Jetsons, Barbarella, and Mad Max

Astromancer · 11-04-2024, 04:11 PM

On another thread I described three trait qualities of a setting I was describing. Jetsons was the quality of every day life becoming strange. The animated cartoon "The Jetsons" was basically "Blondie" with some elements of "Hazel." Both of the sources were domestic comedies. "The Jetsons" made the domestic sphere and the trivia of the office bizarre by tossing in Science Fiction paraphernalia. "Barbarella" took a, in period, semi conventional blend of espionage and space opera and made it memorably exotic and glamorous. "Mad Max" is the most famous post-apocalyptic setting. I used the terms Jetsons, Barbarella and Mad Max as parameters. Jetsons is the way the ordinary has been made alien and strange by change. Barbarella references the glamorous and exotic aspects of a future society. Mad Max covers post-apocalyptic themes. Since apocalyptic refers to unveiling or revealing, this is about how horror or cruelty is revealed in new ways and with new force.

My point in all this is to ask in what ways does the Transhuman Space setting embrace these parameters in your estimation? Does it need to go further down any of these paths?

Thank you.

johndallman · 11-05-2024, 06:47 AM

The setting, as I've played and run it, embraces all three lines of thinking.

Making something conventional strange is the basic stock-in-trade of THS GMing. Strange forms of "exotic" and "glamorous" are a natural counterpoint to that.

New forms of horror and cruelty naturally emerge from the ability to create thinking minds quickly, cheaply and illegally, and enslave them. Those forms of cruelty are a natural thing for characters with heroic instincts to oppose.

Like most SFRPGs, THS is a distorting mirror of our own culture. It works best when it collides quotidian necessity with exotic means of satisfying necessity.

whswhs · 11-05-2024, 12:25 PM

My first THS campaign, Whispers, a private eye series, was #1. My second, Inhuman Space, a cosmic horror series, was #3. They both worked pretty well. But it would be more difficult to run another now that THS is the future of an alternate history.

tshiggins · 11-08-2024, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whswhs

My first THS campaign, Whispers, a private eye series, was #1. My second, Inhuman Space, a cosmic horror series, was #3. They both worked pretty well. But it would be more difficult to run another now that THS is the future of an alternate history.

Yeah, I'd definitely like to see GURPS revisit a near-future sci-fi/space setting in light of the events of the past decade or so, as well as expected upcoming developments.
Unfortunately, I don't think it would be profitable enough (or at all) to justify the development costs. :(

Astromancer · 11-10-2024, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tshiggins

Yeah, I'd definitely like to see GURPS revisit a near-future sci-fi/space setting in light of the events of the past decade or so, as well as expected upcoming developments.
Unfortunately, I don't think it would be profitable enough (or at all) to justify the development costs. :(

It would probably end up the length of GURPS:Terradynne and being treated as being of equal quality. A series of pdfs might be practical, but would it get noticed?

11-05-2024, 06:47 AM	#2
johndallman Night Watchman Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cambridge, UK	Re: Jetsons, Barbarella, and Mad Max The setting, as I've played and run it, embraces all three lines of thinking. Making something conventional strange is the basic stock-in-trade of *THS* GMing. Strange forms of "exotic" and "glamorous" are a natural counterpoint to that. New forms of horror and cruelty naturally emerge from the ability to create thinking minds quickly, cheaply and illegally, and enslave them. Those forms of cruelty are a natural thing for characters with heroic instincts to oppose. Like most SFRPGs, THS is a distorting mirror of our own culture. It works best when it collides quotidian necessity with exotic means of satisfying necessity. __________________ The Path of Cunning. Indexes: DFRPG Characters, Advantage of the Week, Disadvantage of the Week, Skill of the Week, Techniques.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

11-04-2024, 04:11 PM	#1
Astromancer Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: West Virginia	Jetsons, Barbarella, and Mad Max On another thread I described three trait qualities of a setting I was describing. Jetsons was the quality of every day life becoming strange. The animated cartoon "The Jetsons" was basically "Blondie" with some elements of "Hazel." Both of the sources were domestic comedies. "The Jetsons" made the domestic sphere and the trivia of the office bizarre by tossing in Science Fiction paraphernalia. "Barbarella" took a, in period, semi conventional blend of espionage and space opera and made it memorably exotic and glamorous. "Mad Max" is the most famous post-apocalyptic setting. I used the terms Jetsons, Barbarella and Mad Max as parameters. Jetsons is the way the ordinary has been made alien and strange by change. Barbarella references the glamorous and exotic aspects of a future society. Mad Max covers post-apocalyptic themes. Since apocalyptic refers to unveiling or revealing, this is about how horror or cruelty is revealed in new ways and with new force. My point in all this is to ask in what ways does the Transhuman Space setting embrace these parameters in your estimation? Does it need to go further down any of these paths? Thank you. __________________ Per Ardua Per Astra! Ancora Imparo

11-05-2024, 12:25 PM	#3
whswhs Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS	Re: Jetsons, Barbarella, and Mad Max My first THS campaign, Whispers, a private eye series, was #1. My second, Inhuman Space, a cosmic horror series, was #3. They both worked pretty well. But it would be more difficult to run another now that THS is the future of an alternate history. __________________ Bill Stoddard I don't think we're in Oz any more.