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Vader
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Wed 13 Oct 2021, 11:51

It would be something like the "Alien vs. Predator" franchise, which is an entirely separate property all of its own; completely disconnected from both the Alien and the Predator properties.
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
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Vader
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Wed 13 Oct 2021, 11:57

But here's the thing: while I won't be interested in visiting them in-game myself, the Off-World Colonies are and must be a palpable presence in the setting. In the original movie, it seems pretty much all the work that the Rep-Detects (a.k.a. Bladerunners) get, comes from Off-World. Nexus 6 replicants don't really exist on Earth — when they do turn up, they come from Off-World.

So even in the day-to-day humdrum of Neo-Noir L.A., in some sense, and particularly in the context of the premise for this game, the Off-World Colonies — whatever they are — are just around the corner.
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
Bengt Petter
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Wed 13 Oct 2021, 12:13

Exactly. The off-world colonies should (must?) mean something in this setting. In a way it’s kind of like another city or continent. People go there and there are news and rumours coming from those other places. In Bladerunner you might also encounter people from New York, but you don’t need a Manhattan map for that.

It’s like a game set in the 1800s London. The British colonies matter for what’s happening in London, even though you never get detailed descriptions of India or Burma. You just know that those and other colonies are there. What you need to develop is London and it’s connections to the world.
 
baldrick0712
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Wed 13 Oct 2021, 12:37

To get things straight, it isn't explicitly stated anywhere that "Bladerunner", "Outland" and "Alien" are in any way associated in terms of canon. They just have similar look and themes, largely due to being made by, in several cases, the same people at around the same time. Ridley Scott did say in an interview that he could totally imagine the crew of the Nostromo returning home to Bladerunner LA if they had survived, and there were some Easter-eggs that might simply have been in-jokes, such as Dallas's resume saying he once shipped cargo for Tyrell Corp. In summary, if you want to link them, there isn't much stopping you.
 
Bengt Petter
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Wed 13 Oct 2021, 12:59

Well, you can link them in your own campaign, but a publisher like Free League can’t because Bladerunner and Alien are different properties owned by separate companies. To merge two different franchises is very hard from a copyright and brand point of view. You would mess with two franchises at the same time. Actually, you would also create a new, third franchise (like Alien vs. Predator). And why should you really? Bladerunner is cool enough to be it’s own thing.
 
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Wed 13 Oct 2021, 13:16

there were some Easter-eggs that might simply have been in-jokes, such as Dallas's resume saying he once shipped cargo for Tyrell Corp.

Don't recall when that bio was written or by whom, but remember that ALIEN came before Blade Runner. So, it might not be an easter egg or even an in-joke, but just Sir Ridley recycling a name from a previous, obscure context into a new, more prominent one.

if you want to link them, there isn't much stopping you.

Actually, there isn't anything at all — it's your game. If you want, you can cross your Bladerunner over with Bubblegum Crisis or Star Wars or My Little Pony, nothing (except possibly good taste) can stop you.

You can do it. But the point is: Ligan can't.
Before you use the word "XENOMORPH" again, you should read this article through:

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/aliens-throwaway-line-confusion
 
Bengt Petter
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Wed 13 Oct 2021, 16:46

OK, I think that has been made clear now. I suggest that we return to something else: what could the off-world colonies bring to the urban L. A. neo noir setting?

You could read about the colony Calantha here: https://bladerunner.fandom.com/wiki/Calantha

I think stuff like that could be cool to use when working with character backstories. Having an off-world background would be a bit like being a war veteran.
 
Balou1917
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Mon 18 Oct 2021, 23:18

Not only the colonies, but I would like to see a description of what the planet looks like. We all know and understand that the movies took place in L.A. (2019) and L.A., Las Vegas, and San Diego area (2049). So I am interested in seeing how the game is going to describe the global mess we are in in the game universe. The off world colonies were a promised paradise that never lived up to its potential. Much like Alien RPG the colonies were rough. Regardless, there has to be some lovely areas in the Bladerunner universe. We see one shot at the end of the original movie with Deckard and Rachel driving off. There is massive tracks of land outside the cities. So there has got to be better area "out there".

The next minor issue is that the L.A. had a Rep Detect unit. We could surmise that some/most/or metropolitan areas have the same. I think the game should be global and be in the colonies. there is definitely story potential about Tanhauser gate, how Roy and his crew made it to Earth. And how things are going in other necks of the woods. Some food for thought.
 
Balou1917
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Mon 18 Oct 2021, 23:29

But here's the thing: while I won't be interested in visiting them in-game myself, the Off-World Colonies are and must be a palpable presence in the setting. In the original movie, it seems pretty much all the work that the Rep-Detects (a.k.a. Bladerunners) get, comes from Off-World. Nexus 6 replicants don't really exist on Earth — when they do turn up, they come from Off-World.

So even in the day-to-day humdrum of Neo-Noir L.A., in some sense, and particularly in the context of the premise for this game, the Off-World Colonies — whatever they are — are just around the corner.
I appreciate your post about including the odd-world colonies. I am very interested to see that fleshed out. I will have to disagree about the rep-detect unit being on the colony. They know who the colonists are and who the androids are. They may have some kind of customs station to stop androids from boarding without their owners.
Much like the equivalent of border patrol, there would/should? be rep-detect presence or emergency call or something at all ports of entry. I might be thinking to far in, but whatever task force a city has for crime; drugs, homicide, road, fraud, etc, they would all be based out of the station. Androids (the book) has Deckard as a Bounty Hunter, it is much more likely he is a Police Officer. I guess it is time to do some prop research and see what his badge says...
 
Bengt Petter
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Re: A New Life awaits you in the Off-World Colonies

Tue 19 Oct 2021, 16:27

I think it’s very simple. Bladerunner is a dystopian neo noir setting set mainly in L. A.. In what ways would additional cities and off-world colonies make the game more interesting? Isn’t the main location interesting enough? I think it is, and it’s for sure very noir. And I think that’s the core of this setting.

Instead of expanding the setting geographically, I’d say it’s better to give L. A. real depth, and perhaps also tools for creating your own buildings, blocks and neighbourhoods. It’s supposed to be a super size metropolis, so there should be room for a lot of stuff. I think the rest of the world could be described in a page or two. Perhaps there could be some kind of Las Vegas supplement, just because that city is included in the canon. But if it’s included, I think it should be there for a good in-game reason.
Last edited by Bengt Petter on Wed 29 Jun 2022, 15:12, edited 1 time in total.

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