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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 6324251" data-attributes="member: 42582">I think you are right to identify the contrasting views, but I'm not sure you've hit on some of the reasons. (At least, not in this post. I think you yourself are aware of them.)If you look at my recent Lewis Pulsipher thread, you can see a very good gameplay reason why, for a certain playstyle, game elements need to have at least some mechanical realisation in advance of being encountered by the PCs: because in gamist exploration play, part of the challenge for the players is to use information-gathering techniuqes (eg detection spells) to work out what is where, and how tough it is, in order to maximise their ability to exploit (via their PCs) the ingame situation.A different instance of the same phenomenon is found in Gygax's pursuit rules in his DMG, which - in stating the algorithm for determining whether or not monsters pursue fleeing PCs - gives as the first step "The monsters will act as the DM has noted in his/her dungeon key". This fact about the gameworld was set in advance, when the GM wrote up the dungeon, and was a potential object of inquiry for the players (eg via ESP, Commune etc).Flexible backstory, of the sort I use, is anathema to this Gygaxian/Pulsipherian style of play, because flexible backstory keeps the pressure on the PCs, and hence the players, regardless of the choices they make! (Of course, those choices change the fictional content of the pressure.) Which is great for thematic play, but tantamount to cheating in gamist exploration play.But of course this Gygaxian/Pulsipherian technique isn't about establishing a "living, breathing world". It's about posing a certain sort of challenge.I'm not sure when the move to "living, breathing world" happened. I'm guessing it became widespread in the early to mid 80s. To me, it seems like a case of continuing to follow practical advice given by Gygax, Moldvay etc (eg write stuff up and record it in the GM's notes) but changing the rationale - it's no longer to support gamist exploration play, but rather for some other purpose. What I personally don't have a great handle on is what that other purpose is: it's to do with a certain sort of immersionist verisimilitue (including, perhaps, for the GM in the course of actua play!), but I'm probably not the best person to describe it.</blockquote>

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