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/lit/ - Literature

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13316989 No.13316989 [Reply] [Original]

What is the Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines of literature?

>> No.13317154

Idk. What is the Icewind Dale of literature?

>> No.13317210

It depends how you want to evaluate it. VTMB has at least theoretically infinite potential accidental characteristics, for example it is as true of VTMB that the game is a CRPG as it is that the game is set in something like modern day and features automobiles. The trick would be to discern the essential characteristics and then somehow translate those to the domain of literature. Even assuming this doesn't lead to a category-error, we would still only be able to do this heuristically and holistically, and/or by invoking some kind of aesthetic meta-theory.

If I had to guess I would say that some essential characteristics of VTMB are that:
>it is a CRPG
>it is lovingly designed by devs who created it largely in spite of and not because of the profit incentive
>it is principally about vampires thematically
>it is principally about power struggles portrayed with gritty realism, in terms of philosophical style or outlook
>it is broadly gothic in "tone"
>it is also broadly in the horror genre

To define CRPG usefully, I would heuristically create a spectrum with stat-based action games on one side and games that attempt to simulate real-world conditions of open-endedness and player freedom, or "tabletop approximation," on the other. VTMB is far on the tabletop side of the spectrum.

The CRPG qualification can't really be translated to the domain of literature, unless you prefer to translate it to the philosophical outlook and style of writing. It is clearly not classically tragic in form, because that form sacrifices freedom to the showcasing of ironic fate, for example. My best guess is that it would have to be something highly modern so that it would have a lot of interiority and uncertainty, to approximate freedom and open-endedness of outcome.

The other ones are easy enough to translate. The problem is whether you want to do this purely based on content, which would possibly result in making the closest thing to a "the VTMB of literature" into some schlocky vampire fanfic no one's ever heard of, just because it hits all the right thematic notes, or whether you want to try to capture something of the overall quality and essence of the game in the domain of literature. That's much more difficult.

>>13317154
IWD has most of the same problems except that it's more of an ARPG, so on the opposite end of the CRPG spectrum, along with the many thematic differences of course. More interesting would be translating the overall quality. IWD is very beautifully and lovingly designed but it probably doesn't have the same soul of excellence that VTMB has. It's more of a "really good" than a "great" game. Maybe IWD would be translated into high quality schlock while VTMB would be translated into something more literary and associated with genius.

>> No.13317229

>>13317210
It’s a video game bro

>> No.13317233

>>13317229
That's covered in CRPG (CRPG means "computer role playing game")

>> No.13317237

>>13316989
>>13317154
>>13317210
CCRU 1997-2003

>> No.13317258

>>13317237
That is the Shin Megami Tensei of literature you doofus

>> No.13317370

>>13316989
uh i guess 2E or whatever edition was out in 2004

>> No.13317426

>>13316989
The Vampire Chronicles for Toreador adventures.

>> No.13317431

>>13317426
>toreador
haha homo

[THIS MEME WAS MADE BY TREMERE GANG]

>> No.13317435

>>13316989
Goose bumps choose your own adventure

>> No.13317654

>>13316989
Twilight
>>13317154
LOTR
>>13317210
Have sex

>> No.13317671

>>13317654
dilate

>> No.13317685

>>13317671
seethe

>> No.13317703

>>13316989
skin trade

>> No.13317709

t. watched the latest ssethtzeentach