What do you consider “Modern Paranormal”?

[Diamond Spear]

Is it X-Files style? Is it Buffy (without the camp)? Is it CoC? Something else? How do YOU define it?

[Steve]

I would classify it as somewhere between X-Files and Buffy, and not so much CoC. One of the major differences between the two (IMO) is that the things that go bump in the night are not as hidden in a Buffy-verse as they are in X-Files.

Lately I've been thinking of running a campaign that is something like Surbrook's Phenomena Department (http://surbrook.devermore.net:16080/pdepartment/pdepartment.html).

[MrBunraku]

When I think "Modern Paranormal", I think of the old Chill game. The paranormal was hidden from the general populace, but a few who had experienced it first hand banded together to fight it.

They were also tasked with keeping the general public unaware that there was any "paranormal" activity at all.

Ed

[bigdamnhero]

Is it X-Files style? Is it Buffy (without the camp)? Is it CoC? Something else? How do YOU define it?
Well, the obvious smart@$$ answer is: "Anything in a modern setting that includes the paranormal." ;)

But seriously. I'd say X-Files & Buffy (with or w/o camp) both qualify. Arguably, so would The 4400 and even some parts of Lost. I would mostly classify CoC as horror, tho I admit that can be a subjective definition. To me, "modern paranormal" shares many elements of horror, but without the tone of helpless futility. And generally a lower body count, at least among the good guys.

[Remjin]

I have no idea what CoC is... once again, my acronym skill level is too low...

I also classify Buffy under "retarded," but that's just my opinion and I'm the minority on that one. Mostly I hate all the soap opera drama...

I think another good example might be Hellboy, via the moviebor comic, though I profess very little knowledge of the comic.

Anything that surrounds the weird modern environment, with an emphasis on weird, could count. But best is anything that includes the line: "excuse me, could you stop standing on my tail?"

[Vanguard]

For me, I'd classify it as The Dresden Files (by Jim Butcher) as well as perhaps the earlier Anita Blake books (before it all went to S&M porn), maybe the Weather Warden series (by Rachel Caine).

As for TV series, I'd think things like X-Files, Supernatural (although I've never seen it) would count. Maybe even Erueka (sp).

Buffy counts but it did get . . odd towards the end of the series.

You could even throw in my personal Fave, Highlander: The Series as a type of "modern Paranormla" (Although with that one, the only "paranormal" thing around, for the most part, are the Immortals).

[Teflon Billy]

Cast a Deadly Spell

A lot of lovecraftian horror (Mouth of Madness, Nightbreed, etc...)

Ghostbusters (if you can get past the comedy)

In fact, I'd say Paranormal could be considered a subgenre of horror (more than Sci-Fi IMO) but not overtly as lethal as mainline Horror.

TB

[Curufea]

Call of Cthulhu isn't modern paranormal. For a start, it's last century (the 20th)- unless you are playing Cthulhu Now! or Delta Green. Secondly, I'd regard it as supernatural, not paranormal. Paranormal to me implies modification to humans or normality. Supernatural implies a more fantastical exageration of that.

Paranormal would be psychics.
Supernatural would be superheroes or ghosts.

Modern - it'd have to be set within the last 30 years.

[DEFCON Clown]

I would say that the show Supernatural is the perfect example.

[OddHat]

Magic and monsters in a modern setting that remains largely unaware of them, with a chance for the Heroes to make a difference, but without the Heroes being overwhelmingly powerful.

Buffy and Angel were often at the high end, crossing into Superheroics.

X-Files was about the standard for a modern paranormal setting.

The main distinction from Horror is that the protagonists ultimately make a real differnece and can hope to win. As that fades, the genre moves closer to horror.

The main distinctions from Superheroics are the lack of public knowledge and recognition, the somewhat narrower range of threats, and thesomewhat lower power levels. As the power levels go up and the public becomes more aware of the paranormal, the genre moves closer to Superheroic Adventure. Hellboy was Superheroic in power level, action and character motivation, with enough touches of horror and secrecy to give it an overlay of Modern Paranormal.

All three genres (Horror, Modern Paranormal, Superheroic Adventure) touch on each other and borrow from one-another.

[Remjin]

perhaps the earlier Anita Blake books (before it all went to S&M porn)

Yeah, I really liked these books until the S&M and porn stuff. I mean, what's better than blasting vampires and monsters all day? =) I almost went to our local Vampire: the Masquerade LARP to play my own part... :eg:

[Susano]

Hellboy

[Lucius]

perhaps the earlier Anita Blake books (before it all went to S&M porn)


I've got to get hold of some of those books some day.

"Modern" is a pretty subjective term; depending on context, I could use it to cover the entire last century.

Actually, before answering the question, I think I want to ask one.

What would constitute NONmodern paranormal?

Lucius Alexander

And a modern paranormal palindromedary

[prodigyduck]

If you are looking for supernaturally-based paranormal settings, I seriously recommend the Dresden Chronicles by Jim Butcher. Soon enough, it will be released on SciFi Channel as a series (and Jim, himself, loves what they are doing with it). The book, themselves, are wonderful mysteries to read.

[David Johnston]

It's not an expression I use. I use:

Horror: Stories about people helplessly meeting dire ends
Urban Fantasy: Stories about creatures of myth and folklore in the modern day.
Superhero: Stories about quasi-human people with superhuman powers beating down the bad guys.
Magical Realism: Stories about sensawunda encounters with the supernatural that are nonviolent.

[Susano]

If you are looking for supernaturally-based paranormal settings, I seriously recommend the Dresden Chronicles by Jim Butcher. Soon enough, it will be released on SciFi Channel as a series (and Jim, himself, loves what they are doing with it). The book, themselves, are wonderful mysteries to read.

There's also an RPG in development.

[Curufea]

Actually speaking of novels to films - Nightwatch and Daywatch (and soon, I hope, Twilightwatch) are modern supernatural.
I recommend seeing the movies if able. I don't know if there are english translations of the books yet though.
BTW - the DVD I found of Nightwatch was cut, it was missing a few character developing scenes (Why cut a DVD for time? It's a DVD!)

[Southern Cross]

I have GOT to finish reading my copy of The Night Watch ( the English translation,that is).

[Curufea]

Where did you get it? I want to read it after seeing the movies.

[Southern Cross]

I got my copy at the Borders store in Queen Street,Auckland.:)

[Beetle]

I pretty much agree with Vanguard - especially about Highlander and the Anita Blake novels.

[FenrisUlf]

Hellboy

Isn't that more "superhero paranormal"?

Though I love it myself.

[Susano]

Isn't that more "superhero paranormal"?

Though I love it myself.

Yes... but it occurs in the modern era.

[Curufea]

Carnivale is pulp paranormal

[Sketchpad]

I see it as Poltergeist: The Legacy, Chill's SAVE, Supernatural and maybe a smattering of Freaky Links ;)

[BlackSword]

Poltergeist: The Legacy
Beat me to it. This was one of the series I was thinking of.

I tend to think of Modern Paranormal as slightly off our own world. I could walk out of my job, take a wrong turn down an alley get attacked by a vampire and (hopfully) have some agency swoop in and save me. Suddently I have left 'the real world' and entered 'the paranormal world' but the transition was so minor I didn't even notice it. The agency may be FBI X-Files Dana and Scully reviewing an odd case, a super-secret military team trained to fight the paranormal/supernatural, Buffy and her Scooby Gang, or an occult group who stays hidden from the rest of the world ala Nightwatch.

I think in general its a broad category so the GM would have to set the ground rules.

[Southern Cross]

In my opinion what makes the difference between "Modern Paranormal" and "superhero Fiction" is this:paranormals existence is kept a secret,but everybody knows superheroes exist.

[Curufea]

I dunno - Wildcards is an example that crosses that definition.

[Southern Cross]

So do the works of Laurell K.Hamilton. A better tack would be "Are there any characters with Powers,costumes & codenames fighting each other?"
If not,but characters with Powers exist in the modern era,we are in the Modern Paranormal genre.

[John Desmarais]

Call of Cthulhu isn't modern paranormal. For a start, it's last century (the 20th)- unless you are playing Cthulhu Now! or Delta Green. Secondly, I'd regard it as supernatural, not paranormal. Paranormal to me implies modification to humans or normality. Supernatural implies a more fantastical exageration of that.

Paranormal would be psychics.
Supernatural would be superheroes or ghosts.

Modern - it'd have to be set within the last 30 years.

Awfully narrow view of paranormal.
par·a·nor·mal (phttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/abreve.gifrhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/lprime.gifhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/schwa.gif-n�rhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/prime.gifmhttp://cache.lexico.com/dictionary/graphics/AHD4/GIF/schwa.gifl)
adj. Beyond the range of normal experience or scientific explanation

[Curufea]

Strangely enough, language meaning changes with usage from it's original meaning.

Common usage of paranormal is "mildly weird" and supernatural as "very weird".
Try things other than dictionaries.

[BlackSword]

Then how would you define a "Modern Preternatural" game?

Its really splitting hairs to distinguish supernatural and paranormal as separate genres.

[Curufea]

True.
They're just labels in a language. Labelling things always generalises and ambiguates things.

[Super Squirrel]

Okay, I have a question then if Laura K. Hamilton counts as Modern Paranormal. Does this mean that mean that Modern Paranormal games require your characters to dress like sluts and spend 30 minutes each game session describing in detail what they are wearing?

[Curufea]

No, you can have non-superheroes.
:)

[shem_whistler]

When I read the thread title I immediately thought of the UK TV series Ultraviolet.

[Curufea]

Great series. Too short though :)

[zornwil]

Maybe this? http://www.realschluss.org/disavowed/setting/index.html - campaign description
writeups (yes, just the one) - http://www.realschluss.org/disavowed/issues/index.html (I know the writeup isn't great writing, technically speaking. I just try to get the story down quickly, at this point the notes all I typed as we played taken and written up into a readable format.)

[shem_whistler]

Great series. Too short though :)

I hear rumours every now and again of a new series, but it seems unlikely now. I loved the fact that in all six episodes they didn't use the word vampire once. :)

[Curufea]

I hear rumours every now and again of a new series, but it seems unlikely now. I loved the fact that in all six episodes they didn't use the word vampire once. :)

It had a complete story arc for the main character. And explored the most common vampire questions. Many UK series only have 6-12 eps.

There's always rumours about sequels - they tend not to happen though (take the Red Dwarf movie, for example)

[Robyn]

I dunno - Wildcards is an example that crosses that definition.

Another example of how - no matter how expansive a definition - life will produce more people who expand it still further.

Part of the "language meaning changes with usage" you mentioned, I think.

[ThothAmon]

There's always rumours about sequels - they tend not to happen though (take the Red Dwarf movie, for example)

And may the Lord be praised for that one!

Re the excellent 'Ultraviolet' it was limited in scope for the same reason that there was no second series of 'Firefly' i.e. it was not picked up and given further funding. I believe that witer Joe Aherne was not encouraged by the producer/channel response to the use of controversial themes e.g. paedophilia, implied racism/terrorism, Catholicism, medical experimentation and other such juicy material. The scope of the series was to be a grim, realistic depiction of a human vs vampire war where the judgements of good and evil were not always clear - not ideal fodder for an ongoing TV series :sneaky:

The US version of 'Ultraviolet' was limited to a pilot episode which was allegedly so awful that it couldn't be broadcast.

I'm fairly certain that US remakes of 'Red Dwarf' and 'Ultraviolet' would share the same problems as other remakes - loss of integrity and uniqueness due to translation for the "predigested" market that seems to dominate US scheduling. Having said that, there are occasional good things that come out of the USA that give me hope e.g. 'Battlestar Galactica' has been a pleasant surprise.

Ultimately I'm a big fan of the cultural differences that come through in our media / entertainment rather than the trend towards homogeneous media. As the cheese-eating surrender monkeys say, "Vive le difference!" :smoke:

BTW the definition of the topic should probably include 'Lost', Delta Green, Conspiracy X, Kult, 'Supernatural' and similar. Laurel K Hamilton material is merely porn for sad Goths; Nancy Collins' work is far preferrable.

[Curufea]

In general any US version of a British show should NEVER (and let me repeat that NEVER) be made.

[Teflon Billy]

In general any US version of a British show should NEVER (and let me repeat that NEVER) be made.
I disagree, because while the original premise may be quite successful, it might not be something that can be as successful as it could be over here without being reshaped to fit our cultural norms.

All in the Family would never have been made following your line of thinking.

TB

[Curufea]

I've never heard of it.

But then - possibly I've only ever heard about the bad translations.

[Black Rose]

I remember that, around ten or so years ago, there was a second-hand book store with copies of the first four (or maybe five) Anita Blake books. These copies had been nearly read to death, and would only be "sold" to long-time customers who would be sure to return them. The ideas that the bookseller told me from the book (legalized vampires, lycanthropy victims as a socially persecuted group, the Church of Eternal Life, etc.) were very fascinating, and it really saddened me that the series went downhill like it has. Although, technically, it hasn't gone downhill so much as changed core audiences, but since I was part of the old core, I feel somewhat betrayed.

To answer the OP's question: like some of the other posters, I consider "paranormal" to include psychic phenomena and spirit activity, but not actual "monsters" and such. I'd actually hold up Ghostbusters as a good example, with X-Files being another. Ghostbusters, despite being a comedy, is exactly the sort of comedy I really love - the events were completely "straight", it was the comments and actions of the main protagonists that made the movie funny. There was nothing actually funny about a materialized Gozer the Gozerian, Gozer the Destructor, Vulgo Zindrohad, The Traveller - it was, in fact, the first major step by Gozer in his attempt to conquer our world. Only through the potentially-fatal heroism of the Ghostbusters was he defeated. If you listen to the description Egon gives about what they are going to do, you can tell there is every likelihood they are going to die in a truly horrific manner.

Sorry about that, I just like reasonably serious stories where the characters can be snarky. :o

[FenrisUlf]

I'd actually hold up Ghostbusters as a good example, with X-Files being another. Ghostbusters, despite being a comedy, is exactly the sort of comedy I really love - the events were completely "straight", it was the comments and actions of the main protagonists that made the movie funny. There was nothing actually funny about a materialized Gozer the Gozerian, Gozer the Destructor, Vulgo Zindrohad, The Traveller - it was, in fact, the first major step by Gozer in his attempt to conquer our world. Only through the potentially-fatal heroism of the Ghostbusters was he defeated. If you listen to the description Egon gives about what they are going to do, you can tell there is every likelihood they are going to die in a truly horrific manner.

Sorry about that, I just like reasonably serious stories where the characters can be snarky. :o

I like Ghostbusters too, for much the same reason as you. That's also why I like Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein; when you take away the comedy elements (which is based all in Bud and Lou's reactions to the plot), you still have a horror story.