View Full Version : What Does Dark Future Mean To You?
02-04-2008, 02:24 AM
I have a general ideal of what Dark Future is. However, much like cyberpunk there is much room indeed as to what Dark Future encompasses and what is at the very heart of its definition. So what does Dark Future mean to you?
02-04-2008, 03:23 AM
We had this discussion a little while back: http://www.penandpapergames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4410
02-04-2008, 03:48 AM
I think the definitive trait of a dark future is society in collapse. Which society and how it collapsed in the first place are the questions you must answer to get to specific sub-genres of the broad dark future category.
02-04-2008, 12:09 PM
Yes, a technologically advanced civilization that is now in a state of rapid decay. There is still technological equipment out there, but it's degrading quickly. There are small pockets of the old civilization, but they can't maintain their equilibrium of technology due to the crushing weight of plain survival and sustenance.
02-04-2008, 02:24 PM
Are "Dark Future" and "Cyberpunk" generally the same thing? If not and Cyberpunk is merely one example of a Dark Future setting, what is one or more examples of a Dark Future setting(s)?
02-04-2008, 02:29 PM
Well, Dark Future can also apply to a fantasy setting as well. One of the core concepts behind a DF campaign is the grim-and-gritty feel of it.
02-04-2008, 02:42 PM
Pretty much anything grim and gritty feels Dark Future. Just look at Warhammer FRP and our own Middle Ages. However, if it is in the past, it can't be considered a dark future could it?
02-04-2008, 03:45 PM
Well, certainly during and immediately after the Black Death I can imagine that those people alive thought of the future as dark.
02-04-2008, 04:31 PM
A different dark future setting would be the Mad Max type. I don't know of English RPG in this genre, but in France we had Bitume created by Croc (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croc_(game_designer)) which was full of humor and toyed with stereotypes.
I remember a campaign run by a friend where we belonged to a tribe of Vikings who lost their drakkar (i.e. our big truck) in the very beginning of the campaign. The Vikkings define themselves as nomad and need a decent drakkar or they wouldn't go to Valhalla or sth like that. The next step of the adventure was when we discovered an old steam locomotive in the ruins of Saint Lazare railway station ! Happy happy joy joy ! We had our new drakkar and it didn't need oil ! Even Mad Max didn't think of that :D
02-04-2008, 08:00 PM
Conspiracy X, X Files, Painkiller Jane
Apocalyptic: Armageddon, Seventh Seal
Post-apocalyptic settings without kewl powerz mutants.
02-05-2008, 06:21 AM
I wasn't sure if post apocalyptic was considered dark future or a completely separate genre all together. Then again I guess Dark Future is a category and not really a genre.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.2 Copyright © 2016 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.