When to set a "historical" supers game? (read OP before answering poll)

[Reynard]

Random thought: what if the frequency of the super-eras is related somehow to population? That is, as the population increases, the length of time between supers emerging again is shortened. So there was one at the dawn of agriculture, another one thousands of years later at the dawn of cities, then another during the classical era height, accelerating through the peak of "Rome", the medieval era, and so on all the way up to the turn of the industrial age.

 

[the Jester]

For my purposes, specifically too late. I don't want anything that is in the traditional time periods associated with supers or even pulp heroes. That is why I stopped my list at the turn of the 20th century.

With that caveat, I'd say during the Ancient Age- basically, I'd set a supers game in ancient Sumeria, during the time of Gilgamesh.

 

[AK81]

Ooo, I would love to play in all those settings for a supers game. But the Age of Exploration, Renaissance, and Mythic would probably be my favorites. Oh and Classical could also be a lot of fun.

 

[AK81]

I think in any setting earlier than Dark Ages, the thing will feel like a fantasy game, regardless of intent - Classical and earlier, your supers will be indistinguishable from gods, demigods, and mythic heroes.

Not necessarily. I can easily imagine a kind of more "modern" superhero setting where Rome act as a Marvel style New York. Where citizens dress up in colorful costumes and fighting corruption and crime

 

[Tonguez]

Whats the difference between Dawn of Civilization and Mythic Era? I'd see both as the time of the Mythic Demigods - Gilgamesh, Hercules, Arjuna, Nezha et al (and does it differ markedly from Classical era for Game purposes?)

My second Preference would be Age of Exploration to Steam Age, just to see Clockwork Ironman and a Swashbuckling Pirate Vigilante

*I did think Prehistoric but can only really see that as a comic hour along the lines of the Mighty Mightor or Captain Caveman

 

[HaroldTheHobbit]

I want a Rokoko supers game, with heroes in heel shoes, white stockings, powdered wigs and insane amounts of lace and rushe. Let the sun king of France be a perpetual evil, nemesis to heroes like madame Chat Blanc and monsieur Cygne Vindicatif.

 

[Tonguez]

I want a Rokoko supers game, with heroes in heel shoes, white stockings, powdered wigs and insane amounts of lace and rushe. Let the sun king of France be a perpetual evil, nemesis to heroes like madame Chat Blanc and monsieur Cygne Vindicatif.

Rococo Souris Nocturne

 

[HaroldTheHobbit]

Rococo Souris Nocturne View attachment 391830

Oh la la!

 

[Reynard]

Whats the difference between Dawn of Civilization and Mythic Era?

About 4-500 years: Globeki type vs Sumer.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I voted Renaissance. One, because that was the highlighted period of art--painting, sculpture and the like... where the human form took on extreme artistic importance. And superheroes (with body types and costuming) are very much about the peak human form and colorful design, so I could see people like Michelangelo painting panels of the superheroes of the time on walls and such. Second, when you think about the technological ingenuity of someone like Leonardo da Vinci and his designs of things like flying machines and armored vehicles... he's very much a potential character archetype for your Tony Starks of the world. Thirdly... Italian theater (specifically commedia dell'arte) was all about archetypical characters wearing brightly colored costumes and distinct masks, which could have easily resulted in superheroes taking and adapting those ideas into their costuming and masks as well.