RPPR After Hours: Defining Grimdark
Added 2017-04-08 21:22:20 +0000 UTCGrimdark is an important characteristic of many RPGs, comics, movies, and video games these days. But what IS grimdark? How do you define it? Can you measure it? Caleb, Dan, Tom, and I got together to discuss this very important topic. Also, a listener sent me a copy of Monte Cook's World of Darkness, so I just HAD to review it. It's, uh, a bit of a doozy. Tom tries to review Project Twilight from the old World of Darkness as well.
Song: Your Heart is an Ocean by Matthew Bauer.
Comments
GrimDark base raiders that sounds kind of meh, honestly but then again playing it up cheesy in the Rob Liefeld way could actually be somewhat enjoyable
DiploRaptor(Samuel)
2019-03-04 12:16:00 +0000 UTCAnd to actually address the topic, I also agree with Caleb's take, "grimdark" is a term you use to describe a dystopian or horror story/setting that's gone over-the-top and silly in it's implementation. Sometimes it's intentionally humorous, as in the case of early 40k material, and sometimes it's not, as in some of the worst WoD or current 40k stuff.
Bryan Rombough
2017-04-27 23:11:25 +0000 UTCActually, I was joking about your comment calling "grimdark" an American genre.
Bryan Rombough
2017-04-27 22:21:54 +0000 UTCFair enough, that is adequately "grim-dark". This also strikes me as a bit more horror-styled heroes. (Though less Hellboy and more Nocturnals or Underworld?)
Al Dente Rigamortis
2017-04-26 00:50:39 +0000 UTCCaleb doesn't really appreciate the depths of Warhammer. Layers upon layers.
Ross Payton
2017-04-25 21:07:35 +0000 UTCIf we do a grimdark game, it will be more Rob Liefeld's Bloodpouch than anything else
Ross Payton
2017-04-25 21:00:39 +0000 UTCYou know, all the things mentioned about "MCWoD" sound like fodder for a "Grim-Dark" Base Raiders campaign. ;)
Al Dente Rigamortis
2017-04-23 23:29:56 +0000 UTCOh and I suspect that the "Belgium" thing was a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference. Cook is the right age of geek to be making jokes like that.
Bryan Rombough
2017-04-19 22:51:55 +0000 UTCHuh, and here I was thinking that Games Workshop was a British company.
Bryan Rombough
2017-04-18 16:37:05 +0000 UTCWhoops! So you did. I dunno how I missed that episode, but it did shed some light on it and brought it as a concept together better. Thanks!
Gary R
2017-04-12 03:59:34 +0000 UTCI interviewed Monte about it on RPPR. I have no idea because the game hasn't been written yet. Until I see the rules, I can't really say.
Ross Payton
2017-04-11 22:02:47 +0000 UTCIndeed, the man who can't seem to have a decent name for his alter egos. I think he has a goofy snitch one too? But! I'm with you guys on Monte Cook trolling everyone, especially after Invisible Sun. Ross, you and the rest of RPPR are pretty in touch with the industry. What in the world is up with asking $200 just for the base game? Is this a brilliant marketing and game design ploy that I'm too dense to get, or is it twelve flavors of bonkers? <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montecookgames/invisible-sun" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/montecookgames/invisible-sun</a>
Gary R
2017-04-11 21:06:32 +0000 UTCHaha, I forgot to mention that part. Oh, Bruce, you demonic scamp.
Ross Payton
2017-04-09 22:07:45 +0000 UTCApparently nightwave is a DJ in Glasgow <a href="http://www.synthglasgow.com/next-level-nightwave-tunes-fun-and-no-bull-shit1/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.synthglasgow.com/next-level-nightwave-tunes-fun-and-no-bull-shit1/</a>
Dan Kassiday
2017-04-09 08:26:39 +0000 UTCI scraped the price tag off before I mailed that book so Caleb wouldn't shame me. Warlord Bruce has a nutty thing too. He has two henchmen who don't know he is secretly a demon, and nobody has put it together despite that he'll call for a giant slug monster, step out of sight, and then it appears.
Gary R
2017-04-09 07:20:32 +0000 UTCMan, shots fired on Minneapolis.
Timothy Connelly
2017-04-09 03:58:25 +0000 UTCGiga-los, mega-lo, juggalo and if it's les than a juggalo than milli-lo.
Michael Caldwell
2017-04-09 03:24:36 +0000 UTCI want to play a Were-Storm now... But jeez that whole book is amazing. That is ridiculous and crazy. Also Lamentations of the Flame Princess yeah I appreciate Calebs disdain for it Those powers and strange benefits... That that it is fantastic I what the heck is wrong with Monte Cook? This is the most Grimdark thing Ross could start us with? Its just crazy, its more of a D&D setting How the f are people not aware of the supernatural I think Dan's definition of a Grimdark Noir setting is fantastic. Same with everyone else's this was just a fantastic episode. Though I got to say Caleb's got one of the most accurate definitions and amazing. Caleb that whole speech thank you I, I loved it it was so appreciated Tom's go one that, was marvelous. So what I got from this is Monte Cook made Abradolf Lincler Caleb I don't hate you and we love you. I get annoyed with you sometimes but that is part of friendship , enjoying content from a provider and all of that. Caleb don't deny it the thing is this book is very much Unknown Armies. I mean to be fair Unknown Armies is much more complex and all of that. Mmm I actually thank the politics enhanced making the episode better and I just appreciated it so much man I really appreciated it
DiploRaptor(Samuel)
2017-04-09 01:35:03 +0000 UTCBest topic ever.
Jonnygadfly
2017-04-08 23:17:57 +0000 UTC
