it's an actual isekai, proving that their current oversaturation is the product of many decades of insidious growth.

Tales of Talislanta is a short story anthology that does a very good job of feeling like the (quirky) game setting, with the mechanics lurking just off stage. Also a decent homage to Vance's Dying Earth stylistically, much like the RPG.

There are several Traveller novels that probably qualify, with Agent of the Imperium being the most recent I've read. The entire Dumarest of Terra series feels like Traveller as well, unsurprisingly.

I'm probably forgetting something obvious.

 

[ichabod]

I still feel that my pet rat in high school and I had an empathic bond. Not that I've taken the time to read any serious research on that.

I've had pet rats. They are extremely social animals, living in large colonies. If they bond with a human, they are serious about it. My rats would break out of their cage, but it was never a problem because they came straight to me. They just wanted to hang out with me.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I had a cat that always came when called and sought me out over his nearly two decades.

He was easily as smart as some dogs. What a great friend! I trained him to do some Crazy things…

Maybe it was just my oxytocin and not his but in my gut I believe we were friends

 

[Autumnal]

Hmm. A fantasy setting where diseases do, in fact, care very much about your beliefs could be interesting.

Nurgle loves you and has a wonderful plan for every one of your cells.

 

[CleverNickName]

Old and Busted: Edition wars
New Hotness: License wars

 

[MNblockhead]

Well, Norton's Quag Keep is so early in D&D history that it manages to be a D&D novel that feels like it was written by someone who'd heard of the game and written their own version. Also sort of a reverse isekai before that was a popular term, FWIW.

Joel Rosenberg's Guardians of the Flame series has a pretty strong not-D&D-but-close feel in the first few books, then grows into more of its own thing with an anti-slavery message. And it's an actual isekai, proving that their current oversaturation is the product of many decades of insidious growth.

Tales of Talislanta is a short story anthology that does a very good job of feeling like the (quirky) game setting, with the mechanics lurking just off stage. Also a decent homage to Vance's Dying Earth stylistically, much like the RPG.

There are several Traveller novels that probably qualify, with Agent of the Imperium being the most recent I've read. The entire Dumarest of Terra series feels like Traveller as well, unsurprisingly.

I'm probably forgetting something obvious.

Thanks for the recommendation. Thanks also for "Isekai" - I learned a new word!