As always, sick days mean a TV binge. I decided to finally take Too Human for a spin, and found myself enjoying it after 10 seconds. The show it set in 2048, with has androids and whatnot roaming about. I'm always down to enjoy some near-future fiction, but of course that's not the only setting I'm a sucker for!
Steampunk
The Days of Mythology
The Days of Mythology
Alternate history/Parallel Universe
Dystopian Future
High Fantasy
Post-Apocalyptic
10. Western - Red Dead Redemption
This setting is very hit-or-miss. I love the idea of a semi-lawless society, where morals are ambiguous and someone is always out for revenge. Plus there's always a shootout that doesn't have machine guns or explosives (unless someone is using dynamite!). The setting always has the classic trappings of any other setting, but their technology is so paired down that it actually feels fresh. Sniper rifles are just rifles in the hands of a sharpshooter. Chases are dependent on a living creature's endurance. And the body count created on the way to justice is relatively low, but each death is usually a character we know rather than a faceless soldier. It's a very pure setting that can be dreadfully boring, or decently entertaining.
9. Sci-Fi - Battlestar Galactica, Warhammer 40k, Mass Effect
The inclusion of this setting on my list of top 10 really depends on my mood. It's such a popular setting that the great pieces are diluted by a sea of mediocrity. My biggest beef is that the lazy authors will find a bit of technology to fix any problem, seemingly making up their own rules and robbing the characters of development and struggle. Still, when a story does sci-fi right it can be absolutely amazing. No matter how advanced technology gets, sci-fi shows that people will still struggle with the same issues no matter where they are. People betray, war is a constant threat, disease always threatens to wipe out humanity, hard decisions must be made, and someone is always struggling to be a hero. The setting just gives us a completely new way to imagine these struggles.
8. Eastern Legend - Jade Empire, almost any anime
I love eastern mythology. It offers up so much good stuff in its stories, and it's always a nice break from our more traditional fantasy. Unlike many other mythologies, the gods don't play a huge part in these stories - that job is left to ancient weapons, folk lore that comes to life, unique magic, and everything else that coalesces into a fascinating setting. I'm usually a fan of historical settings, although I'll admit that the "lone samurai/ninja who faces a world of magic and mystery" has gotten tiring. Modernized shows like Bleach, Death Note, or Yu Yu Hakusho give that same mystical feeling, but does so in a less-explored time period.
7. Cyberpunk - Netrunner, Deus Ex
Similar to sci-fi, but humanity is practically on the endangered species list. Technology and artificial intelligence control the world, and governments or corporations control them. In the midst of this, the hero is usually part of a resistance movement to either topple "the man," or just struggle to survive in a world that doesn't believe in freedom. There's usually a lot of hacking and techno-babble involved, but I love the whole vibe of never being safe, yet never backing down from doing what's right.
6. Steampunk - Warmachine, Dishonored
I can't explain why steampunk is so interesting. The world is dirty, the future is bleak, and dying painlessly is the best someone can hope for. Still, a world run by cogs and steam creates something completely unique. The best part about it is that it borrows from so many other genres, and it never feels out of place. You can have a western flavor, add a dash of high fantasy, throw in a bit of World War 2, then add some zombies for good measure and somehow everything mixes together to create an amazing world.
5. Mythology - 300, God of War, Percy Jackson
I've been a fan of Greek mythology since my adolescent years. My mom got me a book about the Pantheon, and from there I was hooked. It wasn't until my later teen years that I started paying attention to other ancient mythologies, and I soon found myself enjoying something from everything. Petty gods impacting the world, demigods walking among us, and a world filled with mythical creatures to be slain never seems to get old. The heroes of these stories always overcome the most amazing, impossible struggles in order to do fulfill some destiny. Whether it's saving the world, saving the person they love, or just fighting because they must, the heroes of these stories are made of something incredible.
4. Alternate History/Parallel Universe - Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Supernatural
It all comes down to engaging in a "what if?" story. These stories take the past or present and turns it upside-down. What if the South won the Civil War? What if monsters were real today? Heck, what if the history we do know actually happened very differently? Instead of crafting an entirely new world, I love when someone takes familiarity and lets me experience it in an entirely new way.
3. Dystopian Future - 1984, Portal, Red Faction, Equilibrium
This can be plugged in to almost any other setting, but I put it as its own setting because of how powerful its stories can be. Utopic societies are boring. Keep your harmony and give me dissonance! Everyone is worried of a nightmarish future, and these stories take society's fears and crank them to 11. The government is in absolute control, and emotion is usually stamped out. What began as a quest for the good has become corrupted, leaving a few privileged people in power while the rest are hardly better than mindless drones. It's a terrifying thought, but it's so hard not to enjoy seeing that terror brought to life.
2. High Fantasy - Like I need to tell you
Wizards and dragons and orcs, oh my! Most of us started with stories like these, and odds are that it is responsible for most of us being the geeks we are. Like sci-fi it is quite diluted, but fantasy is a lot harder to screw up. As long as it's not loaded with cliches from beginning to end, I think most people are at least tolerant of almost any decent fantasy story. We've all dreamed about living in these worlds, and I can't get tired of reliving that desire over and over again.
1. Post-Apocalyptic - Fallout, zombies, Darksiders
Have you looked at your house and wondered how it would stand up to a horde of zombies? I have, and I need to move. Have you ever wondered if you could survive without the comforts of society? I have, and I don't like it. The idea of seeing everything we know taken away in an instant scares us. I'm not just talking about war - I'm talking about the entire world being reduced to one rule - every man for himself. There's no hope, there's nothing to work for... all you can do is survive, and maybe get revenge on someone who wronged you. There's always a touch of hope somewhere, but it's usually snatched away at the end, letting us know that this world really is hopeless.
Sorry for the brevity on some of these - I'm quite ready to go to bed and wake up feeling better.
So what are your favorite settings?
See you tomorrow!
Remember to follow me on Facebook! I'm doing a blog post every single day for 2013, and Facebook is a great way to stay up-to-date as well as take part in my monthly giveaways. This is my last month of guaranteed giveaways, so don't miss out on a free copy of Super Dungeon Explore, a painting project, and more! Click here for details!
Post-Apocalyptic
10. Western - Red Dead Redemption
This setting is very hit-or-miss. I love the idea of a semi-lawless society, where morals are ambiguous and someone is always out for revenge. Plus there's always a shootout that doesn't have machine guns or explosives (unless someone is using dynamite!). The setting always has the classic trappings of any other setting, but their technology is so paired down that it actually feels fresh. Sniper rifles are just rifles in the hands of a sharpshooter. Chases are dependent on a living creature's endurance. And the body count created on the way to justice is relatively low, but each death is usually a character we know rather than a faceless soldier. It's a very pure setting that can be dreadfully boring, or decently entertaining.
9. Sci-Fi - Battlestar Galactica, Warhammer 40k, Mass Effect
The inclusion of this setting on my list of top 10 really depends on my mood. It's such a popular setting that the great pieces are diluted by a sea of mediocrity. My biggest beef is that the lazy authors will find a bit of technology to fix any problem, seemingly making up their own rules and robbing the characters of development and struggle. Still, when a story does sci-fi right it can be absolutely amazing. No matter how advanced technology gets, sci-fi shows that people will still struggle with the same issues no matter where they are. People betray, war is a constant threat, disease always threatens to wipe out humanity, hard decisions must be made, and someone is always struggling to be a hero. The setting just gives us a completely new way to imagine these struggles.
8. Eastern Legend - Jade Empire, almost any anime
I love eastern mythology. It offers up so much good stuff in its stories, and it's always a nice break from our more traditional fantasy. Unlike many other mythologies, the gods don't play a huge part in these stories - that job is left to ancient weapons, folk lore that comes to life, unique magic, and everything else that coalesces into a fascinating setting. I'm usually a fan of historical settings, although I'll admit that the "lone samurai/ninja who faces a world of magic and mystery" has gotten tiring. Modernized shows like Bleach, Death Note, or Yu Yu Hakusho give that same mystical feeling, but does so in a less-explored time period.
7. Cyberpunk - Netrunner, Deus Ex
Similar to sci-fi, but humanity is practically on the endangered species list. Technology and artificial intelligence control the world, and governments or corporations control them. In the midst of this, the hero is usually part of a resistance movement to either topple "the man," or just struggle to survive in a world that doesn't believe in freedom. There's usually a lot of hacking and techno-babble involved, but I love the whole vibe of never being safe, yet never backing down from doing what's right.
6. Steampunk - Warmachine, Dishonored
I can't explain why steampunk is so interesting. The world is dirty, the future is bleak, and dying painlessly is the best someone can hope for. Still, a world run by cogs and steam creates something completely unique. The best part about it is that it borrows from so many other genres, and it never feels out of place. You can have a western flavor, add a dash of high fantasy, throw in a bit of World War 2, then add some zombies for good measure and somehow everything mixes together to create an amazing world.
5. Mythology - 300, God of War, Percy Jackson
I've been a fan of Greek mythology since my adolescent years. My mom got me a book about the Pantheon, and from there I was hooked. It wasn't until my later teen years that I started paying attention to other ancient mythologies, and I soon found myself enjoying something from everything. Petty gods impacting the world, demigods walking among us, and a world filled with mythical creatures to be slain never seems to get old. The heroes of these stories always overcome the most amazing, impossible struggles in order to do fulfill some destiny. Whether it's saving the world, saving the person they love, or just fighting because they must, the heroes of these stories are made of something incredible.
4. Alternate History/Parallel Universe - Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Supernatural
It all comes down to engaging in a "what if?" story. These stories take the past or present and turns it upside-down. What if the South won the Civil War? What if monsters were real today? Heck, what if the history we do know actually happened very differently? Instead of crafting an entirely new world, I love when someone takes familiarity and lets me experience it in an entirely new way.
3. Dystopian Future - 1984, Portal, Red Faction, Equilibrium
This can be plugged in to almost any other setting, but I put it as its own setting because of how powerful its stories can be. Utopic societies are boring. Keep your harmony and give me dissonance! Everyone is worried of a nightmarish future, and these stories take society's fears and crank them to 11. The government is in absolute control, and emotion is usually stamped out. What began as a quest for the good has become corrupted, leaving a few privileged people in power while the rest are hardly better than mindless drones. It's a terrifying thought, but it's so hard not to enjoy seeing that terror brought to life.
2. High Fantasy - Like I need to tell you
Wizards and dragons and orcs, oh my! Most of us started with stories like these, and odds are that it is responsible for most of us being the geeks we are. Like sci-fi it is quite diluted, but fantasy is a lot harder to screw up. As long as it's not loaded with cliches from beginning to end, I think most people are at least tolerant of almost any decent fantasy story. We've all dreamed about living in these worlds, and I can't get tired of reliving that desire over and over again.
1. Post-Apocalyptic - Fallout, zombies, Darksiders
Have you looked at your house and wondered how it would stand up to a horde of zombies? I have, and I need to move. Have you ever wondered if you could survive without the comforts of society? I have, and I don't like it. The idea of seeing everything we know taken away in an instant scares us. I'm not just talking about war - I'm talking about the entire world being reduced to one rule - every man for himself. There's no hope, there's nothing to work for... all you can do is survive, and maybe get revenge on someone who wronged you. There's always a touch of hope somewhere, but it's usually snatched away at the end, letting us know that this world really is hopeless.
Sorry for the brevity on some of these - I'm quite ready to go to bed and wake up feeling better.
So what are your favorite settings?
See you tomorrow!
Remember to follow me on Facebook! I'm doing a blog post every single day for 2013, and Facebook is a great way to stay up-to-date as well as take part in my monthly giveaways. This is my last month of guaranteed giveaways, so don't miss out on a free copy of Super Dungeon Explore, a painting project, and more! Click here for details!
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