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I've read a lot of threads about fictional influences on games, gaming, and game design.
This thread isn't one of them.
This thread is dedicated instead to some of the best non-fiction, historical, research efforts or projects, films, books, artwork, literary, mythological, religious, and other such sources that influence your game. By that I mean influence your setting or milieu, design, the monsters or NPCs you develop, storylines or plots you develop, and so forth. Anything really, related to your games.
I'll add more sources as I go along, these are just to start. Feel free to list and/or explain your own.
BOOKS
various books of the Bible The Aeneid
The Golden Bough
The Realm of Prester John - this book was written by Robert Silverberg. I had no idea the man was capable of such meticulous historical research, not to mention outright fascinating conclusions on the subject The Philokalia
A History of the Ancient World
The Enemy Within: A History of Espionage
Weapon
The Texans The Riddle and the Knight
FILM/SERIES
Monsieur N - this brilliant work was historical speculation on what really happened with Napoleon during his exile and eventual death upon Saint Helena. I highly recommend this film. The opening scene, in which they are exhuming the body of Napoleon, is fantastic. Band of Brothers - I don't think I need to say anything more for those who have seen this series. Shackleton
Newton's Dark Secrets
TV
Futureweapons
Survivorman
Cities of the Underworld
Lost Worlds
Ancient Discoveries
LECTURE SERIES
Rings, Swords, and Monsters
From Here to Infinity
Empire of Gold
Eternal Chalice
A History of the Crusades
HISTORICAL GAMING SOURCES
Byzantium: Beyond the Golden Gate
various Osprey publications
I have a few books on weapon making, ranging from stone age tech to the process of forging a katana.
I have David Darom's books, Art & Design in Modern Custom Folding Knives and Custom Fixed-blade Knives. Amazon Amazon
I have assorted books on mythology, ranging from Bulfinch's and DuLaire's various encyclopedias, to specific ones about Native American, African, Celtic, Polynesian and other mythological traditions.
Books on zoology- especially marine biology.
While I don't own any of the DVDs, I routinely watch A&E, Military History Channel, Discovery, National Geographic and other channels for shows like Mail Call, Future Weapons, Conquest, Fight Science, Modern Marvels' "Axes, Swords and Knives," Martial Arts history shows and the like.
On occasion, I watch Survivorman and Man vs Wild.
In a more refined take on some of the themes in those shows, I also watch Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Andrew Zimmern's Bizarre Foods. Great for the haflings.
For the dwarf in me (and my players), I've amassed a large collection of books on gemology (OK, I also make jewelry as a hobby, so those books do double duty) and I routinely watch Cash & Treasures.
In addition, I've recently been watching a show called "Most Evil," which focuses on serial killers and other violent criminals and the science behind what they do and why they do it.
I think you may want to change you title a little bit, since many of the works you are citing don't fall under the general category of non-fiction. Regardless, here are some of my picks:
As a History major, I am of the opinion that someone planning to run a campaign in setting based even loosely on history should read some good primary and secondary sources to get a good feel for what a historical setting would be like. Here are some good ones:
Froissart's Chronicles: one of the definitive primary sources on the High Middle Ages.
A Medieval Life: Cecillia Penifader of Brigstock, c. 1297-1344: A very accessible account of how medieval peasants lived. Secondary source.
Musui's Story: For games with a Japanese setting, this is a great source since it so wonderfully destroys most pre-conceptions of what samurai and Japanese society were actually like.
Since mythology is open game in this thread, and is a major influence on my perceptions of D&D, here are some of my favorites:
The Ramayana: The great Hindu epic is one of my favorite books of all time, far surpassing most fantasy novels. It is perhaps the best look at what Epic Level D&D should be like. It is completely over the top at times, but that is what makes it so much fun.
The Táin: Not as good as the Ramayana, and much bloodier, this is pretty much the story of how a single Irish warrior, Cú Chulainne takes on an entire Irish army by himself. It also has the definitive example of a barbarian rage: the warp spasm.
I would recommend one of the four great Ming Dynasty novels: Journey into the West, Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Dream of the Red Chamber, but I haven't been able to read even a fraction of even one of these novels.
I'm using a generally library like classification method, where subjects like mythology are housed in non-fiction categories along with literature collections and analyses, and so forth. Basically I'm including everything not specifically intended to be fiction.
I thought about including historical fiction in this thread, because although individual storylines and some of the characters may be fictional the background materials in such works are usually reliable and very well researched non-fiction. So if somebody else wants to include historical fiction works I won't object.
I like the entries thus far.
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Journey into the West, Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Dream of the Red Chamber,
I've read Journey to the West, and Dream of the Red Chamber. I liked Dream of the Red Chamber best but used the Journey for developing some of the travels of my Oriental party.
I also liked the Pillow Book, since you mentioned Japan.
Quote:
As a History major, I am of the opinion that someone planning to run a campaign in setting based even loosely on history should read some good primary and secondary sources to get a good feel for what a historical setting would be like.
I concur, and think it a valuable exercise even if your setting is only loosely, semi, or alternately historical.
Quote:
Conquest, Fight Science
Excellent shows. I should have mentioned them. Especially Fight Science. I also saw a new show last week that I think will be very useful, Weird Connections.
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In addition, I've recently been watching a show called "Most Evil," which focuses on serial killers and other violent criminals and the science behind what they do and why they do it.
One of my backgrounds is in criminal and abnormal (or as it really is, subnormal) psychology. I find many of the theories he presents on that show, and his methods of criminal classification interesting, even when I don't agree with him. Since we're onto criminal psychology and violent crimes though then let me recommend the Crime Classification Manual by Douglas, the Burgesses, and Ressler. I just got a new copy for my library for last Christmas.
That reminds me that maybe I should list internet sources, and professional sources later too, like the FBI website, Interpol, and VICAP. Maybe some open source military stuff too. For research and background.
It's fiction, but it channels a lot of strong mythological elements: Gene Wolfe's "The Wizard Knight". It's really a different read from almost any other fantasy book in its stark treatment of cultures and characters so different from our own world.
__________________ 4th Ed Chars Fallen:
Spoiler:
Gavin Ward - Male Human Warlord 1 - The party started a bar fight. The fellow who escaped brought his bandit buddies back and they killed Gavin (and nearly three other party members). He bled out while lying on the floor.
4th Ed Kills:
Spoiler:
Cornell Butterworth - Male Human Wizard 1 - Knocked unconscious by a kobold dragonshield the fighter ignored, then done in by the kobold wyrmpriest's acid breath.
Lithia - Female Elven Ranger 11 - Contracted mummy rot, which eventually did her in.
Brendan Stetlan - Male Human Fighter 4 - Knocked unconscious in combat, then thrown to the wolves.
Vindicator Mindartis Valenae - Eladrin Paladin 5 - Dropped by a githzerai monk (L6 elite), and killed when the rogue threw him off the balcony to try and get his body to safety.
Vongar - Male Dwarf Paladin 1 - Fell in battle after defeating Irontooth, but not his bodyguard.
Straef - Male Elf Ranger 1 - Fell in battle to Irontooth's Wyrmpriest.
Today, I just picked up these "travel guides" to the ancient world. I bought three; each one is a comprehensive travel guide to a certain location during a particular time period. There's one for Egypt, one for Greece, and one for Rome during 300 C.E. (the only exact date I remember).
They all go into things like the religious beliefs of the time, the political situations, and the exact map of the time. And it's all "in character". Really, I can't think of any other non-fiction source more suited for gaming. And I bought all three for around twenty bucks.
__________________ Current Campaign:The Shattered Isles Homebrew - Hammer (Minotaur Fighter 8), Kirra (Drow Rogue 8), Shedin (Dragonborn Paladin 8), Zahar (Half-Eladrin/Half Drow Bard 8), and Seahorse (Halfling Rogue 8). Currently the group is in the Feywild, trying to discover who is poisoning the drow.
I tend to play a lot of superheroes, so two things I use all the time - a good World Atlas, and the CRC handbook... although they have been being replaced by wikipedia recently.
I used to have what page number of the CRC had the details for the planet earth (circumference, weight that sort of thing) memorized... you'd be amazed how often that came up.
__________________ I'm one of the lucky ones. I married a "gamer-girl."
"Build 'em like a powergamer, but play 'em like a roleplayer." - firesnakearies
If you like to play characters with strong moral compasses, you need to read a lot of philosophy and religion texts. A favorite of mine is Karl von Clausewitz's Just and Unjust Wars. Arguments made in there from the global scale can be applied at the personal scale.
"I am he who rules the world, don't you know? One little piece at a time. I am the stuff of Riordan Parnell's most outrageous songs, and I am a confused memory for those whose lives I've entered and departed." -- Jarlaxle, Road of the Patriarch
Musui's Story: For games with a Japanese setting, this is a great source since it so wonderfully destroys most pre-conceptions of what samurai and Japanese society were actually like.
Seconding, thirding, and fourthing this recommendation. Must read for anyone interested in samurai. On the off chance that you're running your game in late 19th-Century Japan, Nakae Chomin's Discourse by Three Drunkards on Governmentgives you a really good look at Japan's competing political influences at the time.
For stuff on Rome--everyone eventually runs a game influenced by Rome--I count Henry Boren's Roman Society as the best look at how Roman culture worked--much more valuable to a game set in Rome than anything about the consuls and emperors. If it's a military game you're after, Caesar's Comentarii Bellum Gallicum remains very readable. If you're a bad enough dude to read Latin, it's also one of the nicest bits of prose written in Latin.
Last edited by Hella_Tellah; 4th January 2009 at 04:27 AM..
As a GM, one of the most useful books I have in my collection is -Pocket Ref- by Thomas J. Glover. It can be found in most hardware stores. Invaluable. I keep a copy on my desk and one at work. I've lost count of how many times it helped me during a game.
As a Gurps GM, there are several items I keep on my bookshelf that have aidied me so much over the years in my campaign design that I would be lost without them, such as
A Good Thesaurus - a must for good descriptive writing
Various English to ? Dictionaries - very helpful for place and people names. If you have a country that speaks a Spanish sounding language, just converta good English sounding name to Spanish!
Today, I just picked up these "travel guides" to the ancient world. I bought three; each one is a comprehensive travel guide to a certain location during a particular time period. There's one for Egypt, one for Greece, and one for Rome during 300 C.E. (the only exact date I remember).
They all go into things like the religious beliefs of the time, the political situations, and the exact map of the time. And it's all "in character". Really, I can't think of any other non-fiction source more suited for gaming. And I bought all three for around twenty bucks.
Wik, can you give titles, authors, etc?
They sound like they would be useful for both gaming and non-gaming purposes.
I also have been heavily influenced by non fiction in my gaming, though not all is in books because some comes from my own experiences.
Sword-fighting; Talhoffer, Lichtenauer, Fiore de Battatia or "the flower of battle" by Fiore de Liberi (all of these are fight-books on how to sword fight written in the 12-14th century). Le Jue de Hache (the play of the axe"), I33 (Tower of London manuscript). Some of these are now available as modern commentaries. The Lichtenauer translation, by Christian Tobler is particularly good.
I have also done some test cutting with real swords and a fair bit of sword and buckler based marshal arts trying to reconstruct the old fight-book techniques. I once spent a week in Norway with a guy learning original 14th century longsword techniques. We lived in a reconstructed bronze age longhouse; fantastic!
I have a series of books on the various ages of history that refer to the Venerable Bede for Anglo-Saxon times and the Chronicles of Matthew Paris.
For riding knowledge, I draw on a trip I did to Mongolia where I lived on the plains with mongol families for about a month in Sept 07. I must have ridden many hundreds of miles and slept out of doors or in a Ger (mongol tent).
For bushcraft, l like the books by Ray Mears including "bushcraft", "wild-food" and "extreme survival"
__________________ I don't know half of you, half as well as I should like and I like less than half of you, half as well as you deserve!
Stating the obvious, probably, but access to a good encyclopedia is always a plus, and the books major museums put out about their collections can be invaluable.
Those from the Smithsonian, British Museum of Natural History, MOMA, Leeds, Louvre, Vatican, Hermitage and others would contain info about world art, archaic arms and armor, flora and fauna, the modern and primitive worlds that simply can't be beat. With photos.
Thanks to Mage: The Sorcerer's Crusade, I encountered A World Lit Only by Fire, a very interesting look at the High Medieval period and what distinguished it from what we would call the modern age.
Emperors and Gladiators covers not only the arena but some interesting facets of Roman virtu.
Burton's The Book of the Sword not only covers some early weapons, but dissects some of the vocabulary many people (especially gamers) take for granted. A look at the function of a sword, more than the taxonomy.
Aristotle's Poetics is good for anyone who wants think about thematics in art. I think RPGs are more like drama or poetry than they are novels, as their essence is in performance.
Hamilton's Mythology is good, and I prefer it to Bullfinch, which is also handy.
The Book of Five Rings should be read at least once by everyone interested in warfare in any time and any place, along with the Sun Tzu's classic The Art of War. There's a great cartoon book version of that I have.
Plato's The Republic is not only a powerful religious parable, but an interesting treatise on government and social virtue.
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