David Wesely: The Man Who Accidentally Invented RPGs

[Mannahnin]

Did they claim that? Were they not referring to D&D?

Claim what?

 

[Fifth Element]

Claim what?

That Braunstein is in the fantasy genre.

 

[Fifth Element]

It's tied to another thread discussing what genre might have begun roleplaying if TSR hadn't been a thing.

I don't see anywhere where they're claiming that Braunstein is fantasy.

 

[Gravenhurst48]

I know a fair number of thespians who just call that improv practice. Anyone up for some Fiasco?

Theatre of the Mind and Larping.

 

[aramis erak]

I don't see anywhere where they're claiming that Braunstein is fantasy.

All roleplay is fantasy, not all settings are purely fantasy, but the moment you add PCs, it moves into being fantasy.
Remember fantasy has two meanings within literary use: one is a technical term for anything that doesn't exist, the other for settings build around that conceit for the major portion of the setting.

 

[Mannahnin]

All roleplay is fantasy, not all settings are purely fantasy, but the moment you add PCs, it moves into being fantasy.
Remember fantasy has two meanings within literary use: one is a technical term for anything that doesn't exist, the other for settings build around that conceit for the major portion of the setting.

Isn't that like arguing that Historical Fiction doesn't exist?

 

[Emberashh]

Isn't that like arguing that Historical Fiction doesn't exist?

Yeah what aramis is saying isn't a thing. It is true that fantasy, alternate history (what Braunstein could be called), and historical fiction are all forms of speculative fiction, but fantasy in particular always hinges on a magical element, in the sense that there is no inherent underlying logic to how the events could be said to occur; its a fantasy world.

In alt history communities, we lovingly call alt-history that crosses into fantasy "alien space bats", because thats as much logic as can be applied to certain kinds of stories for how their events happen in difference to real history. The numerous works of Harry Turtledove all typically fall under alien space bats. Braunstein wouldn't fall under ASB; its firmly rooted in its time period and nothing about the games I've read of it would cross over.

The stuff that employs what we colloquially recognize as magic then just falls under the fantasy umbrella.

 

[Fifth Element]

All roleplay is fantasy, not all settings are purely fantasy, but the moment you add PCs, it moves into being fantasy.
Remember fantasy has two meanings within literary use: one is a technical term for anything that doesn't exist, the other for settings build around that conceit for the major portion of the setting.

Sure, if you ignore the actual context of this discussion, this might be relevant. In this discussion, however, "fantasy" is clearly being used in the "elves and wizards" sense.