I'm A Banana
Potassium-Rich
One or two important genre you left out:
* MANAPUNK: stuff that blends fantasy and sci-fi. Space Fantasy can fit into this category (Dragonstar definately does), as does steampunk. This is my favorite genrea, being heavily inspired by the Final Fantasy Series. Planescape bleeds a bit into this. Most modern settings with magic and dragons would also be this.
* ANIME FANTASY: Characters are all quirky, there's some humor, some big evil, and there's a few stereotypes, like the Hungry Heroine, or the Absentminded Swordsman, or the Dark Attractive Villian Who May Not Be As Evil As He Seems.
* GOTHIC FANTASY: Dark horror and grit abound. Perfect for angsty folks!
Ravenloft fits the mold nicely.
* GRITTY FANTASY: The world itself is your enemy. Dark Sun fits the mold nicely. As do most "realistic HP" games where the heroes can die from things that action heroes would *never* die from, but there's still plenty of fantastic action.
* REALISTIC FANTASY: HARN anyone? These super-realistic games revolve around small chance happenings and the supernatural vs. the natural. Often highly detailed, and very logical....a bit light on the heroics, but adventuring is hardly realistic.
Well, my game is mostly Manapunk, with a dash of Gritty thrown in. I only read Humorous. I find it hard to stomach the fact that *I*, an unpaid fan, can write at least as good as the large majority of modern fantasy authors....or that the audience only wants a good writer if it includes pulp schtick they can digest easily (He's an anti-hero! He's a misunderstood outcast! She's a powerful nature-loving sorceress who was once a dork! He's a little boy abused by his family! He's a powerful bookish wizard!).
Not saying you shouldn't like those, just explaining why I don't.
For me, the Final Fantasies are my guilty pleasure, somewhat literary in nature. Big epic plots that save the world, blend Sci Fi and Fantasy, introduce high school philosophy that works for the story, and characters sometimes a bit too cliche for their own good, and you've got something I'm willing to spend 40-80 hours reading.
* MANAPUNK: stuff that blends fantasy and sci-fi. Space Fantasy can fit into this category (Dragonstar definately does), as does steampunk. This is my favorite genrea, being heavily inspired by the Final Fantasy Series. Planescape bleeds a bit into this. Most modern settings with magic and dragons would also be this.
* ANIME FANTASY: Characters are all quirky, there's some humor, some big evil, and there's a few stereotypes, like the Hungry Heroine, or the Absentminded Swordsman, or the Dark Attractive Villian Who May Not Be As Evil As He Seems.
* GOTHIC FANTASY: Dark horror and grit abound. Perfect for angsty folks!
Ravenloft fits the mold nicely.* GRITTY FANTASY: The world itself is your enemy. Dark Sun fits the mold nicely. As do most "realistic HP" games where the heroes can die from things that action heroes would *never* die from, but there's still plenty of fantastic action.
* REALISTIC FANTASY: HARN anyone? These super-realistic games revolve around small chance happenings and the supernatural vs. the natural. Often highly detailed, and very logical....a bit light on the heroics, but adventuring is hardly realistic.
Well, my game is mostly Manapunk, with a dash of Gritty thrown in. I only read Humorous. I find it hard to stomach the fact that *I*, an unpaid fan, can write at least as good as the large majority of modern fantasy authors....or that the audience only wants a good writer if it includes pulp schtick they can digest easily (He's an anti-hero! He's a misunderstood outcast! She's a powerful nature-loving sorceress who was once a dork! He's a little boy abused by his family! He's a powerful bookish wizard!).
Not saying you shouldn't like those, just explaining why I don't.
For me, the Final Fantasies are my guilty pleasure, somewhat literary in nature. Big epic plots that save the world, blend Sci Fi and Fantasy, introduce high school philosophy that works for the story, and characters sometimes a bit too cliche for their own good, and you've got something I'm willing to spend 40-80 hours reading.
