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Call of Cthulhu as a Horror Game
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<blockquote data-quote="Terry Herc" data-source="post: 7546715" data-attributes="member: 6876034"><p>I think this gets close to the heart of the matter - there is a difference between horror for the players and horror for the characters.</p><p></p><p>When it happens to the characters, we are playing a role and we can imagine how it would make the character feel, while safely allowing ourselves to appreciate the experience at a distance. When it happens to the players, it creates genuine feelings of discomfort with the risk of causing real trauma. If you can do both and everyone is comfortable with that sort of game, that can be a delicate place.</p><p></p><p>I would suggest that horror is best when it focuses on characters. You and your group create an atmosphere that the characters exist in, and the players can safely observe, the same way we do when reading a book or watching a movie. You need the right kind of players tho, ones that willingly play the roles of characters in such an atmosphere. As others have said, the "beer and pretzel" crowd may not be right for this mood. If that's what your players want, maybe try <a href="https://www.chaosium.com/pulp-cthulhu-pdf/" target="_blank">Pulp Cthulhu</a> or something in that vein, they might enjoy it more.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Terry Herc, post: 7546715, member: 6876034"] I think this gets close to the heart of the matter - there is a difference between horror for the players and horror for the characters. When it happens to the characters, we are playing a role and we can imagine how it would make the character feel, while safely allowing ourselves to appreciate the experience at a distance. When it happens to the players, it creates genuine feelings of discomfort with the risk of causing real trauma. If you can do both and everyone is comfortable with that sort of game, that can be a delicate place. I would suggest that horror is best when it focuses on characters. You and your group create an atmosphere that the characters exist in, and the players can safely observe, the same way we do when reading a book or watching a movie. You need the right kind of players tho, ones that willingly play the roles of characters in such an atmosphere. As others have said, the "beer and pretzel" crowd may not be right for this mood. If that's what your players want, maybe try [URL="https://www.chaosium.com/pulp-cthulhu-pdf/"]Pulp Cthulhu[/URL] or something in that vein, they might enjoy it more. [/QUOTE]
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