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Post by PhatDorf on Jan 27, 2019 13:23:06 GMT -5
In a general effort to increase my nerdfactor, and get caught up on things I've missed (there's a lot of 'em), I try and watch movies, series and catch up on some books that are recommended to me. A lot inspiration for RP obviously comes from stuff like this. When I was a smaller person, I remember reading Dragonlance, and watching some neat films like Highlander, and Lord of the Rings (never read the books, RIP me), and playing WarCraft 3 that really kickstarted a lot of my imagination and love for fantasy that's kept alive for many years now. I'm always interested in seeing good films and interesting series, get inspired and invested into these types of things. I saw Pan's Labrynth a few years ago, which was good. I love the weirdness in stuff like that. I used to watch a lot more Anime, but I can't say I've been overly invested over the last 5 or 6 years, other than the occasional thing - I've got some pretty big holes in my repertoire that I know of here, I've not seen any Studio Ghibli stuff yet, and I've been prodded to watch Samurai Champloo. In terms of games, I've always been a Warhammer fan. I've collected a few of the Warhammer 40,000 armies, buut it's not a cheap hobby and I mostly just save my adult cash for adulting these days. And for video games, I'm currently playing through Pillars of Eternity, as I keep meaning to finish. I got to the third act, then got busy and when I got back to it, I wasn't really as sure what was going on. With things like that, it's probably better to just restart  I have to play Arcanum next, per promise to a friend. Anyway, what things do you guys like, and could reccomend, or nergasm about a bit? |
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abby
Old School
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Post by abby on Jan 27, 2019 13:35:20 GMT -5
Game of thrones if you’re talking about TV. Certainly a less juvenal kind of fantasy than the usual. I read a Tale of Ice and Fire a million years ago, and I can say it’s certainly colored my role playing and idea of what makes good fantasy. Something about that gritty human nature angle that makes fantasy believable and easy to immerse in.
Bernard Cornwall is also a fantastic author. The Winter King is far and away the best Arthurian legend I’ve ever read. He’s known for historically accurate warfare and combat writing. No duel wielding or spinny move stuff, basically the fantasy tropes that don’t work in real life. It’s a great way to get insight in how people actually fought and very entertaining reading.
Those are my best recommendations for inspiration to make believable and immersive characters.
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Post by Warlord on Jan 27, 2019 13:55:36 GMT -5
In a general effort to increase my nerdfactor, and get caught up on things I've missed (there's a lot of 'em), I try and watch movies, series and catch up on some books that are recommended to me. A lot inspiration for RP obviously comes from stuff like this. When I was a smaller person, I remember reading Dragonlance, and watching some neat films like Highlander, and Lord of the Rings (never read the books, RIP me), and playing WarCraft 3 that really kickstarted a lot of my imagination and love for fantasy that's kept alive for many years now. I'm always interested in seeing good films and interesting series, get inspired and invested into these types of things. I saw Pan's Labrynth a few years ago, which was good. I love the weirdness in stuff like that. I used to watch a lot more Anime, but I can't say I've been overly invested over the last 5 or 6 years, other than the occasional thing - I've got some pretty big holes in my repertoire that I know of here, I've not seen any Studio Ghibli stuff yet, and I've been prodded to watch Samurai Champloo. In terms of games, I've always been a Warhammer fan. I've collected a few of the Warhammer 40,000 armies, buut it's not a cheap hobby and I mostly just save my adult cash for adulting these days. And for video games, I'm currently playing through Pillars of Eternity, as I keep meaning to finish. I got to the third act, then got busy and when I got back to it, I wasn't really as sure what was going on. With things like that, it's probably better to just restart I have to play Arcanum next, per promise to a friend. Anyway, what things do you guys like, and could reccomend, or nergasm about a bit? |
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Post by gathera on Jan 27, 2019 13:58:54 GMT -5
A couple of series off the top of my head. Metro 2033. The sequel isn't quite as good but the first book was fabulous. Set in the Russian Metro after a nuclear holocaust has transpired. Gritty dark and edgy. Even has a computer game but I have never played that so no idea how good the game is.
The second is a series the Vagrant, the Malice and the Seven. Set in a future earth in which an interdimensional portal has opened up and malicious entities have sprung forth. Very sort of Gama World kind of feel. Not doing it justice with the ultra-brief Synopsys either.
The last one I can think of is the Black Hand Gang No Man's World series) Basically a British infinity unit during the first world war is mystically transported to a hostile alien world although the why's and how's are not revealed until much later in the series. Another book I quite enjoyed.
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Post by malclave on Jan 27, 2019 14:22:04 GMT -5
I still go back and re-read older books. Katherine Kurtz, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey (Pern is science fiction, but mostly with a fantasy vibe to it). Sometimes even C.S. Lewis, Fritz Leiber, and Poul Anderson's fantasy books. I also pick up and read more recent stuff, but those are the ones that stick with me. Every few years or so I get on an Arthurian kick... Malory and White, followed by a weekend of watching Excalibur, Camelot, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail. (thanks abby for the Winter King recommendation... I've added it to my Kindle list). |
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abby
Old School
Posts: 323
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Post by abby on Jan 27, 2019 17:13:40 GMT -5
You're going to love the Winter King. If there "was" a King Arthur, this is what it would have been like.
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Post by Fluffy the Mad on Jan 27, 2019 17:45:44 GMT -5
Sanderson's Mistborn series, (I disliked the protag, but meh) the Wheel of Time series, (it gets fairly slow, but it 'is' pretty detailed and has a lot of world-building), Robin Hobb's Assassin series, anything Terry Pratchett. Cook's Black Company stuff is good, kind of a view into the neutral/evil side of things at a low level, instead of scheming antagonists. Something a little more goofy but a fun adventure read is the Codex Alera stuff, or Weeks' Nightangel/Lightbringer series. I haven't read them fully yet, but a lot of people recommend the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
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Post by Razgriz on Jan 27, 2019 18:51:45 GMT -5
For me, inspiration arrives due to many things and factors. Movies/series that I watched, games played, books that I read, and music that I listened... The list goes on.
Games:
A specific Starcraft/Starcraft2 story served as the base for a "concept" that evolved in two characters that I now play.
Ace combat series allowed me to refine Ving's concept as well. And MGS series was important for Holance back then as well.
Music:
Rock & Metal mostly are great for those times when pondering about what to play and why.
Books:
G.R.R Martin, Tolkien, J.Crownin, S.King.... Great stuff to read and to take inspiration from.
Movies:
Some good and some bad ones here, but these all help as well.
Black Death, Kingdom of Heaven, Troy, The 13th Warrior, Regin of Fire, LOTR, Gladiator...
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Post by malclave on Jan 27, 2019 23:27:28 GMT -5
Oh, and here are a few specific movie scenes that help me with my halfling: |
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Post by bloodalchemist on Jan 27, 2019 23:40:09 GMT -5
Oh, and here are a few specific movie scenes that help me with my halfling: Love this as a source of inspriration for a halfling fighting giants, looks like a fun character to interact with, from this and what ive seen so far ingame =) |
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Post by prickinsmack on Jan 28, 2019 20:41:53 GMT -5
I tend to love gritty and harsh worlds when I'm reading/watching fantasy. But by far the pieces of work that have inspired my characters more than anything are the near fourth wall breaking characters of the Spells, Swords, Stealth series by Drew Hayes, and his similar work with Second Hand Curses. He writes characters that are acutely aware of the incredulous nature of their worlds while the rest of the populous is more grounded and not accustomed to the wonders the main characters perceive. I think that relates well to the attitude a lot of PCs in game have and I love drawing on his work for inspiration.
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Post by simo2003 on Mar 6, 2019 17:26:29 GMT -5
You're going to love the Winter King. If there "was" a King Arthur, this is what it would have been like. ERGHMAHGAWD I loved the the Warlord series! Derfel was awesome! Well... And Merlin. And Nimueh. |
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Post by simo2003 on Mar 6, 2019 17:33:09 GMT -5
If you're into big, gritty fantasy, I can heartily recommend Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Ten books in the series, along with other novels, and Ian C. Esslemont has also written a series of books set in the same fantasy world (they co-created it in RP sessions). Glen Cook's Black Company is another great set of books.
Those have been a great source of inspiration for my characters, and how I roleplay them.
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I have to play Arcanum next, per promise to a friend. 
