Case details: FASA v. Whitewolf: (Court of Opinion)

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2008-10-12

FASA v. Whitewolf

Case Type:

Ethics, Style & Taste, Gaming

Status:

Verdict Reached

Terms:

thirteen judges or 1 week, whichever comes first
Plaintiff:

kaolin
Plaintiff's Argument:

FASA: Shadowrun + Battletech (and other properties folks who love them will be offended I'm not mentioning)

White Wolf: Vampire, Mage, Werewolf, ... (ditto)

Argument: Dude. Shadowrun. Battletech. Battletech. Shadowrun.

Vampire, etc--pretty cool. But the innate conflicts of Vampire the Masquerade pale to Shadowrun's. And I hate to say it, but even with Trolls and Elves, Shadowrun is way more believable -> immersive. All the White Wolf games are about hiding who and what you are. Shadowrun is all about exposing secrets (or selling them to the highest bidder). Who wants a passive role-playing experience?

The gals on the left play shadowrun. The guy on the right--LARPs whitewolf. I'm just saying. ;)
- /images/cases/3D82A2OCDO/8_LesSeulesGruppbild.jpg Exhibit A
- /images/cases/3D82A2OCDO/10_FC2004-0008.JPG Exhibit B
Defendant:

Mack

Defendant's Argument:

Counter: White Wolf games are about inner conflict as much as they are exterior. While there is room for violent skirmishes, esp. among Werewolf games (a Garou game without fights is a game you should get your money back from), the real conflict is that of self versus inner self. The Beast Within, the inner Rage, and to a lesser degree, Mage versus Avatar (which is hopefully more of a team play).

Which type of conflict is more important will determine how you feel about Shadowrun verus White Wolf.

Counter: You hide what you are, but you reveal it to a select few. Finding secrets is a very important part of the game, much like Shadowrun.

Believable? Immortal elves, ancient dragons, and cybernetic orc shamans are more believable than hidden monsters? I say that a game that could be set in the world outside your door at least as immersive as a game set in the future. Each game accentuates a different set of myths to make real. But White Wolf is not a passive game, where the Jihad controls the manueverings of immortal vampires, the Garou's war sets the battleground, and Mages wage the Ascension War.