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Another_Poet
2010-08-23, 03:24 PM
I am looking for suggestions on ways augment a Gothic, Romantic horror/supernatural mood in an upcoming game.

I am not looking for plot suggestions. I already have a plan for story & game mechanics.

I'm looking for other things I can do to increase the "feel" of the game and its impact on players. Here's what I already have:


Play mood-appropriate music (some pieces for specific areas/scenes, and general soundtrack for the rest of the evening)
Play the game at night
Have images available to put up on my projector showing the landscape, derelict buildings, windswept moors, etc.
Use short but lavish descriptive text for each new area, often describing some minor item or detail to make players wonder if it has added significance
Give some NPCs a quirk, tic or speech pattern that seems "off"
Have some things happen without explanation to increase "supernatural" feel (I have a system of giving tokens to my players whenever I pull something supernatural; they can redeem these tokens like Action Points as desired, so that my "Yoink! This is supernatural, sorry" moments don't just blatantly screw them over.)


Other ideas for building the mood and feel are needed! Thanks all :)

ap

holywhippet
2010-08-23, 04:23 PM
Costumes maybe? Have everyone dress up to look goth. Maybe some other props?

Another_Poet
2010-08-27, 03:50 PM
Anyone else? Ideas? Props? etc?

Reis Tahlen
2010-08-27, 03:59 PM
Errr... It's not that I don't have ideas... But you seem to already handle this quite well; even I, who pride myself to be quite effective at instilling ambiance, don't go to such extent.

The only thing which comes to my mind is having a true vampire in your playing room. :smalltongue:

Another_Poet
2010-08-28, 12:09 PM
lol, well, I'll take that as a compliment.

And then I'll ask Sharkey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathon_Sharkey), I guess, to come?

Psyx
2010-08-29, 08:33 AM
Candlelight is great for games.

Nice player hand-outs, made to look like period pieces.

Most critically: Players who can roleplay and don't want to just kill orcs...

TroubleBrewing
2010-08-29, 12:29 PM
Psyx: Stormwind fallacy. Ugh.

OP: I do this sort of thing myself, and I recommend, as far as mood music goes, "Bohren and Der Club of Gore". They're a German black metal group, but their music is essentially slow jazz with a horror twist. It's great for a general soundtrack. I use it for my 1920's CoC games to great effect.

Talakeal
2010-08-29, 03:36 PM
Psyx: Stormwind fallacy. Ugh.

I do not think that phrase means what you think it means.

Project_Mayhem
2010-08-29, 06:07 PM
Psyx: Stormwind fallacy. Ugh.

Stormwind is about optimisation, not playstyle. Hack and slash is generally low roleplay.

My advice, from when we played Vampire the Masquerade. Candlelight works, obviously. Play at night. While dressing up is sometimes a bit silly for some people, just make sure none is dressed in a mood killing manner. Hawaiian shirts and such.