What is your favorite CoC time period?

Philotomy Jurament · April 29, 2010, 09:48:55 PM

I voted for modern day, although the classic 20s-30s period exerts the strong pull of tradition on me. I find the modern setting easier to run and easier for players to get into (no questions about what is and isn't period appropriate, socially appropriate, et cetera). I think using the modern setting also assists in emphasizing the horror of the unknown (i.e. mythos) precisely because the modern setting is so known and familiar to the players. Also, I like the contrast of the mythos themes (which are timeless) against the modern backdrop of "science and progress" (which do you no damn good at all).

I also like dark ages (Cthulhu by torchlight). Heck, I guess I pretty much like it all.

Cylonophile · April 29, 2010, 10:09:45 PM

I'll go with the 1920's myself. I guess I have a soft dspot for the classics.

Now, CoC during WW2 with investigators trying to stop himmler from awakening the dark gods to aid nazi germany might have some hokey potential....

Aos · April 29, 2010, 10:17:14 PM

I have to say that I'm bored shitless by Nazis as bad guys. it's one of the things that bothers me about the setting for Hollow Earth Expedition.

Cylonophile · April 29, 2010, 10:22:52 PM

Quote from: Aos;377547I have to say that I'm bored shitless by Nazis as bad guys. it's one of the things that bothers me about the setting for Hollow Earth Expedition.

Ahh, come on. They're so much fun to kill.

Really, it's one thing you can kill without remorse or moral issues. Hell, you can kill a few hundred nazis and feel GOOD about it afterwards.

Peregrin · April 29, 2010, 10:30:12 PM

Quote from: Cylonophile;377553Ahh, come on. They're so much fun to kill.

Really, it's one thing you can kill without remorse or moral issues. Hell, you can kill a few hundred nazis and feel GOOD about it afterwards.

Sure, if you're using the imaginary version of the Nazi army where every soldier is a ruthless, brutal murderer who 100% agrees with everything the party dictates rather than just not wanting to flee their homeland or have their families imprisoned/killed.

Sorry, I prefer tough choices for the PCs.

Benoist · April 29, 2010, 10:55:26 PM

Quote from: Cylonophile;377553Ahh, come on. They're so much fun to kill.

I have to agree. I LOVE to get Nazis as bad guys, actually.

jeff37923 · April 30, 2010, 12:16:10 AM

I really loved Cthulhu Now because I could always do an X-Files type of spin on it and include current events.

Imperator · April 30, 2010, 04:33:27 AM

Quote from: Philotomy Jurament;377526I voted for modern day, although the classic 20s-30s period exerts the strong pull of tradition on me. I find the modern setting easier to run and easier for players to get into (no questions about what is and isn't period appropriate, socially appropriate, et cetera). I think using the modern setting also assists in emphasizing the horror of the unknown (i.e. mythos) precisely because the modern setting is so known and familiar to the players. Also, I like the contrast of the mythos themes (which are timeless) against the modern backdrop of "science and progress" (which do you no damn good at all).

I also like dark ages (Cthulhu by torchlight). Heck, I guess I pretty much like it all.

That's my opinion. I prefer these days, but people usually want the 20's so I humour them.

beeber · April 30, 2010, 01:25:10 PM

modern, but only because i'm not comfortable running classic. i'm just not familiar enough with the era to ref it.

that said, i love to include any sort of references or flavor of the Big C & co. in all my games. (almost) everything goes better with a splash of shoggoth or good old fashioned cosmic nihilism.

Seanchai · April 30, 2010, 01:57:58 PM

I like Classic because there's enough meat on the bone to make a good meal, but not so much that investigative work it too easy or clues have to be too well hidden. It's also easier to reasonably isolate the PCs.

Seanchai

RPGPundit · May 01, 2010, 10:32:07 AM

For me its a tie, between the classic 20s/30s Cthulhu and the modern one. I like both.

RPGPundit

Windjammer · May 01, 2010, 05:07:01 PM

Classic period. Am currently a player in a Trail of Cthulhu game and loving the 30s - we're currently in Manhattan, and have hit on a group of individuals showing an unhealthy pre-occupation with a so-called Nyarlathotep.

I think there is a difference between 1920s CoC and Trail's (preferred) 1930s. As someone who's got absolutely no knowledge of American history, much less ever visited the continent, the opening 5 minutes of Peter Jackson's King Kong film have set the period for our game really well for me. In fact, the opening scenario in ToC's Stunning Eldritch Tales has written King Kong all over it - also have a look at this breath taking visual.

FrankTrollman · May 02, 2010, 06:58:59 AM

The Cthulhu Mythos material was virtually always written "near future." The stuff is science fiction. It has space ships and time travel. The hyper advanced technical marvels to convince us that we are dealing with alien intelligences from Pluto and beyond would have to be a bit more impressive than miniature communicators and the like today, but it really is out of genre for newly written material to not be set 20 minutes into the future.

-Frank

The Butcher · May 02, 2010, 10:11:50 AM

I dig the classic 1920s and 1930s, but we've played modern day, Victorian Age and Medieval games with great success.

Some of the best scenarios I've played included exposing and fighting a cult in Boxer Rebellion China, and investigating mysterious disappearances in a coal mine in Nazi-occupied Poland.

Rezendevous · May 02, 2010, 10:26:54 AM

I like Delta Green, so I went with present day. Of course, at this point DG is historical unless you go ahead and update the timeline.

But I certainly enjoy playing in the 20's/30's or other time periods too. I once played a published WWI module (I think it was published; it was a long time ago so I'm not certain) that was quite good.