From:	Mark Fender markf@******.com
Subject:	Atmosphere Music (Was: Re: The Shadowrun Music CD)
Date:	Mon, 23 Aug 1999 16:58:02 -0500

> > > Mark, this isn't meant to be a flame, or really even as snarky as
> > > it's probably going to come across, but would you also argue with
> > > me if I told you water was wet, fire was hot, and 2+2=4? I'm
> > > genuinely curious.
> >
> > Hmm. I didn't see this as a flame.
>
> This is good.
>
> > And no, I wouldn't. I didn't really have an argumentative tone in this
> > did I?
>
> Not really; it just seems that everything I say, you see, to have a
> counter
> for.
>
Apparently we are exact opposite personalities.

> > > >Let me ask this: why do you feel '70s music adds to SR?
> > >
> > > <jibe tone="sarcastic>
> > > Musical skill and originality.
> > > </jibe>
> >
> > And industrial isn't original?
>
> It's, for the most part, not particularly musical. At least from where I
> sit.
>
Well, I think it is. It's hard to make something sound so bad but still be
so good. But that's not really why I think it fits more into SR than Bowie.

> > To bring this back on topic: I think the discordant tones of industrial
> help
> > drive the dystopian view of the future I hold of the future.
>
> And I prefer for there to be some kind of ray of hope. I prefer that my
> players and their characters make some sort of difference, even a small
> one,
> in the world, or at least in the lives of characters they interact with.
> One of the better runs I ever sent the guys on was paid with a couple of
> beers and a favor to be repaid later. I don't *like* games where it's all
> oppressive and all dismal and the corps are evil monolithic entities and
> there's not a single goddamn light anywhere. Play it dark and discordant
> and dystopian, and you might as well be playing CYBERPUNK 2020 with a
> script
> right out of <yarf> Gibson's books.
>
Well, I'm all into the ray of light type deal, but I tend to find the ray of
light looks a lot brighter when you've just experienced 12 hours of the most
depressing drek ever invented. And it looks like we're up to this same
Gibson argument again, so, instead of going over why he is a literary god
and all, I'll just drop it.

> And if the game starts to turn out like that, I'll stop playing.
>
> > Plus, have you ever listened to the lyrics? KMFDM are anarchists,
> Ministry
> > hate the Church, and Trent hates himself. This is the sort of viewpoint
> I
> > see the future going towards.
>
> You're saying all this like it's a good thing. I happen to think it's
> not.
>
Besides anarchy (which is a good thing from my anti-authoritarian
viewpoint), none of these are good. You don't actually think the world will
be a happier place in the future, do you? The history of everything starts
at a peak and falls downward. I just think this trend will continue, and
from reading SR's history, I think they agree with me.

> Remind me never to play in your game; I don't think I'd like it.
>
Nor I yours. Of course, I've pretty much come to the idea that, while you
all are pretty cool people, I wouldn't want to play with any of you. I've
just got a wack style, I guess.

Out of curiosity, what are the predominant themes of your game? I'm just
interested (to see how far apart we really are). Feel free to send that
privately, as I'm pretty sure everyone else is ignoring us anyway.