D&D 5E Don't make the game too weird

[Laurefindel]

I agree with DEFCON1. They want a Spelljammer game, they want a Jack Kirby pirate fantasy adventure. Too weird might mean 'too mechanically weird' or too many house rules. All this can be hashed out in Session 0. You are already reaching out to try and get more definitive answers from the players and consulting the Council of Eric Noah's Grandma here. It may take your group a bit to articulate 'weird'. The best bet is to give them examples of media that would exemplify what you consider a Spelljammer campaign and let them riff off that.

So, more Treasure Planet, less Yellow Submarine?

 

[grimslade]

The story of Yellow Submarine is not too weird, mainly the visuals, and that it is a musical comedy. Change Blue Meanies to Neogi and put Pepperland on an asteroid or small planet.
Treasure Planet is good, but Pirates of Dark Water is better! Jack Kirby Apokolypse or Eternals runs work well. Guardians of the Galaxy is a good tone if more scifi. Horatio Hornblower ,Master and Commander, or any nautical themed works well too.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The story of Yellow Submarine is not too weird, mainly the visuals, and that it is a musical comedy. Change Blue Meanies to Neogi and put Pepperland on an asteroid or small planet.
Treasure Planet is good, but Pirates of Dark Water is better! Jack Kirby Apokolypse or Eternals runs work well. Guardians of the Galaxy is a good tone if more scifi. Horatio Hornblower ,Master and Commander, or any nautical themed works well too.

I’d add to this, the new She-Ra cartoon, especially the last season. And Steven Universe, actually. They both have weird space sci-fantasy.

 

[Quickleaf]

Wow, a library posting in 2022? Glad you found a group.

Without a baseline of weirdness, its hard to say. I think your mechanical examples would bug me without any context for why they exist. Though, it doesn't seem weird.

Yeah, @bloodtide whatever culture gap there is, I think you and these young players have a lot in common. How many people these day are posting yet alone looking at library advertisements? Maybe these young whipper-snappers have a bit of analog in their Pokemon cool-aid? Should be enough to find common ground.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I’d add to this, the new She-Ra cartoon, especially the last season. And Steven Universe, actually. They both have weird space sci-fantasy.

The 80's was at in the aftermath of the Spec Fic split where Fantasy and Sci-Fi were still speaking to each other even though they were separated, so there were a ton of sweet Sci-Fantasy cartoons like She-Ra, He-Man, Thundercats, Silverhawks, Thundar, etc. It was a wonderful time before our nerd forefathers ruined everything by laying down strict rules of what was Sci-Fi, what was Fantasy and how big a tantrum they would throw should the two meet.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

The 80's was at in the aftermath of the Spec Fic split where Fantasy and Sci-Fi were still speaking to each other even though they were separated, so there were a ton of sweet Sci-Fantasy cartoons like She-Ra, He-Man, Thundercats, Silverhawks, Thundar, etc. It was a wonderful time before our nerd forefathers ruined everything by laying down strict rules of what was Sci-Fi, what was Fantasy and how big a tantrum they would throw should the two meet.

Yeah I really wish they’d let Noelle Stevenson do another of those shows, or a follow up crossover show following on the end of her She-Ra, or something. It’s such a perfect update for the style of those old sci-fantasy cartoons.

 

[bloodtide]

Thanks for all the responses.

When asked, they said things like "don't make it too weird like and old game of D&D". But that does not help me at all. I know that most young folk think "old" D&D was some type of auto death meat grinder hex crawl. But that is not really "weird". One did say to not make it like an old trippy sci fi movie....but could not think of a name of an "old" movie. But to a 21 year old The Matrix is an Old Movie

I got a much better response from my question e-mails.

One player said she though too weird was "being meta", like Deadpool. Her "meta" definition is things in the game talking about the game. Breaking the 4th game wall? Her example was like a gnome that said he was "Encounter Number Six" and say things like "I'll punch some hit points out of you!". So I can agree on this one. I'm not a fan of in-universe game talk.

The other player that responded said they don't want things being too weird as in too different from Earth or too confusing. His example was how in Star Wars all aliens are exactly like humans. He does not like different confusing aliens like from Star Trek or Babylon 5. Though I'm not sure why he feels Space is so alien, when the D&D world is full of "alien" monsters.