I will have to admit to something of a guilty pleasure. I really like the Dresden file books and just finished up the latest entry in the series, Changes. The whole Film Noir meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer approach appeals to me. Also at 12 books, it's the longest running series I've encountered that hasn't jumped the shark. Most don't get past the second book.
In general I find urban fantasy rather unbearable, for example anything by Kim Harrison or Kat Richardson is just bad. Not that Butcher is a great writer. There are parts of the books that cause me to cringe (yes I know it's noir, but every girl having the hots for the main character just screams author wish fulfillment). But when he's on, he's on. He does with rare exception the best version of Paladins I've seen in fantasy and the same for his fey.
There's a Dresden Files RPG that one can now pre-order.
Sadly this game won't live up to its source material. The Fate system is horrid, the art work being used doesn't fit. I have no reason to buy the game. It will be yet another failed rpg license that will be off the shelves (if it even makes it there) and effectively forgotten about in a handful of years. The Internet keeps games like these in something of an undead status after their life span reaches the end because overhead is so low- but they are still by any rational matter dead.
Maybe if they did adventures, those might be of interest. But they won't. The whole point of the setting is for things to be very tailored and personal to the characters, and that doesn't lend itself to pre-written adventures. Besides, this is a game company who's claim to fame is Spirit of the Century and that line currently consists of all of two books. These are not productive people, and highly productive people are needed for success.
Dresden it seems is doomed to failed cross-overs, but it the TV show or an RPG. Oh well, that's life.
It is tempting for me to kick off a Dresden style campaign on my own (using HERO System 5th edition). It fits well in my already existing time line. Only the other hand, I'm think I should just enjoy the books. I have other campaigns to run and I can fit Harry and his like into my Year One Marvel setting as a cameo appearance easily enough. A little Harry goes a long way.
Edit: Follow-up to this post here
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19 comments:
Well, aren't we Mr. Debbie Downer?
I'm thinking that Fate being "horrible" isn't something that is a universal truth. For you I'm sure it is, but I kinda like the system. I've had a lot of fun with Spirit of the Century and am really looking forward to see what Fred does with Fate 3.0 and the Dresdenverse.
Well, aren't we Mr. Whiner?
Harry would also make fun of you, he plays D&D at least...
I've never read the Fate system, but I'd be interested to read about your dislike of it. I tried the search, but it tells me you haven't talked about it before.
My answer was getting really long Wyatt, I think I'll just make it its own post.
Thank you for making me laugh out loud at your ridiculous post today. I'll be saving this one. :)
A big chunk of the artwork for the RPG is sourced from the Hugo Award-nominated graphic novel "Welcome to the Jungle", written by Jim Butcher, with art approved by Jim Butcher. Leaving off your comments about the game system itself -- they're too insulting to warrant direct response -- your statement that "the art work being used doesn't fit" seems to be more about it not fitting you than it not fitting the source material. Folks with more authority than you on the matter have determined that the artwork does.
I have never seen a good constructive post by an Anonymous poster. Time to disable that feature. If a person isn't willing to stand up for their words- they don't deserve to have any.
Fred Hicks: There is no authority on what is suitable art for a translation of a novel. That includes the original author.
Art is a subjective matter, and if it doesn't hit my sweet spot- it doesn't hit my sweet spot. If it causes you endless climaxes- you can go for it.
Myself, I would like a style much closer to those on the book jackets.
And your system just plan sucks. Really, a tweaked version of FUDGE is the best you can do? Such overwhelming design skill can only leave me... bored.
"Harry would also make fun of you, he plays D&D at least..."
Actually, from the Butcher-approved commentary Harry provides in the margins, I'd say he likes the DFRPG quite a bit.
Jim DelRosso: I'm sure that given there is a DFRPG, Butcher through Harry would of course approve. Just like he approved of the TV show (which was horrid and deserved the death given it).
Heck, if I had written the Novels I'd be saying that I'm happy with the game too. It's a business and money is on the line.
But before this, Harry played D&D in the novels and that's what I'm going with for now. It will be interesting however to see if that changes...
Chris: Watch your language please, I don't put up with such as you're wallowing in here.
You can rephrase your comment if you wish to be more civil, assuming it's even possible for you.
Stick to your guns, dude. At least then I would respect your differing opinion.
Your post: "the art work being used doesn't fit"
Your self-corrected and less douche-baggy comment to Fred: "Art is a subjective matter"
You're damn right it's subjective. All entertainment is. Why would you go through the time to tell people that the DFRPG will suck and the [extremely popular and award-winning] Fate system sucks when they obviously just don't hit your tastes?
And it's totally not fair to say the Evil Hat crew is unproductive. Just check out their post about exactly why the Dresden RPG took so long to release.
Jarvis: I'm sorry, but the comment about the art wasn't self-corrected, my opinion is unchanged. I hate it.
But I'm willing to admit others may like it. And more than willing to say that I don't care if others (including Butcher himself) do.
As for the Evil Hat crew being unproductive, I stand by my statement. For a RPG to last, they need to push dozens of suppliments, and they haven't proven they can do that. In fact, history (just looking at their product list on their website) tells me they can't.
And no, I won't take their word for how hard they are working or what they have planned. None of that matters, what actually happens matters.
Evil Hat is free to prove me wrong. But I'm rather certain that I won't care enough in a few years to even mount a "I told you so".
> I have no reason to buy the game.
And yet you have a reason to post this?
Chris Crouch: The world is not all sunshine and light. When this game fails perhaps someone will remember an old blog post and produce a good game to replace it.
Or in other words, I have as much reason to post to a blog as anyone.
If you don't like it, don't play it. Is there really a reason to come out there and dump on the folks who put their sweat and tears into it?
And as for the comments about art, you are correct, there can never be true art. However, we all have to admit, if the author condones it, if the author LIKES it, then we have to bow out heads and admit that it's part of the world. Not many of us liked the new Hitchhiker's Guide movie, but Adams himself worked on the screenplay, and it's what he wanted. We have to accept that the books/movies we love don't fully belong to us forever.
And Fate is a fine system. Some people can't get their heads around how it works, but that doesn't make it bad, just different.
Austinmonster: Six weeks late and a dollar short... and even then you don't say anything that others haven't already.
You sir have your head in the sand in more ways than one.
I will like whatever I like, dislike whatever I dislike and say both whenever I feel like it. I don't give a flip about your little hurt feelings.
And people have trouble with FATE? They must be really stupid because it's one of the most brain-dead systems I can think of. But hey, if you travel in those sorts of circles that find it difficult- it explains much.
I'm not sure if you know this or not, but what you say on blogs like this actually exists longer than the actual typing. As a point of fact, it will continue to exist for some time.
I'm not saying you don't have the right to like what you want. We all have that right. What I'm asking is that you consider the idea that your wisdom is not the end-all be-all that there is on a matter. I've played fate before, and found it quite enjoyable. The Dresden Files RPG is not perfect, but what game is?
Look at the stuff that HAS been on the market for quite some time. Champions reads like a college textbook on double-entry accounting. The World of Darkness is so steeped in angst it makes Twilight look cheerful. DnD can't seem to decide what it wants to be, and ever five years, changes that completely.
Are any of these systems innately flawed? Yes. Does that mean there's nothing good about them at all? No!
Simply because I do not like something, does not mean there is nothing to like about it. Because it does not conform to YOUR interests does not mean that no out there will like it.
I really hope your venom-soaked comments will cause other out there to pick this game up and give it a shot. I don't know about most people, but when I find out that the neckbeards think something is really great, I tend to avoid it.
Love what you love, and don't dump on others for loving something outside of your bubble.
Austinmonster: Again nothing new. Just the normal PC whine for 'respect me whatever I do' that is so endless these days.
My answer remains as it was. Blogs by nature are opinion sites, live with it.
They are also controlled by their owner, unless you have a new insight to add I'll be deleting any further posts you make.
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