D&D General Do players REALLY care about the game world?

[Eventhorrizon]

Nah, that’s propaganda from evangelical improvisationists.

I think you are promoting anti-party values World building addiction is a thing, hundreds suffer from it.

 

[Charlaquin]

I think you are promoting anti-party values World building addiction is a thing, hundreds suffer from it.

Hey, I’m lore-positive and pro-loreworker, but that doesn’t mean I’m not critical of the worldbuilding industry!

 

[Vaalingrade]

This is ENWorld. Someone is going to say they read the Silmarillion first and were passionate about it and that's what led them to what they view at JRRT's lesser works after that.

And every person I have ever met agrees and have had the same experience. Nice Strawman

 

[jayoungr]

Honestly, Ive read the Similarian, I cant recommend it. It is not that good. Tolkien didnt even want to release it for years.

I've read it too, and I'm glad I did. I can cut it a lot of slack because it wasn't left in a format intended for publication when Tolkien died. But it's absolutely not a novel, and anyone who goes to it expecting an experience similar to The Hobbit or LOTR is likely to be in for a shock. It's more like an in-universe history book.

The best way I found to get through it was to treat it as a book of short stories: read a chapter or two, then read something else, then come back and read another chapter or two. And the genealogical charts in the back were an absolute necessity.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

And every person I have ever met agrees and have had the same experience. Nice Strawman

I wasn't making an argument. It was a tongue in cheek joke.

 

[TheAlkaizer]

This is ENWorld. Someone is going to say they read the Silmarillion first and were passionate about it and that's what led them to what they view at JRRT's lesser works after that.

Maybe not that. But when there's some overarching lore available I generally dig into that first to get a feel for the world, whatever if it's for a book, show or new game setting. I started reading some of Howard's Conan short stories, and the first thing I did was read his short (and quite racist) essay on the setting of the Hyborian Age.

But most DM I know are that way. They enjoy worldbuilding for worldbuilding and like to dive into it and weave it in their stuff when they become player. I've rarely seen regular players act that that.

 

[Vyshan]

I found world building can be wonderful, but it needs to be in small amounts when telling it to players.
Feel free to share more in depth if the party is interested, but be careful how much you overshare.
Unless the players are very social for the roleplaying, I just assume they are more combat & puzzle leaning.

 

[Northern Phoenix]

Some people really enjoy as weird and out there settings as possible, but for everyone else, i find "generic fantasy" is perfectly serviceable. To the people who do not have learning about a setting as their primary form of fun, i find that the game world broadly (as opposed to the exact parts the players interact with directly) is, for better or for worse, like the sound design aspect of a movie. You'll know when its bad or wrong, but otherwise, it just "is" without being "good" or "great".

 

[Immoralkickass]

I fully admit to having short attention span, and lots of times i do forgot which setting i am playing in, which NPC i am talking to, etc. Thinking about it, an interesting game world/settings doesn't interest me as much as being put in interesting situations.

But in the end, its a game, and nothing wrong if people treat it as such. Everything is there to facilitate fun, and everyone's fun is different.

 

[overgeeked]

I fully admit to having short attention span, and lots of times i do forgot which setting i am playing in, which NPC i am talking to, etc. Thinking about it, an interesting game world/settings doesn't interest me as much as being put in interesting situations.

But in the end, its a game, and nothing wrong if people treat it as such. Everything is there to facilitate fun, and everyone's fun is different.

I’m like that with immersion. I don’t think it exists. I don’t see how it can. At no point have I ever forgotten that I’m at a table playing a game. It get that lost in a book feeling all the time when I read. Lose track of time and where I am. Get off at the wrong stop, late to things, walk into things, etc.