tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26698620.post8821343532780484399..comments2014-03-12T04:26:59.037-05:00Comments on postGeek: Canon Should Be Shot From A CannonFulminatahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14332824290977548527noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26698620.post-35111604042573048002011-07-03T23:03:47.895-05:002011-07-03T23:03:47.895-05:00Playing other stories in a common universe is cert...Playing other stories in a common universe is certainly a valid way of doing it. That's not always an interesting alternative though. Take BSG for example. There's not much room to tell new stories in that setting without changing canon. You're either stuck following the script as canon, or playing some insignificant window washer in the fleet somewhere that really can't do anything to change the overall storyline for fear of disrupting canon.<br /><br />I find cameos by canon characters interesting only if canon is open to modification. Without that, they have plot immunity from most conflicts that they could get into with the players.<br /><br />Also, I think it effectively dis-empowers the PCs to slavishly follow canon, because I believe the PCs should most often be the heroes of the story. If you play in a game set in the era of the original Star Wars trilogy that follows canon, then you can never hope to be anything but a supporting character. You might be a A hero, but you will never be THE hero, because THE heroes have already been established by canon.<br /><br />Luke and Han will always be responsible for blowing up the first Death Star. Luke will always be responsible for converting Vader and causing him to kill the Emperor. Lando and Wedge will always be responsible for destroying the second Death Star. Collectively, those are the events that bring about the end of the Empire, and therefore the players can never hope that it will be their actions that do so. They might contribute, but they will never be THE heroes of the story.<br /><br />And that's the story that matters to me in just about any licensed universe. If I wasn't interested in that main story, then I probably wouldn't be interested in that universe.<br /><br />That's not to say I don't enjoy a game where the PCs are supporting characters, and if that's what everyone wants to play then I'd be willing to run such a game. I'd also be willing to play in one, but I think most of the time people want to play the heroes.<br /><br />Also, this isn't just pure theory with me. I've played in canon games, and they've always tended to lead to the PCs actions being rendered meaningless. Cameos by canon characters have a tendency to become the worst type of mary-sue super NPCs that either defeat the PCs with ease, or else rescue them with ease, depending on which side they are on. <br /><br />Of course, there's also room to debate just how strict the canon has to be. There's room to bend canon without ignoring it completely. It's simply that in my experience, the more willing the group is to change or ignore canon, the better the game has ended up being.Fulminatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14332824290977548527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26698620.post-11515978453547144082011-07-03T22:12:05.451-05:002011-07-03T22:12:05.451-05:00I'll try to remember to discuss this more with...I'll try to remember to discuss this more with you tomorrow. But for now I'll just say that 1) I love the familiarity and the "Oooo look, its 'insert famous/well-liked character name here'" elements of having canon and sticking to it. That is a huge portion of the reason to play any sort of licensed product. <br /><br />2) I don't really see why you would WANT to interact with the main stories, whether you stick to canon or no. The idea of being Luke Starkiller doesn't make sense to me. Playing in licensed universes is a way to play your own story, in your own corner of the universe; and the canon is stuff that happens elsewhere, or happened at some other time. It is just cool because it gives reference points and because it makes; for instance, Star Wars, Star Wars.<br /><br />I think as long as canon is in the background and not integrated it works fine. Don't have Luke or Mal or Harry in your party. Don't interact with any pre-written portions of their story lines. Don't play the same story that the canon tells; just play parralel, or even perpendicular.Jabbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05777053538471196535noreply@blogger.com