Jump to content

Are Vampires Overused?

Hentai-chan

By Hentai-chan,
in General Discussion

Recommended Posts

Hentai-chan

Hentai-chan

Posted
Posted

I have been thinking. A lot of people don't know this but for quite a long time, I have been working on Fan Fic of sorts for Skyrim. It features a vampire that makes her way to godhood. But I am starting to have doubts about whether she really should be a vampire. With so many vampires about, I feel as though the idea is overused.

 

What do you think? Has the idea become old? Or do you think that there should be more vampire stories? And why?

 
Link to comment

Thulas

Thulas

Posted
Posted

Vampires never become old; as long as they are feeding. :D

You shouldn't decide that because of the work from others. There may be a few stories about vampires already and the popular trend seems to favor vampires lately, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't chose your heroine's nature to follow this trend.

 

Just create a character without minding anything others might say or think. And if you like the idea of her being a vampire, then just let her be one.

Link to comment
Guest xthejester

Guest xthejester

Posted
Posted

Thulas is right.

 

That being said...I have no interest in reading any more Vampire fiction any time soon. It's pretty played out.

 

So  it's really up to you...write what you want regardless of trends...but know that if you're just adding a few tears to a river, it probably won't get noticed.

Link to comment
Mord Sif

Mord Sif

Posted
Posted

Yes, Thulas is indeed right.

 

I'm a writer myself (that's the idea, at least!) and one thing I've found is that it's often best to be selfish with your stories. Write for yourself. If you're writing too much for others you might not enjoy the process, and your writing's probably going to suffer as a result.

 

If you want to write a vampire character, you should do it, even if it's been done lots of times before. And personally, I've got quite a thing for bloodsuckers :lol:

Link to comment
Thulas

Thulas

Posted
Posted

Very played out and used up! Once Vampire's start walking in the daylight, that's all it takes for me to not like the idea any more, I don't even enjoy playing them in game.

I am not 100%ly sure, but I think I read somewhere that this weakness to the sun actually isn't part of the original vampires that at first appeared in folkslore and rural legends.

Time for some research.

 

But it doesn't matter how "outplayed" the idea of vampirism is, if a character is well made then such things hardly matter anymore. But to achieve that this character needs to be created not to be a vampire but simply happen to be one.

Link to comment
Symon

Symon

Posted
Posted

Vampires can (and are) used badly by some fiction but have been stylish for thousands of years. They go back a long way.

 

Oh, and the crisping in daylight seems to be a relatively  modern invention (certainly no Mesopotamian vampire turned to ashes in this way), which is probably partly why it's now not universally observed. (The other being it makes for better TV/films).

Link to comment
Cynical Misanthrope

Cynical Misanthrope

Posted
Posted

Yes, they are. Just like Zombies. They have been overused till death, and then some moar. (HA!)

There are still a few games and movies out there, that I still enjoy play/watch but in general I'm getting really feed up with them.

It's just like music. Every chord and shit, has already been used 100 times before.

 

 

But, for your fan fic, you should use whatever you feel like.

Link to comment
Hentai-chan

Hentai-chan

Posted
  • Author
Posted

 

one thing I've found is that it's often best to be selfish with your stories.

I know, I know. But I had that idea in my head for a while. Unless I aired it, it would never have gone away. Now the only question is if I put her on the spotlight or put her in the background. If she's in the middle, it would allow me to provide better insight into her character. If I put her in the background, it would most definitely give her an aura of mystery. Something will come to me, I'm sure.

Link to comment
Guest endgameaddiction

Guest endgameaddiction

Posted
Posted

Aslong as you dont "Twilight" them.. do it as ya please.

 

but one more sparkly vampire and i'ma start hunting the people that make them.

 

I'm with you there. Twilight is the most demolished series of flims ever...

Link to comment
Guest xthejester

Guest xthejester

Posted
Posted

 

Very played out and used up! Once Vampire's start walking in the daylight, that's all it takes for me to not like the idea any more, I don't even enjoy playing them in game.

I am not 100%ly sure, but I think I read somewhere that this weakness to the sun actually isn't part of the original vampires that at first appeared in folkslore and rural legends.

Time for some research.

 

But it doesn't matter how "outplayed" the idea of vampirism is, if a character is well made then such things hardly matter anymore. But to achieve that this character needs to be created not to be a vampire but simply happen to be one.

 

 

Origins of the folklore or myths isn't really relevant. It's like trying to nail down dragons. There is no "original" vampire myth...as every culture has had their own version.

 

It just seems like our modern culture (the last decade anyway, not counting 30 Days of Night) has the lamest bullshit version. The simplest problem with Vampires is the fact that at some point...they went from being damned, monstrous creatures that don't just kill you...but can damn you as well...to love interests and sex fantasies for outcasts.

 

I blame the romanticism of this on Stoker and his Dracula. And to a lesser degree on the whole notion of Gothic Fiction and its counter cultural backlash against Judeo-Christian morality. "What you call a curse, I call a blessing."

 

Vampires aren't monsters anymore. Now they're something we identify with...they are the idealized version of us. Swap out the need to feed on blood as a curse, with any other vice we may have...sex, drug addiction...anger issues...and we have ourselves.  Albeit stronger, and basically immortal versions of ourselves.

 

The last few decades has even mixed sex into it. Not only do vampires feed on humans...but they fuck them now too. Basically...if you're a young, attractive female who is slightly socially awkward...vampires aren't anything to afraid of.  Point of fact...you're their primary demographic for recruitment. Unfortunately for young males...Vampires are not unlike the radical Mormons of the real world. Only the old dudes get any love...not many young men get to be invited to the party.  If they do, its usually because some scheming elder female vampires was making them a pawn of some kind. Not out of "love" like the male vamps seem to like to do in these modern stories.

 

I suppose that remains a kind of a curse though...doesn't it?

 

Ancient male vampire gets eyes for a young mortal woman...the young mortal woman gets all swept up in the dark romance and gets made into a vampire herself...

 

After a century or two...the Male vamp must get tired of his "immortal love" and gets eyes for a new PYT, and leaves his fem-vamp for whatever reason.

 

The she-vamp is all jaded and upset...so she goes out and seduces some studly young man...turning him into a vamp for her own amusement. But sooner or later, the newly made boy-vamp comes to the horrid realization that he was just a disposable plaything all along, rebels and leaves.

 

He survives long enough...he eventually gets eyes for a pretty young human girl...and the cycle starts anew.

 

How fucking miserable is that? For like...everyone.

 

Moral of this story is...there's no such thing as "immortal love". Truth is...eventually you'll get tiered of whoever you're with.  At least we mortals can get old and die...hopefully before we fall out of love with whoever it is we decide to be with.

 

How awkward and uncomfortable is it for people who run into an ex after a particularly bad break up? Imagine always having to do it...because you're both immortal.

 

Shit...I could go on and on about this forever. Bascially...the TL;DR version...being a vampire would really suck.

Link to comment
jxm

jxm

Posted
Posted

Well, are they overused? I'd rather say they are underused, at least the "real" ones ... vampires got rather bastardized lately .. only a lot of romantic bullshit,

and skinny guys always losing their shirts while battling bad cgi-werewolves ... all for the love of some zombie-like girl...

 

But to everyone their own interpretation of the various vampire myths...however, though Fanfic for me at least can do whatever it wants, I would at least try and ground the vampire you want to use on some basic Tamriel lore ... not  sure if ascending to godhood is really possible here (not even sure if Tiber Septim ever really achieved this ... blasphemer that I am), but

whatever picks your fancy and is fun to you, do it, and don't care about what is over- or underused. A good story doesn't care about such things anyway. And if vampires is your thing, do it. Can't be worse than a lot of bloodsucker-bullshit of lately.... :)

 

Damn, I wish so hard for a game or movie or series that is based on The Masquerade ... with actual powerhungry vampires that are seducers, abominations, puppet-players, cursed by god and driven by the lust for blood and fear of the eternal death... :cool:

Link to comment
Guest xthejester

Guest xthejester

Posted
Posted

Well, are they overused? I'd rather say they are underused, at least the "real" ones ... vampires got rather bastardized lately .. only a lot of romantic bullshit,

and skinny guys always losing their shirts while battling bad cgi-werewolves ... all for the love of some zombie-like girl...

 

But to everyone their own interpretation of the various vampire myths...however, though Fanfic for me at least can do whatever it wants, I would at least try and ground the vampire you want to use on some basic Tamriel lore ... not  sure if ascending to godhood is really possible here (not even sure if Tiber Septim ever really achieved this ... blasphemer that I am), but

whatever picks your fancy and is fun to you, do it, and don't care about what is over- or underused. A good story doesn't care about such things anyway. And if vampires is your thing, do it. Can't be worse than a lot of bloodsucker-bullshit of lately.... :)

 

Damn, I wish so hard for a game or movie or series that is based on The Masquerade ... with actual powerhungry vampires that are seducers, abominations, puppet-players, cursed by god and driven by the lust for blood and fear of the eternal death... :cool:

 

Mark Rein-Hagen's vampire game is probably the last vestige of balance between the romanticized vampire, and the legendary monster.  They took the different vampire archetypes and separated them into various clans.

 

That was something of a master-stroke. Unfortunately...this model didn't translate quite as well when the White Wolf company reproduced it with Werewolves, Fairies, Wraiths, and Wizards.

 

Don't get me wrong...I enjoyed playing all those games (save for Changeling...I just couldn't groove on the Fey.), but the Vampire game was IMO the best of them. I did enjoy how the system worked...making the games overlap nicely. Werewolf: The Apocalypse, worked well with Vampire: The Masquerade. Which, in turn, worked well with Wraith: The Oblivion. So on and so on.

 

Link to comment
Mebrilia

Mebrilia

Posted
Posted

 

vampire the masquerade fanboys always manages to get worse than star wars ones

 

How so?

 

 

Allow me to explain...

 

For this my friend exist only Vampire on role play games everything else is garbage for her..She insist to fill my head on why i should play vampire the masquerade videgames, pen and paper and also Live...

 

I explained to her that i have other insterest i do play vampires in past but is so static that after a year you will eventually get bored of it and also the lores as self explanatory you don't have mistery to solve you know where all the vampires come from... I attempted to introduce her in the tes lores with morrowind that was the best example of briliant writing mixed with an interesting world filled with culture and overall detail... She just mocked me telling me...

 

Ah yes another fantasy roleplay setting....like if lord of the rings was not enough...

 

Then she continued to talk about Vampires,Vampires,Vampires all day until i told her to shot up that i don't care because is a stale setting..

Link to comment
Guest xthejester

Guest xthejester

Posted
Posted

 

 

vampire the masquerade fanboys always manages to get worse than star wars ones

 

How so?

 

 

Allow me to explain...

 

For this my friend exist only Vampire on role play games everything else is garbage for her..She insist to fill my head on why i should play vampire the masquerade videgames, pen and paper and also Live...

 

I explained to her that i have other insterest i do play vampires in past but is so static that after a year you will eventually get bored of it and also the lores as self explanatory you don't have mistery to solve you know where all the vampires come from... I attempted to introduce her in the tes lores with morrowind that was the best example of briliant writing mixed with an interesting world filled with culture and overall detail... She just mocked me telling me...

 

Ah yes another fantasy roleplay setting....like if lord of the rings was not enough...

 

Then she continued to talk about Vampires,Vampires,Vampires all day until i told her to shot up that i don't care because is a stale setting..

 

 

Fair enough. It's just a matter of differing opinions I suppose.

 

Link to comment
Irrational

Irrational

Posted
Posted

It's not about whether your idea is original or not. It's about what you do with your spin on the concept. "No such thing as an original idea so just do what you do best." It's a rule of thumb for all aspiring in the creative field.

 

In Addition as a writer you should ask yourself:

-What role does being a vampire serve for the character. Does it drive the plot? Can the plot be written without the character being a vampire?

 

Normally for me if the element does not serve a purpose to your story, then there is no need to include it.

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...
Guest

Guest

Posted
Posted

Don't let the  wealth of mediocrity out there discourage you. If you're ideas are good ones they'll stand on their own merit. Use your misgivings to help fuel you creatively, see what comes out. 

 

I really enjoyed Interview With a Vampire when I read it as a youngster, I'm sure Anne Rice didn't intend to usher in an age of shite treatments of the mythology. Goodness knows what Bram Stoker would have to say about the Cullens. 

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

View Community Rules

Help Support LoversLab

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. For more information, see our Privacy Policy & Terms of Use