Why Buffy the Vampire Slayer makes for Bad Gaming
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- Dantessa
- TW0EDGE
- Dantessa
- ktepi
- Dantessa
- TW0EDGE
- Dantessa
- TW0EDGE
- Dantessa
- TW0EDGE
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» TW0EDGE - How Horrid
Comments from Brandy:Oh blech, don't invite me to a game. I will probably sound like a broken record but I really do prefer the classic vampires to what we see today.
I for one am not a Buffy fan. I certainly do not want to see any of the aspects mentioned in the article in my game.
-- posted by TW0EDGE
» Dantessa - Re: How Horrid
And you know, I think it's surprising that I have yet to find any shows on the telly today that deal with psychic vampirism--except FarScape, in which one of the toughest recurring "bad guys" is a psychic vampire. Very cool character. (But I think anything on FarScape is cool!)I don't watch Buffy often, so maybe I've missed the sole psi vampire character there? Psi vampirism has some great dramatic potential!
-- posted by Dantessa
» ktepi - Re: Re: How Horrid
You know, psychic vampirism -- or the different flavors of vampirism -- would make an interesting article ...
At first blush it struck me as something best-suited to science fiction games, but the more I think about it the less sure I am of that.And as for Buffy vampires vs. VtM vampires, etc.: I agree. That's the problem, the sort of thing presented on television is rarely well-suited for gaming. I wouldn't want a fantasy game that operated like Xena, for instance ... (that said, I -would- like a Battlestar Galactica game, so it's not always true.)
-- posted by ktepi
» Dantessa - Re: Re: Re: How Horrid
I recently delved a bit into vampirism in MUDs at my topic...but I have yet to see any MUD that touches upon any type of vampire except the old fashioned blood sucking variety.Psychic vampirism in a game would be quite cool...I might have to add that in to the one I've been working out (on about a thousand pieces of paper and post-its) for a couple years now. A healthy blend of SciFi & Fantasy.
Interesting that psi vampirism struck you as a SciFi type thing--do you tend to consider psionicism as a SciFi thing, as well? I'll admit I'm kind of in the middle on that. Most of the exposure I have had to psionicism in gaming has either been flat-out horror with a thin SciFi veil (think the System Shock series), or fantasy (usually dark fantasy).
That said I also wrote an article about psionicism in MUDs *g*
Funny you should mention gaming and Xena, there's a thread Brandy and I have been bantering in at my topic, about how the Buffy style of vampirism, and Xena, ruined our early online gaming experiences ;)
-- posted by Dantessa
» TW0EDGE - Re: Re: Re: Re: How Horrid
In response to message posted by Dantessa:Comments from Brandy:
Psionics has it's place in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. I have witnessed many discussions and even arguments about whether or not psionics should be included in a fantasy game.
What I am not sure of is how a psychic vampire would work. I am sure I have come across it but I don't understand how it works. Anyone care to explain?
-- posted by TW0EDGE
» Dantessa - Psi Vampires
Nope--actually, that's why (I'd imagine) psi vampires are rarely ever used in games or TV.They are actually a real life phenomenon. So they are regular humans, but if they are left without source of energy, they grow listless, exhausted, perhaps depressed, etc. It's not so much a question of dying if they don't feed. It's just that they can't function properly without it.
There's a lot of documentation on the web about psi vampires. It's a very interesting branch of the paranormal, probably lumped in the same studies as telekinesis and other supposed psionic abilities. Psi vampirism is mostly inherent, from what I've read, and one is born a psi vampire (you don't get "bitten" or anything and turn into one). Psi vampirism just "happens" when a psi vampire is with a crowd of people or a person with particularly strong psi. The vampire "takes" some of that energy into him or herself.
The only weakness I have read about psi vampires is that "mages" who have heightened psychic awareness can a) detect when a psi vampire is attempting to usurp their psi and b) somehow damage the vampire. The mechanics of that are all iffy to me.
I have read several books on Wiccanism that mention psi vampirism and spells and charms to protect against it. So it's apparently a concern to witches as well.
-- posted by Dantessa
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