Or take a look at Piers Anthony''s Apprentice Adept books (Split Infinity etc) about a world which is part sci-fi and part fantasy and allows some people to cross over from one to the other

I think either is great as long as they are done well.

One of the issues you get into here, is discussed at lenght in Joseph Cambells, "The Hero with a thousand faces". You''re dealing with long standing, deeply implanted, and almost intuitive psychological referances when you tap into ''fantasy'' settings. Something that Jung called, the collective unconcious.

There is such a deep well of human history attached to this subject matter, that a lot of the ''immersive'' nature of the game, is already built into the player. Futuristic games just don''t have the same sense of depth/history, for the player to draw upon.

I think from a design standpoint, making an RPG in a futuristic setting, is a much tougher job, and requires much more creativity. Your a lot more ''on your own'' in terms of developing the story line, concern for the characters, etc. Most succesfull futuristic settings, have borrowed heavily from past mythology. The star wars franchise for a really obvious example.

My opinion is that it is about making a fun game and (for RPGs) story. In my experience, sci-fi has gotten the better share of the good stories in movies and books, with the notable exception of Tolkien''s marvellous works. But Star Wars could have taken place in a fantasy setting and been just as good, with airships in place of space craft or something.

To me a B-52 with a Little Boy ora Fat Man is just as scary as a Death Star.

Earthbound for SNES was a modern RPG setting. I actually rate it up among Chrono Trigger even though it was extremely linear.

As far as a setting for one of my projects goes. It is a futuristic Cyber-Punk world with Werewolves, Psionics, Vampires, and Changlings being considered average citizens. No magic involved in it. I''m actually writing more story for it then anything else at the moment.

Fantasy vs. Sci-fi RPG''s? I dont know... I really liked Fallout, while I hated Baldurs gate, so it wouldn''t be wrong to say I prefer futuristic ones... Maybe because it''s not quite as cliche''d, maybe because I just liked the wasteland / "Civilization''s been and gone" setting in that game. I dont mind fantasy either, as long as you use jtus a teeeny bit of imagination... Dont just make a complete tolkien + AD&D combo and expect me to play it...

Another thing is that I prefer stories I can relate to, and Fallout is a bit closer to reality after all than some fantasy world is. (Not that I''d prefer a game that just tried to be realistic all the way... Yuck)

Personally, I never liked fantasy story lines. However, if the game is well done.. and the plot is easy enough to get involved in, and the plot is strong, I will play.

Cut tally me up as a futuristic player overall.

I like guns, so I''m in for future, or at least present, but I think magic and myth make for a more compelling world. As a philosophy major, I figure things started sucking right around the Renaissance, and there''s nothing worse than a disenchanted world. So I like fantasy, inasmuch as it usually has a good teleological justification for the story and my actions, as well as an objectively true ethical system. Good versus evil is always better than gov''t vs. rebels or even humans vs. aliens.

So I want the hardware of the one, and the ideology of the other. But I don''t want a lot of nuances to the magic, like moon phases and forgotten spells, and I would like to avoid battlecruisers and orbital bombardments. Really, I just want to fight orcs with a freaking rifle. That''s a good video game.

Ah, i'd say my favorite setting for an RPG would be a fantasy setting that resembles a WWI era world but completely different. The difference is that ideas are near current implemented with early 1900's technology (like giant steam powered robots).. almost a joules verne type of thing (or that one anime short film about giant wicker steam powered robots controlled by little kids.. forget what that was about)... The reason i love this setting is because you aren't limited by anything.. you can use nazi's that have created a new lightning gun (but with old technology, of course)... there was just so much going on at that time that you can do so much with.. especially in an alternate universe.... i also wouldn't mind bringing a bit of magic powers into this setting.. heck, vampires, zombies, mummies.. you name it and it'd be pretty cool..

[edited by - falkone on February 23, 2003 7:49:16 PM]