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<blockquote data-quote="EzekielRaiden" data-source="post: 6602581" data-attributes="member: 6790260"><p>The attitude that it has to be nonsense, by definition, is part of why I find topics like this quite vexing.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I actually just had a conversation about "Calvinball" behavior in D&D with a friend of mine, just last night. It was on the part of players rather than DMs, but I think it applies just as much. Specifically: There are <em>two kinds</em> of Calvinball. There's "let's all play with what the rules expect, while still achieving the goals the rules set." From this, you get things like the zany rogue who always makes situations more interesting (in both the exciting sense and the Chinese proverb sense), the warlord-type always coming up with a new "so crazy it just might work" scheme, or the wizard who introduces bizarre or oddball trivia that somehow manages to make the world richer, fuller, and more interesting (again in both senses). And then there's the antagonistic kind of Calvinball. The "look how much more clever I am than you" kind.</p><p></p><p>DMs that engage in the former kind, IMO, work to bridge "play by the rules" and "screw the rules" play into a harmonious back-and-forth. DMs who engage in the latter kind are the issue you're talking about here: ones who change "the rules" without letting the players know, while expecting them to obey. Playing "D&D: Mao Edition," so to speak. I have little interest in playing such a game, and think it is a serious problem for D&D games, in fact.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>But...but...you're *God.* How could you ever possibly be wrong? *Especially* if you decide to change your mind! <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/ponder.png" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":hmm:" title="Hmmm :hmm:" data-shortname=":hmm:" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="EzekielRaiden, post: 6602581, member: 6790260"] The attitude that it has to be nonsense, by definition, is part of why I find topics like this quite vexing. I actually just had a conversation about "Calvinball" behavior in D&D with a friend of mine, just last night. It was on the part of players rather than DMs, but I think it applies just as much. Specifically: There are [I]two kinds[/I] of Calvinball. There's "let's all play with what the rules expect, while still achieving the goals the rules set." From this, you get things like the zany rogue who always makes situations more interesting (in both the exciting sense and the Chinese proverb sense), the warlord-type always coming up with a new "so crazy it just might work" scheme, or the wizard who introduces bizarre or oddball trivia that somehow manages to make the world richer, fuller, and more interesting (again in both senses). And then there's the antagonistic kind of Calvinball. The "look how much more clever I am than you" kind. DMs that engage in the former kind, IMO, work to bridge "play by the rules" and "screw the rules" play into a harmonious back-and-forth. DMs who engage in the latter kind are the issue you're talking about here: ones who change "the rules" without letting the players know, while expecting them to obey. Playing "D&D: Mao Edition," so to speak. I have little interest in playing such a game, and think it is a serious problem for D&D games, in fact. But...but...you're *God.* How could you ever possibly be wrong? *Especially* if you decide to change your mind! :hmm: [/QUOTE]
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