tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post1916296736913887644..comments2024-03-29T08:12:28.476-04:00Comments on Age of Ravens: History of Steampunk & Victoriana RPGs (Part Three 2004-2006)Lowell Francishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02359280169506945906noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-37275510698291488442013-05-08T21:34:56.177-04:002013-05-08T21:34:56.177-04:00This is a great article. Each part seems to be cov...This is a great article. Each part seems to be covering a shorter period of time. :( Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13871682197896306978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-87202710050612753062013-05-01T15:38:29.411-04:002013-05-01T15:38:29.411-04:00No, no- and I didn't take it as such. You sugg...No, no- and I didn't take it as such. You suggested a necessary complication in thinking about my reaction to these tropes. It made me cause to take a hard think about the cultural constructs attached. Lowell Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02359280169506945906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-69880272462354148542013-05-01T14:59:44.832-04:002013-05-01T14:59:44.832-04:00Ah, I didn't mean it as a criticism, more as a...Ah, I didn't mean it as a criticism, more as a bit of useful data. <br /><br />I too sometimes find the "the Mythos did it" approach that often creeps up in Cthulhoid games and fiction undermines one of the best aspects of <i>Call of Cthulhu</i>, its basis in the real world. If every local forest spirit is a dark young of Shub-Niggurath, it tends to cheapen things; making Nyarlathotep the secret force behind the Nazis is even worse, unless you're going for something pulpy. thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-71633441454326657772013-05-01T12:40:42.789-04:002013-05-01T12:40:42.789-04:00'gravkumlar' should probably be 'gravk...'gravkumlar' should probably be 'gravkummel' both in singular and plural. My dictionary suggests cairn and barrow as translation for 'kummel'. It's some kind of burial site based on stones, standing in line or sometimes with one megalith on top. In Scandinavia they are sometimes found in mounds as well as free standing on hills. AndreasDavourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17170806742393291962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-39004620246578373292013-04-30T04:56:09.851-04:002013-04-30T04:56:09.851-04:00Glad you put Broken Gears in there. I know why you...Glad you put Broken Gears in there. I know why you shouldn't go crazy with free pdfs in lists like this, but it is actually a pretty solid game to run.shortymonsterhttp://shortymonster.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-30773724772274054172013-04-30T00:45:38.962-04:002013-04-30T00:45:38.962-04:00Sorry forgot to sign in for my comment.Sorry forgot to sign in for my comment.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10538124221274056001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-43368191152398514022013-04-30T00:36:59.913-04:002013-04-30T00:36:59.913-04:00I think sometimes we get to hung up on who is good...I think sometimes we get to hung up on who is good and bad in the sense of historical gaming. I know there were lots of heroic Germans and Romanians fighting the evils of communism and defending thier homelands, just as there were patrotic Russiand fighting to keep their lands. People almost never set out to do evil things, they are almost alwayts thing they are working for the greater good. Even colonialism has its good and bad side, the Belgian Congo was horrid, but having worked in Congo DRC I can say today it is hellish. One the ground alot of people talk about vhow bad it was but then can say it at least kept their caln or city safe from the people over the hill or down the river.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-76436976933405268962013-04-29T19:59:35.288-04:002013-04-29T19:59:35.288-04:00Hmmm....that's an interesting point. I can cer...Hmmm....that's an interesting point. I can certainly see that. I imagine that Victoriana as a concept may also have different connotations/value in Britain. I don't want to sound too down on Modiphus with that comment. I like the general idea of WW2 Cthulhu. But as you say, the concept of the heroic German officer isn't one I fall back to or consider. I'm a little leery when we get Lovecraft's problematic racial ideas put up next to the Nazis and their eugenics. I know that isn't what's happening in the game, but it was certainly my first thought when I read that blurb. I know our group of American CoC players were distinctly turned off by it. I also worry when real world horrors are put next to cosmic horrors. One of the problems I had with VtM was the insertion of their fiction into history, seemingly diminishing the impact and tragedy of awful events by showing their source was inhuman. But AC's going for a pulp and not a historical audience with their material so what I'm saying isn't a fair comparison. <br /><br />You're right, Kelvin, and I certainly hadn't thought about it from that direction- that cultural perspectives would consider those tropes differently. It does suggest something I hadn't considered: how might Victoriana or games which celebrate the colonial empire or era be taken in those countries with a bloody colonial history? India, Algeria, Libya, China, and South Africa for example. I hadn't really considered that perspective until your comment. <br /><br />Lowell Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02359280169506945906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-26983336835942730962013-04-29T13:52:00.080-04:002013-04-29T13:52:00.080-04:00classic wartime heroes such as Russian political o...<i>classic wartime heroes such as Russian political officers, German U-Boat commanders</i><br /><br /><i>Achtung Cthulhu</i> comes from a British publisher, and the British outlook on World War II -- at least in terms of associated fiction -- is a bit different to that of the average American, I think. We've got less of a problem with the Russians, for example, and the idea of the honourable, non-Nazi German officer holds a lot of weight.<br />thekelvingreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01928260185408072124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-15393622167191132132013-04-29T13:01:09.836-04:002013-04-29T13:01:09.836-04:00Email me at clashUNDERSCOREbowleyATyahooDOTcom and...Email me at clashUNDERSCOREbowleyATyahooDOTcom and I'll send a pdf by return email, and a print book if you send your address too. :D<br /><br />-clashclash bowleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02867031157318138584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-21856413166215533702013-04-29T12:58:04.759-04:002013-04-29T12:58:04.759-04:00Meant to add I've been reading and really enjo...Meant to add I've been reading and really enjoying this, Lowell! It's amazing how many Steam Punk games there are out there! :D<br /><br />-clashclash bowleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02867031157318138584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-67491056940795280402013-04-29T12:54:31.583-04:002013-04-29T12:54:31.583-04:00I haven't- I have it on my list for 2008 as I ...I haven't- I have it on my list for 2008 as I wasn't sure what the pub date was on the first edition. I'd love to take a love at it. Lowell Francishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02359280169506945906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-62767296781337507932013-04-29T12:45:53.756-04:002013-04-29T12:45:53.756-04:00Did you ever read Sweet Chariot, Lowell? The first...Did you ever read Sweet Chariot, Lowell? The first edition came out in 2003, second in 2008. I can send you a copy if you like.<br /><br />-clashclash bowleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02867031157318138584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4764158821384594980.post-58069634789485260352013-04-29T12:13:23.549-04:002013-04-29T12:13:23.549-04:00This has been an interesting series so far. I had ...This has been an interesting series so far. I had no idea there were so many Steampunk rpgs out there!Treyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04647628467658839351noreply@blogger.com