The Human Factor

Hey all,

There's something that I really enjoy about Sci-fi and Fantasy: something called the human factor. It comes down to a few elements that make up this human factor:

1: Need for Relationship

Humans, even nerdy bloggers, need relationship. Not necessarily romantic, thought that is a vital part of the human experience, but just camaraderie, friendship, and rivalry go a long way toward making a story feel human. It's what separates shows like Firefly or Farscape from shows too caught up in events to really invest in characters. Even shows like Star Trek, in which rank and title are paramount to the world portrayed, the deep and wonderful character moments occur between friends and compatriots.

2: Humor

Joss Whedon once said, “Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke.” There's something very human about that, and it's why even very dark war stories like Band of Brothers, or Life is Beautiful have moments of humor and levity; it's not to detract from the horror, but to humanize it, and to show human beings trying everything at their disposal to cling to sanity in a world gone mad. 

3: Human Flaws

This one is a big deal for me. Consider that in real life, people have left the nuclear football at a party or that nuclear launch operators have been found asleep by pizza delivery guys. Consider that cost-cutting measures put soldiers on the field in worse armor than the best that exists, and that political missteps have armed today's allies to become tomorrow's threats to democracy. Humanity is flawed. If a terrible fantasy dictator constructs the ultimate death fortress, that doesn't mean that his door guards won't be made up of a rookie who was given this assignment by a leader who didn't want to do the work to train him, a man still hungover from the night before, and a man preoccupied by a snide remark his wife made earlier that day. People are people, and worlds that reflect that feel more vibrant and real than worlds that don't. 

So, think about this human factor in your own gaming and writing endeavors, and, as always, happy gaming, all.