Sunday, August 14, 2011
Real Life Writes the Blog.
Hey guys, sorry to say this but I'm putting the blog back on hiatus/spotty update schedule. I've had a lot of personal stuff go on that I won't get into here (my twitter followers are vaguely aware of what I'm talking about). As such I haven't had the time or energy to make coherent posts. I'm not sure when this hiatus will end but I will try to get out updates whenever I can. See you next update.
Monday, August 1, 2011
A General Look At: Standard Fantasy Setting
Welcome to Pixellated Culture. This week we continue the discussion about setting with the standard fantasy setting.
Most of you are probably very familiar with the standard fantasy setting. Kings and castles: check. Magic: check. Magical creatures (some of which are probably very big): check. Evil Empire/Kingdom/Force of Corruption: check.
Basically an easy way to sum this up is if you can put any character from Lord of the Rings in the setting and they don't feel out of place, you're most likely in the standard fantasy setting. However, just because it's used a lot (it wouldn't be standard otherwise) doesn't mean it's a bad thing. A lot of great games include the standard fantasy setting. The most obvious being the early Final Fantasy games. We're going to use the Final Fantasy series as our base because this is one of the most well know franchises and it's easy to see the evolution of the settings. Final Fantasy I-IV use the setting in the most standard matter, but these games are still well liked today. The Dragon Age series also uses the standard fantasy setting, though it is a little darker in tone than your usual Final Fantasy game.
However, the standard fantasy setting is very flexible. This is one of it's strengths: you can have all the workings of a standard fantasy setting, but change it up to fit your needs. Final Fantasy V took it and made a parody. Final Fantasy VI added magitek, technology that runs on magic so it can still be fantastical with a modern spin. This adds a whole new dimension to the setting: what kind of technology is allowed.
This is where later Final Fantasy games actually don't fit the standard fantasy setting, instead choosing to make their own. Final Fantasy IX does go back to the standard setting, but with more technology than ever before. So the lines between modern fantasy and standard fantasy get blurred, especially with the popularity of steampunk, clock punk and the like.
A perfect place to see the blending of the standard fantasy setting with other fantasy settings is World of Warcraft. Look at your weapons, your armor and the buildings around you. How many of them are medieval style and how many of them magitek or steampunk.
Last week I said that the medieval setting and the standard fantasy setting were on a sliding scale. Well the standard fantasy setting is on a lot of sliding scales, but that's beside the point. The point here is there is a smooth gradient between the two. If you made a game about King Arthur would your idea be more historical or more fantastical? The answer is more complicated than whether or not you made Merlin's powers real magic or smoke and mirrors. One wizard does not make a standard fantasy setting. What about games where there are magicians in medieval times but there is a strict masquerade so not everyone is aware? Let me know what you think.
Most of you are probably very familiar with the standard fantasy setting. Kings and castles: check. Magic: check. Magical creatures (some of which are probably very big): check. Evil Empire/Kingdom/Force of Corruption: check.
Basically an easy way to sum this up is if you can put any character from Lord of the Rings in the setting and they don't feel out of place, you're most likely in the standard fantasy setting. However, just because it's used a lot (it wouldn't be standard otherwise) doesn't mean it's a bad thing. A lot of great games include the standard fantasy setting. The most obvious being the early Final Fantasy games. We're going to use the Final Fantasy series as our base because this is one of the most well know franchises and it's easy to see the evolution of the settings. Final Fantasy I-IV use the setting in the most standard matter, but these games are still well liked today. The Dragon Age series also uses the standard fantasy setting, though it is a little darker in tone than your usual Final Fantasy game.
However, the standard fantasy setting is very flexible. This is one of it's strengths: you can have all the workings of a standard fantasy setting, but change it up to fit your needs. Final Fantasy V took it and made a parody. Final Fantasy VI added magitek, technology that runs on magic so it can still be fantastical with a modern spin. This adds a whole new dimension to the setting: what kind of technology is allowed.
This is where later Final Fantasy games actually don't fit the standard fantasy setting, instead choosing to make their own. Final Fantasy IX does go back to the standard setting, but with more technology than ever before. So the lines between modern fantasy and standard fantasy get blurred, especially with the popularity of steampunk, clock punk and the like.
A perfect place to see the blending of the standard fantasy setting with other fantasy settings is World of Warcraft. Look at your weapons, your armor and the buildings around you. How many of them are medieval style and how many of them magitek or steampunk.
Last week I said that the medieval setting and the standard fantasy setting were on a sliding scale. Well the standard fantasy setting is on a lot of sliding scales, but that's beside the point. The point here is there is a smooth gradient between the two. If you made a game about King Arthur would your idea be more historical or more fantastical? The answer is more complicated than whether or not you made Merlin's powers real magic or smoke and mirrors. One wizard does not make a standard fantasy setting. What about games where there are magicians in medieval times but there is a strict masquerade so not everyone is aware? Let me know what you think.
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