What literature influences your games?

[RangerWickett]

I know that modern culture is much more focused on television and movies than it is in books, but I'm curious what influence books (including comics) have on games you run or characters you play. Do you find yourself trying to emulate characters from books more, or more from TV and movies?

Also, considering how much video games are taking over as popular entertainment, what are you thoughts on the interaction between fantasy literature and fantasy video games? Are games doing a sufficient job capturing the elements of fantasy literature that appeal to you; or are fantasy novels and comics successfully adapting to match the expectations and interests of readers whose primary exposure to fantasy is through video games?

Me, I haven't read much traditional sword & sorcery style fantasy since 2004. I'm much more into 'modern fantasy,' where magical things occur in what is otherwise basically the real world or the near future. When I go back to most mainstream fantasy, I find its characters and situations generally unrealistic and melodramatic.

I recognize my reading tastes have changed a lot since when I first got into gaming, so I wonder if there are authors who have 'modern fantasy' sensibilities in 'high fantasy' style worlds. When I run my games, though, I end up staying mostly in the 'high fantasy' mold - save the world sort of stuff.

Obviously what works in literature is different from what works in a game. When I read, I want to identify with the characters and be intellectually challenged. When I play a game, though, I want to be awesome.

I don't have a clear idea where I'm going with this thread. I just am interested in figuring out the roots of my gaming and storytelling inclinations, and in coming up with variations that might possibly satisfy me more.

Do you like the same style and mood in both your games and in the fiction you read or watch?

 

[JoeGKushner]

Appendix N

I've discusses Robert E. Howard books, various titles under the Paizo Planet stories flag, the manga Berserk, and various Forgotten Realms novels.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

There are a couple of big influences for me in how I like my worlds to be and react:
- Lord of the Rings
- Magician
- A Game of Thrones
- Legend/Waylander and Rigante Series
And to a lesser extent
- Conan
- Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
- Malazan Series

As such and particularly with 3e and 4e D&D, I find myself fighting the system to bend it towards the rare magic traits of most of the above. Effectively magic is rare but magic is powerful is how I like to run my games. I definitely prefer one to be an extension of the other. In the end though, the system normally wins out.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

 

[StarFyre]

Books/writing:

Paradise Lost
Raven
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Various Mythologies (Hinduism, Christianity, Norse, etc)
Divine Comedy/Dante's Inferno

Films/TV:

Se7en
Twelve Monkeys
Natural Born Killers
Itchi the Killer
Saw Series
Star Trek Universe

Regards,

Sanjay

 

[Theroc]

I don't know if I've actually emulated anything in particular, usually the influence varies on the character and the idea that strikes me.

I do know I really enjoyed Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time" series, though I never finished it (Lost track of it somewhere).

 

[Crothian]

Thieves World series mostly, a little Alice in Wonder Land and Gulliver's Travelers. Maybe a little the Road, On the Beach. Lovecraft will also be used once things really get going.

 

[DrunkonDuty]

Mmm, well I've read most of the big names of traditional fantasy literature. You know: Lord of the Rings, COnan, Fafrhd and the Mouser, Magician, Thomas Convenant, Elric et. al. And some of the late 19thC stuff that influenced people like Tolkien; Lord Dunsany frinstance. Of more recent stuff I still stay more toward trad-fantasy. Just had a look at book shelf, I've currently got Tad Williams, Joe Abercrombie and JV Jones sitting on it. I do have a (literally) steam punk novel: Rise of the Iron Moon by Stephen Hunt. Also the complete Temeraire series. So I'm not "all trad-fantasy all the way" but it's definitely the majority.

How much does my reading influence my gaming? I'd say a lot. My preferred game is Low Fantasy, gritty and fairly dark. All from my reading of Howard and Leiber I'd say. I was introduced to both about the same time as I started gaming back in the early 80s. ANd I was already reading Moorcock and had seen lots of old Pulp movies and movie serials so I was rather Pulp oriented already. I try to get some of this into any game I run.

I like to have 'realistic' problems for my heroes to face. Not a big fan of save the world. In fact I'd say I hate it. I mean, swearword, what sort of thing can actually threaten the whole world yet still be able to be countered by a small bunch of people? Even if they have super powers? I'd rather the heroes face off against a sorcerer whose using the rightful ruler as a puppet. Or lead a desparate defence against an invading army while reinforcements are gathered (thank you Legend.)

Steam punk fits right into this style of game. But I'm reluctant to use it. More because the various d20 rules I've come across just don't gel with me. But I'd certainly give it a shot in a system like HERO or GURPS. (note to self: run a HERO steam punk game someday.)

So, short answer: I do like similar style in my games and novels. I find the novels I prefer have more realistic characters in more personal situations. Even if they're caught up some world changing event they're merely a part of it, not the alpha and omega of the situation. Pawns, not Kings.

Of course all of this depends on what the players want to do.They go along with what I offer to run because they would rather play and recognise that the GM should get to run a game they will enjoy. But there's been times when folks have said, "Sheesh could we just have a bit of light, super powered high fantasy for a change? PLease?" In all honesty I have to say fine, but I'm not really the one to run it.

 

[drothgery]

The basic tech changes (and the social changes to make a semi-pure military game more plausible) that I introduced in my Star Wars infinities PBP game were heavily influenced by David Weber's Honor Harrington books.

 

[Daern]

An influential book I just read is "Gentlemen of the Road" by Michael Chabon. It reminds me of Clark Ashton Smith, Howard, and E.R. Eddison, who are my favorite influences.
There is a side-track to this idea, which is what literature do we USE in our games? I like to make use of old romantic and epic poems, like Yeats and Blake as well as the poetry of CAS and ERE. (Oh, and the lyrics of Danzig.) I like to toss that stuff into flavor text and handouts as much as possible, so of course it becomes an influence as well.
(That manga stuff on JGK's blog looks pretty neat too.)

 

[Garmorn]

I know I am just strange. I did not start reading very much fantasy until after I started playing D&D. Until then it was mostly SF and Military History. I still only read an occasional fantasy book, mostly those written by SF authors. I do enjoy playing in SF campaigns but trying to find a group that does is hard.