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Books and movies for 2300/2320

C

Colin

SOC-14 1K
Marquis
Just started thinking about books and movies as sources of inspiration for 2300/2320. Here's what I've got so far:

Books: Voice of the Whirlwind, Angel Station (both by Walter John Williams), Any of the Downbelow-related books by C.J. Cherryh, Fountains of Paradise, Songs of Distant Earth (both by Arthur C. Clarke)

Comics: Aliens vs. Predator. The colony described was quite cool. Would've made a much better movie than the travesty currently in planning.

Movies/TV: Minority Report, Alien, Aliens (more for look than subject matter), Outland (yeah, I know, but I still like it), Soldier, Babylon 5 (Earth stuff), Firefly (some different tech assumptions, but the feel is what I'm going for here.) 2001, 2010, Pitch Black (again, themes and look rather than storyline)

Any additions would be welcome, but be prepared to justify them. :D

Colin, 2320 AD writer
"How was I supposed to know he was unarmed?
His back was to me."
file_23.gif
 
BladeRunner, for earth, and the corporate/govt push to get people off world to develop those resources. not so much the replicants, as the setting. earth is worn out, polluted, people want to leave to find a better place.

Neuromancer, for many of the same reasons as above.

Aliens... for the military technology.

The Reality Dysfunction books by Peter F. Hamilton. if only for an amazingly well developed view of a galactic economy, and also the nano-technology in it is really cool.
 
But Earth isn't worn out and polluted. People have put a great deal of effort in since the Twilight War to rebuild and replant, to make Earth green again. That's why all the solar power satellites, orbital factories and off-world resource mining. One of the reasons governments have colonies is to provide an outlet for the malcontents who can't, or won't, fit in to an extremely controlled and monitored society.
Of course, Kimanjano is, worn out and polluted that it, but that's another story.

Colin 2320AD writer
"Don't worry. I've got a fuel rod gun."
 
Off the top of my head,

Books:
*Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime series by Paul Preuss
*C.J. Cherryh: Heavy Time and Hellburner (not strictly related to Downbelow, predates the Alliance-Union universe)

Movies:
Even though both of these two Mars movies suck (IMHO), they have parts that can be used as source material in 2300/2320.
*Mission to Mars (the space ship with its "hamster cage gravity wheel" and the space station above Earth, for example)
*Red Planet (the space/Mars suits of the crew, some limited aspects of the robot, for example) BTW, it's amazing how many sci-fi cliches they have managed to include in this movie (SPOILERS FOLLOW, not that any one should care, this movie's a turkey) - murderous robot, crew member who loses it and becomes murderous, man-eating 'orrible space bugs, etc.
 
Here's a couple of books for y'all:

Encounter with Tiber by Buzz Aldrin (yes, THAT Buzz Aldrin) and John Barnes. This is a story about a first contact AND has a well-developed use of technology of spaceflight operations and its use in the solar system.

Expedition by Wayne Douglas Barlowe. Mr. Barlowe Both wrote and illustrated this book about an expedtion *duh* to a truly alien planet. Many of the paintings of alien life are spectacular. I'm looking for a way to bring the Daggerwrist into a campaign. Maybe as an alien race.
 
Yes. Heavy Time and Hellburner were both very good books.

The Venus Prime series started out good, and at the time I loved the wireframe models of the tech, though that is all very outdated now. But later in the series things started to go a little down-hill for me. I think I lost it when she grew gills, but I digress.

Some of Larry Niven's Known Space stuff, in particular for Earth and Belter culture, and his imagined societies on the colony worlds. The tech stuff not so much.

Colin 2320AD writer,
Husband of three and father of one... no, wait, it's the other way around...
 
to be more specific, in my view of earth in the future (not to say I'm not going to buy every new 2300ad book that comes out, don't worry ;) ), there are swaths of earth that are heavily polluted and need major help to get back to a healthy state. massive industrial sectors, and portions of the ocean just arn't nice places to be.

but, as you say, and as I've wished for 2300ad for a while. significant investment in orbital industries, and power generation, combined with clean fusion electricity, has stopped the accumulation of pollution, but maybe not enough as been done the clean up the damaged parts. that being said, there are still large areas of earth that are very beautiful, and nice places th throw a frisbee around with the kids. and with the advent of the world phone in 2050, you can get a phone/video call anywhere ;)

I LOVED the spacesuits/equipment from Red Planet. Hell, aside from the STUPID robot (you know the lowest bidder built that switch of a silly bump on landing sets it to KILL MODE, and ignoring WHO its owners are...), the space suits rocked, the hyper-reality display devices rocked, just a really cool view of what future environment suits could be like.

other wise, that movie was a laugh a minute ;)
 
Originally posted by Colin:
But Earth isn't worn out and polluted. People have put a great deal of effort in since the Twilight War to rebuild and replant, to make Earth green again. That's why all the solar power satellites, orbital factories and off-world resource mining. One of the reasons governments have colonies is to provide an outlet for the malcontents who can't, or won't, fit in to an extremely controlled and monitored society.
Of course, Kimanjano is, worn out and polluted that it, but that's another story.

Colin 2320AD writer
"Don't worry. I've got a fuel rod gun."
Click to expand...
Rotten to the core? Libreville? Mudville? Seems pretty Bladerunner-esq to me.

Allen Steel has written some good stuff, Clarke county: space, Labrynth of night and another one who's name escapes me.

Richard Morgan's Broken Angels and Altered Carbon are also good, especially the idea of sleeves and the lost and incomprehensible alien culture, although the books do become a bit over-involved towards the end.

David Drake. Just started reading Rolling Hot. Oh, such fun. Wish I'd found them years ago.

G.
 
The non-cyberpunk sections of the ECS describe a non-cyberpunk Earth. And that's the direction I took, with some direction from others...

Sure, Earth has some seedy bits. But on the whole it is quite clean. At a cost, however:
That leads to another hallmark of Core culture, especially on Earth. Everything, and everyone, is under the constant watchful eye of the various governments, security agencies and corporations. Cars, phones, computers and even watches all contain GPS locators, and often some sort of monitoring hardware or software. Many people elect to get chip implants, which in addition to acting as keys, bank cards and ID, also act as short-range tracking devices. If a person ever gets into trouble, the authorities will always know where that person is. Of course, the same holds true for anyone who causes trouble, and the constant watching means that the state will have the evidence it needs as well. Life is very regulated, and controlled. Most people accept it, and even appreciate it. Society is very secure. Some choose to leave, and go to find a new life in the off-world colonies. Some are encouraged to leave, through subtle pressures that can lead all the way to official harassment. Then there are those, however, who just Snap.

Not Bladerunner, or true cyberpunk, but not life-as-we-know-it, either.

Colin, 2320AD writer,
First 20000 words away, huzzah!
 
Originally posted by Colin:
Sure, Earth has some seedy bits. But on the whole it is quite clean. At a cost, however:
That leads to another hallmark of Core culture, especially on Earth. Everything, and everyone, is under the constant watchful eye of the various governments, security agencies and corporations. <snip> Of course, the same holds true for anyone who causes trouble, and the constant watching means that the state will have the evidence it needs as well. Life is very regulated, and controlled. Most people accept it, and even appreciate it. Society is very secure.

Not Bladerunner, or true cyberpunk, but not life-as-we-know-it, either.
Click to expand...
"But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother."
- George Orwell, ending of '1984'

So instead of a cyberpunk Earth where the struggle is at least still going Earth is now an even worse dystopia where the struggle is already over? IMO this not an improvement for Earth as a multi-faceted roleplaying environment from the above description.

Doubleplusungood.

Casey (looking for his cup of Victory Gin and smiling at the telescreen) ;)

[EDIT:] original had too much snarkiness
 
The cyperpunk genre has been done (to death) by many games over the past 20 years. Some did it well, some didn't. 2300AD didn't do it well, IMHO. The cyberpunk stuff always seemed tacked on. Part of my brief for this book was to de-emphasize the cyberpunk elements, and bring it back to its adventuring core.
That being said, there are plenty of opportunities for adventure on Earth. Not all nations subscribe to the surveillance model, for one reason or another. And there are someplaces that don't have surveillance systems, though drone overflights are possible. Enough that you would almost think I did it on purpose. The situation actually requires more of a roleplaying solution, rather than a "dash in with guns blazing" solution.
What I've done is take the surveillance society approaching us now and extrapolated it to the future.
But if you want a cyberpunk Earth, there's nothing to stop you. You wouldn't even have to make too many changes, really. Taking the cyberpunk approach won't materially affect the off-world settings, though it may change one's motivation for going off-world (or not, I guess.)

Colin, 2320AD writer,
Proud owner of the National Geographic map set on CD-ROM
 
Encounter with Tiber by Buzz Aldrin (yes, THAT Buzz Aldrin) and John Barnes. This is a story about a first contact AND has a well-developed use of technology of spaceflight operations and its use in the solar system.
Click to expand...
That was an entertaining read, yeah.

Plus I loved the explanation for biblical stuff, especially the pillar of flame.. ("BRAKE!!! BRAKE!!!!!"). :D
 
Originally posted by Colin:
The cyperpunk genre has been done (to death) by many games over the past 20 years. Some did it well, some didn't. 2300AD didn't do it well, IMHO. The cyberpunk stuff always seemed tacked on. Part of my brief for this book was to de-emphasize the cyberpunk elements, and bring it back to its adventuring core.
Click to expand...
Amen, brother!


Even though Blade Runner (director's cut!) is one of my favorite movies - and not just sci-fi movies but of all movies - and I loved William Gibson's books, I still have absolutely no desire to include cyberpunk elements in 2300 universe. IMHO, you either have a 100% cyberpunk game or 0% cyberpunk game, i.e you either go all the way or won't go at all. True to cyberpunk's ideals, it's an all or nothing situation, there's no middle ground. I for one don't want to turn 2300 into a cyberpunk game. Cyberpunk and 2300 don't mesh together well, IMHO. It seemed (to me) that GDW just tried to cash in on the cyberpunk hype by adding all that c-punk stuff into 2300AD back then, not really considering the implications, what it would do to the setting. Some (I guess) liked it, I did not and I'm glad c-punk is being de-emphasized now.

Just my 2 cents.

BTW and very OT: Colin, one of your sigs said "Don't worry. I've got a fuel rod gun." Well, how about this: "If I had a rocket launcher, I'd make somebody pay!" OK, it's not from that, but from one before it. For that, it would be: "If I had a super weapon..." Ring any bells? Curiouser and curiouser... ;)
 
with every culture, there is a counter culture.

I'd venture that no society policed by observation is perfect, and there are plenty of places to hide.

and on top of that... if you don't like it, go live on the colonies ;)
 
The Core worlds and the Frontier worlds are very different, and the acceptance of the surveillance society is one of the major differences. People leave Earth to escape the all-seeing eye, and the governments of Earth encourage that. The environmental slant of Core culture is another point of departure, as is the sensory overload of Core cities, with its directed ads that read your implant and talk right to you. There are, of course, those who try to beat the system on Earth, and while difficult, its not impossible. Want to get past a surveillance camera looking for you? Wear contacts, a hat, put a prominent scar on your cheek, and put a marble in each shoe. It'll throw off the software.
On the whole, however, the people of the Core are content. Think more Minority Report than Bladerunner (film society, rather than quality of movie)

TJP, the second quote (If I had a rocket launcher) is from a Bruce Cockburn song of the smae name, and the third is perhaps a reference to Lucan, from MT?

Colin, 2320AD writer,
Warthog physics experimenter
 
Originally posted by Colin:
The Core worlds and the Frontier worlds are very different, and the acceptance of the surveillance society is one of the major differences. People leave Earth to escape the all-seeing eye, and the governments of Earth encourage that.
<snip>
On the whole, however, the people of the Core are content. Think more Minority Report than Bladerunner (film society, rather than quality of movie)
Click to expand...
I did not state I wanted Earth in 2320 to be a Cyberpunk world. At one time I think I wondered if 2320 was going to handle those elements (can't find the post now :( ) but since that time more d20 Cyberpunk rules and the like have been published. So that is a moot point now for me.

Going in with guns blazing is about the last thing I normally do as a player. However for me I would want to roleplay in a surveillance society* even less than in a typical cyberpunk society. I dislike Brave New World both as a book and the society it portrays even more than the society in 1984 (which I do enjoy reading) as well as Minority Report.

So if I get 2320 from the sounds of it I'll set the game either in the Colonies or I'll modify Earth which is not a problem at all. It still looks interesting enough and if nothing else will be another take / setting for T20. I have more issues with the OTU one of which is its take on Earth and the Solomani.

Casey

* at least how I am viewing it, with your latest post you are clarifying things for me; however I still think to take such a society realistically from the inside is not conducive to rp for me and is in some ways darker than cyberpunk. From the outside is another matter in regards to roleplay.
 
This is an initial list based on what I had at hand / off the top of my head.

Books

The Stars my Destination (Alfred Bester) - I think it fits for 2320AD as much as it does for Traveller

Diamond Age (Neal Stephenson) - Neo-Trad "Brits" in the Near Future reshaping the Earth

Comic Books / Manga

2001 Nights - a must read IMO; there's a similar series that recently was released in the US by TokyoPop but I can't remember the title and haven't seen it yet

Appleseed
Black Magic M-66
Dominon Tank Police
- it's been a while since I've read these straight through but they were in general gritty but too much so though Appleseed and DTP may have a Earth too devastated. However the general feel and action are applicable IMO. The anime are also recomended

Movies

Fifth Element (or for that matter most depections of Earth by Moebius or the Heavy Metal magazine) - because it's Earth in the Future as depicted by Frenchmen

Gunhed - ignore the rather silly Kaiju-size robots (it *is* a Toho live action film after all); the mercs and Texas Ranger are worth it

TV

Dr. Who - had a suprising number of stories involving Earth colonies and such often with a Earth recovering; and of course all the colonists are Brits in Space!

Mobile Suit Gundam (specifically 0080, 0083, 8th MS Team, and from what I've seen of it so far Seed; I would not recomend any other Gundam animation for this and I don't have any of the manga side-stories) - Ignore the Mobile Suits themselves (and even they are useful as ideas for use of military vehicles*) and Newtypes and you have good and fairly gritty stories dealing with among other things life on space stations, an Earth rebuilding (though not as bad as 2320 or for the same reasons), the push to live off of Earth, snazzy but functional uniforms and guns. And one big war involving fighting in space, on space stations, and dirtside / atmosphere.

* both in application in the future and the unit comraderie.

Finally I would recomend any good book on Napeoleon III and the 2nd Empire as it would help IMO get a feel for the 3rd Empire. I'll add a list of titles when I get the chance.

Casey
 
Colin, the whole thing was a reference to Halo (and Marathon), which I thought you were referring, first with the fuel rod gun and now as the Warthog physics experimenter. I thought you knew the tru7h, but alas you don't. ;) OK, enough of Bungie nutter speak.

Casey, 2001 Nights is something I should have remembered to mention. Darn! Excellent stuff mostly. I never liked the anti-matter (?) planet story, but all the others were top notch (IIRC, it's been awhile).

While most of Masamune Shirow's work is excellent (Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell), however except for weapons and non-mecha vehicles his work is a bit too cyberpunk and mecha-filled for my vision of 2300 (and Dominion just too silly). IMHO, the Appleseed anime didn't do justice to the comic/manga, however, Ghost in the Shell was excellent (it might be the best anime I've seen).

Fifth Element is way over the top for my 2300 universe. Everyone mentions Moebius with that film, but I must mention Mezieres as well (of Valerian comics). I'm not sure if he was directly involved with the film, but his influence was clear (then again, his indirect influence was quite clear for Star Wars IV etc.).

Have to stop, gotta get back to work. Later.

PS. Casey, P.J. Harvey rules! The "New York" album was great (i.e. "Stories..."), but my clear favorite is "To bring you my love", a 5-star album for sure.
 
Never played Marathon, so I'm afraid I lost those references. Haven't played too much Halo either (no time).

I've only seen a couple of issues of 2001 nights, so I can't comment on it. While Shirow's stuff is cyberpunk, and mecha heavy, I do love his landmate designs, and his vehicles. Perhaps a little too ornate, as in too much clunky detail, but still quite cool.

Mobile Suit Gundam, the space stuff, is quite good, too. I referenced it when I wrote Cis-Lunar Space for Jovian Chronicles, and to a lesser extent, the space stuff for 2320.

Movie trivia quiz: What is the name of the star in the system where the Nostromo set down? And how does that star name relate to 2300/2320?

Colin, 2320AD writer,
and recent Bungie convert
 
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