Pulpy Dark*Matter

Chainsaw Mage · Feb 9, 2004

Hello everyone. I'm interested in starting up a PBP using the new Dark*Matter in the latest Dungeon (with heavy doses of Menance Manual and some Urban Arcana tossed into the mix).

I'm wondering if its feasible to set the Dark*Matter campaign in a sort of pulp-noir setting, almost something along the lines of WW's World of Darkness or even the Gotham City of Tim Burton's 1989 Batman.

I may use the following image as the characters' home city:

Does it seem feasible or is this too "fantastic" for Dark*Matter?

Ranger REG · Feb 9, 2004

I see no reason you cannot run it in that setting.

The difficulty may lie in the time period. Not many game stat material is provided for the 1930's (unless you have a copy of PULP HEROES from Polyhedron magazine or the Thrilling Adventures web site), including weapons and vehicles.

Chainsaw Mage · Feb 10, 2004

Ranger REG said:
I see no reason you cannot run it in that setting.

The difficulty may lie in the time period. Not many game stat material is provided for the 1930's (unless you have a copy of PULP HEROES from Polyhedron magazine or the Thrilling Adventures web site), including weapons and vehicles.

Hmmm...I do have both of Polyhedron's Pulp Heroes games (the d20 Modern and the pre-d20 Modern versions) but my Dark*Matter game will actually be set in the present age, but in a film noir setting. So all the technology will be contemporary but the flavour of the game will be darker, grittier, more "gothic" (man, I hate that word

), slightly askew.

Ranger REG · Feb 10, 2004

Sounds like one of those Animatrix short films.

cybermonkey · Feb 10, 2004

Pulp is just a genre. It's not supposed to adhere to any particular time period. Bladerunner is pulp at its best.

Is that Modern Pulp worth it? I was thinking about looking into this week.

The_Universe · Feb 10, 2004

Sounds VERY cool. I'd run with it if I were you. The dark, oppressive feel of the architecture should really fit well with a dark matter game.

I've been thinking about running a Dark Matter game set somewhere between the American Civil War and 1900 CE...right at the height of the Victorian period. The only problem is that if I did that, I wouldn't be able to use the amazing dark matter resource at www.osirs.net. The working version of the Hoffman Institutes database is just too cool to pass up! ARGH! CHOICES!

Good luck!

JPL · Feb 10, 2004

cybermonkey said:
Pulp is just a genre. It's not supposed to adhere to any particular time period. Bladerunner is pulp at its best.

Is that Modern Pulp worth it? I was thinking about looking into this week.

I think the d20 Modern engine is ideal for pulp.

You'll need the original Pulp Heroes to use the d20 Modern update.

ledded · Feb 10, 2004

This sounds like a fabulous idea, and I say go for it.

I've been wanting to do pulp for a while in our group, and I've sort of steered them into a pseudo-pulp-like one-off campaign that we do from time to time.

I started with the idea of doing a WWII campaign, then added in Superheros. We're trying to make it feel like a 1950's/60's comic series.

If we play enough, it will evolve into a very strange alternate history with lots and lots of pulp-ish fun.

cybermonkey · Feb 10, 2004

JPL said:
I think the d20 Modern engine is ideal for pulp.

You'll need the original Pulp Heroes to use the d20 Modern update.

I figured that out a little later this morning. I was still in a slight hangover from last night's rum.

However, if you need a modern take on pulp and need some good source material, then you should check out Haven: City of Violence. It's very film noir (which is borrowed from Pulp's "Hard-Boiled" type stories).

JPL · Feb 10, 2004

cybermonkey said:
I figured that out a little later this morning. I was still in a slight hangover from last night's rum.

However, if you need a modern take on pulp and need some good source material, then you should check out Haven: City of Violence. It's very film noir (which is borrowed from Pulp's "Hard-Boiled" type stories).

It looks interesting. Nice to see someone try something different.

Pulpy Dark*Matter

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