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D&D Combat is fictionless
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<blockquote data-quote="clearstream" data-source="post: 8401682" data-attributes="member: 71699"><p>This might be a matter of what we mean by simulation. I think a simulation is intended to model 'something else' and one can level criticisms about how well it does that. Suppose we level a complaint at <em>Chess</em> saying that the sides ought to move simultaneously. What would be our motive in making that complaint? With <em>Chess</em> I don't believe we'd be concerned with how well it modelled something else: <em>Chess</em> is <em>Chess</em>.</p><p></p><p>Your complaint seems to be about how well D&D combat represents a fiction that you have in mind. In that fiction, creatures move simultaneously (perhaps in some other fiction, they don't!) Here, "simulation" is not a synonym of "realism." It is about critiquing D&D combat based on how successfully it models a fiction - that 'something else' - that you have in mind. It doesn't address your complaint to say that D&D combat plays well, or is interesting, or is streamlined or whatever, because the litmus test is how well it simulates features of your fiction that you care about, and how that interacts with your suspension of disbelief.</p><p></p><p>Espen Aarseth offered the thought that a game can be understood as a mechanism, and if you look up the philosophical background on mechanisms you will see definitions such as "<em>A mechanism is a structure performing a function in virtue of its component parts, component operations, and their organization. The orchestrated functioning of the mechanism is responsible for one or more phenomena.</em>" I understood your OP to assert that the crucial function of the D&D combat mechanism that you care about is "<em>produce my fiction</em>". If the crucial function of D&D combat for me is "<em>produce a streamlined, interesting and fair boardgame for D&D characters and monsters</em>" then I might not share your complaint.</p><p></p><p>There is a bit of sophistry in what I say because unstated, but present in my requirement, is that I want it to "<em>feel like medieval combat as I picture it, but with spells and dragons</em>". Our choices are not crisply defined! It is more that we lean into one or other concern. Your requirement for simultaneous action seems to me to be leaning into the simulation concern, but no more than expecting a longsword to weigh about the right amount, or wearing armor to have some kind of protective benefit. It's simply harder to address, and likely to require different compromises.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="clearstream, post: 8401682, member: 71699"] This might be a matter of what we mean by simulation. I think a simulation is intended to model 'something else' and one can level criticisms about how well it does that. Suppose we level a complaint at [I]Chess[/I] saying that the sides ought to move simultaneously. What would be our motive in making that complaint? With [I]Chess[/I] I don't believe we'd be concerned with how well it modelled something else: [I]Chess[/I] is [I]Chess[/I]. Your complaint seems to be about how well D&D combat represents a fiction that you have in mind. In that fiction, creatures move simultaneously (perhaps in some other fiction, they don't!) Here, "simulation" is not a synonym of "realism." It is about critiquing D&D combat based on how successfully it models a fiction - that 'something else' - that you have in mind. It doesn't address your complaint to say that D&D combat plays well, or is interesting, or is streamlined or whatever, because the litmus test is how well it simulates features of your fiction that you care about, and how that interacts with your suspension of disbelief. Espen Aarseth offered the thought that a game can be understood as a mechanism, and if you look up the philosophical background on mechanisms you will see definitions such as "[I]A mechanism is a structure performing a function in virtue of its component parts, component operations, and their organization. The orchestrated functioning of the mechanism is responsible for one or more phenomena.[/I]" I understood your OP to assert that the crucial function of the D&D combat mechanism that you care about is "[I]produce my fiction[/I]". If the crucial function of D&D combat for me is "[I]produce a streamlined, interesting and fair boardgame for D&D characters and monsters[/I]" then I might not share your complaint. There is a bit of sophistry in what I say because unstated, but present in my requirement, is that I want it to "[I]feel like medieval combat as I picture it, but with spells and dragons[/I]". Our choices are not crisply defined! It is more that we lean into one or other concern. Your requirement for simultaneous action seems to me to be leaning into the simulation concern, but no more than expecting a longsword to weigh about the right amount, or wearing armor to have some kind of protective benefit. It's simply harder to address, and likely to require different compromises. [/QUOTE]
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