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Book recommendations for research


Midnight

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I'm interested in finding out more about the time periods in our own history which The Dark Mod is loosely based on, to help provide some background and inspiration for a storyline I'm working on.

 

I came across an interesting looking book today which could offer some inspiration, though I really wanted a more 'grounded' historical look at the middle ages (with a particular emphasis on the early medieval feudal system) and the Victorian era. I'm hoping to get a better feeling for what constituted 'everyday life' for the various different classes of people, as well as a broader overview of the political, social and economical environments which led to things like war, plague etc.

 

I'm hoping that posting this here will be rewarding, given we're all somewhat familiar with this setting (both from TDM and previous games) and have a good idea of what would be useful, and also that this thread could become a list of useful references for FM designers to visit.

 

So, please post your thoughts, recommendations and links to books or websites, videos even. Whatever you think might help FM makers create stories with rich backgrounds and missions with a feeling of historical authenticity.

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Well I am really bad when it comes to history, so I can't give you proper advice here. But the game "The Witcher" and the books by Andrzej Sapkowski on which it is based present the most grown-up medieval world/society I have ever seen. There is no black or white, you always just have to chose the lesser evil in the game. And if it's not for the inspiration, it's still worth playing just for the joy of it. Awesome game!! Loved the shit out of it!! :D

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Midnight: I will recommend a very recent post in this topic. The first book _Atti_ links to is not just chock full of great imagery, but contains some inspiring reading material as well.

Come the time of peril, did the ground gape, and did the dead rest unquiet 'gainst us. Our bands of iron and hammers of stone prevailed not, and some did doubt the Builder's plan. But the seals held strong, and the few did triumph, and the doubters were lain into the foundations of the new sanctum. -- Collected letters of the Smith-in-Exile, Civitas Approved

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If I want to learn about builders, I just depend on my Ecclesiastical Latin class. There's a lot of Pre-medieval and Rennaissance church Latin works that haven't been translated yet (especially concerning things like the Inquisition!)

yay seuss crease touss dome in ouss nose tair

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Dickens? Chaucer? Pepys?

 

Without trying to get too literary on you, William Blake's poem London puts it eloquently:

 

I wander through each chartered street,

Near where the chartered Thames does flow,

And mark in every face I meet,

Marks of weakness, marks of woe. In every cry of every man,

In every infant's cry of fear,

In every voice, in every ban,

The mind-forged manacles I hear:

 

How the chimney-sweeper's cry

Every blackening church appals,

And the hapless soldier's sigh

Runs in blood down palace-walls.

 

But most, through midnight streets I hear

How the youthful harlot's curse

Blasts the new-born infant's tear,

And blights with plagues the marriage-hearse.

 

 

Edited by bambini
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"We were travelling in the night of first ages, of those ages that are gone, leaving hardly a sign — and no memories" - Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

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If you're interested in fiction, "The Dress Lodger" is very rich in historical feel, and made me think very strongly of TDM (minus the steampunk). It's a story that takes place in the Victorian town of Sunderland, and focuses on a grave-robbing and the plague.

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The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling is superb, it is a steampunk novel set in an alternative Victorian London.

It's a great book and while it certainly didn't invent the steampunk genre it was certainly one of the first to bring it to a wider audience.

In the alternate history of the book, Babbage actually built his Difference Engine and things went on from there.

I can't recommend this book highly enough.

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Thanks for your suggestions everyone!

 

I've been meaning to read Pepys as this would certainly give a good idea of what life was like but had always been a little intimidated by the scale of the work. I found a smaller selection of his diary on Amazon though, so hopefully this will be useful.

 

I also found a copy of this book at my local bookstore which I thought was a bargain at £12. I've given it a cursory glance and it looks quite interesting, plus it has lots of good pictures (maps, portraits and weapons).

 

@Mortem Desino: I may need to pick your brain at a later stage as the Builder equivalent of the Inquisition is something I'd planned on including in the story.

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While we are on the topic of Pepys, I might as well throw in the English Broadside Ballad Archive here. I discovered it while searching for images I may later turn into decal posters in some later mission. Enjoy.

Come the time of peril, did the ground gape, and did the dead rest unquiet 'gainst us. Our bands of iron and hammers of stone prevailed not, and some did doubt the Builder's plan. But the seals held strong, and the few did triumph, and the doubters were lain into the foundations of the new sanctum. -- Collected letters of the Smith-in-Exile, Civitas Approved

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Going off at a slight tangent, over on the Thief 4 forums there have been a few discussions about a book that people might find interesting. the book is Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov. It's a fantasy story about a thief who unwillingly becomes embroiled in saving the world. By all accounts the protagonist is actually based on Garrett, after the author played the Thief games, although the setting is a bit more "Elves and Wizards" kind of stuff.

 

It's a Russian book, and the English translation comes out in February. Some people have read the book already, and there are some mixed reviews on the forums. Nevertheless, thought I'd mention it.

Edited by bambini

"We were travelling in the night of first ages, of those ages that are gone, leaving hardly a sign — and no memories" - Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

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