Re: (TFT) Re: TFT Digest V3 #890

[Peter von Kleinsmid <pvk@oz.net>]

At 01:13 PM 6/8/2007 -0700, you wrote:
> <Yeah, it was the scenario with the Cartwright boys that kind of turnedme 
> off on these.  I do remember liking the stampede rules though.>
>
> That was typical for Gamelord's though.  Look at their Thieve's Guild or 
> Free City of Haven stuff and you will see a lot of literary use of popular 
> culture.  An example would be Kameron Swayze, who is a watch 
> maker.  Remember the Timex commercials???

That kind of trans-universe joke tends to detonate my immersion in an RPG 
world, though.

If I were editing for Gamelord's <sic?>, I imagine I'd push for a 
disclaimer to the effect that the satirical names were used intentionally 
to explicate the connection to a reference to a character from some other 
work, but that unless such overt references fit all the players' 
play-style, GM's are strongly encouraged to consider choosing names that 
match their worlds, just as they should always try to adapt and personalize 
the material to blend into their worlds or other details of the way they 
play the situation.

But even though references to other works are in theory ok: <sarcasm> hmm, 
what shall we pick for inspiration, oh, I know, how about BONANZA AND WATCH 
COMMERCIALS! Uh, right, ya, just what I want to pay for to help fill in the 
gaps in my creativity. </sarcasm> One of the main things I have enjoyed 
about role-playing in a fantasy setting is ESCAPING friggin' USA pop 
culture crud! If my TFT character encountered Kameron Swayze or Hop Sing or 
whatever, my character might be tempted by a trans-universe impulse to go 
on a berserk killing spree. "His name is Kameron Swayze? Time for a 
lightning bolt!"

PvK
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