In lieu of the regularly-scheduled "please back our Kickstarter" plea today, we're just going to say that it's weird to create dystopian science fiction when you're living in an actual dystopia.
Like, while we're honored and humbled to hear sentiments like this, it would be a very good thing to NOT be topical right now.
We went down this road with the original: we started planning Starchildren in early 2001, thinking we'd release at Gencon (September) 2001.
That got pushed back to 2002, meaning half the book was written in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.
That got pushed back to 2002, meaning half the book was written in the immediate aftermath of 9/11.
So it started as a joke, like "gee, the real world is beating us to the punch here," but the humor wore off that one pretty fast.
Because this started as just a goofy pastiche of Kilroy Was Here, 2112, Diamond Dogs, etc. On its own, "rock & roll is illegal" is a deeply silly concept.
Sticking to just that feels irresponsible and disrespectful toward people facing actual oppression in the here and now.
Sticking to just that feels irresponsible and disrespectful toward people facing actual oppression in the here and now.
We feel that we did a *pretty good* job of addressing that in 2002. Today, it's the first thing on our minds is the need to balance respect for actual marginalized people and keeping the surface themes that engage people in the first place.
We say "rock & roll is outlawed" a lot, but really, all art is severely restricted; rock music is just what the Starchildren, Velvet and the Blue Army are pushing against specifically.
And outlawing art is just the regime's means, not their ends. The ends are the same as every fascist regime: white supremacy, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, capitalism.
Suppressing music and art just lets them do that without having to say so.
Suppressing music and art just lets them do that without having to say so.
This happened in our history with jazz suppression, payola/whitewashing, the Satanic panic, disco demolition, rap/R&B lyrics being more heavily censored for radio play...it goes on.
Attacking the art is a way of attacking the people who make and enjoy it.
Attacking the art is a way of attacking the people who make and enjoy it.
So this isn't light escapism, like, "wow, if only this was all we had to worry about." The villains in this game are the villains in real life.
Where we get a little escapism is in how your characters deal with that.
Where we get a little escapism is in how your characters deal with that.
In this game, you're playing pretty normal people (even if they're aliens) facing what are at times too-real problems.
But while we real people get paralyzed with doubt or despair, your characters know exactly how to fight back *and win.*
But while we real people get paralyzed with doubt or despair, your characters know exactly how to fight back *and win.*
Every show you play, every pirate broadcast you launch, every runaway you shelter from the law, every crowd you inspire to take a stand against the cops...these all chip away at the Ministry's authority until it can no longer stand.
Our best hope is that people play Velvet Generation and take in that this is true in real life too, the game just makes it work faster and in a measurable way.
If you've read this far, thanks. Let's do what we can in the real world. March on June 30th. Donate to RAICES (actionnetwork.org/groups/raices-…). Call your reps if you have them. Take direct action if you're able.
Don't let these fuckers win.
Don't let these fuckers win.
