Re: [BNW] A true Super Hero team for BNW (Matt Fobeck)

[Theo McGuckin <tsm@jlab.org>]

> As for evil always winning, that does seem to be a trend in games these 
> days (hardly a Pinnacle innovation -- White Wolf games are all about that 
> concept).  I don't see BNW as falling into that.  Sure, the bad guys are in 
> charge.  But there is hope -- it isn't a totally lost cause.  You can take 
> away a lot of the sting if you want.  One thing that I've toyed with is 
> what happens if Kennedy dies?  He's old, after all.  And even if he had 
> alpha-level healers helping him, BNW doesn't seem to have anyone who can 
> extend life beyond what is normally possible.  I would think that even 
> Lazari (however that would be pluralized) would grow old and die, and 
> eventually be unable to resurrect themselves.  You could start from there 
> -- a nation rebuilding itself after decades of tyranny.

Well I think evil always winning is a sign of the times. This is in the
real world: a lot of people see most of the controlling powers as evil.
More and more people fear/hate the gov't, see big corp. (Microsoft) as
evil megalomanical money machines, etc. So the games are playing to what
people feel/want.
I would also argue that evil winning is a theme in most modern games.
Probably because in more archaic games there isn't the global
communication/networking ability that an "evil-force" would need to really
gain power. Even in Deadlands there is a telegraph system and a central
location (the heads of the gov't) to work from. Sure the Reckoners operate
all over the Weird West, but without the war (which requires a, well two,
controlling gov't) they wouldn't have the fear they needed.
There are exceptions (Ravenloft) of course, but it's just a theory.

Finally, if evil wasn't winning, then what would be the point? If the good
guys start taking the lead and kicking evil's butt they become 
lackadaisical. Good's got the upperhand, it doesn't need the PC's help
anymore. But with evil in-charge then the PC's have to kick and scratch
for every victory and the game is much more rewarding.

Theo McGuckin - SysAdmin, JLab


	"They're attacking. We should build a fort."
	"I'll get some pillows."