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D&D's Evolution: Rulings, Rules, and "System Matters"
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<blockquote data-quote="Argyle King" data-source="post: 8395646" data-attributes="member: 58416"><p>Yes, but also no.</p><p></p><p>I do think those games are different.</p><p></p><p>However, I think that a goblin empire and dragons can make sense and be understood if the underlying foundations of how the world generally works are things which people can understand. </p><p></p><p>If a fantasy world works in a way which is different than the world with which we're familiar, I think that the rules (or perhaps the DM) should indicate what those differences are. I'm inclined to believe that defining those differences is a smoother process when they can be contrasted with a point of reference which the audience (players in this case) can understand.</p><p></p><p>Do the goblins behave similar to bees? Mole rats? (I'm inclined to lean toward mole rats because of their breeding habits and mole rats being one of the few eusocial mammals.) Can my experience at dealing with a hive mind species in Stellaris help me out at all? Do they devour resources like locusts? There are lot of things which can serve as points of reference. </p><p></p><p>Pious humans aren't difficult to understand. History is full of those examples.</p><p></p><p>So, perhaps the eusocial goblin empire spreads across the land like a cross between the Mongol Horde and a swam of bees, but with mole rat breeding habits. So, there's one primary colony at the upper echelon of the hierarchy, but then there are various sub-empires lorded over by breading pairs at each new "hive." </p><p></p><p>At the same time, the pious humans are dealing with resources being consumed by this ever-growing menace. Perhaps some are terrified because the encroaching goblins are seen as some sort of divine omen that they have sinned in some way (much like some Europeans viewed the approaching Mongol Horde).</p><p></p><p>So, are the goblins the bad guys? </p><p></p><p>That depends upon what story you're trying to tell. There are a lot of ways you could deal with it. The goblins could be anything from a slightly more-intelligent version of zombies (or the Flood from Halo) to a thinly-veiled lesson about pollution to a misunderstood culture which is struggling with their own problems (which the PCs discover). </p><p></p><p>In any of those cases, I would be taking one or two bullet points which I can understand and then extrapolating more information from it.</p><p></p><p>From a player perspective, nothing included in what I wrote above would grossly violate anything I could understand. War and religion are both things I can understand. Packs of animals or hives of insects are also things I can understand. I may not have a perfect understanding, but that's not necessary. I simply need to understand the general ballpark of the idea. </p><p></p><p>Mentally, I just need to be able to get my foot through the door of understanding. Once I'm into the game, whatever I don't know will be filled in by the game, the story, and the DM. If something seems jarring or difficult for me to understand, I'll ask questions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Argyle King, post: 8395646, member: 58416"] Yes, but also no. I do think those games are different. However, I think that a goblin empire and dragons can make sense and be understood if the underlying foundations of how the world generally works are things which people can understand. If a fantasy world works in a way which is different than the world with which we're familiar, I think that the rules (or perhaps the DM) should indicate what those differences are. I'm inclined to believe that defining those differences is a smoother process when they can be contrasted with a point of reference which the audience (players in this case) can understand. Do the goblins behave similar to bees? Mole rats? (I'm inclined to lean toward mole rats because of their breeding habits and mole rats being one of the few eusocial mammals.) Can my experience at dealing with a hive mind species in Stellaris help me out at all? Do they devour resources like locusts? There are lot of things which can serve as points of reference. Pious humans aren't difficult to understand. History is full of those examples. So, perhaps the eusocial goblin empire spreads across the land like a cross between the Mongol Horde and a swam of bees, but with mole rat breeding habits. So, there's one primary colony at the upper echelon of the hierarchy, but then there are various sub-empires lorded over by breading pairs at each new "hive." At the same time, the pious humans are dealing with resources being consumed by this ever-growing menace. Perhaps some are terrified because the encroaching goblins are seen as some sort of divine omen that they have sinned in some way (much like some Europeans viewed the approaching Mongol Horde). So, are the goblins the bad guys? That depends upon what story you're trying to tell. There are a lot of ways you could deal with it. The goblins could be anything from a slightly more-intelligent version of zombies (or the Flood from Halo) to a thinly-veiled lesson about pollution to a misunderstood culture which is struggling with their own problems (which the PCs discover). In any of those cases, I would be taking one or two bullet points which I can understand and then extrapolating more information from it. From a player perspective, nothing included in what I wrote above would grossly violate anything I could understand. War and religion are both things I can understand. Packs of animals or hives of insects are also things I can understand. I may not have a perfect understanding, but that's not necessary. I simply need to understand the general ballpark of the idea. Mentally, I just need to be able to get my foot through the door of understanding. Once I'm into the game, whatever I don't know will be filled in by the game, the story, and the DM. If something seems jarring or difficult for me to understand, I'll ask questions. [/QUOTE]
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