Given the fiction can create actual worlds in The Strange, SJWs and others types trying to control and censor fiction actually have some of the leg to stand on. Fictional suffering and "-isms" can result in actual event or at least very close to it. Allot of Recursions are essentially stage sets with endlessly repeating plays but some are essentially real worlds. It depends on how you view beings without the Spark but the fiction seems to present them as like Sleeper in the Matrix, feeling and thinking creatures but their awareness is limited, restricted by the context of their Recursion in more advanced developed ones.
I've got to use this in my game (even it turns out not to be totally accurate) and have a faction that is crusading to control Bad Fictional Leakage and correct "wrong" Recursions (or destroy them).
Holy shit. I put this thread in the wrong forum....
Moving it.
Quote from: RPGPundit;871643Moving it.
Thank you. Sorry about the boneheaded move
Done right - with the right group - I can see that concept and the enemy faction working great.
Their first target should be the Thunder Plains, of course :D
Quote from: Nexus;871744Their first target should be the Thunder Plains, of course :D
for give me but why would they target a location in ffX / X-2??
The Thunder Plains is a recursion based on the stereotypes and misunderstood mythology of certain Native Americans in The Strange. Its existence caused a stink in certain circles because it was racist and inaccurate...which was kind of the point. Recursions are generated in part from the influence of human imagination and fiction. The Plains reflected a caricature of those myths as seen through other culture and was never intended to be culturally or historically accurate anymore than the Recursion "Good Land" was an accurate depiction of the 1950 instead of the era as seen on Leaver it Beaver and through the eyes of nostalgia.
Pressure motivated Monte Cook to release an apology and a replacement Recursion that was more mythologically accurate and promise the Thunder Plains would be removed from future printings of the core book.
So a scenario where this particular group either tries to or succeeds in destroying the Thunder Plains would be a case of art imitating life, very fitting for The Strange. :D
Quote from: Nexus;871744Their first target should be the Thunder Plains, of course :D
I actually suggested something close to this to Bruce Cordell as a transition idea for Ohunkakan. It was ignored. ;)
Quote from: Paraguybrarian;871911I actually suggested something close to this to Bruce Cordell as a transition idea for Ohunkakan. It was ignored. ;)
Heh, I guess considering the reasons it was being done they couldn't risk poking the bear that way.
The shame is, for me anyway, is the two Recursions aren't opposed. There's no need, thematically or due to in game physics that they both can't exist. In fact there are probably many many similarly themed Recursions, created and influenced by a multitude of different sources. It works better for both of them to exist as it illustrates the nature of The Strange. Hell, there should be ALLOT of Triggery Politically Incorrect Recursions.
Its strictly pressure from a bunch of internet loud mouths that calls for one to be "eliminated".
Quote from: Nexus;871912The shame is, for me anyway, is the two Recursions aren't opposed. There's no need, thematically or due to in game physics that they both can't exist. In fact there are probably many many similarly themed Recursions, created and influenced by a multitude of different sources.
This is actually reflected in the official recursions. Just look at Neverland-4, which is just one of many based on Peter Pan, or the several recursions based on Arthurian legends.
As far as SJWs are concerned, its a double-edged sword. Yes, their campaigns of censorship might prevent some unpleasant recursions from forming due to fictional leakage. However, they might cause the formations of other recursions that are just as bad. Imagine a recursion where society is entirely PC and even one's thoughts must fit a strict checklist or the person is sent off for "re-education." Then someone in authority gets the spark, learns of The Strange, and decides that this right way of thinking simply must be brought to the other recursions. For their own good, of course.
Quote from: Brand55;871922This is actually reflected in the official recursions. Just look at Neverland-4, which is just one of many based on Peter Pan, or the several recursions based on Arthurian legends.
I meant their are likely many Recursions like the Thunder Pains and Ohunkantan, spawned from Native American mythology, interpretations and misconceptions about it or even just the general ideas (like Rebel Galaxy is pulp Space Opera/Star Wars with the serial numbers filed off). So having them both wouild be quite fitting in the game as it stands.
QuoteAs far as SJWs are concerned, its a double-edged sword. Yes, their campaigns of censorship might prevent some unpleasant recursions from forming due to fictional leakage. However, they might cause the formations of other recursions that are just as bad. Imagine a recursion where society is entirely PC and even one's thoughts must fit a strict checklist or the person is sent off for "re-education." Then someone in authority gets the spark, learns of The Strange, and decides that this right way of thinking simply must be brought to the other recursions. For their own good, of course.
Of course, there's probably some folks in real life that would consider these fine outcomes. And for this fictional faction they might even be part of their goals or seen as unintended good consequences.
Quote from: Brand55;871922This is actually reflected in the official recursions. Just look at Neverland-4, which is just one of many based on Peter Pan, or the several recursions based on Arthurian legends.
As far as SJWs are concerned, its a double-edged sword. Yes, their campaigns of censorship might prevent some unpleasant recursions from forming due to fictional leakage. However, they might cause the formations of other recursions that are just as bad. Imagine a recursion where society is entirely PC and even one's thoughts must fit a strict checklist or the person is sent off for "re-education." Then someone in authority gets the spark, learns of The Strange, and decides that this right way of thinking simply must be brought to the other recursions. For their own good, of course.
I pray to god that Alderaan Crumbs (my GM) doesn't read that and start getting ideas.
Quote from: Warboss Squee;871933I pray to god that Alderaan Crumbs (my GM) doesn't read that and start getting ideas.
Sounds like a fun guy. :D
Quote from: Brand55;871922Imagine a recursion where society is entirely PC and even one's thoughts must fit a strict checklist or the person is sent off for "re-education."
So, like U.S. colleges right now?
Quote from: Nexus;871554Given the fiction can create actual worlds in The Strange, SJWs and others types trying to control and censor fiction actually have some of the leg to stand on. Fictional suffering and "-isms" can result in actual event or at least very close to it. Allot of Recursions are essentially stage sets with endlessly repeating plays but some are essentially real worlds. It depends on how you view beings without the Spark but the fiction seems to present them as like Sleeper in the Matrix, feeling and thinking creatures but their awareness is limited, restricted by the context of their Recursion in more advanced developed ones.
I've got to use this in my game (even it turns out not to be totally accurate) and have a faction that is crusading to control Bad Fictional Leakage and correct "wrong" Recursions (or destroy them).
"Control" and "Censor"? Who is at your gaming table, censoring your content? SJWs like myself don't try to control anything, and we don't care what you consume.
Wow, you're really hung up on misinformed ancap politics.
Quote from: RPGPundit;872426So, like U.S. colleges right now?
Nah, more like US media companies that are beholden to shareholders.
Ideas must always bend to money.
I have a question - is The Strange a setting with subjective, belief based reality as per Mage: The Ascension, Unknown Armies and some other settings? I don't own it and I only have a passing familiarity.
Quote from: Kaiu Keiichi;872429"Control" and "Censor"? Who is at your gaming table, censoring your content? SJWs like myself don't try to control anything, and we don't care what you consume.
Like you? Maybe. I don't know you. But as far as others, well, tell that to the Thunder Plains. Badgering publishers that produce "problematic" material is one of the hall marks of the SJW tactics as far as rpgs go. I mean seriously, considering the game this thread is about and the Outrage Storms over its content the claim the there is no push to control and censor material is an odd and misinformed one.
Quote from: Nexus;871751The Thunder Plains is a recursion based on the stereotypes and misunderstood mythology of certain Native Americans in The Strange. Its existence caused a stink in certain circles because it was racist and inaccurate...which was kind of the point. Recursions are generated in part from the influence of human imagination and fiction. The Plains reflected a caricature of those myths as seen through other culture and was never intended to be culturally or historically accurate anymore than the Recursion "Good Land" was an accurate depiction of the 1950 instead of the era as seen on Leaver it Beaver and through the eyes of nostalgia.
Pressure motivated Monte Cook to release an apology and a replacement Recursion that was more mythologically accurate and promise the Thunder Plains would be removed from future printings of the core book.
So a scenario where this particular group either tries to or succeeds in destroying the Thunder Plains would be a case of art imitating life, very fitting for The Strange. :D
ah i thought it was that they dident like 1000 words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpbUtERYOkk
Quote from: RPGPundit;872426So, like U.S. colleges right now?
Basically, although since we haven't developed any form of mind-reading yet one can
usually be safe on a college campus by being quiet and not openly opposing the popular agenda.
Quote from: Kaiu Keiichi;872430Nah, more like US media companies that are beholden to shareholders.
Ideas must always bend to money.
U.S. Colleges are in the mess they're in because they're beholden to the economic bubble of "everyone must go to college" that they created. Their funding, their tuition, all of it depends on them sacrificing the classical principles for the sake of keeping the customers happy.
Quote from: Kaiu Keiichi;872431I have a question - is The Strange a setting with subjective, belief based reality as per Mage: The Ascension, Unknown Armies and some other settings? I don't own it and I only have a passing familiarity.
In The Strange there are is a dark matter region, a sort of universe, called The Strange or the Chaosphere. Human thought, creativity, emotion and desires form areas called "Recursions" in that region. Recursions are often shaped by fiction either directly and are essentially fictional worlds come to life or more indirectly, imitating the tropes and conventions of broad genres, tropes and general stories, myths and legends. Recursions can also be formed by emotions, desires, dreams and the unconscious drives of mankind (and other intelligent species) and don't have to follow the physical laws of our reality. So Recursions can be extremely odd. For example there is one created from a child's imagination that looks like a crayon drawing come to life and Flatland exists as an actual place along with thousands of others ranging in size from a single room sized area to continent sized (and may seem larger).
Quote from: Kaiu Keiichi;872431I have a question - is The Strange a setting with subjective, belief based reality as per Mage: The Ascension, Unknown Armies and some other settings? I don't own it and I only have a passing familiarity.
Sort of but not like Mage. There are three kinds of reality in the Strange.
First, there is the material universe. Prime worlds like Earth exist here. The physics in this universe are just like ours.
Second, there is the dark energy network or chaosphere. This underlies normal reality. It was created long ago as a means of intergalactic travel. The original creators made it so that they could mentally enter into it, travel long distances inside it and they print themselves new bodies at some distant point in space. Long ago, the system went haywire and started expanding out of control. It has been expanding ever since then carrying the normal space it underlays with it. This is what is causing the dark energy phenomenon observed in the normal universe. The dark energy network is a realm where the laws of nature do not apply and one that responds directly to thought. It is such an alien place that even looking at it causes adverse effects on the minds of beings from the normal universe. It is a chaotic, mysterious, ever shifting fractal realm full of some seriously weird shit.
Lastly, there are recursions. These are created by the interaction between the dark energy network and the thoughts, dreams and stories of being living in prime worlds. Most are created by what is called fiction leakage. The rules of reality there conform to the rules of the story or myth they are drawn from. Once the recursion is created, the laws are set though. They do not vary according to what people believe. It is also possible to create custom recursions with whatever rules you want but this is a difficult process and there is no guarantee it will go as planned.
Another potentially fun oddity in The Strange is the chance to play up the weird effect of Recursions operating according to the genre(s) that spawned them, the tropes, cliches and stereotypes as hard coded reality. I think back to the movie Last Action Hero when it called out the cliches ("Where are all the ugly people? That girl is way to hot to work in a video store!") But the more recent The Last Girls is a good example too as is the movie Pleasantville. Both have some good example of how characters with the Spark and without might behave when confronted with out of context information.
This sort of thing could be mostly treated as fun fluff and local color (Do Recursions spawned from PG movies have L shaped sheets? Would a Brady Bunch inspired Recursion lack toilets or the need for them?) or played up for effect as the PCs try to use their genre savvy to figure out the appropriate next move. The Strange doesn't innately have any rules that penalize "out of genre" behavior or directly enforce it (like Torg's world laws) but the system is so light it wouldn't be hard to implement them if desired. PCs being PCs it may be more important to determine what happens when you break those rules. The Goodland Recursion provides one possibility though that seems more like a part of the Recursion itself, a reflection of the flipside of idyllic nostalgia that created it.