Modern Fantasy settings..do you prefer them set in the real world or a fictional one?

[cybernetic]

When it comes to Modern Fantasy...(i.e. swords and magic crossed with modern technologies and high-tech like cybernetics and biotech..) do you prefer to have games like this set in the real world or do you enjoy/prefer them set in a ficitional "modern" world??

my preference has always been for a fictional world...just wanting to know everyone elses opinions on the subject

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

I enjoy ones set in the modern real world. I can relate to them better. I haven't really seen many games set in a ficticious modern setting.

 

[Psion]

When it comes to Modern Fantasy...(i.e. swords and magic crossed with modern technologies and high-tech like cybernetics and biotech..)

Modern technologies? Those sound like ultramodern technologies to me?

At any rate, in my comic-lover age (12-20 or so), I always found the idea of overlaying rather fantastical and soft sci-fi setting ideas on the real world rather appealing. As I grew and GMed more, I began to enjoy the freedom of making a world that could transcend ours. Sometimes, assuming that introducing such things when introduced to our world wouldn't make that big of a difference seems a little unjustifiable to me.

That said, looking at Shadowforce Archer, I am getting a little bit of nostalgia over the idea of such a psuedo-Earth. I still think I am more fond of the idea of moving such a game into the near future so I can safely distance myself from the real world and create changes that don't correspond to the real world without being contradicted by current events at every turn.

 

[bwgwl]

i think i'd prefer the real world.

i can see the merit of using a fictitious modern world (like not being contradicted by real world happenings, like Psion suggests), and i have seen it done a few times, but i just can't wrap my mind around the concept.

it's weird. i am fine with the idea of a fictitious world strongly based on some period of our history (like the Warhammer World, for example, or even to a lesser extent, "generic" fantasy worlds like the Forgotten Realms), but the idea of a fictitious "present" just creeps me out. don't know why.

Castle Falkenstein was even almost a little "too close for comfort" for me, and it was based on, what?, the Napoleonic era?

 

[Desdichado]

I've never really done it other than in the 'real' world. For that matter, I've never seen it done. Maybe it's because of the prevalence of the World of Darkness?

 

[BButler]

I would also prefer to use the real world over a fictional world. As a player, the real world comes with a base of knowledge that allows players to start with a "lowest common demominator" type of information. Sure, there will be changes, but the similarities will outweigh the differences. And it might be fun to discover what things differ from the common knowledge (like Shadowforce Archer of CoC.)

Its also easier to find maps and other such materials. Want to have your players visit a famous building or loacation? You can show them a picture of the place with no artistic ability required.