Re: [4color] Why do you dislike the Iron Age style? (No flames, ok?)
First off I know I have been crucified because people think I am pro Iron Age or Bronze or Monkey Age… I guess I have never cared about ages, because well I never grew up reading that magical Silver Age of comics, so I have never seen my games as trying to recreate that feel.
I just play games.
This is why I say it is all just a comic, but I use them for ideas only, not to represent them in my games. My games tend to be on the basis of peoples with powers, who may or may not be heroes. It all depends on the players, and so far it as worked great, as the players define for themselves what they will and will not do.
If they kill and decide to make characters with edgy backgrounds, then that is their choice. If they want to be more campy or retro in attitude I let them. I let the characters clash, and so far we have all been pretty adult about it, kind of funny for a game about teens.
So in many ways my style is reactionary.
I react to the moods and whims of my players. I don’t try to emulate any period or style I guess, I just try and tell a good story. Some are goofy, and others are serious and very gritty. I tend to be a big fan of explaining the behind the scenes action; while also showing that the world is both a scary place, a good place, and a mysterious place as well.
So I am not a fan of any particular age… just give me a good story, which is why the debate and the vehement hatred of varying styles is so amusing to me. It should not be such a big deal, let people play what they want to play, read what they want to read, and do what they want to do.
Just make it fun.