I believe that the James Bond RPG, from the early 80s, had Action Points. So players in that game make decisions based not just on the GM's description of a situation, but on their knowledege of their access to a metagame resource.For the first decade and a half of RPG history, games were about the GM describing a situation, players making descriptions about what their characters do and the GM using the system to determine the results when they are in question and then describing the new situation that arises.
In Tunnels and Troll, PCs have a luck state. What does that respresent in the gameworld?
And in D&D, PCs have hit points, and these play a big role in player decision-making. What do hp correspond to in the gameworld? A lot of them, especially at higher levels, correspond to luck and divine favour, which is not anything that the GM is describing to the players.
Hit points seem to fit this description pretty well. According to Gygax in the AD&D DMG, so do saving throws - you can't describe the niche into which the chained fighter ducked, for example, until you know that s/he made a save against the dragon's breath.If a player ends up making decisions not based on the described situation, but based on a robust mechanical framework, they might be doing something different than the games that started the hobby.
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They're based off of an artificial resource mechanic with no consistent explanation in the fiction other than you have to describe it after the fact and not describe the situation before the fact.
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As the use of the power necessitates the situation that allows for its setup, you can't use the currently described situation to explain how it happens. You essentially use the power and retcon the situation to fit.
But you would have to ignore the central place of hit points and saving throws in classic D&D. The games that a meta-free are the austere simulationist games like Traveller, Runequest and (slightly less austere) Rolemaster.There are a lot of modern game designs that have departed from the circuit of described changing situations model that dominated the hobby's early years. And if you make that the definition of a game centred around playing a role, it would be easy to conclude that games that don't do that don't fit the definition.
But what's it illustrate, other than that someone doesn't get the game?You are faced with a situation where your character would like to trip someone, but because either you don't have an ability that lets you do so or have already expended it, you can't.
GM: "He steps onto the foot wide rock bridge and draws his sword. 'Today you die and tomorrow the king!"
Player: "Pride comes before a FALL!' I trip him!"
GM: "I'm sorry, but you already used "trip" on the guards, remember?"
Player: "So instead of going with a description you gave, I should make decisions based on which of these power cards aren't turned over yet because I can still use them?"
GM: "Yes."
It's a caricature, but I think it's still illustrative.
Compare:
GM: The orc swings at you viciously with its axe!
Player: I duck like I did before, so it just grazes me.
GM: You can't - you're out of hit points! It cleaves your skull in two!
Player: So instead of going with a description you gave, I have to make decisions based on how much of this numerical resource I have left on my character sheet?
GM: Yes.
Player: I duck like I did before, so it just grazes me.
GM: You can't - you're out of hit points! It cleaves your skull in two!
Player: So instead of going with a description you gave, I have to make decisions based on how much of this numerical resource I have left on my character sheet?
GM: Yes.
Note that in RQ, which uses a simulationist rather than a metagame dodge mechanic, the player's response would make perfect sense.
Martial encounters and dailies extend the D&D tradition of mixing meta into its "passive" abilities (hp, saves) into the active sphere (attacks, other manoeuvres/checks).
You don't have to alter it. You don't even really have to declare it, any more than in AD&D most players would describe the opening, in the minute of attacking and parrying, that actually lets them make an attack roll. It's implicit in using the power, just as the opening is implicit in making an attack roll in AD&D.When you use a disassociated mechanic, you must alter an aspect of the world around the character in order for your character to do what he's about to do.